Phase 1 phonics is all about developing children’s listening skills and getting their little ears tuned into the sounds around them. Phase 1 is also about getting children ready for oral blending and segmenting.
There is so much to phonics before we learn our letter sounds. A very common misconception is that phonics starts with learning our letter sounds.
The 7 aspects can be taught in any order, and/or a little bit of each aspect (although rhyme and segmenting and blending tend to take longer to learn). These 7 aspects will take some time for the children to master, this is why consistency is key, with parents/carers aware and able to continue to support and model at home.
Aspect 1
General sound discrimination – environmental
Aspect 2
General sound discrimination – instrumental sounds
Aspect 3
General sound discrimination – body percussion
Aspect 4
Rhythm and rhyme
Aspect 5
Alliteration
Aspect 6
Voice sounds
Aspect 7
Oral blending and segmenting