RWI Phonics & Spelling

 

Making a Strong Start using Read Write Inc.

 

Continuing from the Reception and Year 1, we use Read Write Inc. Phonics in Year 2 which is a highly successful English programme. All Reading Teachers at St. Giles' have receive training and support from Ruth Miskin Training, rated Outstanding by the Department for Education, to ensure we meet our aim for all children to become confident and enthusiastic readers.

 

The Read Write Inc. Phonics programme is carefully matched to the curriculum, giving every child at St. Giles' Catholic Primary the best chance of success. 

 

Please see the table below for expected progress term-by-term for Read Write Inc. Phonics in Year 2.

 

These are the Set 2 Speed Sounds:

ay 

ee 

igh 

ow (as in blow) 

oo (as in zoo)

oo (as in look)

ar 

or 

air 

ir 

ou (as in out)  

oy

These are Set 3 Speed Sounds:

ea (as in tea)

oi (as in spoil)

a–e (as in cake)

i–e (as in smile)

o–e (as in home)

u–e (as in huge) 

aw (as in yawn)

are (as in care)

ur (as in nurse)

er  (as in letter)

ow (as in brown)

ai  (as in snail)

oa (as in goat)

ew (as in chew)

ire (as in fire)

ear (as in hear)

ure (as in pure)

 

Spelling builds upon the phonics which children are taught in Reception and KS1. From year 2-6 children at St. Giles',  learn to develop their spelling skills using the Read, Write, Inc. Spelling scheme.

 

Children focus on one spelling pattern, or rule, for a number of sessions and develop their confidence and understanding of the words along the way. Each unit follows the same pattern, allowing the children to focus solely on learning and understanding the spellings rather than learn how to do new activities.

 

They will not bring home a generic list of spellings to learn each week for a spelling test as research has shown this in not an effective way to embed spelling knowledge. Instead, they will identify their own words to log and learn weekly and have opportunities to test their growing spelling abilities in every lesson.

 

How are children assessed?

Half-termly practice tests assess children’s spelling progress using the same format as the statutory assessments in England. Online tracking spreadsheets enable us to record and track individual children’s progress and identify units or concepts pupils might need to be retaught.

 

During the teaching activities each week, a number of assessment opportunities are also planned into the programme. The emphasis is on the importance of learning to spell, rather than being tested on spelling.

 

Extra Practice Zone

This booklet shows you how you can help your child to practise and consolidate their spelling by using the Extra Practice Zone.

 

 

Spelling Activities

These activities include dictation, ‘four-in-a-row’ (working with a partner to spell four given words correctly in a row) and ‘dots and dashes’ (identifying the graphemes in words).They also include exercises such as Team Teach, where children test their spelling in small groups; Red and Orange words, which involves revising high-frequency words from the statutory word-lists that are often misspelt; and Special Focus sessions, which tackle topics such as homophones and contractions, which often lead to confusion.

 

The RWI Comprehension programme provides a transition from Read Write Inc. Phonics for Year 2 pupils.

 

It comprises of 14 modules. Each module has specially written texts (one fiction and one non-fiction) that develop children’s ability to summarise, infer and retrieve information quickly, as well improving their writing through cumulative vocabulary, grammar and spelling activities.

 

Children study these modules alongside their RWI Spelling units.