Core Literacy Learning

Through daily Core Literacy Learning sessions, students are developing their understanding of letter–sound relationships and building foundational reading and writing skills. Students learn to blend sounds together to read words, as well as segment sounds to support their writing.

Each session begins with a daily review, where a different student selects three letter sounds to revise and test the class on. Students then work together to teach our classroom frog (Freddy Fry), Fred Talk from the Read Write Inc. Phonics program, how to orally segment and blend the sounds previously learned in three CVC (consonant–vowel–consonant) words. Students practise writing these words on mini whiteboards to reinforce their phonics knowledge and handwriting skills while “teaching” the frog.

Students also listen for the beats in CVC (consonant–vowel–consonant) words as part of a phonemic awareness exploration. Students clap the beats they hear, helping them understand that words can be broken into smaller sound units. This interactive activity builds phonemic awareness which is important in the development of early reading and spelling skills.

A new letter sound is introduced each day. Students explore the sound through picture cards and drawing, explicit modelling, and handwriting practice. They then engage in a range of playful and explorative learning experiences designed to consolidate and extend their understanding of the focus sound in combination with sounds already learned.

As part of our CLL block students also practise everyday high-frequency words and are currently focusing on the 12 Golden Words. During this routine, we display the words on a slideshow and take turns using each word in an oral sentence to build understanding and provide context. Students then practise writing the words on their mini whiteboards, helping to strengthen their spelling, handwriting, and automatic recognition of these important words. This daily practice supports both reading fluency and confident writing.

These sessions are differentiated to meet the needs of all learners and are delivered in a systematic and explicit way to support skill development, confidence, and success in literacy. Students are also encouraged to lead their own learning through joyful, play-based opportunities that incorporate choice, exploration, and hands-on activities connected to the daily letter–sound focus.