The Jolly phonics letter sound app (itunes and android store)

Jolly Phonics is a systematic synthetic phonics programme designed to teach children to read and write.
Children learn the 42 letter sounds of the English language, rather than the alphabet. They are then taken
through the stages of blending and segmenting words to develop reading and writing skills.
Songs
The jolly phonics songs can be accessed for free via you tube, just type in “Jolly phonics phase 2 or Jolly
Phonics phase 3”
Website
The jolly phonics website (www.jollylearning.co.uk) also contains a free resources section with colouring
sheets, worksheets to do at home and helpful videos to help pronounce all of the letter sounds
The Jolly phonics letter sound app (itunes and android store)
This beautifully animated app enables your child to learn the letter sounds (including digraphs), letter formation,
blending the sounds for reading and identifying letter sounds in words for spelling and writing.
Phase 1 Phonics
Phase One (Nursery /Reception) The aim of this phase is to foster children’s speaking and listening skills as
preparation for learning to read with phonics. Parents can play a vital role in helping their children develop these
skills, by encouraging their children to listen carefully and talk extensively about what they hear, see and do.
Ways you can support your child at home
Play ‘What do we have in here?’ Put some toys or objects in a bag and pull one out at a time. Emphasise the first
sound of the name of the toy or object by repeating it, for example, ‘c c c c – car’, ‘b b b b – box’, ‘ch ch ch ch – chip’.
Say: ‘A tall tin of tomatoes!’ ‘Tommy, the ticklish teddy!’ ‘A lovely little lemon!’ This is called alliteration. Use names,
for example, ‘Gurpreet gets the giggles’, ‘Milo makes music’, ‘Naheema’s nose’.
Teach them ‘Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers’.
Learning how to ‘sound-talk’
The teacher shows children how to do this – c-a-t = cat. The separate sounds (phonemes) are spoken aloud, in order,
all through the word, and are then merged together into the whole word. The merging together is called blending
and is a vital skill for reading.
Children will also learn to do this the other way around – cat = c-a-t. The whole word is spoken aloud and then
broken up into its sounds (phonemes) in order, all through the word. This is called segmenting and is a vital skill for
spelling.
This is all oral (spoken). Your child will not be expected to match the letter to the sound at this stage. The emphasis is
on helping children to hear the separate sounds in words and to create spoken sounds.
Ways you can support your child at home
Sound-talking
Find real objects around your home that have three phonemes (sounds) and practise ‘sound talk’. First, just let them
listen, then see if they will join in, for example, saying:
‘I spy a p-e-g – peg.’
‘I spy a c-u-p – cup.’
‘Where’s your other s-o-ck – sock?’
‘Simon says – put your hands on your h-ea-d.’
‘Simon says – touch your ch-i-n.’
‘Simon says – pick up your b-a-g.’
Learning how to ‘sound-talk’
Segmenting
The teacher shows children how to do this – c-a-t = cat. The separate sounds (phonemes) are spoken aloud, in order,
all through the word, and are then merged together into the whole word. The merging together is called blending
and is a vital skill for reading.
Blending
Children will also learn to do this the other way around – cat = c-a-t. The whole word is spoken aloud and then
broken up into its sounds (phonemes) in order, all through the word. This is called segmenting and is a vital skill for
spelling.
Practicing at home
Sound-talking Find real objects around your home that have three phonemes (sounds) and practise ‘sound talk’.
First, just let them listen, then see if they will join in, for example, saying: ‘I spy a p-e-g – peg.’ ‘I spy a c-u-p – cup.’
‘Where’s your other s-o-ck – sock?’ ‘Simon says – put your hands on your h-ea-d.’ ‘Simon says – touch your ch-i-n.’
We also encourage children to use “robot arms” and “robot talk” to split the word up e.g saying c-a-t
Use your robot mask to practicing segmenting and blending at home!
Teach your monster to read (www.teachyourmonstertoread.com)
This website requires an adult to sign up to create the account but it is FREE. Teach your Monster to Read is a series
of games that help children to master the key first stages of reading. Combining top quality game design with
essential learning, the games complement most systematic synthetic phonics programmes
Phonics play (www.phonicsplay.co.uk)
Has a selection of free games to play to help with phonics
Letters and sounds (www.lettersandsounds.com)
Has a large selection of online games and resources that are split down into different phases
The Jolly phonics letter sound app (itunes and android store)
This beautifully animated app enables your child to learn the letter sounds (including digraphs), letter formation,
blending the sounds for reading and identifying letter sounds in words for spelling and writing.
Alphablocks website (www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/alphablocks-games)
Real and Nonsense words!
The national phonics screening check was introduced in 2012 to all Year 1 pupils. It is a
short, statutory assessment to ensure that children are making sufficient progress in
the phonics skills to read words and are on track to become fluent readers who can
enjoy reading for pleasure and for learning.
How is the check structured?
The check consists of a list of 40 words, half real words and half nonsense words, the
nonsense words will be shown to your child with a picture of an alien. This not only
makes the check a bit more fun, but provides the children with a context for the
nonsense word which is independent from any existing vocabulary they may have.
How to help at home
Use the flashcards to help you child read the word. It is important that the children
sound the words out using their phonics.
Tricky Words
Tricky words are those words which cannot be sounded out correctly using the Jolly Phonics
sounds. The only way these words can be read and spelt correctly is by learning them and
having plenty of practise.
By introducing the tricky words slowly, possible one or two a week, your child is more likely to
be able to read and spell each of the words correctly. Once you have introduced the tricky
word and practised it, reinforce this word regularly when sharing picture books and reading
together.
When helping your child to learn to spell the tricky words you may decide to use the 'Look,
Cover, Write and Check' method. This involves first looking at the word and identifying which
part is tricky, covering the word, writing it and then checking the spelling.
When practising the spelling of tricky words aim to make it a fun and enjoyable activity,
perhaps by writing the tricky words in sand, paint, shaving foam or glitter. Once your child has
practised a few times in a less structured way, give them the opportunity to practise writing
the tricky word on coloured paper with pencil colours or felt tips
Also use you new tricky word board game to make reading the words fun!