Read Write Inc Phonics
These are the Set 1 Speed Sounds written with one letter:
m a s d t i n p g o c k u b f e l h r j v y w z x
These are the sounds written with two letters (your child will call these ‘special friends’):
sh th ch qu ng nk ck
Check if your child can read these sounds. Make sure they say sounds like ‘mmm’, not letter names like ‘em’. Watch the sound pronunciation video at the top of this website page to help you pronounce them accurately.
You can help your child practise the Speed Sounds they have learnt with the free Speed Sounds practice sheets available on the oxford owl website or you can use the set 1 sound cards which you may have yourself or from school.
Once your child is learning to read set 1 sounds, they will be learning to read words containing Set 1 sounds by blending. For example:
m-a-t mat
c-a-t cat
g-o-t got
f-i-sh fish
s-p-o-t spotb-e-s-t best
s-p-l-a-sh splash
If your child is learning to sound blend, watch the sound blending video below for tips on how to support them.
Your child will be reading 'sound blending' books and green word cards at this stage. You can access some free sound blending books on the oxford owl website if your child is learning from home.
These are the Set 2 Speed Sounds:
ay ee igh ow (as in blow) oo (as in zoo)
oo (as in look) ar or air ir ou (as in out) oy
Check if your child can read these sounds.
If your child is learning the Set 2 Speed Sounds, you could help them to:
- Complete the Speed Sounds practice sheets for the Speed Sounds they have learnt, available on the ocford owl website,
- If your child is learning from home you can help them by reading the free eBooks at Red Ditty level, then Green level and then Purple level, in order. We recommend children read each eBook three times, as they would at school: once to read the words correctly, a second time with more fluency, and a third time in a ‘storyteller voice’ that shows their understanding. If your child is in school, they will bring these books home as their usual reading books.
These are Set 3 Speed Sounds:
ea (as in tea) oi (as in spoil) a–e (as in cake) i–e (as in smile)
o–e (as in home) u–e (as in huge) aw (as in yawn) are (as in care) ur (as in nurse)
er (as in letter) ow (as in brown) ai (as in snail) oa (as in goat)
ew (as in chew) ire (as in fire) ear (as in hear) ure (as in pure)
Check if your child can read these sounds.
If your child is learning Set 3 Speed Sounds, you could help them to:
- Complete the Speed Sounds practice sheets for the Speed Sounds they have learnt.
- If they are learning from home they can read the free eBooks at Pink level, then Orange level and then Yellow level, in order. We recommend children read each eBook three times, as they would at school: once to read the words correctly, a second time with more fluency, and a third time in a ‘storyteller voice’ that shows their understanding. If they are in school, these books will be their reading books that they bring home.