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How to support your child's reading and prepare your Year 1 child for the Phonics screening check


Blog-Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

and still have time for fun!


It's that time of year already?! Year 1 parents, the Year 1 Phonics screening check takes place during the week of the 12th of June. Preparing your child for the Year 1 phonics screening test can seem daunting, but there are 6 simple steps you can take to help your child feel confident and ready.


step 1 practice phonics regularly

1. Practise phonics regularly.

This one is easy! Encourage your child to practise phonics regularly through reading, writing, and playing phonics games. This will help them become familiar with the sounds and letters they will be tested on.






step 2 focus on tricky words

2. Focus on tricky words.

Help your child learn words with tricky sounds that are commonly tested in the phonics screening. For example, knowing split diagraphs like a-e, e-e, i-e, and o-e will help your child to read "tape", "concrete", "strike" and "globe". Have your child find the tricky parts and sound them out before reading.



step 3 make it fun

3. Make it fun!

Learning should be fun! Try to make phonics practice enjoyable by using games, songs, and activities that your child enjoys. This will help them stay engaged and motivated. Phonics play has some fun online games your child can play to practise real and alien words or you could make your own games with two small bins to sort words into.



step 4 practice real and nonsense words


4. Practise real and nonsense words.

Boost your child's reading by practising to read both real words and nonsense words. Nonsense, alien, or pseudo words are made-up words using the sounds children learn in Year 1. Use a variety of alien words with a different combination of letters and sounds to help your child build phonemic awareness.



step 5 draw pictures of alien words


5. Draw pictures of alien words.

Encourage your child to draw alien creatures to match the alien words. Using pictures or drawings can help your child to visualise the alien words. It can also be fun!







Remember, the phonics screening is just one way to assess your child's reading ability. Regardless of the outcome, continue to support your child's literacy development by reading together and encouraging a love of reading.


step 6 get support from a phonics expert


6. Get support from a phonics expert.

If you need help supporting your child's reading, you can always ask for help.

Do you get frustrated trying to help your child learn how to read? You’re not alone-so many parents really want to support their children, but they feel so helpless because they just don’t know how.


How would you feel to know you are getting the best help for your child? Imagine your child loving reading enough to be a life-long reader. Plus being set up to enjoy reading to learn, the key to future success.

I can help! If your child is a struggling reader and you want the best help to set them up for success, book a call with me, Kara and let’s see if we are the right fit to work together.


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