Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
This game will help children to hear the sounds ‘sh’ and ‘ch’ in words. The child is not expected to read the words, just to listen for the sounds.
Some children, especially those with a speech delay, have difficulty differentiating between ‘sh’ and ‘ch’. This game will help to focus the pupil’s attention on the difference between them.
Games can be very effective when helping such children to progress to the next step, taking the fear of failing away and making it alright to make mistakes. They are wonderful for already de-motivated learners.
A simple phonic board game to practice reading words containing the phonic sounds: ck,oo,ee and sh.
As your pupil has fun, his/her confidence will get a boost!
Use with any phonic programme provided the above sounds have been taught.
Great for any pupil, but especially those with a special need.
*Written especially for use with Reading Made Simple, a 100% FREE reading and spelling programme of systematic phonics, for use by home-educators, parents and schools. So systematic it works even for those who have failed with other programmes.
This is a listening game to help the child to hear the ‘oo’ sound in words, as different to the ‘o’ sound as some children have difficulty hearing the new ‘oo’ sound.
One of my pupils has a speech delay. When I introduced him to ‘oo’, he tried to sound out the words saying ‘o’ instead of ‘oo’. It was as if ‘oo’ was a foreign sound to him. So, I devised this game to help him to hear the ‘oo’ sound in words he uses frequently in speech. After playing it a few times he is now happily sounding out to read and spell words with the ‘oo’ sound.
This game uses only the ‘oo’ sound as heard in ‘moon’.
For more help teaching phonics, see my FREE Phonic reading and Spelling programme, Reading Made Simple. https://readingmadesimple.weebly.com/level-1---oo.html
A colourful chart to show the sounds of Levels 1 and 2 of Reading Made Simple - a 100% FREE phonic reading and spelling prgramme that works where others have failed.
Use as handy prompt, to help the pupil find the correct digraph when spelling
Use to practice saying the sounds made by each group of letters
Laminate and use as a place mat, or pin it up as a poster!
Learners will enjoy tracking their progress each week and testing themselves!
Reading Made Simple: https://readingmadesimple.weebly.com/
Find the FREE word lists to accompany the Level 1 teaching programme here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12889313
Here is a pack of flashcards to help in the teaching of phonics. Start by teaching the initial sounds, then practice the five vowels especially as you start to build CVC/CCVC/CVCC words with a short vowel, then introduce the most common digraphs:
ck, oo, ee sh, ch, th ng, or, ar, a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e, ai,ea, oa, igh, ir, ay, ou, aw, oi, ur, al, er, y, ow, ew and oy.
More more help in using them see:
https://readingmadesimple.weebly.com/level-1-teaching-notes.html
See also the Reading Made Simple digraphs reading books: fully systematic, containing words that can be sounded using previously taught digraphs and only introducing key, non-phonic vocabulary slowly. These books restore confidence to readers who have failed with other reading programmes.
https://readingmadesimple.weebly.com/level-1-reading-books.html
A bumper pack of 70 differentiated phonics worksheets to support the teaching and learning of blending and segmenting cvc and cvcc/ccvc words with short vowel sounds (excluding ‘ck’), including a focus on consonant blends.
Note - this pack is for use during Phases 2 and 4 once the initial sounds have been learned. It does not include the digraphs from Phase 3. These can be found here.
Here are worksheets to give plentiful blending and segmenting practice for all abilities.
The sheets can be used with any synthetic, systematic phonic scheme and work well at stages 2, 3 and 4 of letters and sounds, once all of the initial sounds have been learned. Many also find them helpful for older special needs pupils.
Written to meet the needs of the average class, with a range of differentiated worksheets from which you are sure to find one to meet the needs of every pupil.
Some children breeze through this stage quickly and you will find material to challenge them and to assess their readiness to move on. Others need much more reinforcement work and you will find here plenty of that too - a bountiful supply!
Some sheets focus on blending, others on segmenting and some on both. Other sheets encourage the child to see letter patterns and similarities between words including a focus on rhyming.
Hints on the best use of the sheets are provided - not least how to use them as an assessment tool. Suitable for use with SEND pupils and for reading catchup.
The sheets can be enlarged for guided literacy sessions/whole class work.
Have you seen ‘Sound-it-out’ Pack of CVC Games, and the ‘Sound-it-out’ Pack of CVCC Games’ which complement these worksheets making a good fun way of reinforcing learning? They are ideal for sending home for extra practice after a lesson, or for use by classroom assistants.
Also Sound-it-out Initial Sounds Worksheets for those children not yet ready for blending.
A bumper pack of 70 differentiated phonics worksheets to support the teaching and learning of blending and segmenting cvc and consonant blends words with a short vowel sound (not including special friends sh/th/ch/qu/ng/nk and ck).
Suitable for use with Jolly Phonics and Read, Write, Inc. Blending Level 1 sounds and any other good phonic programme, including Reading Made Simple.
Also suitable for use with Letters and Sounds
Note - this pack is for use during Phases 2 and 3 once the initial sounds have been learned. It also teaches Phase 4 consonant blends with words with a short vowel sound. It does not include the digraphs from Phase 3. These can be found here.
Here are worksheets to give plentiful blending and segmenting practice for all abilities. Written to meet the needs of the average class, with a range of differentiated worksheets from which you are sure to find one to meet the needs of every pupil.
Some children breeze through this stage quickly and you will find material to challenge them and to assess their readiness to move on. Others need much more reinforcement work and you will find here plenty of that too - a bountiful supply!
Some sheets focus on blending, others on segmenting and some on both. Other sheets encourage the child to see letter patterns and similarities between words including a focus on rhyming.
Hints on the best use of the sheets are provided - not least how to use them as an assessment tool. Suitable for use with SEND pupils and for reading catchup.
The sheets can be enlarged for guided literacy sessions/whole class work.
Find my decode-able FREE to download CVC Words reading books here.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12636791
Have you seen ‘Sound-it-out’ Pack of CVC Games, and the ‘Sound-it-out’ Pack of CVCC Games’ which complement these worksheets making a good fun way of reinforcing learning? They are ideal for sending home for extra practice after a lesson, or for use by classroom assistants.
Also Sound-it-out Initial Sounds Worksheets for those children not yet ready for blending.
Here are 12, FREE to download, phonic reading books to support the blending of CCVC words with a short vowel sound, for the very earliest stages of learning to read with phonics.
Suitable for use with all phonic programmes.
The focus is purely on sounding out with only the key words
** I, and go, to**
being gradually introduced.
Pictures are minimal to encourage the child to gain meaning from the text and not to guess.
Phonic words are introduced and then met again in subsequent readers, to help develop confidence and fluency.
The stories are based around farmer Tom with his animals, his wife, his son Sam and daughter, Pam, dog Jiff and the cat.
Highly suitable for special needs children who have failed with other programmes.
Many parents have told me they wished they had found these books sooner, or had found them at all, as they would have been ideal for their struggling reader.
They have been thoroughly tested by my current pupils all of whom are boys. Even my nine-year old boy pupil loves them. He is just so glad to be able to read.
For more help see READING MADE SIMPLE, the 100% FREE, systematic, synthetic phonic reading and/or spelling programme.
These phonic ‘Learn to Write’ letter tracing sheets for Special needs children have been developed to accompany the learning of the initial sounds, to help the child who does not yet have the ability to write unaided begin to become familiar with letter shapes and correct letter formation.
The physical act of writing letters while learning initial sounds is important because the movement of the hand to write, alongside seeing the letters and saying their sounds helps to make the learning process multi-sensory, which in turn ensures that more children, including those with special needs, become successful readers and writers.
The sheets are placed in alphabetical order, but can be used in any order, according to the phonic scheme you are using.
Do ensure that the child has plenty of free drawing practice alongside the use of these sheets so that the child develops sufficient pencil control to move on to independent writing.
Here are 16, FREE, fully decodable CVC reading books to help build fluency reading CVC words with a short vowel sound, for use with any phonic programme, including Phase 2 of Letters and Sounds and RWI Set 1 sounds.
All you need to start your child on a lifetime of reading!
This is truly a bumper pack - a freebie like no other!
Scope and Sequence included.
Theses books focus purely on sounding out with only the key words
a, is, the, of being gradually introduced.
Pictures are minimal to encourage the child to gain meaning from the text and not to guess.
Punctuation is minimal to begin with so as to give every advantage to those with special needs who are so easily confused by capital letters and strange marks.
Phonic words are introduced and then met again in subsequent readers, to help develop confidence and fluency.
Each book tells a little story with words and pictures- no stilted phonics here! The stories are based around farmer Tom with his animals, his wife, his son Sam and daughter, Pam, dog Jiff and the cat. The careful use of pictures helps to tell the parts of the story for which we cannot use words.
Suitable for dyslexic children
Highly suitable for special needs children who have failed with other programmes.
Many parents have told me they wished they had found these books sooner, or had found them at all, as they would have been ideal for their struggling reader.
They have been thoroughly tested by my current pupils all of whom are boys. Even my nine-year old boy pupil loves them. Children love them because they can READ them!
These books are compatible with Letters and Sounds, Jolly Phonics and Read, Write Inc, but were written for Reading Made Simple.
Find the next pack in the series here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12974906
TEACHERS: See our CVC Words worksheets: fully differentiated to meet the needs of every pupil in your class.
A complete course for Letters and Sounds taking pupils form initial sounds in Phases 2 and 3, to blending cvc words, in Phase 3, to the new digraphs and trigraphs of Phases 3, plus the consonant blends of Phase 4, ending with the new digraphs of Phases 5.
Four books packed with over 350 fully differentiated worksheets.
The Phase 5 book also contains reading comprehension passages with questions to answer, and short sentences to read suing the new sounds.
These resources cater for all needs and abilities of the average class, and can also be used for special needs education.
All tried and tested on pupils for many years.
For the discerning teacher of phonics who wants to ensure that all children succeed, these books are truly systematic - building upon each other with no nasty surprises.
Written by a phonics specialist teacher with over 30 years teaching phonics to all ages and abilities, and the author of Reading Made Simple, a 100% FREE systematic programme of phonics, teaching reading through writing.
A complete lesson to teach ch and sh of Phase 3 Letters and Sounds.
Suitable for use with all phonic programmes including Read, Write Inc…
A great little pack for classroom, home use and special needs catch-up work .
Handy teaching hints/plan included.
Pack includes:
Ch and Sh lesson videos (FREE)
ch and sh flashcards
ch and sh word flashcards
Sentences to read
Speed reading practice sheets for both sounds
ch and sh Worksheets
Assessment sheets for both sounds - help to know what further work needs to be done
Short reading book to practice cvc and ck words.
ch/sh game - a matching pictures to sounds - either for individual matching or to play as a game for two players.
A pack of resources to help you teach ‘ck’.
It can be used with any phonic programme, including Letters and Sounds, Read, Write, Inc. and Jolly Phonics.
Suitable for all children but especially those who have special needs or need a slower pace.
(Optional) First watch the free video lesson, (included int he download) then do the activities to reinforce the new sound.
Suitable for use with all phonic programmes including Read, Write Inc…
A great little pack for classroom, home education, private tutoring and special needs/catch-up work.
Ideal to send home for parents to support learning at home.
Pack includes:
How to teach the sound ‘ck’ Lesson Notes
ck flashcard
ck word flashcards
Sentences to read
Speed reading practice sheet
ck Worksheet
Assessment worksheet - help to know what further work needs to be done
Short reading book to practice cvc and ck words.
2 ck games - a matching pictures to words game and a board game for 2 players.
Written by an early years specialist teacher with 30 years experience of teaching systematic phonics to all abilities, especially special needs.
Teachers - see our ‘ck’ worksheets in our worksheet pack for Phases 3 and 4 of Letters and sounds, where we cover ‘ck’ words with and without a consonant blend. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12009694
A bumper pack of 160+ pages of resources - to help you to teach all of the new graphemes for Phase 5 of Letters and sounds to all abilities. This pack follows on from our popular Phonic Worksheets for Phases 3 and 4.
This pack will help you to Introduce the new phase 5 graphemes:
ay, ou, ie, ea, oy, ir, u-e, aw, wh, ph, ew, oe, au, ey, a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e, e-e, and ‘y’ saying ‘eye’ and ‘o’ saying ‘u’.
Please note: this pack uses Phase 5 tricky words as part of the comprehension passages, but does not aim to teach them.
Please not: Alternative pronunciations are not covered in this pack.
For each digraph there are:
Flashcards
Sentences to read - these build on the preceding digraphs, giving plenty of revision
Differentiated worksheets: find the missing word, complete the sentences, write the word, etc…
A reading passage including words from the newly introduced digraph
These passages also introduce tricky words, as well as being truly systematic, never introducing words that have not yet been taught. This instills confidence in pupils. These passages make great ‘reading books’.
Questions to answer about the passages
Great for classwork, revision, assessment or homework!
Fully differentiated, they meet the real needs of the average class and are fully systematic: no words are introduced for which the student has not yet learned the necessary skills to decode. They provide ample practice for students in both reading and spelling.
Suitable for use with other schemes as long as you make sure that your children know the sounds necessary to complete the sheet.
Copy, reduce, enlarge as much as you like.
For spelling dictations to accompany this book of resources please see my Phase 5 Spelling Programme.
Please see the book of Initial sounds Worksheets, the CVC/CVCC words Worksheets for Phases 2, early 3 and simple cvcc words in Phase 4 and the Phonic Worksheets for Phases 3 and 4.
An easy reader about mushrooms for those beginning to read longer simple texts - with words that can be sounded out using phonic knowledge and only a few most common sight words.
Learn about mushrooms through a simple story.
For lesson notes and more help see:
https://ks1nature.weebly.com/free-science-lessons/mushrooms-for-ks1
See also our mushroom lesson resources and Power Point.
A simple but effective spelling programme for Phase 5 of Letters and Sounds teaching the new graphemes.
Help children become good spellers, and help struggling readers and spellers make progress.
Take one sound a week, study the word list and practice the new sound and the following week do a dictation for that sound. It is that SIMPLE!
Just a few minutes a day for 16 weeks!
This programme works because:
Each sound is studied for a whole week. This gives time for the new knowledge to be assimilated - time that the middle to lower ability groups desperately need to succeed and for whom most programmes go way too fast.
The child is NEVER asked to spell a word that has not yet been systematically taught. This develops confidence and works for ALL children regardless of ability. The programme is** truly systematic**.
Each dictation builds on the one before and is carefully worked out to revise the sounds.
There is no SPELLING TEST that the child can fail - the dictation is the test, while also teaching children to apply their new knowledge. The child finds his/her own errors and corrects them by using phonics. It WORKS!
Can be used with a whole class (where appropriate) or groups, or even individually by special needs teachers or TA’s.
Note: Progress is dependent on the quality of teaching.
Please ensure children can spell confidently words with the Phase 4 sounds before starting this programme.
Worksheets to go with this programme can be found here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonic-worksheets-for-phase-5-of-letters-and-sounds-12456406
Read about Autumn Leaves. Learn why leaves change colour and fall in autumn. An easy reader for those beginning to read longer simple texts - with words that can be sounded out using phonic knowledge and only a few most common sight words.
Learn Science at the same time as learning to read!
This book can be used for guided reading alongside our 'Autumn Leaves’ PowerPoint presentation.
See also mini conker project
Conkers reading book
Conkers PowerPoint presentation
See more at [KS1 Nature]https://ks1nature.weebly.com/)
An easy reader for those beginning to read longer simple texts - with words that can be sounded out using phonic knowledge and only a few most common sight words.
Learn about the Song Thrush through a simple story. Learn Science at the same time!
Use with any phonic programme after a child has learned the basic digraphs and trigraphs, for example, after Phase 5 Letters and sounds, or after RWI Speed Set 3 have been completed.
See more at https://ks1nature.weebly.com/tipsideasfreebies/song-thrush-for-kids.
Help children read and spell a wider range of ‘oo’ words (comprehension passage and questions included)
Help teach to/two/too
Learn more about past tense verbs: adding ‘ed’ to words that do not change and run/ran, sit/sat etc…
To be used with level 2 of Reading Made Simple, but can be used with any programme. Level 2 ‘oo’ builds upon the work done in Level 1 ‘ck’. These books build upon each progressively, so providing a robust scheme of work for spelling and for the less able reader. Suitable for children who have covered all of the Phase 5 sounds for reading at least.
The words are all phonetic with no nasty surprises, but as all schemes differ, please ensure that your children have all the necessary phonics skill to read the text before starting the exercises.
Reading Made Simple: systematic, progressive and truly phonetic - for all abilities and ages.
A ck phonics workbook to build upon skills learnt in Reception. Introducing ‘ck’ words in the past tense adding ‘ed’ and words such as ‘pocket’ and ‘rocket’.
Activities include:
passage to read and questions to answer
study of verbs as action words
past tense verbs made by adding ‘ed’.
rhyming words
The complete lesson can be viewed here and is compatible with most other phonics programmes including Read, Write, inc. and Letters and Sounds used in most Primary schools.
This book is the second level of our 'ck’ Level 1 book.