Read Write Inc

At Littletown Primary Academy we use the Read Write Inc (RWI) programme to get children in Reception and Key Stage One off to a flying start with their reading. We also use it in KS2 for those children who need a more targeted approach.

We strongly believe that reading is one of the most important skills that children can master at primary school. We want our children to read early and quickly so that they can not only enjoy reading, but use reading to learn.

Using RWI, the children learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into comprehending what they read. It also allows them to spell effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into composing what they write.


When using RWI to read the children will:

  • learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture prompts
  • learn to read words using Fred Talk (blending sounds together)
  • read stories competently featuring words they have learned to sound out
  • show that they comprehend the stories by answering questions.

                                           

When using RWI to write the children will:

  • learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent 44 sounds, using a helpful handwriting phrase.
  • learn to write words by saying the sounds using 'Fred Fingers'

 

What can you do at home? 
We believe that teaching your child to read relies on a good partnership between home and school. When you are teaching your child to read at home, it is important that the sounds you say are the 'pure sounds.  Please see the pronunciation video guide below.   

We also have Virtual Classroom videos to watch with your child at home.  These are different depending on your child's level.  Please watch these videos often.  

Letter Sounds
The children are taught 3 sets of letter sounds.  We begin using letter names once the children are in Year 1 and are confidently reading.

Set 1 Sounds are taught in the following order together with rhymes to help children form the letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds ready for blending.

 

 Set 1

 Sound 

 Handwriting Rhyme

   m

 Down Maisie then over the two mountains. Maisie, mountain, mountain.

   a

 Round the apple, down the leaf.

   s

 Slither down the snake

   d

 Round the dinosaur's back, up his neck and down to his feet.

   t

 Down the tower, across the tower,

   i

 Down the insects body, dot for the head.

   n

 Down Nobby and over the net.

   p

 Down the plait, up and over the pirates face.

   g

 Round the girls face, down her hair and give her a curl

   o

 All around the orange

   c

 Curl around the caterpillar

   k

 Down the kangaroos body, tail and leg

   u

 Down and under the umbrella, up to the top and draw a puddle

   b

 Down the laces, to hell, round the toe

   f

 Down the stem and draw the leaves

   e

 Lift off the top and scoop out the egg

   l

 Down the long leg

   h

 Down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back

   r

 Down the robot's back, then curl over his arm

  j

 Down his body, curl and dot

   v

 Down a wing, up a wing

   y

 Down a horn, up a horn and under the yak's head.

   w

 Down, up, down, up the worm.

   z

 Zig-zag-zig, down the zip.

   x

 Down the arm and leg, repeat the other side

   sh

 Slither down the snake, then down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back

   th

 Down the tower, across the tower, then down the horse’s head to the hooves and over his back

   ch

 Curl around the caterpillar, , then down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back

   qu

 Round the queen’s head, up past her earrings and down her hair

   ng

 Sound Rhyme: A thing on a string

  nk

 Sound Rhyme: I think I stink

  

The children are then taught Set 2 Sounds - the long vowels. When they are very confident with all of set 1 and 2 they are taught Set 3 Sounds.

 Long vowel sound 

       Set 2 Speed Sound & Rhyme          

         Set 3 Speed Sound & Rhyme

   ay

 ay: may I play   

 a-e: make a cake

 ai: snail in the rain

   ee

 ee: what can you see

 ea: cup of tea

 e: he me we she be

   igh

 igh: fly high

 i-e: nice smile

   ow

 ow: blow the snow

 o-e: phone home

 oa: goat in a boat

   oo

 oo: poo at the zoo

 u-e: huge brute

 ew: chew the stew

   oo

 oo: look at a book

 

 

   ar

 ar: start the car

  

 

   or

 or: shut the door

 aw: yawn at dawn

 

   air

 air: that’s not fair

 are: share and care

 

   ir

 ir: whirl and twirl

 ur: nurse for a purse

 er: a better letter

   ou

 ou: shout it out

 ow: brown cow

 

   oy

 oy: toy for a boy

 oi: spoil the boy

 

   ire

 

 ire: fire fire!

 

   ear

 

ear: hear with your ear 

 

   ure

 

ure: sure it’s pure?

 

  

Nonsense words (Alien words)       
As well as learning to read and blend real words children will have plenty of opportunities to apply their sound recognition skills on reading ‘Nonsense words’. These words will also feature heavily in the Year One Phonics Screening check in the summer term. 


Books

When children are confidently blending they will be introduced to Sound Blending Books to share at home.  We will then move the children onto Ditty Sheets to practise reading simple short sentences.  Once the children know all Set 1 sounds, including special friends 'sh' 'ch' 'th' 'ng' 'nk' and 'qu', they will be introduced to ‘Red Ditty books’.  Children will then be assessed regularly by the Reading Leader and/or the Assessment Team and moved on to further books as and when appropriate.  

Within all the books children will have red and green words to learn to help them to become speedy readers. Red words are words that are not easily decodable and challenge words to extend children’s vocabulary. Green words are linked to the sounds they have been learning and are easily decodable.

If you would like any further information, the Ruth Miskin Website and Oxford Owl has a plethora of useful videos and information. 

http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/                   
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/

 

RWI Presentation to Parents
Useful Resources
What is Read Write Inc Phonics?
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How to Pronounce Letter Sounds
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Understanding Phonics
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What is Sound Blending?
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