26/05/2026
Step 1: Ensure Letter Sound FluencyBefore children can blend, they need to know the sounds of the letters automatically. Jolly Phonics teaches 42 main letter sounds divided into 7 groups.Action & Story: Use the specific Jolly Phonics action and storyline for each sound to help children recall the sound instantly.Flashcard Fluency: Flash the letter cards (like s, a, t, i, p, n) and ensure the child can produce the sound within a second without hesitation.
Step 2: Start with Oral Blending (No Print)Before asking children to look at letters, train their ears. This is called phonemic awareness.The "I Spy" Game: Say, "I spy with my little eye a $/\text{b}/ - /\text{e}/ - /\text{d}/$."Encourage the child to listen, hook the sounds together, and shout out "bed!"Keep it smooth: Try not to leave long pauses between the sounds. Say them relatively close together.
Step 3: Introduce CVC Blending with Group 1 SoundsOnce Group 1 sounds (s, a, t, i, p, n) are mastered, you can begin blending written words immediately. This gives children a quick win!Use Sound Buttons: Write a word like sat. Draw a small dot (sound button) under each letter.Point and Say: Have the child point to the dot under 's' and say $/\text{s}/$, under 'a' and say $/\text{a}/$, and under 't' and say $/\text{t}/$.The Slide: Move your finger smoothly under the letters from left to right, speeding up until they say "sat".
Step 4: The "Mouth-Move" Technique for Continuous SoundsIf a child struggles and says $/\text{s}/ - /\text{a}/ - /\text{t}/ \rightarrow \text{pin}$ (guessing), they are losing the sounds in their working memory.Stretch the first sound: Teach them to hold continuous sounds (like s, m, n, f, r).Instead of choppy breaks, stretch it out: ssss-aaaa-t.Don't stop the airflow: Keep the voice going from the first sound right into the second sound.
Step 5: Progress to Digraphs (Two Letters, One Sound)As you progress to Jolly Phonics Groups 2–7, you will encounter digraphs like ai, oa, ee, ng.Identify the team: Teach children that when these two letters sit next to each other, they team up to make one single sound.Use Sound Lines: Write the word boat. Draw a dot under b, a horizontal line under the oa digraph, and a dot under t.Point to the line under oa.
