Phonics Foundations
There is a particular look children give me when a word finally unlocks. They sound it out, blend it once more, and then realise, ‘Oh! I know that word.’ I never tire of seeing that little flash of recognition.
Meet your teacher James Walker
Class details
In our lessons I choose just a few sound and spelling patterns at a time. We hear them, say them, build real words with them, and meet them again inside a short, enjoyable text. Phonics should lead somewhere; it should help a child read a sentence they care about.
Nobody is hurried around my reading table. I model first, we try together, and then each child gets a turn with enough quiet to think. If a word goes wrong, I won’t simply supply it. I’ll ask what they noticed and help them find the useful part of their attempt.
We use the same sound knowledge for spelling. I ask children to stretch a word, map what they hear, choose the likely letters, and check whether the result makes sense. It is a method they can carry with them, not a list they must somehow keep in their heads.
My hope is that reading gradually feels less like being tested and more like being trusted. When your child meets a new word, I want them to think, ‘I have a way into this.’