Key Phonics Terminology
Phoneme
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a word. In English, there are approximately 44 phonemes, although this can vary slightly depending on accent. These sounds are blended together to form words.
Grapheme
A grapheme is the written representation of a phoneme. It may consist of one letter (p), two letters (sh), three letters (tch) or four letters (ough).
Grapheme–Phoneme Correspondence (GPC)
This refers to the link between a phoneme and its corresponding grapheme. Secure knowledge of GPCs enables children to decode (read) and encode (spell) words.
Digraph
A digraph is a grapheme containing two letters that represent a single phoneme.
Trigraph
A trigraph is a grapheme containing three letters that represent a single phoneme.
Core Skills for Reading and Spelling
Oral Blending
The ability to hear individual phonemes and blend them together to form a word. This skill must be well developed before children begin blending written words.
Blending (for reading)
Children look at a written word, identify each grapheme, say the corresponding phoneme and blend these sounds together to read the word. This is the foundation of early reading.
Oral Segmenting
The ability to hear a whole word and break it down into its constituent phonemes. This underpins early spelling.
Segmenting (for spelling)
Children hear a word, segment it into phonemes, identify the corresponding graphemes and record them in the correct order. This is the basis of spelling.
Phases of Phonics Teaching (Letters and Sounds)
Phase 1 – Developing Listening Skills
Phase 1 is fundamental and should continue throughout Key Stage 1 and beyond. It focuses on developing children’s ability to listen attentively, distinguish between sounds, and talk about what they hear. Learning is delivered through practical, play-based activities across seven aspects.
Phase 2 – Introducing GPCs
GPCs are introduced in a clearly defined, systematic sequence:
- Set 1: s, a, t, p
- Set 2: i, n, m, d
- Set 3: g, o, c, k
- Set 4: ck, e, u, r
- Set 5: h, b, f, ff, l, ll, s, ss
It is essential that phonemes are articulated clearly and purely (without adding extra vowel sounds), as this supports accurate blending.
Teaching should be multisensory. Children should see, hear, say and physically form each grapheme—for example, tracing in the air, on different surfaces, or using tactile resources—before writing on paper.
Phase 3 – Expanding GPC Knowledge
Children continue to learn additional GPCs:
- Set 6: j, v, w, x
- Set 7: y, z, zz, qu
They are also introduced to:
- Consonant digraphs: ch, sh, th, ng
- Vowel digraphs and trigraphs: ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, ow, oi, ear, air, ure, er
By the end of Phase 3, children will have learned at least one grapheme for each phoneme.
CVC words refer to a sequence of phonemes (consonant–vowel–consonant), not letters. For example, cat, bed, boat and ship are all CVC in phoneme terms.
Phase 4 – Adjacent Consonants
The focus in Phase 4 is on blending and segmenting words containing adjacent consonants (e.g. frog, help, crisp). Each consonant phoneme is heard separately, unlike in digraphs.
Some children, particularly those with speech and language difficulties, may find this phase challenging. Supporting them to attend to mouth movements and using mirrors can be beneficial.
Phase 5 – Broadening Understanding
Phase 5a (Weeks 1–4)
New GPCs are introduced, including split digraphs (a_e, e_e, i_e, o_e, u_e). These should be taught as two letters working together, even though they are not adjacent.
Phase 5b (Weeks 4–7)
Children learn that some graphemes can represent more than one phoneme (e.g. ch in chip, chef, school). Teachers should model trying alternative pronunciations when decoding unfamiliar words.
Phase 5c (Weeks 8–30)
Children explore alternative spellings for the same phoneme. Although English spelling is complex, many patterns and conventions can be identified. Encouraging investigation and pattern-spotting helps children make informed spelling choices.
Phase 6 – Fluency and Spelling Conventions
Phase 6 consolidates prior learning, develops reading fluency and automaticity, and introduces spelling rules and conventions (e.g. adding -ing, -ed, -er, -est).
Phonics Within the Wider Curriculum
Phonics provides the essential code for translating between spoken and written language. However, it is only one component of learning to read.
A rich reading curriculum should also include:
- High-quality talk and language development
- Regular reading aloud to children
- Access to a wide range of engaging texts
- Structured guided and shared reading sessions
As children become more fluent, they rely less on decoding and can focus increasingly on comprehension, vocabulary and critical understanding.