English / Year 2 / Language / Phonics and word knowledge

Curriculum content descriptions

Use most letter-sound matches including vowel digraphs, less common long vowel patterns, letter clusters and silent letters when reading and writing words of one or more syllable (ACELA1824)

Elaborations
  • recognising when some letters are silent, for example ‘knife’ and ‘thumb’
  • providing the sound for less common letter-sound matches, for example ‘ight’ and using them in writing
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Vowel length,  Digraphs,  Phonemes

Video

Demonstration of a daily review

This video provides a demonstration of a phonics daily review using explicit instruction principles. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

Video

Explicit instruction for phonics - an instructional model: coaching webinar questions

Literacy specialists Rebecca McEwan and Elaine Stanley present this question and answer session about using explicit instruction principles within your phonics lesson.

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How to choose a decodable text

This video provides an overview of how to choose a decodable text for your students' needs. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

Video

Explicit instruction for phonics overview

This video provides an overview of a phonics instructional model for reading and spelling. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Q&A session: Making a start with a phonics progression and phonological awareness instruction

This recording of a 30-minute Q&A session supports schools in choosing and following a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) progression, including phonological and phonemic awareness instruction.

Video

Explicit instruction of phonics - an instructional model Q&A

This Q&A webinar extract answers questions from teachers and school leaders about explicit instruction for phonics instruction.

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Choosing and using decodable texts: Q&A

This video is of a Q&A session about choosing and using decodable texts in your classroom. It is presented by literacy specialists Rebecca McEwan and Elaine Stanley

Video

The Big Six: a whirlwind tour

This one-hour webinar recording provides an overview of the Big Six components of literacy (oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). It includes theoretical understandings and practical ideas for the classroom. It is the first in a series of eight webinars about the Big Six ...

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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

Demonstration of a phonics lesson

This video provides a demonstration of a phonics lesson using explicit instruction principles. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about echidnas

What would it be like to have an echidna for a pet? Listen to Don Spencer as he sings this song about a pet echidna. Watch an echidna looking for food to eat.

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English Year 2 with Ms McAlister: Decoding words using segmenting and blending

In this lesson, you will learn how to segment words into smaller parts to decode unfamiliar words. Ms McAlister demonstrates how to segment using blends, diagraphs and compound words; blend the segments; and reread while enjoying a book. She provides opportunities for you to make your own compound-word games at home.

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Radio National: The 'H' wars

How do you pronounce the letter ‘h'? Why do you think there is more than one way to pronounce this letter? Watch this video to find out why some people may pronounce the letter ‘h' as 'aitch' as opposed to 'haitch'. If you'd like to learn more on this topic, visit this site.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about kangaroos

This is a song about an Australian animal, the kangaroo. Don Spencer sings lyrics about how people from all over the world come to see the kangaroo. Listen to the rhythm. It is like the hopping of a kangaroo.

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about goannas

Goannas are a type of Australian lizards. Listen to the lyrics of the song performed by Don Spencer that asks lots of fun questions about goannas. Watch some goannas moving through the bush and looking for food.

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about the Kookaburra's call

Have you heard a Kookaburra's call? Watch this clip and listen to the lyrics of the song performed by Don Spencer that captures in sounds and words the magical call of the kookaburra.

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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, ...

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Phonics progressions and phonemic awareness: Q&A webinar questions.

This extract of a Q&A webinar answers questions from teachers and school leaders about using a phonics progression and developing phonemic 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 ...

Video

Phonological and phonemic awareness lesson activities

Literacy specialist Rebecca McEwan presents this webinar extract about how to include phonological and phonemic awareness activities in your whole-class or small-group phonics lessons.