Vision for Instruction (Literacy)

An important component of our Phonics Instruction is starting with the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program.

The Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program is a structured, research-based program designed to systematically develop students’ phonological and phonemic awareness skills—essential building blocks for reading and spelling.

Heggerty is a daily oral and auditory program (no print or letter work involved) focusing exclusively on phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. It is most effective when used alongside phonics instruction.

Proudly showcasing our Grade 1T students in action, led by our dedicated staff member Miss Rumble

Each Heggerty lesson is short and consistent in structure. Teachers lead whole-class instruction using oral prompts, hand motions, and student repetition.

How Can Parents Help at Home

Parents play a vital role in supporting phonemic awareness at home, and the good news is that it can be done in fun, simple, and everyday ways—no special materials needed! Here’s how parents can help:

Play Sound Games

• Rhyming games: “What rhymes with cat?”
• Odd one out: “Which word doesn’t belong: dog, log, fish?”
• I Spy by sound: “I spy something that starts with /s/.”

Play with Beginning Sounds

• “Can you think of a word that starts with the same sound as your name?”
• Try changing the first sound: “What if Sam started with /h/? What would it be?”

Stretch and Blend Sounds

• Stretch out the sounds in a word: “Can you guess this word? /d/…/o/…/g/.”
• Or ask your child to stretch a word: “Say the sounds in ‘sun’.”

Read Aloud and Talk About Sounds

• While reading, pause to notice words that sound the same or start the same.
• “That’s a funny word—splish splash! Can you hear the /s/ sound?”

Use Everyday Moments

Turn car rides, bath time, or cooking into chances to play with words:

• “Let’s think of words that rhyme with ‘pot’ while we cook!”

Iris DeVisser

Curriculum Leader: Literacy & Religious Education Leader 

iris.devisser@spclayton.catholic.edu.au