Helping children recognize letters
Start with a few meaningful letters, play matching games and make the difference between recognizing, naming and writing letters clear.
Read the guide ↗Ideas to try together
Letters and reading
Find practical support for letter recognition, spoken sound games and early reading, while following your child’s setting where it uses a phonics programme. Recognizing print, hearing sounds in spoken words and connecting taught spellings with sounds need different kinds of practice. Choose a small next activity that fits what your child already knows.
Guides to explore
Supporting phonics at home
A calm starting point for parents: understand letter names and sounds, follow the school’s approach and keep shared reading enjoyable.
Read the guide ↗
Where to find official Read Write Inc. help
Find the official parent guides, pronunciation support and school-matched resources, with a practical plan for choosing what to use at home.
Read the guide ↗Before you begin
How do these guides fit with the school’s reading scheme?
These are independent supplementary activities, not a complete programme. Ask which sounds, spellings and words your child has learned. Use the school’s pronunciation, formation and teaching sequence when practicing those skills.
Are all short stories decodable for every child?
No. A short word or sentence can contain a spelling a child has not learned. Check the sounds and additional words listed on our reading resources. You can read an unfamiliar word yourself and still enjoy the story together.