Longfields Primary School And Nursery

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Read Write Inc at Longfields Primary School

At Longfields Primary School we use the Read Write Inc (RWI) Phonics programme to give your child the best possible start to their literacy development. Read Write Inc. was developed by Ruth Miskin. It is a phonics complete literacy programme. Through RWI phonics 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 their energy into composing what they write. 

We start teaching the programme in our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and then continue until they have worked their way through the whole reading scheme, usually this is during Year One or Two. Read, Write, Inc. sessions are taught daily and we support our most vulnerable readers with extra one–to–one teaching every day too. Children with gaps in their phonic knowledge, reading, writing or fluency in Key Stage 2 will also be supported through high quality Read, Write, Inc. teaching and intervention. 

The children are assessed regularly. This is to ensure that they are placed in the correct group for their reading ability. This also allows us to quickly identify any children who needs some support to access the learning at the level of the group. Groups are taught by either a teacher or a TA who have had Read, Write Inc Phonics training.   

Children begin by learning Set 1 sounds in a specific order, together with rhymes to help children form the letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds. They also begin learning to blend sounds together to make words after learning the first five sounds, through practising oral blending. When children can blend independently they progress on to reading green words. Fred the frog helps the children to blend the sounds together which is then used to help children read. The teachers will often use the phrase ‘Fred talk’ to sound out words.  

Once children can read green words they begin to read stories in their RWI sessions. Each storybook is matched to the sounds they can already read, which sets them up for success and helps to build their confidence with reading.  It is through the storybooks we teach children red words, which are irregular words that are not phonetically plausible and cannot be sounded out (Fred talked). Every storybook is taught in the same way, children practice reading the green words in the story and also the red words before they begin to read the book. Children will then read the book several times to help build their fluency and comprehension skills. 

Once your child knows all Set 1 sounds by sight and sound and uses them to blend to read words, we start teaching Set 2 initially and then Set 3.  

Click the links to see the sounds taught in set 1, 2 and 3. (See attached) 

To help at home: 

Your child will start to bring books home when they are confident readers, relating to their reading stage. You will find they bring home: 

  • A small sounds book – When they begin learning a set of sounds in school children will be given a sound book matched to the sounds they are learning so that they can continue to practise these at home.   
  • A ditty sheet or black and white reading book - This is a copy of the story/book that your child will have been learning in class, so they should be able to confidently read this story with you. This book will be changed every time your child finishes their learning related to the book in class (Every 3-5 days or those children reading ditties will take home a new one to read each day).  
  • A Book Bag Book – This is a book that is related to the storybook they have read in class, but your child will need more support with this as it is designed to build on the ideas and sounds they have learned in class. This book will be changed every time your child finishes their learning related to the book in class (Every 3-5 days).  
  • A loaned story/picture book – his is a book for you to share and read to your child. This is intended for you to share as a family, for example as a bedtime story, to try to develop a love of reading in your child. This book will be changed once a week.   

To find out more about the programme and for information about how to support your child at home, click on the links below​:  

What is RWI Phonics?




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