Separate decoding and understanding

Decoding means working out written words from their letters and sounds. Comprehension means understanding the message, including vocabulary, events and ideas. A child can need help with either part, or with both, so it is useful to ask the teacher what the current reading priority is.

Listening to a story can develop understanding even when a child cannot yet read that book independently. Keep enjoyable shared reading alongside any carefully matched practice text. The two activities serve related but different purposes, and a child does not have to abandon interesting stories while learning the mechanics of reading.

What phonics means

Phonics teaches connections between written letters or letter groups and the sounds they represent. Children learn to blend sounds to read words. England's reading guidance emphasises systematic synthetic phonics for beginning readers; schools in the other nations and different language settings should explain the approach they use.

Ask the school how to pronounce the sounds and what prompts to use. Matching the classroom approach helps avoid confusion. When a child meets an unfamiliar word in a practice book, give them time and use the agreed strategy rather than immediately supplying the answer or asking them to guess from a picture.

Use the right book for the task

A decodable practice book should match the sound-letter knowledge the child has been taught. Re-reading it can help the words become more familiar and fluent. That does not mean every book in the home must be limited to the child's independent reading level.

Let a child choose other books to explore together: stories, poems, information books or topics they care about. An adult can read the demanding text while the child joins in with familiar words or discusses ideas. Ask the teacher if practice books seem consistently too easy, too difficult or disconnected from current teaching.

Make the routine manageable

Choose a time when your child can engage, keep the session calm and stop before frustration takes over. Talk about meaning as well as word reading. You might ask why a character made a choice or what a new word could mean in that sentence.

Avoid turning every page into a quiz. Sometimes the best response is simply to enjoy the story together. Use the reading record, where provided, to share useful observations: a sound that caused difficulty, a book the child enjoyed or a strategy that worked. This is more informative than recording only that reading happened.

Notice when extra help is needed

If reading remains effortful or upsetting, contact the teacher with specific examples. Ask whether the difficulty is mainly recognising words, reading smoothly, understanding language or maintaining access to the task. Do not wait for a formal test result before raising a concern.

Ask what support the school will provide, how progress will be reviewed and what home should do in the meantime. Older pupils can also need direct support with reading, and that support should be age-respectful. The aim is to make reading more accessible, not to attach blame to the child or family.

Keep reading a broad and positive experience

Children can discover reading through a subject they already love: animals, sport, space, cooking or making things. Offer variety and let interests change. Families can share stories in the languages they use confidently, and ask the school how home language and classroom literacy can support each other.

In England, the Year 1 phonics screening check helps identify pupils who need further support. It is one piece of information, not a verdict on a child's potential or love of books. Continue to ask what the next useful teaching step is and preserve the pleasure of reading together.

Your quick checklist

  • Ask whether the current priority is decoding, fluency or understanding.
  • Use the school’s phonics prompts where relevant.
  • Keep practice books separate from books shared for enjoyment.
  • Choose a calm, manageable reading routine.
  • Record specific observations for the teacher.
  • Request a support and review plan if difficulty persists.
More tools for your family

Common questions

Should my child guess a word from the picture?

For phonics practice, follow the school’s decoding approach and encourage attention to letters and sounds. Pictures can still be enjoyed and discussed for meaning.

Is it useful to read the same book again?

It can be, especially when a practice book matches current learning. Re-reading gives a child another opportunity to read more smoothly and understand the text.

Does the phonics check apply throughout the UK?

The Year 1 phonics screening check described here is an England assessment. Other nations have their own assessment arrangements.

Sources & checking

This guide was checked against the publications below. They are listed by name so you can identify the underlying guidance. Arrangements can change, and the school or relevant education authority can confirm what applies to your child.

  • Department for Education — The reading framework
  • Standards and Testing Agency — Phonics screening check: information for parents
  • Department for Education — National curriculum in England: English programmes of study
  • Welsh Government — Education is changing: Curriculum for Wales

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