Series of 8 eBooks ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ produced by Phonics International Ltd
Systematic Synthetic Phonics
for reading, spelling and writing
“The online Phonics International programme provides a fully comprehensive range of systematic
synthetic phonics material for people internationally to use in a diverse range of circumstances – but
not everyone needs or requires the extensive range of resources available in the full programme.
Whilst the full programme is ideally suited for schools and teachers, feedback has suggested that
parents and tutors would prefer something more structured and prescriptive. Whatever the context,
it is the same English alphabetic code knowledge and three core skills for reading, spelling
and handwriting that need to be taught and learned. These highly practical, all-in-one ‘teaching
and learning eBooks’ have been produced in response to that feedback.” Debbie Hepplewhite
Author: Debbie Hepplewhite MBE FRSA
This series of 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ books can be used as ‘stand alone’ eBooks:
Please note that further Phonics International and Early Years Starter Package online resources can be used to supplement, or
complement, or extend the eBooks if required or desired – either viewed online or printed as pdfs.
The 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks are based on the organisation (colour-coded ‘Units’ of work) and structure (same
order of systematically introducing the letter/s-sound correspondences of the English alphabetic code) of the online Phonics
International programme using especially selected resources from Units 1 to 6 of the Phonics International programme and the
Phonics International Early Years Starter Package. The 8 eBooks systematically introduce ALL the sounds of English (44+ phonemes).
The sounds of English speech can be heard via video clips at www.phonicsinternational.com where you will find other very useful free
resources and guidance. Free full Alphabetic Code Charts can be downloaded at www.alphabeticcodecharts.com as preferred
- free additional handwriting and alphabet resources and video guidance are provided at: www.debbiehepplewhitehandwriting.com
Cumulative and full Alphabetic Code Charts and information about the code are provided within the 8 eBooks:
Unit 1 Unit 2a Unit 2b Unit 3
Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6a Unit 6b
The 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks are compiled to establish a routine ‘Teaching and Learning Cycle’ from code level
to word level, extending to sentence and text level, for the 115+ letter/s-sound correspondences introduced ‘systematically’.
The graphemes (letters and letter groups) introduced are listed on the front cover of each book:
Adult-led Adult-led Learner-practice Learner-practice Learner-practice
‘Revisit and review’ code ‘Introduce’ new code ‘Practice’ sub-skills and ‘Apply’ code knowledge ‘Extend’ practice to texts
and sub-skills and model phonics skills three core skills and skills to sentences with additional code and
common words
Supplement with:
*Develop additional language comprehension whilst using the ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks.
*Wherever possible, provide cumulative, decodable reading books to match the level of alphabetic code knowledge taught.
*Learners benefit from additional spoken language and communication and enriched experience of a wide range of literature.
*When learners cannot read literature for themselves, adults can read the books to the learners and discuss the contents fully.
Constantly revise the letter/s-sound correspondences cumulatively in the 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks:
Point under the graphemes and ‘say the sounds’. Listen to the sounds and ‘air-write’, write or point to the graphemes.
Unit 1 Unit 2a Unit 2b Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6a Unit 6b
Common words and tricky words and many further letter/s-sound correspondences are introduced steadily and ‘incidentally’ within
the sentences and texts (for example, double consonant letters such as ‘bb’ and ‘tt’ and rare or unusual letter/s-sound correspondences
such as ‘ie’ in ‘friends’, ‘eo’ in ‘people’ and ‘eir’ in ‘their’).
The supporting adult can teach and model within the books, and teach based on the content of the books, and the learners can
practise and have ownership of the books, sharing the content and their progress with parents and guardians – informing them
fully and routinely.
Please note that when English is a new language, parents may learn alongside their child or children! The supporting adult,
however, needs to understand and speak in the English language.
Learn to read and spell lists of words provided in the Unit 3, Unit 5 and Unit 6b eBooks:
Common words which may have unusual ‘code’ or the ‘code’ has not yet been taught!
Capital and lower case letters are introduced as code for the sounds and as ‘The Alphabet’ with various resources:
Guidance for fully joined
handwriting is in Unit 6b
Summary of Content:
• Selection of core resources from Units 1 to 6 of Phonics International and the PI Early Years Starter Package
• Additional purpose-designed resources
• Supporting adult guidance throughout the 8 eBooks and internet links provided for free Alphabetic Code Charts, ‘Hear the
Sounds’ video and free handwriting, alphabet and other useful resources.
Pace:
The pace of introducing the lessons in the 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks will depend entirely on the age, stage and
needs of the individual learner, or group, or class, and the frequency and duration of lessons.
The eBooks are useful in a large range of contexts because it is the same alphabetic code knowledge and skills that need to be taught
and learned regardless of the circumstances and age of the learner. Thus, there is no definitive answer to the ‘pace’ of using the
books and delivering and practising the lessons. The eBooks may last two, three or four years in some contexts such as multilingual
families and/or for younger learners, and a much shorter time in other contexts.
An example of shared use of the ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks:
Sharing the work within the eBooks in a tutoring situation: The learner may ‘revisit and review’ the say the sounds sub-skills
resource followed by the tutor ‘introducing’ the new letter/s-sound correspondence and ‘modelling’ the sub-skills and core skills. Then
the learner may ‘practise’ using the multi-skills activity sheet – and possibly ‘apply’ the new learning to the simple sentences
if time allows. The sentences/text resource could then provide ‘extension’ work to be practised, at first, under the supervision of the
supporting adult/parent in the home as ‘homework’. The parent/tutor can supervise the learner re-reading all or some of the words
and sentences at the beginning of the next full lesson as part of the ‘revisit and review’ process before introducing the next letter/s-
sound correspondence.
Underpinning rationale of Phonics International and the 8 ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks:
• The Synthetic Phonics Teaching Principles (based on research, leading-edge practice and extensive experience)
• The Simple View of Reading (recommended by the UK government in 2006 following the independent Rose Review)
• The Teaching and Learning Cycle (a process undertaken for every letter/s-sound correspondence introduced)
The Synthetic Phonics Teaching Principles
Teach the alphabetic code knowledge (the relationship, or links, between the smallest sounds of speech and the letters or letter
groups) by systematically introducing the letter/s-sound correspondences of the alphabetic code and teach that the code is reversible:
print-to-sound for decoding and sound-to-print for encoding. [Debbie encourages incidental teaching of the
letter/s-sound correspondences in addition to the systematic introduction – as required.]
Model how to put the letter/s-sound correspondences introduced (the alphabetic code knowledge) to immediate use with
cumulative real written and spoken words, sentences and texts teaching the three core skills of:
1. Decoding (reading):
i) Scan the printed word from left to right to recognise any letter groups.
ii) Then synthesise the word - that is, say the sounds for the letters and letter groups all through the printed word
and blend the sounds to ‘hear’, or ‘discern’, the target word.
iii) Modify the pronunciation of the word to sound like the actual spoken word if necessary.
2. Encoding (spelling):
i) Orally segment (split up) all through the spoken word to identify the phonemes (sounds)
ii) Allot graphemes (letters and letter groups) as the correct code for the identified sounds.
3. Handwriting:
i) Learn to write the 26 lower case letters and the 26 upper case (capital) letters of the alphabet correctly (starting
points and direction of formation, position on writing line, relative sizes).
ii) Hold the writing implement with the tripod grip.
Emphasis is on sounds at first and not letter names. Teach letter names and alphabetical order by chanting the alphabet or singing an
alphabet song. Never use letter names for reading activities. Avoid spelling with letter names when learners are in the earliest stages
of learning to spell. Teach that conveying a spelling from one person to another by letter names is a convention to convey precise
spelling – not the spelling skill – and that the spelling skill is oral segmenting and knowing which spelling alternatives (the
letters and letter groups) to allot for the sounds. Raise awareness of the need to learn spelling word banks where words are spelt with
the same sounds and spelling alternatives. Create spelling word banks, and provide spelling word banks, with activities to help embed
the words in memory such as linking the word banks to ‘story-themes’ and ‘illustrations’, and ‘acting out’ the words in a word bank.
Avoid asking learners to read independently books which lead to them guessing many of the words from multi-cueing strategies such
as picture clues, initial letter prompts and the context of the sentence.
Learner-practice based on the Synthetic Phonics Teaching Principles:
*Practise the sub-skills of the three core skills repeatedly: ‘See the letter/s, say the sounds’ and ‘Hear the sounds, point to, or write,
or air-write the letters and letter groups’. [See the guidance for the sub-skills of the three core skills at the back of the Unit 1 and Unit
4 eBooks, also provided on the ‘Free Resources’ page at www.phonicsinternational.com ]
*Revisit previous code (letters and letter groups as code for specific sounds), and re-visit the words, plain sentences and texts frequently
to embed learning and increase fluency [content and routines provided in the ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks].
*Respond to regular parent/tutor-led dictation from letter level, to letter groups, to words, to sentences as appropriate, and
undertake self-dictation exercises [learner re-reads sentences, holds them in memory and writes them on paper with writing lines
using the ‘simple sentences’ and ‘sentences’ resources from the ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’ eBooks].
*Practise blending, segmenting and handwriting skills with cumulative, decodable words, sentences, plain texts and reading books
which match the level of alphabetic code knowledge taught to date, when being asked to do exercises mainly independently.
*Pull words out of cumulative texts [the ‘simple sentences’ and ‘sentences’ resources from the ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’
eBooks] to create spelling word banks (words with the same letter/s-sound correspondences). Add further words if required.
Draw illustrations to help embed the word lists in memory. Practise memory games and link words to pictures and story themes, and
provide ‘acting out’ activities for the bank of words to help re-call. Note specific words with very unusual and rare spellings.
The Simple View of Reading
The Simple View of Reading diagram illustrates the two main processes that underpin ‘being a reader’ and helps us to
understand the reader’s reading profile: To be a reader you need the ability to decode the printed words (What ARE the words?) and
the language comprehension to understand the words that have been decoded (What do the words MEAN?). To gain meaning from
the words that have been decoded, the reader must be able to understand the language at a SPOKEN level. Teachers and parents need
to teach explicitly the knowledge of the English alphabetic code and the technical phonics skill to decode the words and, at the same
time, develop the learner’s spoken language and knowledge and understanding of the world. Masses of TALK and access to a wide
range of BOOKS hugely enhances the learner’s capacity to become a good reader:
Poor word decoding Good word decoding
Good comprehension Good comprehension
Poor word decoding Good word decoding
Poor comprehension Poor comprehension
Original concept: Gough and Tunmer (1986); model recommended by Sir Jim Rose (Independent Review of the Teaching of Early
Reading Final Report, March 2006); model adopted by UK government (2006) as a ‘useful conceptual framework’.
For the diagram of the Simple View of Reading and the Simple View of Writing, see:
http://www.phonicsinternational.com/The_Simple_View_of_Reading_model.pdf
