Practical Tips for Strengthening Early Reading

Let’s face it: getting our youngest learners reading fluently can sometimes feel like magic. But we know it’s not! It all starts with a solid foundation in phonics, and that’s where we, as reading leaders and teachers, come in. The Department for Education (DfE) Reading Framework, and the recent research is clear: phonics is non-negotiable when it comes to early reading success, especially in EYFS and Year 1. But how can we make sure that phonics teaching is sharp and effective, helping children learn the alphabetic code and blend quickly? Let’s dive into some practical ideas you can take straight into your classroom that might make early reading success feel like magic.

Start Strong: Daily Phonics Sessions

Consistency is key. The DfE and most of the phonics schemes suggest, daily phonics sessions for all children, and it’s easy to see why. These sessions provide children with daily exposure to grapheme-phoneme correspondences and the all-important skill of blending. Daily exposure helps this new learning become embedded in children's long term memory so they can recall it with ease. Keep it fun but focused! Most schemes use multisensory activities like letter cards, actions, and songs to make those sounds stick, but ensure there’s time for plenty of practice with real words. And don’t forget blending! Even if children can sound out letters, blending needs explicit teaching and tons of repetition.  Repetition really does make all the difference and not just in the phonics lessons – using every spare minute.  I’ve seen some great use of lining up times, for example, to recap new sounds.

Keep Up or Catch Up?

We all know children learn at different rates, but we need to try to ensure that all children keep up with the pace of the scheme. The DfE’s Core Criteria for Phonics Programmes emphasises the importance of “keep up” over “catch up.” It’s not just about identifying who’s finding it tricky but intervening early with extra support – even if it’s just five minutes a day. Think about using same-day interventions to target any wobbling in phonics understanding. Don't hesitate in organising keep up intervention as the sooner we provide additional support the better.  It's also so important that we spend enough time each day teaching phonics. Ten or fifteen minutes a day just won't be enough time for sufficient practice to learn new sounds and practice blending to read. Particularly in EYFS and year 1 we need to try and prioritise phonics so that the children spend between 30 and 60 minutes focusing on this every single day. 

Blending is a Superpower

If there’s one thing we want children to be secure in by the end of Year 1, it’s blending. It’s their superpower for unlocking new words. Teach blending as an active, physical process – sweep your finger under the letters, drag out the sounds, and model how to smooth those sounds together into words.  Repeated modelling and plenty of practice is the key! The DfE recommends lots of practice with fully decodable books that align with the children’s phonics stage, so stock your book baskets with decodable titles that reinforce the sounds you’ve taught and match your phonics scheme. And remember: praising effort and small wins can boost confidence, even for those hesitant blenders.

Talk, Talk, Talk!

Phonics doesn’t exist in isolation; it’s part of the bigger picture of language development. Encourage lots of talk in your classroom! Oral language skills underpin phonics success, so give children plenty of opportunities to chat, share ideas, and retell stories. Embed phonics in your everyday routines – even while they’re lining up or tidying away. You’ll be amazed at how casual reinforcement throughout the day can help them retain those sounds and build vocabulary at the same time.

Phonics may feel like a big focus, but getting it right in EYFS and Year 1 will make all the difference for your young readers. Stick with the daily phonics, support those who need it, remember to nurture your children's love of stories too, and celebrate every small victory along the way!