There are seven different aspects to ‘phase 1’ phonics. 

Aspect 1 - Environmental Sound Discrimination

Aspect 2 - Instrumental Sound Discrimination

Aspect 3 - Body Percussion Sound Discrimination

Aspect 4 - Rhythm and Rhyme

Aspect 5 - Alliteration

Aspect 6 - Voice Sounds

Aspect 7 - Oral Blending and Segmenting

The most important aspects of ‘Foundations for Phonics’ to develop in Nursery and at home are:

• sharing high-quality stories and poems;

• learning a range of nursery rhymes and action rhymes;

• playing games that develop listening and attention, including oral blending;

• developing high-quality language during daily conversations.

Sharing stories and poems

Children should have lots of opportunities to engage with books that fire their imagination and interest, as well as immerse them in language they would not otherwise be exposed to. They should also be provided with a range of high-quality books to choose and read (in their own words), as well as to share with an adult.

In Nursery, children will share books as part of a class or key group and also one-to-one with an adult.

Learning nursery rhymes and action rhymes

Children need to experience a rich repertoire of nursery rhymes and action rhymes that include multi-sensory experiences, such as action rhymes in which children have to add claps, knee pats or foot stamps, or move in a particular way.

 Develop Listening and Attention  

Go on Listening Walks - Children need to learn to distinguish between different sounds in their environment for example, the difference between a: