Phonics is a way of teaching children to read quickly and skilfully. They are taught how to:

• recognise the sounds that each individual letter makes;

• identify the sounds that different combinations of letters make - such as /sh/ or /oo/; and

• blend these sounds together from left to right to make a word.

Children can then use this knowledge to ‘de-code’ new words that they hear or see. This is the first

important step in learning to read.  Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way – starting with the easiest sounds and progressing through to the most complex – it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read. It is particularly helpful for children aged 5 to 7. Almost all children who receive good teaching of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle new words. They ca then go on to read any kind of text fluently and confidently, and to read for enjoyment.

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At Rodmersham we use Monster Phonics to support our phonics teaching. 

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Monster Phonics is an enhanced systematic synthetic phonics scheme. It teaches phonics in a comprehensive structured progression but provides additional multi-sensory support to make learning more memorable and engaging. It uses colour coding and monster sound cues to support learning when children encounter long vowels, silent letters, and tricky letters. This additional support is used consistently and then cleverly phased out, creating confident independent readers. And, it’s not just about the colours; the monsters themselves each represent a sound which brings phonics to life. This creates engagement, and speeds up the learning process for everyone. 

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