Access to Phonics for Pupils with Complex Needs
High Quality Accessible Phonics
Some pupils have complex needs with challenges in a number of areas and multiple impact on learning and attainment.
All pupils, including those with complex needs, benefit from access to a systematic, synthetic, linguistic phonics programme to learn to read and spell and it is possible to adjust a programme to enable access for pupils with complex needs.
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For teachers who work with pupils with complex needs, Ann's book 'Access to Phonics: Practical Access Strategies to Teach Children with Complex Needs of All Ages' is a useful super-practical description of access strategies with accompanying resources. It is available on Amazon.
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Additionally, there is a companion booklet to books 1-6 available as a free eResource from the Routledge website. This describes adaptations to specific activities in the programme.
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Follow the link to the Phonics for SEN Youtube channel to see demonstration teaching sessions with complex pupils.
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What does phonics teaching look like for pupils with complex needs?
This video shows how the Phonics for Pupils with SEN programme can be delivered to a pupil with complex needs, in this case a pupil who is nonverbal and has limits to fine motor skills and is unable to write.
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This and other videos on the Phonics for SEN Youtube Channel show some of the strategies used to teach blending, segmenting and reading a book.