Phoneme - a sound that we can hear. In 'cat' there are 3 phonemes (c-a-t) and in rain there are 3 phonemes (r-ai-n).
Grapheme - a letter or group of letters that are used to represent a sound (phoneme) in writing. 'S' is a grapheme and so is 'ch', when we write them down.
Digraph - Two letters that make one phoneme. We use the mantra "Two letters, one sound". Examples are 'sh, ng, nk, ai'.
Trigraph - Three letters that make one phoneme. We use the mantra "Three letters, one sound". Examples are
Oral blending - when an adult says each sound in a word separately and the children repeat the separate sounds and then blend them together to say the word.
adult - "t-a-p" children - "t-a-p, tap"
Sound Talk - when we talk like a robot and say each sound separately. We tell the children to "sound talk and then blend to read".
Blending - To push the sounds together when reading a word. We begin this by stretching the sounds to join them together.
Eg 'sssssaaaaaaat' 'sat'.
How to help your child become ready for reading
- Play games like I spy so children begin to listen to the first sounds in words.
- Play oral blending games or give instructions using oral blending.
Touch your.......l-e-g, ch-i-n, h-ea-d
What's that noise? What sound does a v-a-n make? a ch-i-ck?
Point to the f-l-oor, h-ou-se
Go and get your b-a-g, t-oy etc
Use the wordless books and ask your child to find the sh-e-ll in the picture.
- Make simple words with 3 phonemes in them. The first set of books practise words like 'sat, tap, tip, pat, pan, nap, nip, sip' so these are good words to start with. Then move onto words using the other sounds they know.
To help your child to blend you might need to model the blending to them - sound talk the word - t-i-p and then blend it. Then ask your child to copy you.
The Little Wandle website has some great videos to support parents.
There is also some guidance on using wordless books with your child.
Click the link below to access the website.