Sound!Start Phonics for Letters and Sounds 

Rationale

A key part of the rationale behind Sound!Start Phonics is the importance of focusing attention on what we want children to know and remember.  

We need children to know the sounds that are used within the English language and the way letters are used to represent these sounds.  We also need them to master the skills of blending sounds to create words and segmenting words into separate sounds so that they can use their knowledge of the letters and sounds that go together to read and write words. 

The organisation of phonics teaching within the timetable, the structure of lessons, the classroom resources, the teaching strategies outlined within the

practice guidance and the practice opportunities provided within and beyond daily phonics lessons support children to remain focused on these things as they work at GPC level, word level, caption / sentence level and finally text level within each phase of the programme.  

The approach outlined within the programme ensures adult attention also remains carefully focused; on the children and on what they know and can do.