English / Year 1 / Language / Phonics and word knowledge

Curriculum content descriptions

Use short vowels, common long vowels, consonant digraphs and consonant blends when writing, and blend these to read single syllable words (ACELA1458)

Elaborations
  • using knowledge of letters and sounds to write words with short vowels, for example ‘man’, and common long vowel sounds, for example ‘cake’
  • using knowledge of letters sounds to write single-syllable words with consonant digraphs and consonant blends, for example ‘wish’ and ‘rest’
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
ScOT terms

Phonics,  Digraphs,  Character structures

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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.

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Spelling generalisations

This document outlines spelling generalisations included in the Literacy Hub phonics progression and explains teaching points relating to each one that may be used to support instruction in your systematic, synthetic phonics aligned classroom.

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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.

Interactive

Syllabus bites: types of sentences

A web page resource with information, teacher guides and activities on types of sentences to support the Australian Curriculum in English K–10. It has detailed activities, links to resources and quizzes.

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: oo, ee, ai

Help a stranded space traveller return home by filling three fuel tanks with words that have the same letter pattern. Select words with combinations of 'oo', 'ee' or 'ai'. Read and listen to model words. Select similar words with the same pattern and place them in the fuel tank. Then construct sentences by putting words ...

Downloadable

Student practice sheet for the Phonics Check

This student practice sheet for the Year 1 Phonics Check (a free assessment of students' decoding skills) provides teachers with examples of the real words and the pseudo words similar to those included in the Check.

Video

How to use decodable texts

This video provides a demonstration of how to use a decodable book. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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How to target decoding practice at point of need

This video provides an explanation of how to prepare students so they are ready to use decodable words and sentences to practise their phonics skills. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

Downloadable

The Simple View of Reading and the year 1 Phonics Check

This document explains the Simple View of Reading. It gives teachers a framework to map student strengths and areas of need with the two key factors required for reading comprehension: word recognition (decoding) and language comprehension.

Video

Administering and analysing the Year 1 Phonics Check - Student 3

This three-minute video shows a teacher administering the paper version of the Year 1 Phonics Check with a student who displays efficient recall and application of simple and complex code, followed by a teacher discussion about next steps for the student.

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Administering and analysing the Year 1 Phonics Check - Student 2

This short video (three minutes and 40 seconds) shows a teacher administering the Year 1 Phonics Check with a student who is given wait time to decode the words, followed by a teacher discussion about next steps for the student.

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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

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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.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Tracker Phases 16-20

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 16-20 of the Literacy Hub phonics progression.

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.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Phases 11-15

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 11-15 of the Literacy hub phonics progression. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided.

Assessment

Progress monitoring tools Phases 6-10

These tools support teachers to monitor individual and whole-class student progress in Phases 6-10 of the Literacy hub phonics progression. Each phase has a student reference page and a teacher marking sheet, and instructional notes for the teacher are provided.

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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.