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.
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.
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.
Follow the link to the Phonics for SEN Youtube channel to see demonstration teaching sessions with complex pupils.
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.
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.