Springwood Primary School
MONSTER PHONICS - SUPERHERO SPELLING
Monster Phonics - Phase 1 and 2
In September 2024, we officially introduced our new phonics programme, 'Monster Phonics'. Monster Phonics is a systematic synthetic phonics scheme that makes learning more memorable and engaging by using a unique multisensory system. It uses colour coding and monster sound cues to support learning when children encounter long vowels, silent letters, and tricky letters.
The colour coding is used to scaffold the children's learning, until they have consolidated their knowledge, at which point the colours phase out leaving children that are confident, independent readers.
The monsters make phonics more engaging and bring it to life, with each monster representing a different sound. With the help of the monsters and their colours, this not only speeds up the learning process for the children but also makes it more fun!
The children are assessed regularly throughout the programme to track progress and ensure any gaps are recognised; support and catch-up sessions are then put in place to allow each child to reach their full potential in reading.
The children in Phase 1 and 2 have a phonics session every day, according to the programme in which they learn new sounds, engage in activities to consolidate their learning and then have opportunities to apply their knowledge.
More information can be found on the link below:
Superhero Spelling – Phase 3
Superhero Spelling is a structured spelling programme that builds upon the foundations laid in Monster Phonics. While it continues to use the familiar colour coding of sounds to support phoneme recognition, it replaces the Monster characters with engaging Superheroes to represent different sounds and spelling patterns. This shift keeps learning fresh and exciting as children progress in their phonics journey.
In Phase 3, children engage with four focused spelling lessons each week, designed to reinforce and apply their understanding:
1. Spelling Test – Reviewing previously taught words to assess retention.
2. Learn – Introducing and exploring the new spelling rule for the week.
3. Build – Engaging in an activity that deepens understanding and builds on the new rule.
4. Dictation – Applying spelling knowledge in context through sentence writing, promoting both accuracy and understanding.
This approach ensures children not only learn how to spell but also how to use their spelling knowledge confidently in a variety of contexts.
Launch Day
For our Monster Phonics/ Superhero Spelling launch day, we had an assembly to introduce the monsters and superheroes and a cool blue disco!