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Dear Student, The lessons in this book will help you to improve your reading and spelling. Learning to read and write in the English language is super tricky. The English language has developed over thousands of years by different people who came to invade and live in England. This means that the modern English language contains bits of old French, Latin and Germanic languages. When people started to print books there were no rules about spelling so words were spelt in all sorts of ways. Now we have a language which is pretty complicated but very interesting. New words continue to be added to the language. Everybody has to work hard to get better at reading and writing – even those people who seem really good at reading and spelling. Some people think that phonics is something that we learn in the infants. We do start to learn about phonics then, but the phonic, or alphabetic, code can take many years to learn well. Even adults who are good readers and writers still use phonics if they need to read or spell a new or difficult word. Phonics is like a spy code. This is a spy code: 1 = A, 2 = B, 3 = C, and so on. Can you crack this message? (hint: write out the alphabet in order then write the numbers 1 – 26 below it to see which letter is code for each number)

19 16 25 3 15 4 5 19 1 18 5 1 23 5 19 15 13 5

Phonics is a code that matches the sounds that we make when we speak with the letters that we use when we read or write. For example, when you see the letter b you say /b/ as in bat. When you see the letters ee together you say /ee/ as in eel. The slash marks // mean sound. The letter c can be a /k/ sound as in cat, or a /s/ sound as in city. See how it gets tricky?! There are over 150 bits of code (letters and sounds combinations) in English so it is a lot to remember. The lessons in this book will remind you, or teach you, some of that code to help you keep the information in your long-term memory.

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Contents

� Lesson 1: s, a, t, i, p, n

� Lesson 2: c, k, -ck, e, h

� Lesson 3: r, m, d, g, o

� Lesson 4: u, l, f, b

� Lesson 5: -ll, -ff, -ss

� Lesson 6: j as in jug

� Lesson 7: y as in yawn

� Lesson 8: ai as in aid

� Lesson 9: ay as in tray

� Lesson 10: w as in web

� Lesson 11: oa as in oak

� Lesson 12: ow as in own

� Lesson 13: -ie as in tie

� Lesson 14: -igh as in night

� Lesson 15: -le as in kettle

� Lesson 16: o as in son

� Lesson 17: ee as in eel

� Lesson 18: or as in fork

� Lesson 19: z, -zz as in zebra and jazz

� Lesson 20: wh as in wheel

� Lesson 21: ea as in eat

� Lesson 22: -ea as in head

� Lesson 23: /z/ spelling alternatives

� Lesson 24: -ng as in gong

� Lesson 25: -nk as in ink

� Lesson 26: v as in violin

� Lesson 27: -ve as in dove

� Lesson 28: -oo as in book

� Lesson 29: oo as in moon

� Lesson 30: -y as in sunny

� Lesson 31: -x as in fox

� Lesson 32: ch as in chair

� Lesson 33: sh as in sheep

� Lesson 34: th as in thistle and there

� Lesson 35: qu as in queen

� Lesson 36: ou as in ouch

� Lesson 37: ow as in owl

� Lesson 38: oi as in ointment

� Lesson 39: oy as in toy

� Lesson 40: -ue as in statue and blue

� Lesson 41: er as in herb and sister

� Lesson 42: ar as in artist

� Lesson 43: -ce as in palace

� Lesson 44: -ge as in cabbage

� Lesson 45: -se as in house

� Lesson 46: assessment Some letters are preceded by a dash. The dash indicates that the letter/s – sound correspondence is not usually used at the beginning of printed words.

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Look at the letters and say the sounds: Chart 1

s

snake

a

apple

t

tent

i

insect

p

pan

n

net

c

cat

k

kit

-ck

duck

e

egg

h

hat

r

rat

m

map

d

dig

g

girl

o

octopus

u

umbrella

l

ladder

f

feather

b

bat

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Look at the letters and say the sounds: Chart 2

-ll

shell

-ff

cliff

-ss

glass

j

jug

y

yawn

ai

aid

ay

tray

w

web

oa

oak

ow

own

-ie

tie

-igh

night

-le

kettle

o

son

ee

eel

or

fork

z, -zz

zebra jazz

wh

wheel

ea

eat

-ea

head

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Look at the letters and say the sounds: Chart 3

/z/

fries cheese breeze

-ng

gong

-nk

ink

v

violin

-ve

dove

-oo

book

oo

moon

-y

sunny

-x

fox

ch

chair

sh

sheep

th

thistle there

qu

queen

ou

ouch

ow

owl

oi

ointment

oy

toy

-ue

statue blue

er

herb sister

ar

artist

-ce

palace

-ge

cabbage

-se

house

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Lesson 1 Revising s, a, t, i, p, n the, that Introduction: The letters s, a, t, i, p and n are code for the sounds /s/ /a/ /t/ /i/ /p/ and /n/. There are other ways to spell some of these sounds. Some of these letters can be more than one sound. Today we are focusing on the simple code: 1 spelling for 1 sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

sat sit its nip pit at pin Nan tip tin 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘a’ and ‘i’ letters. Then read the text.

An ant nips in a tin. The ant sits in the tin. Pat tips the tin that the ant is in. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Which of today’s sounds can be spelled using different letters?

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Lesson 2 Revising c, k, -ck, e, h the Introduction: The letters c, k, and -ck are all code for the sound /k/. The letters e and h are code for the sounds /e/ and /h/. Today we are focusing on three different ways to spell the /k/ sound and the simple spellings of /e/ and /h/. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

cat kit skip pick peck ten hat hens hit cap 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Underline all the letters that are code for /k/. Read the text.

Kit the cat naps on the sack. Ken the hen pecks Kit the cat. Ken and Kit stack sticks in the sack. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of different /k/ spellings?

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Lesson 3 Revising r, m, d, g, o the Introduction: The letters r, m, d, g and o are code for the sounds /r/ /m/ /d/ /g/ and /o/. There are other ways to spell some of these sounds. Some of these letters can be more than one sound. Today we are focusing on the simple code: 1 spelling for 1 sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

rat rip map him red mad get peg top hot 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘d’ and ‘g’ letters. Then read the text.

Dan and his pet dog ran and got hot. Dan and his dog stop at a pond. Peg the dog dips in the pond and Dan sits on a rock. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Which of today’s sounds can be spelled using different letters?

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Lesson 4 Revising u, l, b, f the, he Introduction: The letters u, l, b and f are code for the sounds /u/ /l/ /b/ and /f/. There are other ways to spell some of these sounds. Some of these letters can be more than one sound. Today we are focusing on the simple code: 1 spelling for 1 sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

mud gum leg luck fog fig elf bin bag grab 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘u’ and ‘b’ letters. Then read the text.

Fred the elf has a bag of gum bugs and grubs. He dips his hand in the bag and gets a bug to trick his pals. Fred gets a gum bug and licks it. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Which of today’s letters can represent more than one sound?

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Lesson 5 -ll, -ff, -ss the, they, then Introduction: The letters -ll, -ff and -ss are code for the sounds /l/ /f/ and /s/. We only make one sound for double consonant letters. It is the same for: -bb, -rr, -dd, -gg, -tt, -mm, -nn and -zz. Today we are focusing on the double consonant letters: -ll, -ff and -ss. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

ill tell hill cuff huff puff off less fuss miss 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the double letters. The read the text.

Sid and Tim huff and puff up the hill. Sid and Tim stop at Mill Cliff and stuff on gumdrops. They fill up and rest then set off to the top. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Can you give examples of double letters in the middle of words?

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Lesson 6 j as in jug the Introduction: The letter j is code for the sound /j/ as in jug. There are other ways to spell the /j/ sound: j, -dge, -ge, g (e, i, y). Today we are focusing on the j spelling of the /j/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

jet jam jug juts jag just jump jacket jig jog 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘j’ letters. Then read the text.

Jon and Jen set off in a jet on a trip to Japan. In Japan, Jon gets a jacket and Jen gets a bag. Jon jumps and jogs Jen. Jen’s bag hits a jug. The jug tips and spills. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the letter ‘j’ in words?

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Lesson 7 y as in yawn the Introduction: The letter y is code for the sound /y/ as in yawn. The letter y can represent other sounds too. It can sound like this: /i/ as in cymbals, /igh/ as in shy and /ee/ as in happy. Today we are focusing on the y spelling of the /y/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

yet yen yam yak yap yell yelp yes yum 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘y’ letters. Then read the text.

Tanya has a pup. Tanya has not fed the pup yet. It yaps and yelps. Dad yells, “Get the pup fed, Tanya!” “Yes, Dad!” Tanya yells back. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of ‘y’ as the /y/ sound?

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Lesson 8 ai as in aid the, to, he Introduction: The letters ai are code for the sound /ai/ as in aid. There are other ways to spell the /ai/ sound: ai, ay, a, ae, a-e, ey, eigh, ea or aigh. Today we are focusing on the ai spelling of the /ai/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

aim aid rail pain maid fail train faint 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ai’ letters. Then read the text.

Emma and Rick stand at the train track in the rain. Emma gets on the main train to Spain. Rick is a pain. He has lost his train ticket. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ai’ in words?

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Lesson 9 ay as in tray I, all, the, we Introduction: The letters ay are code for the sound /ai/ as in tray. There are other ways to spell the /ai/ sound: ai, ay, a, ae, a-e, ey, eigh, ea or aigh. Today we are focusing on the ay spelling of the /ai/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

day say may pay stray crayon stay Sunday 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ay’ letters. Then read the text.

On Sundays I stay at Dad’s. I play all day on the grass in the sun’s rays. Dad got a stray dog. We say, “Crayon!” and the dog runs and plays. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ay’ in words?

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Lesson 10 w as in web the Introduction: The letter w is code for the sound /w/ as in web. There are other ways to spell the /w/ sound: w, wh or -u. Today we are focusing on the w spelling of the /w/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

wet web wag wig win went wind swims 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘w’ letters. Then read the text.

Will can swim well. Will swims on Wednesdays and Sundays. Will wins medals in swimming contests. Willa and Mum wait at the pay desk. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the letter ‘w’ in words?

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Lesson 11 oa as in oak the, this Introduction: The letters oa are code for the sound /oa/ as in oak. There are other ways to spell the /oa/ sound: oa, o, -oe, o-e, ow, -ough or eau. Today we are focusing on the oa spelling of the /oa/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

oak oats coat soak boat float cloak boast 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘oa’ letters. Then read the text.

The goat on the boat had a moan and a groan. “This boat will not float. It has ten sacks of oats and ten bags of cloaks and coats.” 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘oa’ in words?

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Lesson 12 ow as in own the Introduction: The letters ow are code for the sound /oa/ as in own. There are other ways to spell the /oa/ sound: oa, o, -oe, o-e, ow, -ough or eau. Today we are focusing on the ow spelling of the /oa/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

own low snow row sow crows flow grown 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ow’ letters. Then read the text.

Joan owns crows. Joan got the crows as eggs. The eggs fell from the crows’ nest. Crows grow big. Joan’s crows sit low in the snow. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What other sound can be represented by the letters ‘ow’?

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Lesson 13 ie as in tie this, the Introduction: The letters ie are code for the sound /igh/ as in tie. There are other ways to spell the /igh/ sound: -igh, -ie, i, -y, i-e or ei. Today we are focusing on the ie spelling of the /igh/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

lie pie tie died tried spied fried denied 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ie’ letters. Then read the text.

On Sunday Kim spied Nan’s fried plum pie. Kim tried Nan’s fried plum pie. “Nan, this is the best fried plum pie!” Kim lied. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What other sound can be represented by the letters ‘ie’?

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Lesson 14 igh as in night the Introduction: The letters igh are code for the sound /igh/ as in night. There are other ways to spell the /igh/ sound: -igh, -ie, i, -y, i-e or ei. Today we are focusing on the igh spelling of the /igh/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

high sigh night light fight slight bright tight 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘igh’ letters. Then read the text.

Sanjay got a fright. It was night. In the dim light Sanjay got sight of cats in a fight at the bins. A black cat had a slight cut on his leg. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘igh’ in words?

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Lesson 15 le as in kettle the, I, she Introduction: The letters le are code for the sound /ul/ as in kettle. There are other ways to spell the /ul/ sound: -le, -il, -al, -el. Today we are focusing on the le spelling of the /ul/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

little cattle battle middle puddle saddle pickle 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘le’ letters. Then read the text.

Karen tips the kettle but it spills. A little hot puddle sits in the middle of the tray. “I am in a pickle!” thinks Karen as she mops up the puddle. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘le’ in words?

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Lesson 16 o as in son this, have Introduction: The letter o can sometimes be code for the sound /u/ as in son. There are other ways to spell the /u/ sound: u, o, -ou or -ough. Today we are focusing on the o spelling of the /u/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

son ton front Monday London some done 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘o’ as /u/ code. Then read the text.

On Monday Jim and his son got a train to London. Jim had won tickets. “Well done, Dad! This trip might have cost a ton.” Jim and his son had fun. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What can you explain about these words: none, become, come?

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Lesson 17 ee as in eel to, he, no Introduction: The letters ee are code for the sound /ee/ as in eel. There are other ways to spell the /ee/ sound: ee, e, e-e, ey, ie, ei, ea, y. Today we are focusing on the ee spelling of the /ee/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

see bee meet leek green freed bleed streets 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ee’ letters. Then read the text.

Jameel needs to feel free. He thinks of green trees and big streets. He feels stuck and has no freedom. He sees bees and feels wind on his heels. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ee’ in words?

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Lesson 18 or as in fork the, are Introduction: The letters or are code for the sound /or/ as in fork. There are other ways to spell the /or/ sound: or, ore, oar, -oor, -our, (w)ar, aw, au, al, -augh or ough. Today we are focusing on the or spelling of the /or/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

form fork torn storm stork orbit snort fortress 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘or’ letters. Then read the text.

A storm sweeps in from the north. A stork flies in the fort from the port. Trees sway in the wind. Twigs are torn off and swept away. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘or’ in words?

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Lesson 19 z, zz as in zebra and jazz the, they, to, with Introduction: The letters z and zz are code for the sound /z/ as in zebra and jazz. There are other ways to spell the /z/ sound: z, -zz, -s, -se or -ze. Today we are focusing on the z and zz spellings of the /z/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

zip zest zebra fizz jazz buzz frizz zig-zag 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘z’ and ‘zz’ letters. Then read the text.

Zed and Zap, the zebras, felt frazzled. They zipped in zig-zags back and forth to the trees. Zed has dazzled Zap with his zig-zag gallop. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the positions of the ‘z’ and ‘zz’?

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Lesson 20 wh as in wheel the, they Introduction: The letters wh are code for the sound /w/ as in wheel. There are other ways to spell the /w/ sound: w, wh or -u. Today we are focusing on the wh spelling of the /w/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

when whip wheel whisk whack whiff whiskers 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘wh’ letters. Then read the text.

Robin whisks the wheel off his wagon. The wheel had whacked a rock on the road when they went west. Whiskers the cat has a whiff but is not keen. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘wh’ in words?

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Lesson 21 ea as in eat she, the Introduction: The letters ea are code for the sound /ee/ as in eat. There are other ways to spell the /ee/ sound: ee, e, e-e, ey, ie, ei, ea, y. Today we are focusing on the ea spelling of the /ee/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

eat sea team heat mean feat stream scream 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ea’ letters. Then read the text.

Jean has a feast for tea. She eats beans, peas and meat. For a treat, she has hot pie and cream. ‘Dream-pop fizz’ is the drink she picks. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ea’ in words?

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Lesson 22 ea as in head Introduction: The letters ea can also be code for the sound /e/ as in head. There are other ways to spell the /e/ sound: e, -ea or -ai. Today we are focusing on the ea spelling of the /e/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

head instead bread lead spread dead dreadful 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ea’ letters. Then read the text.

Ann felt dreadful. Ann’s head felt as if it was full of lead. Instead of pie, Ann just had bread and nut spread. Ann had a rest on a soft cotton bedspread. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What are the different sounds represented by the letters ‘ea’?

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Lesson 23 /z/ spelling alternatives the, by, he Introduction: The letter z is code for the sound /z/ as in zebra. There are other ways to spell the /z/ sound: z, -zz, s, -se or -ze. Today we are focusing on all the ways to spell the /z/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

zip buzz is was fleas tries sneeze please 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the /z/ sounds. Then read the text.

Tom lies on the grass by the oak trees. Tom sees bees zip and buzz in the breeze. Tom sneezes and wheezes. He eats beans and peas. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. How do you know when the letters ‘s’ or ‘se’ are a /z/ sound?

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Lesson 24 ng as in gong the, she Introduction: The letters ng are code for the sound /ng/ as in gong. In a few words, where the letters n and g are together, the letter n is code for /ng/ and g is sounded out, like in jungle (/j/ /u/ /ng/ /g/ /ul/). Today we are focusing on the ng spelling of the /ng/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

hang long sing wings tongs string bring swings 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ng’ letters. Then read the text.

Miss Wing is the best at ping-pong. She sings a song as she plays. The kids sing along: “Bang, bong, bing, Miss Wing will win at peng ping-pong.” 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ng’ in words?

31

Lesson 25 nk as in ink the, he, to Introduction: The letters nk are code for the sound /ng+k/ as in ink. The sound /ng+k/ is actually two sounds /ng/ and /k/ but it is useful for reading and spelling to learn as one sound unit. Today we are focusing on the nk spelling of the /ng+k/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

ink sank pink tank link winks stink blanket 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘nk’ letters. Then read the text.

Hank had a drink at the sink. He went to bed in his cabin bunk. But his pink blanket stunk. “Yuk, it smells of septic tank!” 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘nk’ in words?

32

Lesson 26 v as in violin to, the Introduction: The letter v is code for the sound /v/ as in violin. There are two ways to spell the /v/ sound: v or -ve. Today we are focusing on the v spelling of the /v/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

vet van vest vast vent visit invented vat 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘v’ letters. Then read the text.

Vik went to visit the vet in his van. The vet has a vast list of pets to see in the clinic. Vik’s pet cat, Vespa, waits to see the vet. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘v’ in words?

33

Lesson 27 ve as in dove to, I, the, go Introduction: The letters ve are code for the sound /v/ as in dove. There are two ways to spell the /v/ sound: v or -ve. Today we are focusing on the ve spelling of the /v/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

have give live love dove above glove solve 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ve’ letters. Then read the text.

Frank had a problem to solve. “I cannot keep doves in the loft up above. I love doves, but the doves have to go.” Frank put on gloves to give the doves away. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ve’ in words?

34

Lesson 28 oo as in book the, he, to Introduction: The letters oo are code for the sound short /oo/ as in book. There are other ways to spell the short /oo/ sound: -oo, -oul or -u. Today we are focusing on the oo spelling of the short /oo/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

look good took hood rooks stood crook nook 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘oo’ letters. Then read the text.

Nick picks a good book from the little book nook. He flicks up his hood and jogs to the brook to look at the book. A rook looks at Nick from a tree in the woods. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘oo’ in words?

35

Lesson 29 oo as in moon the Introduction: The letters oo can also be code for the sound long /oo/ as in moon. There are other ways to spell the long /oo/ sound: oo, u-e, -ew, -ui, -ou, -o or -ue. Today we are focusing on the oo spelling of the long /oo/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

pool cool mood food tools stool spoon roof 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘oo’ letters. Then read the text.

The bright moon casts pools of light in the cool night. Hooves trot across the rooftops. The mood is still. The bat is not a fool as it zips and swoops. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘oo’ in words?

36

Lesson 30 y as in sunny he, to, the, be Introduction: The letter y is code for the sound /ee/ as in sunny. Some accents mean people pronounce this sound more like an /i/. This sound can also be spelled in these ways: -y, -ey or -ie. Today we are focusing on the y spelling of the /ee/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

happy funny bonny tummy sleepy gloomy 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘y’ letters. Then read the text.

Billy was happy. Reading was easy. He was not silly in class. He was not sent to the head when he tried to be funny. The lesson was even a little bit fun. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of ‘y’ as the /ee/ sound?

37

Lesson 31 x as in fox to, the, with Introduction: The letter x is code for the sound /k+s/ as in fox. The sound /k+s/ is actually two sounds /k/ and /s/ but it is useful for reading and spelling to learn as one sound unit. Today we are focusing on the x spelling of the /k+s/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

ox fox box fix six text maximum relax mixing 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘x’ letters. Then read the text.

A skulk of foxes has a den next to the shed. Six cubs relax in the den with the vixen. At night the adult foxes dig in the bins and boxes to get scraps of food. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘x’ in words?

38

Lesson 32 ch as in chair with, the, they Introduction: The letters ch are code for the sound /ch/ as in chair. There are other ways to spell the /ch/ sound: ch, -tch or sometimes -ture. (-ture is close to /ch + u/). Today we are focusing on the ch spelling of the /ch/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

chips chat such rich chick lunch inches pinch 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ch’ letters. Then read the text.

Chad and Rich get chunky chips with cheese at the canteen. Chad and Rich chat and munch the chippy lunch. They drink such a lot of cherry pop. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ch’ in words?

39

Lesson 33 sh as in sheep to, the, she Introduction: The letters sh are code for the sound /sh/ as in sheep. There are other ways to spell the /sh/ sound: sh, ch, -ti, -ci or -ssi. Today we are focusing on the sh spelling of the /sh/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

ship bash shop rush shelf brush splash shall 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘sh’ letters. Then read the text.

Shelby must rush to the shop to get a brush. She is painting a shelf but keeps splashing the paint. When Shelby finishes the shelf she will display the shells. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘sh’ in words?

40

Lesson 34 th as in thistle and there Introduction: The letters th are code for the sounds unvoiced /th/ as in thistle and voiced /th/ as in there. Try not to make a /f/ or /v/ sound when you read words with th. Today we are focusing on the th spelling of the /th/ sounds. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

thin moth this that then the thanks three 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘th’ letters. Then read the text.

A thick bed of thistles runs along the path. Beth thumps the thistles with a thin, smooth stick. “This is a thrilling maths lesson!” says Beth. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Can you sort the words in this lesson into voiced and unvoiced?

41

Lesson 35 qu as in queen her, she Introduction: The letters qu are code for the sound /k+w/ as in queen. The sound /k+w/ is actually two sounds /k/ and /w/ but it is useful for reading and spelling to learn as one sound unit. Today we are focusing on the qu spelling of the /k+w/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

quit queen quiz quick quest squid squirrel 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘qu’ letters. Then read the text.

Queen Zelda squeezed her soft quilt. She had dreamt of a quest. Quickly, Queen Zelda quit the bed and got ready. Off she set with Squeak her pet squirrel. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘qu’ in words?

42

Lesson 36 ou as in ouch he, to Introduction: The letters ou are code for the sound /ou/ as in ouch. There are other ways to spell the /ou/ sound: ou, ow or -ough. Today we are focusing on the ou spelling of the /ou/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

out our shout mouth south proud mountain 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ou’ letters. Then read the text.

Quentin, our hound, went on a run around the grounds. He stopped south of a grassy mound. He had found a pound. Quentin bounded back to us. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ou’ in words?

43

Lesson 37 ow as in owl her, she, to Introduction: The letters ow are also code for the sound /ou/ as in owl. There are other ways to spell the /ou/ sound: ou, ow or -ough. Today we are focusing on the ow spelling of the /ou/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

owl now how down town crown drown frown 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ow’ letters. Then read the text.

The Queen put on her gown and crown. She had a frown across her brow. As she set off to town, an owl landed on the back of the brown cow. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ow’ in words?

44

Lesson 38 oi as in ointment she Introduction: The letters oi are code for the sound /oi/ as in ointment. There is another way to spell the /oi/ sound: oi or oy. Today we are focusing on the oi spelling of the /oi/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

oil coin join soil boil point joint spoil avoid 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘oi’ letters. Then read the text.

Moira avoided joining in. Colin pointed out that Moira was spoiling his fun. Moira explained that it was too noisy, and she coiled up in the book nook. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘oi’ in words?

45

Lesson 39 oy as in toy to, he, they, are Introduction: The letters oy are also code for the sound /oi/ as in toy. There are other ways to spell the /oi/ sound: oi or oy. Today we are focusing on the oy spelling of the /oi/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

loyal coy enjoy decoy destroy royal annoy 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘oy’ letters. Then read the text.

Roy has been employed to test toys. He tries to destroy the toys to check that they are solid and strong. Roy enjoys his job. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘oy’ in words?

46

Lesson 40 ue as in statue and blue Introduction: The letters ue are code for the sounds /y+oo/ as in statue and /oo/ as in blue. There are also other ways to spell these sounds: -ue, u-e or -ew. Today we are focusing on the ue spelling of the /y+oo/ and /oo/ sounds. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

cue hue fuel argue rescue true clue accrue 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ue’ letters. Then read the text.

Sue argued with Mum on Tuesday. “This is value muesli and it’s a good way to fuel up for the day!” “No, this is gruel and it’s as bad as eating glue!” 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. Can you sort the words in this lesson into the two sounds?

47

Lesson 41 er as in herb and sister he, to Introduction: The letters er are code for the sounds /er/ as in herb and /uh/ as in sister. The sound /er/ can also be spelled: -er, ir, ur, ear, (w)or. The sound /uh/ can also be spelled: -er, -our, -re, -ar, -or. Today we are focusing on the er spelling of the /er/ and /uh/ sounds. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

hermit stern thermal jumper temper slipper 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘er’ letters. Then read the text.

Herman’s front wheel hit the kerb and he swerved to avoid hitting the hermit. The hermit shouted, “Jerk!” and looked sternly at Herman. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘er’ in words?

48

Lesson 42 ar as in artist to, they Introduction: The letters ar are code for the sound /ar/ as in artist. There are other ways to spell the /ar/ sound: ar, a, or al. Today we are focusing on the ar spelling of the /ar/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

ajar dark armpit charm shark alarm garden 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ar’ letters. Then read the text.

Mark and Martha went to the garden market. They parked the car in the yard at the farm. The larks sung as Martha picked jars of jam. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ar’ in words?

49

Lesson 43 ce as in palace to Introduction: The letters ce are code for the sound /s/ as in palace. There are other ways to spell the /s/ sound: s, -ss, -ce, -se, c (e, i, y), sc, -st- or ps. Today we are focusing on the ce spelling of the /s/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

fence dance prince voice force advanced choice 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ce’ letters. Then read the text.

Horace was a prince with a strong singing voice. He pounced at the chance to dance with the princess of his choice at the next palace dance. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ce’ in words?

50

Lesson 44 ge as in cabbage she, into Introduction: The letters ge are code for the sound /j/ as in cabbage. There are other ways to spell the /j/ sound: j, -dge, -ge, g (e, i, y). Today we are focusing on the ge spelling of the /j/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

forge hinge damage package savage manage 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘ge’ letters. Then read the text.

Marge did lots of damage. She barged into garages and rummaged in a range of packages. She forged cash and took the village cabbages. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘ge’ in words?

51

Lesson 45 se as in house he, no Introduction: The letters se are code for the sound /s/ as in house. There are other ways to spell the /s/ sound: s, -ss, -ce, -se, c (e, i, y), sc, -st- or ps. Today we are focusing on the se spelling of the /s/ sound. 1. Word reading. Read each word carefully. Tick it when you’ve read it.

sense tense horse mouse expense immense 2. Dictation time. Listen carefully and write the 3 sentences your teacher tells you. a)

b)

c)

3. Letter hunt. Find and underline all the ‘se’ letters. Then read the text.

Karl had no common sense. He spent an immense amount on a tense horse with a temper. He had no remorse at such expense. 4. Now it’s your turn. Write 3 short sentences that include words with today’s focus code. a)

b)

c)

5. Challenge. What do you notice about the position of the ‘se’ in words?

52

2. Word dictation. Listen and write the words.

Lesson 46 Word level assessment 1. Word reading. Read and tick the words.

trowel

accrue dishes trance android

grouse chatty above dread smooth

maximum hooves twinge saddle greasy

tease sorted undone cloudy perform

frizz sparkle squeal gloat balloon

cries freed whelk oyster brains

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

53

The English Alphabetic Code Chart

sounds simple code

complex code (spelling alternatives)

/s/ s snake

-ss glass

-ce palace

-se house

c (e i y) city

sc scissors

-st- castle

ps pseudonym

/a/ a apple

/t/ t tent

-tt letter

-ed skipped

/i/ i insect

-y cymbals

/p/ p pan

-pp puppet

/n/ n net

-nn bonnet

kn knot

gn gnome

-ne engine

/k/ k kit

c cat

-ck duck

ch chameleon

qu bouquet

que plaque

/e/ e egg

-ea head

-ai said

/h/ h hat

wh who

/r/ r rat

-rr arrow

wr write

rh rhinoceros

/m/ m map

-mm hammer

-me welcome

-mb thumb

-mn column

/d/ d dig

-dd puddle

-ed rained

/g/ g girl

-gg juggle

gu guitar

gh ghost

-gue catalogue

/o/ o octopus

(w)a watch

(qu)a qualify

a(lt) salt

/u/ u umbrella

o son

-ou touch

-ough thorough

/l/ l ladder

-ll shell

/ul/ -le kettle

-il pencil

-al hospital

-el camel

/f/ f feather

-ff cliff

ph photograph

-gh laugh

/b/ b bat

-bb rabbit

bu building

/j/ j jug

-ge cabbage

g (e i y) giraffe

-dge Fridge

/y/ y yawn

/ai/ ai aid

-ay tray

a table

-ae sundae

a-e cake

-ey prey

-ea break

eigh eight

-aigh straight

/w/ w web

wh wheel

-u penguin

/oa/ oa oak

ow bow

o yo-yo

-oe oboe

o-e rope

-ough dough

eau plateau

54

/igh/ -igh night

-ie tie

i behind

-y fly

i-e bike

ei eider

eye eye

/ee/ ee eel

ea eat

e emu

e-e concrete

-ey key

-ie chief

-i(ne) sardine

/i-ee/ -y sunny

-ey monkey

-ie movie

/or/ or fork

oar oars

-oor door

ore snore

-our four

(w)ar wardrobe

(qu)ar quarter

(w)a water

aw dawn

au sauce

-al chalk

-augh caught

ough thought

/z/ z zebra

-zz jazz

-s fries

-se cheese

-ze breeze

/ng/ -ng gong

-n jungle

/ngk/ -nk ink

-nc uncle

/v/ v violin

-ve dove

short /oo/

-oo book

-oul should

-u push

long /oo/

oo moon

-ue blue

u-e flute

-ew crew

-ui fruit

-ou soup

-o move

-ough through

/ks/ -x fox

-ks books

-cks ducks

-kes cakes

/gz/ -x exam

-gs pegs

/ch/ ch chairs

-tch patch

/chu/ -ture picture

/sh/ sh sheep

ch chef

-ti station

-ci magician

-ssi admission

unvoiced /th/

th thistle

voiced /th/

th there

/kw/ qu queen

/ou/ ou ouch

ow owl

-ough plough

/oi/ oi ointment

oy toy

/yoo/ -ue statue

u unicorn

u-e tube

ew new

eu pneumatic

/er/ er mermaid

ir birthday

ur nurse

ear earth

(w)or world

schwa /er/ (uh)

-er mixer

-our humour

-re theatre

-ar collar

-or sailor

/ar/ ar artist

a father

al(m) palm

-al(f) half

-al(ves) calves

/air/ air hair

-are hare

-ear bear

-ere where

/eer/ eer deer

ear ears

-ere adhere

-ier cashier

/zh/ -si television

-s treasure

-z azure

g courgette

-ge collage

(Shaded grapheme boxes indicate coverage in this workbook)

55

First published by Blackberry Cottage Ltd, UK 2019-09-06 Copyright ã 2019 by Abigail Steel Print ISBN: 978-1691482795 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any way without the written permission of the publisher, Blackberry Cottage Ltd. The rights of Abigail Steel as author have been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. www.abigailsteel.com With credit, acknowledgement and thanks to Debbie Hepplewhite, MBE. www.alphabeticcodecharts.com www.phonicsinternational.com With thanks to Academies Enterprise Trust for their forward thinking, inclusive approaches and passion for children to choose remarkable lives. With thanks to the dedicated and hard-working staff at Clacton Coastal Academy who inspired this curriculum and will lead change by implementing it with their students.