What is Phonics?

What is phonics?

Phonics is a system of teaching children to read and write through learning sounds, and the letters used to represent each sound. Each language has its own sound and letter combinations. In English, there are approximately 44 sounds which are represented by different combinations of the 26 letters of the alphabet.

In England and Wales phonics is first taught in the preschool year, when children are three years old. Children have usually mastered all the phonics skills by the end of Year 2, when they are 7 years old. However, it is important to remember that all children are unique and learn at different rates. Your child may be ready to start learning phonics before they turn three, or may still need to master some of the skills after they turn seven.

Phonics is split into six phases. The skills introduced in each phase build upon the learning that has taken place in the previous phase. It is therefore important that children progress through each phase in order and don’t miss any out!

Why is it so confusing?

If you are new to phonics, then it can appear very complicated. There is a lot of confusing terminology and a specific way to pronounce each sound. Because of this, many parents can be put off and either delay, or avoid, teaching phonics.

However, once you have got your head around the basics, and have seen the amazing progress that children can make, we are sure you will love phonics as much as we do!

At Play Makes Sense, we are passionate about making phonics accessible to all. We have therefore done away with all of the confusing terminology. Each activity on our cards is explained in clear, simple language. No prior teaching experience is needed and the cards are suitable for those learning English as an additional language.

If you are struggling to understand any phonics terminology that you encounter, we have a full list of terminology and definitions here.

We also have videos to demonstrate the correct pronunciation of each sound taught in Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 5 here.

How do I know when my child is ready to start?

Phase 1 phonics is usually taught when children are 3 years old, but as mentioned before, all children are different.

Here are 5 signs to look out for, that might suggest your child is ready to start their phonics journey:

1. They are able to communicate their basic ideas and thoughts.

2. They know a few nursery rhymes or simple songs by heart.

3. They notice print in the environment and are beginning to ask about it.

4. They enjoy listening to stories and looking at books.

5. They can use a variety of tools and materials to mark make.

Where do I start?

Once you have observed your child displaying the five signs above, start with our Phase 1 Phonics Activity Cards. Phase 1 doesn’t introduce any letters or sounds, but instead explores lots of skills which are crucial for children to master in order to become successful readers and writers.

Phase 1 is split into seven aspects. These are:

Environmental sounds
Instrumental sounds
Body percussion
Rhythm and rhyme
Alliteration
Voice sounds
Oral blending and segmenting

Spending the time developing your child’s understanding of the Phase 1 aspects will lay solid foundations for the rest of their phonics journey. You can find out more about Phase 1 and the activities in our Phase 1 pack here.

Do I teach the letters in alphabetical order?

The majority of single letters and their sounds are introduced in Phase 2. However, the letters are not taught in alphabetical order. The specific order the letters are taught in means that children can get started with reading and writing as quickly as possible.

The first six letters taught in Phase 2 are s, a, t, p, i and n. Once children have mastered these letters there are lots of simple words that they can begin to read and write, e.g. in, it, is, sat, pin, tap.

If you want to find out more about the order the letters and sounds are taught in you can read more here.

Phonics top tips

So now you know what phonics is and how to start, you can begin the wonderful adventure of teaching your child to read and write. Remember, learning to read and write is a long process. Try to make it fun and engaging for your child.

These are our top tips for teaching phonics at home:

Don’t only teach capital letters - children need to know both capital and lowercase letters so introduce them both.
Make sure you pronounce the sounds correctly - try not to add “uh” to the end of each sound.
Teach children the letter name and the sound it makes – “This is the letter a. It makes the sound /a/.”
Make it fun – learning to read and write should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your child.

Our Play Makes Sense Phonics Activity Cards would be a great addition to your phonics journey. If you are tempted to grab yourself a pack, head to our website and sign up to our mailing list. We will send you a code for 10% off your first order!

Enjoy playing and learning together.

Before you go…

Are you a parent raising a bilingual child?

Do you want to learn useful, everyday vocabulary to use with your child that you can’t find anywhere else?

Do you want to come to a 45-minute Zoom class full of everyday English for just £2?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, just click one of the buttons below and complete the short registration form to join our ‘Parents English Class’ for just £2! Click here for more information about the classes.

Every Wednesday at 10 am or Thursday at 3 pm on Zoom, you will learn vocabulary related to different topics. You will learn phrasal verbs, differences between British and American English, British slang and so much more! Even if you’re not a parent, you’re invited!

Here’s what people who have attended have said about the classes: