Take the role

Firstly, I must say that Jolly Phonics doesn't pay me. Just joking. It's just that this is the method I know and I've used during this term to base my activities on phonics. I know that there is also other well-known methods such as 'Reading without tears' but I don't know them well, so I'll write about what I know.

What is Jolly Phonics?

Jolly Phonics is a -fun, they say- and child centred approach to teaching literacy through synthetic phonics. With actions for each of the 42 letter sounds, the multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers, who can see their students achieve. The letter sounds are split into seven groups as shown below.

Letter Sound Order

The sounds are taught in a specific order (not alphabetically). This enables children to begin building words as early as possible.

How does Jolly Phonics work?

Using a synthetic phonics approach, Jolly Phonics teaches children the five key skills for reading and writing. The programme continues through school enabling the teaching of essential grammar, spelling and punctuation skills.

The five skills taught in Jolly Phonics

1. Learning the letter sounds

Children are taught the 42 main letter sounds. This includes alphabet sounds as well as digraphs such as sh, th, ai and ue.

Each sound has an action which helps children remember the letter(s) that represent it. As a child progresses you can point to the letters and see how quickly they can do the action and say the sound. One letter sound can be taught each day. As a child becomes more confident, the actions are no longer necessary.

2. Learning letter formation

Using different multi-sensory methods, children learn how to form and write the letters.

3. Blending

Children are taught how to blend the sounds together to read and write new words.

4. Identifying the sounds in words (Segmenting)

Listening for the sounds in words gives children the best start for improving spelling.

5. Tricky words

Tricky words have irregular spellings and children learn these separately. 

For further information just visit the official webpage - I got there the most part of the information I've written in this post. You also can see some videos on teachers working through this method and information about the incredible amount of resources you can buy to support your lessons. Just go to http://jollylearning.co.uk/overview-about-jolly-phonics/

In this blog you'll find some activities and resources for each group made by me. You can go to the group you want to through the tab menu. Also, in 'additional resources', you'll find more useful resources for phonics teaching. I recommend you have a look to that section before going to each individual group.