Phonics
At Lightmoor, we intend for every child to become a fluent, confident reader who has a love for reading. We use Read Write Inc. (Ruth Miskin) to give children a fun, positive and effective start to their reading journey. RWI has had a strong impact on early reading for many years at our school, providing a clear, systematic approach to teaching sounds so children can read independently. We are committed to helping all children succeed, celebrating their progress, and identifying and addressing gaps quickly so every child can thrive.
What is Read Write Inc?
Read Write Inc. (RWI) is a complete phonics programme that helps children aged 4–7 learn to read fluently and confidently so they can progress to strong comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. We start RWI in Reception and continue until children are secure, accurate readers. Using a stage not age approach, children are grouped according to their needs so teaching is tailored and targeted.
RWI was developed by Ruth Miskin. More information can be found here: Parents - Ruth Miskin Literacy.
Read Write Inc. is taught daily in Reception and Year 1 to ensure children make rapid progress. All children are assessed half-termly by Miss Edwards (Phonics Lead) and grouped with peers at the same stage. Sessions last up to an hour (around 30 minutes in Reception). These assessments then inform staff of any interventions needed to support children and close gaps in learning.
How will my child learn to read?
From Reception into Year 1 and 2, children use the following strategies:
- Learn Set 1, 2 and 3 sounds.
- Learn to read words using Fred talk (sounding words out) and sound blending (blending sounds back together)
- Read from a range of storybooks and non-fiction books matched to their phonic knowledge
- Work collaboratively with partners
- Develop comprehension skills in stories by discussing questions from the text.
What are Pure Sounds?
When the children begin learning their Speed Sounds, we teach them as pure sounds (‘m’ not’ muh’,’s’ not ‘suh’, etc.) so that your child will be able to blend the sounds into words more easily.
At school, our friend Fred, helps us sound out new words. Fred can only speak in Fred Talk e.g. m-o-p, c-a-t, m-a-n, sh-o-p, b-l-a-ck.
The following video shows how to pronounce the sounds as a ‘Pure Sounds’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkXcabDUg7Q
What are Speed Sounds?
The children are taught the sounds in 3 sets.
Set 1:
Step 2:
(Here, we begin learning letter names i.e the alphabet)
Step 3: Set 3 Speed Sounds
What are Red and Green words?
As your child begins to learn their sounds and blend these into words, they will become familiar with Green and Red words.
As children learn their sounds and begin blending, they meet Green and Red words. Green words use familiar sounds and can be sounded out and blended. Below are the Green words for Sets 1, 2 and 3.
Set 1 Green Words
Set 2 Green Words
Set 3 Green Words
Red words are trickier because they contain sounds that cannot be decoded phonetically (e.g., was). We teach children which part of the word is “tricky.” Below are examples of the red words taught throughout the RWI programme.
What are Alien words? What ‘a load’ of nonsense!
In order for children to practise decoding new words, they will read ‘Nonsense/Alien words’. These words will also feature heavily in the Year One Phonics Screening check in the summer term. .
Please see below for Alien words examples from Set 1, 2 and 3.
What are Speedy Green words?
Speedy Green words can be decoded with Fred talk, but children are encouraged to read them quickly without sounding out. Knowing these words by sight helps build fluent, confident readers. Children practise Speedy Green words daily in phonics.
Below are the words taught for each RWI colour—try learning 3–4 a week to boost your child’s reading confidence.
Green Books - Speedy Green Words Pink Books - Speedy Green Words
Grey Books - Speedy Green Words Purple Books - Speedy Green Words
Orange Books - Speedy Green Words Red Books - Speedy Green Words
Yellow Books - Speedy Green Words
How can I help at home?:
In Reception, your child will bring home a Green, Set 1 Speed Sounds book – as seen below
.
This book lets your child share their weekly learning and practise the sound taught in school. Take it at the same pace as their lessons—repetition helps secure the sound in long‑term memory.
As children learn to blend, they will bring home books that match their phonetic stage. The colour of the book usually matches the RWI group they are working in at school.
As children progress they will bring home a wider variety of books. We aim to change their reading book weekly in Ks1. Please encourage your child to re-read the book to build up fluency, expression and understanding of the text. They can also choose a storybook from the classroom book corner—these may not be phonetically decodable and are intended to be enjoyed together with an adult.
If you have any questions or need support with Read Write Inc, please contact Miss Edwards (Phonics Lead) through the school office.
Reception Phonics Meeting
Phonics Screening Check
Phonics Lead: Miss Edwards