Learning Phonics in Reception
Friday 23rd January 2026
Aims of the Meeting
Reminder of how we teach phonics and word recognition through the Read Write Inc. Scheme.
Blending words in word time lessons.
Understanding ‘Fred Talk’ and ‘Fred in your head.’
Special Friends
Example RWI Set 1 Speed sound lesson.
Using the Ditty sheets
RWI books.
How you can support your child’s phonics development at home
Teaching Phonics in School
High quality RWI phonic sessions take place every day for Reception children.
RWI supports development of reading, writing and spelling.
Phonemes and graphemes - ‘Special Friends.’
Segmenting and blending - Fred Talk, Fred in your head.
Reading words ‘speedily’.
Spelling with Fred Fingers.
SET 1 RWI LESSON
LEARNING TO BLEND – WORD
TIME
We use Magnetic Boards with the children to help them find the letters to make the word and then blend the sounds together to read the word.
Blend orally
Make the word with the speed sound Cards.
Make the word with the magnetic Letters.
Fred Talk – Read the word.
TEACHING BLENDING
The following video shows you how children are taught to blend words once they know some of their Set 1 sounds. This is also known as ‘Fred Talk.’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8vuje-wMQw
BLENDING INDEPENDENTLY –
WORD TIME
Once the children are able to blend they move on from using the magnetic board to reading the words on Green Word cards.
Fred Talk – Read the word
Fred in your head
Speedy reading
Alien words
SPELLING
Children learn to spell words using their ‘Fred Fingers’.
We teach the children how many fingers to show first so that they can understand how many sounds are in the word.
Example – sad – hold up 3 fingers
Pinch the sounds
Write the sounds
SPELLING
The following video shows you how children are taught to spell words using their ‘Fred Fingers.’
(754) Spelling - YouTube
DIGRAPHS
The following video shows you how children are taught to read the set 1 digraphs. These are also known as the set 1 special friends.
Read Write Inc. digraphs tutorial using phonics flashcards
EXAMPLE RWI LESSON
10 minute Speed Sound Lesson
Teaching new sound
Reviewing previously sounds
Reading words containing new sound and previously taught sounds
Writing words containing new sound and previously taught sounds.
RWI DITTY SHEETS AND RED BOOKS
Story Green Words
Speedy Green Words
Red Words
1st and 2nd Read
Questioning
The following video shows you how children read a Red Ditty book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDbZ0bn52-U
Phonics – How can I help at home?
Talk to children about the sounds they are learning.
Encourage your children to use ‘Fred Talk – Read the word’ to sound out and blend unfamiliar words.
Play ‘Fred Games’ to support them with their oral blending.
Use the RWI Virtual Classroom links.
Encourage them to read new words in the environment using known sounds.
Read Write Inc. Parents information page.
https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-mor e/parents/
https://www.youtube.com/@RuthMiskinTraini ngEdu/videos
Thank you