Year 1 English

Chapters to explore

Spoken words are made from sounds. In early reading, letters and letter groups represent sounds. An adult should model clean speech sounds and help the child blend them from left to right. This chapter supports practice; it is not a complete systematic phonics sequence.

Try it: With an adult, practise a small set of taught letter–sound correspondences and blend only words using them.

Reading blends sounds to make words. Spelling segments a spoken word into sounds and chooses the taught letters for them. Practise a small, carefully chosen set rather than guessing from pictures. Some common words contain spellings that need explicit teaching.

Try it: Use an adult-approved phonics sequence to read and spell three decodable words.

Letters need consistent formation and a comfortable way of writing. Words in a sentence are separated by spaces. A sentence begins with a capital letter. A statement usually ends with a full stop. Say the sentence before writing it.

Try it: Write one dictated and one original sentence. An adult checks formation, spacing and punctuation.

Good readers think about meaning, not just saying words. Notice who is in the story, where it happens and what happens first. A question asking for information in the text can be answered by finding the relevant words.

Try it: Read a suitable short book with an adult and retell the beginning, middle and end.

Rhyming words share an ending sound. Rhythm is a pattern of sounds and beats. Poems can play with language and do not always tell a story. Speaking clearly and listening to others help people share ideas.

Try it: Learn a short suitable poem and perform it in a way comfortable for the child.

Writing communicates an idea to a reader. Say what you want to tell them, write it, then reread it. You can improve a sentence by adding a useful detail. Pictures can support meaning, but the words still need to make sense.

Try it: Write two related sentences about an experience and discuss one improvement with an adult.

A syllable is a spoken beat in a word. Rhyming words share ending sounds, not necessarily the same spelling. Listen rather than counting letters. Spoken language varies with accent, so discuss examples together.

Try it: Clap syllables in familiar words with an adult.

A written sentence begins with a capital letter and usually ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. A statement can use a full stop. Names and the pronoun I use capitals. Read the sentence to check its meaning.

Try it: Write two short statements and read them aloud.

Retelling selects the main events in order. Use the text or pictures to check what happened. A retelling should not add an event as though it was in the original. You can create a different ending, but label it as your own version.

Try it: Retell a short shared story in three parts.

Learning together

Each chapter brings together teaching, an example, practice and a practical discovery. Use the material with discussion and suitable offline activities. Choose a comfortable starting point and revisit explanations as needed.