English / Foundation / Language / Phonics and word knowledge

Curriculum content descriptions

Recognise and name all upper and lower case letters (graphemes) and know the most common sound that each letter represents (ACELA1440)

Elaborations
  • using familiar and common letters in handwritten and digital communications
  • identifying familiar and recurring letters and the use of upper and lower case in written texts in the classroom and the community, for example Tom went to the park.
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Writing systems,  Capitalisation

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Phonics instructional model for reading and spelling

This documents includes information about a phonics instructional model for reading and spelling, it outlines the attributes of instruction, provides a lesson and review model, and a sample systematic synthetic phonics lesson that includes examples of skill application tasks.

Audio

Phonemes and graphemes daily review

This slide pack provides recorded pure sounds for each letter–sound correspondence in line with the Literacy Hub phonics progression. It is ideal for use within phonics instruction using a systematic synthetic phonics approach.

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Phonics progression

This evidence-aligned phonics progression includes a sequence of letter-sound correspondences and phonics skills for development across Foundation to year 2.

Video

Introduction to SSP - Module 4: features of a systematic synthetic phonics approach

This 23-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses the features of a systematic, synthetic approach to teaching phonics. It includes information on decodable texts, alphabetic code, and how to teach new sounds. The other videos in the series are; The research base of structured ...

Video

Introduction to SSP - Module 3: key understandings

This 13-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses key understandings of a systematic, synthetic approach to teaching phonics. It includes information on alphabetic code, sight words, blending and how to meet the needs of all children in the classroom. The other videos in ...

Video

Introduction to SSP - Module 2: framework for evidence-informed reading instruction

This 14-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses the framework for evidence-informed reading instruction. It includes information on the Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope model and the Big Six of reading instruction (oral language, phonological awareness, ...

Video

Introduction to SSP - Module 1: the research base of structured literacy

This 13-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, introduces the Science of Reading and explains the implications this body of research has for teaching reading. You will learn about the evidence base that supports the Science of Reading, Sweller's cognitive load theory and Dehaene's ...

Interactive

Words and pictures: final letters

Meet Di, an artist who paints phrases. Help Di paint three pictures by matching words that end with the same two letters. Choose two words that end with the same letter pattern such as lamb and comb. Select a third word to make a phrase, for example a lamb under a comb. Watch as Di paints a picture of the phrase.

Interactive

Words and pictures: beginning letters

Meet Di, an artist who paints phrases. Help Di paint three pictures by matching words that begin with the same two consonants. Choose two words that begin with the same letter pattern such as sheep and shoe. Select a third word to make a phrase, for example a sheep under a shoe. Watch as Di paints a picture of the phrase.

Interactive

Words and pictures: last letter

Meet Di, an artist who paints phrases. Help Di paint three pictures by matching words that end with the same letter. Choose two words that have the same ending letter such as puppy and key. Select a third word to make a phrase, for example a puppy under a key. Watch as Di paints a picture of the phrase. This learning object ...

Interactive

Letter planet: a, e, o

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter. Select words with 'a', 'e' or 'o' in them. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same vowel and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words in the appropriate order. ...

Interactive

Letter planet: s, c, b

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter. Select words that begin with 's', 'c' or 'b'. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same starting letter and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words in the ...

Video

Assessment and intervention for an SSP approach: Q&A

This video answers questions from teachers and school leaders about assessment and intervention for systematic synthetic phonics (SSP).

Video

Data analysis for 1:1 instruction (Tier 3)

This video presents an explanation of how to use data analysis to plan for 1:1 instruction (Tier 3) in your systematic synthetic phonics lessons.

Video

Data analysis for whole-class instruction (Tier 1)

This video presents an explanation of how to use data analysis to plan for whole class instruction (Tier 1) in your systematic synthetic phonics lessons.

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Phonics lesson planner example and template

This Word document can be used to plan for the specific words and sentences teachers will use when teaching new phonics content. It includes a worked example of a completed lesson and a blank template.

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The Big Six of Literacy: a guide for families

This suite of information is ideal for educating families about the six key components that contribute to successful beginning reading (known as the Big Six). It outlines how each of the six elements (oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) contribute to reading success and ...

Assessment

Progress monitoring tool tracker Phases 1-5

This spreadsheet assists teachers to analyse the data collected in progress monitoring tools, to plan next steps for student learning. This file aligns with Phases 1–5 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

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Progress monitoring tools Phases1-5

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 1-5 of the Literacy hub phonics progression, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet.

Downloadable

Word and code complexity continuum

This diagram shows the gradual progression of skills that students need to develop so they can read and spell words with increasing complexity.