Reading words

When children are learning the set 1 sounds we use fred talk all the time.  It really helps the children to tune in and listen to the sounds.  They won't always say the correct word, just model the correct word and get them to repeat it.

When children are learning to read, there are 2 methods we use:

• Learning to blend
• Reading green words

Learning to blend uses magnetic letters and gets the children listening to all the sounds in a word.  They slide the magnetic letters they need to make the word down from the top and then point and sweep to read the word.

Green words are words we can fred talk.  Red words are tricky words that we cannot fred talk.

Here is a full list of the set 1 green words

Reading green words is where the teacher holds up a word on green card and the children read it by:

• saying the special friends
• fred talk
• then read the word

Sound buttons are dots and dashes under a green word.  Dots are single sounds and dashes are special friends.

Red words/Tricky words

We send home lists of red tricky words for your child to learn.  Please practise them at home with your child.

In Y1 to Y6 they have lists of common exception words to practise as well