Teaching & learning

Systematic Synthetic Phonics

WHAT

Systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) is a method of teaching reading and spelling that focuses on teaching children the relationship between letters or letter combinations (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes) in a structured, sequential way.

In this approach: 

1. Systematic: Phonics instruction is organized and follows a clear, step-by-step sequence. Teachers introduce letters and sounds in a planned, logical order, ensuring that students build knowledge gradually and progressively. 
2. Synthetic: Children learn to blend (synthesise) individual sounds into words. For example, after learning the sounds for the letters "c," "a," and "t," they can blend these sounds together to read the word "cat."

WHY

“From Term 1 2025, all Victorian government students from Prep to Grade 2 will be taught using a SSP approach as part of their reading programs, with a minimum of 25 minutes daily explicit teaching of phonics and phonemic awareness.”  – Department of Education

Systematic synthetic phonics works because it provides a structured, sequential approach to teaching reading by first focusing on the sounds (phonemes) of letters (graphemes) and then teaching children to blend those sounds to decode (read) and encode (spell) words.

Learning phonics enables stronger reading comprehension. 

When students can apply their phonics knowledge, they become more fluent readers. They are able to stop focusing on the individual letters of each word (as this becomes automatic) and are thus free to focus on the meaning of what they are reading.

In the classroom

Our Prep to Year 2 students spend 30 minutes per day following an SSP. UFLI Lessons are designed around an 8-step routine:

1. Phonemic Awareness 
2. Visual Drill
3. Auditory Drill
4. Blending Drill
5. New Concept
6. Word Work
7. Irregular Words
8. Connected Text

Steps 1 through 4, serve as a warm-up and review of previously taught concepts. Step 5 is an explicit introduction to a new concept including guided practice reading and spelling words. Steps 6 through 8 are opportunities to apply concepts through reading and writing activities at the word and text level.

How to support at home

For Prep to Year 2 families, you can support your child to practice and consolidate what they have learned in class by helping them with their UFLI Home Learning. On Monday and Wednesday, those activities will focus on spelling and writing, and on Tuesday and Thursday students will practice fluently reading a decodable passage. The passage includes only letters and sounds that they have been taught; therefore, students can decode any word in the passage.

Resources

Home Learning Webinar

At Home Literacy Guide 

Victoria's approach to reading