How we teach Phonics at BIS Hanoi

Phonics helps children learn how to read accurately and with fluency

What is phonics?

To become proficient at reading words, children need to develop an awareness of the sound structures of language (phonological awareness) and knowledge of how language is represented in writing (print knowledge).

Phonics helps students learn how to decode (translate written words into the sounds of spoken language) and then to blend (join sounds together to form a word). Over time, learners will begin to recognise words automatically after repeated encounters with them, and be able to read with increasing fluency.

Decoding is the skill that is used to break down words into sounds for reading and spelling. There are many ways we can support children with this: by looking at pictures, sounding it out, chunking the word into smaller parts, going back and re-reading it, and playing games with new sounds and words. We can also reinforce understanding by using pictures from a book to help make sense of the word and asking questions such as: "What is the letter at the beginning?", “What letter

is at the end?”, “What sounds do you hear?” or “What sounds can you see?”

After decoding, we move onto the skill of blending. This is where our young learners build words from sounds to help with reading. We teach and encourage children to join individual speech sounds (phonemes) together to make a word. Children will develop at their own pace with blending and may need practice to blend the word rather than decode the sounds.

Why is phonics important? Phonics helps children learn how to read accurately and with fluency. Studies on children’s reading development have shown that the phonics approach is highly effective because it focuses on skills for breaking the code of written language.

Phonics is a well-defined plan that revisits all 44 sounds and the usual graphemes (2/3 letters that make one sound) in the English alphabet, as well as providing opportunities to teach, practice, and apply new sounds.

How can parents help their children with phonics?

Parents play a crucial role in fostering a child’s reading development. It helps if parents use the words that their child has learned at school in their daily conversations. It also helps if parents are able to read with their child, which reinforces knowledge of how to decode and blend words, and read with fluency. It is important to identify any difficulties a child has in understanding the letter-sound relationship - and to support them by having an adult read the sound, playing games, and writing it.

There are a number of resources and activities that can be used to support reading at home: • Phonics play: https://www. phonicsplay.co.uk

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Bug Club • Big cat books • Schedule consistent reading time each day • Follow the text physically when reading (finger pointing under each word as it’s read, which supports a child on focusing on the correct place) • Read books that are of interest to the child • Read in their home language to develop a love for reading

Lucy Hayward Year 1 Teacher English Leader KS1

EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE We see ‘Create Your Future’ coming through strongly in the school's range of student leadership opportunities.

EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE

As we come to the end of Term 1, it is incredible to reflect on the opportunities and experiences that our students have been able to access, enjoy and take part in over the last 4 months.

At BIS Hanoi, when we think about our students as ‘Experiencing Excellence’ it goes way beyond the classroom. Our holistic approach to learning means we want our students to not only enjoy academic success, but to grow and develop as global citizens with a desire to make a difference in our world. We are equipping our students with the skills they need for the future.

As part of the Nord Anglia family of schools, BIS Hanoi benefits from amazing partnerships with global experts. Over the next few pages you will learn more about how these partnerships provide unique opportunities for our students.

Mrs Somerville, our Head of Performing Arts, will share the impact of the specialist music, dance and drama tutors from The Juilliard School, who support both our students and staff. Mr Stephen Labelle and Mr David Burke, our STEAM Teachers, will also share details of the exciting challenges our students get to take part in thanks to our collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Outside of academic pursuits, student leadership opportunities are woven into school life. I hope you enjoy learning more about our student leaders’ experiences in both the Primary and Secondary school, as well as their reflections on the developments they have led over this first term.

We are incredibly proud of the progress our students have made during this term and I hope you enjoy reading about their challenges, successes and achievements.

Rebecca Carroll Head of Primary