Introduction Page

Hello and welcome to my website Teaching Children to Read and Write. I am Sue Lloyd, co-author of Jolly Phonics, and a retired teacher with many years’ experience of teaching children to read and write.

My interest in phonics started many years ago when I taught in a school that changed its method of teaching from the typical look and say approach, where words were memorised, to a strong phonics approach. The difference in the results was amazing and left us all in no doubt that the early phonics approach was much better for all the children, but particularly for the children who struggle.

This teaching has now become known as synthetic phonics because the children are taught to synthesise: that is, blend the letter sounds to work out the words for themselves.

The aim of this free, easy-to-access, non-profit-making website, is to provide teachers, parents and interested adults with an understanding of synthetic phonics: how to teach it, the reasons why some children find learning to read and write difficult and what can be done about it.

Just look at the Overview and follow Steps 1 to 6 and it will become clear that teaching the mechanics of reading and writing does not have to be nearly as difficult as many people believe. I hope you find it interesting and very useful.
Thank you.