Teaching & Learning Focus

Teaching and Learning Focus: Spelling

Following professional development on the Science of Reading and research in this area in 2021, we are implementing Sounds-Write in our junior classrooms this year. Markeeta Green (Intervention Leader) and Bianca Vesico (F/1 Teacher), both undertook Sounds Write Training in term four 2021. Diana Rinaldi (F/1 Teacher) and Josh Carr (2/3 Teacher), are both currently undertaking this training. This will ensure that during 2022 Sounds-Write will be implemented in our junior school.

Sounds-Write provides the classroom practitioner with rigorous training in how to teach reading and spelling from the moment children begin their schooling in the Foundation Stage. 

Sounds-Write’s instructional method works effectively because it:

• can be easily implemented in the classroom 
• is clearly structured
• is developmentally appropriate for beginning readers in YR, Y1 and Y2
• offers fast and highly effective intervention.
• It is taught in simple steps how the sounds of the language are represented by the writing system
• It focuses on the three essential skills of segmenting, blending and phoneme manipulation necessary for reading and spelling throughout the programme.

Our senior teachers, Trish Shaw (Year 4 Teacher) Mark Butters (Year 5/6 Teacher) and I will be undertaking professional development this term with Dr Tessa Daffern, in the area of spelling. Dr Tessa Daffern is working with several schools across Sandhurst as a trial in the area of phonics/ spelling. This approach will complement the work done with the UMNOS project and the Sounds-Write approach in the junior school.