Tric a Chlic

Y Gymraeg: A Case Study for Tric a Chlic

Rationale

Tric a Chlic is a synthetic phonics programme in Welsh for children aged 3-7. The programme is built from three elements, namely hear and recognise the sounds, combine (build) the sounds to read, segment (cut) sounds to spell. The programme has recently been adapted for schools where Welsh is taught as a second language.

The aim of Tric a Chlic is to teach sounds and letter formation, teach constructive strategies to read words and to cut words up for spelling, encourage fluency and expression when reading from the beginning, offer interactive teaching methods, regularly reinforce actions, move quickly from one stage to another.

From March to May 2023 Partneriaeth held Tric a Chlic training for cross-regional Welsh and English medium primary schools. 146 members of staff attended. Partneriaeth has shared films of Tric a Chlic training with strategic leaders for Welsh in other consortia in order to support the campaign to raise standards in reading across Wales.

Following the training, a minority of schools from different areas and different language categories were invited to provide feedback on the impact of Tric a Chlic at their schools. Most of them had held audits and had plenty of resources to implement the programme at their schools. A few of the schools stated that they had started using Tric a Chlic some years ago, but had re-established the programme successfully following the pandemic.

The Welsh medium primary schools noted that they hold Tric a Chlic sessions daily as a focus task and as part of a daily language session in Progression Steps 1 and 2. The learners join groups in Cam 1, 2 or 3 according to their ability. The English medium primary schools noted that they hold language drilling sessions daily, singing the alphabet song and organising Tric a Chlic sessions approximately three times a week in Progression Steps 1 and 2 as a carousel. The learners complete reading activities as a class, groupd reading and phonic sessions, group writing and games, according to reading readiness. In very few of the English medium primary schools, the programme is used in progression Step 3 to support standards of reading that have deteriorated since the pandemic.

The Welsh and English medium primary schools use a variety of methods to monitor the impact of Tric a Chlic on standards of reading. Many of the schools use the baseline assessment and nearly all track each learner regularly during the sessions and provide the appropriate support or move the learner to the next step when they are ready. The methods of monitoring in most Welsh and English medium primary schools include listening to learners, teacher assessments, learning walks during carousel reading sessions, monitoring planning and regular discussions between co-ordinators and staff to ensure progression, consistency and continuity.

Most Welsh and English medium primary schools reinforce Tric a Chlic skills and extend the learning within the learning environment, internally and externally in the following ways:

They place Tric a Chlic resources/challenges in the areas, send reading packs home in order to reinforce and share the learning with parents/guardians, play Tric a Chlic games in the classroom and on the playground, use the app, hold a drilling slot every day in English medium primary schools, incidental practice of vocabulary learnt from the books at every opportunity, implement the cross-curricular skills throughout Progression Steps 1 and 2, reading mats to encourage discussion, adults in class read to learners to model correct pronunciation, displays of books in the reading area and the enhanced provision, Tric a Chlic songs on the i-pad and signs/labels around the classroom and school.

Feedback

Here are some responses from Welsh medium primary schools on the effect of implementing Tric a Chlic on Language, Literacy and Communication Skills at their schools:

“The children have become more confident in using their language skills and attempt to write more independently.”

“The children blend and segment words independently, demonstrating the effective guidance and support from staff. The majority of children make progress through the programme.

“Following our tracking system, it is obvious that Tric a Chlic works in our school for the large majority of children. They make progress as they recognise more letters and blend words, working through the programme and building up through the steps.”

“Tric a Chlic has had a very good and visible impact upon pupils’ ability to segment, blend and form early on.”

Here are some responses from English medium primary schools on the impact of Tric a Chlic on Language, Literacy and Communication skills as a second language at their schools:

“The children work diligently to extend their Welsh vocabulary and their use of incidental Welsh on the playground and around the school is more obvious. The Welsh alphabet songs support the children’s understanding of letter pronounciation much more effectively, this improves their confidence and their ability to use the Welsh language.”

“Since using Tric a Chlic there is improved phonological understanding and improved reading standards. The children have more confidence when speaking during the daily drilling slot. Tric a Chlic works well at our school and is also well embedded in Progression Step 2.”

“Visitors to our school have made positive comments about the high standards of incidental Welsh used in our classroom since we began using Tric a Chlic.”

“The children can see connections between some Welsh and English words. Tric a Chlic is a great opportunity to develop phonological awareness, especially when blending letters through ‘syllu ar y sêr’ (staring at the stars)."

Nearly all were grateful to Partneriaeth for organising and funding the Tric a Chlic training and resources for their schools. A few noted that they would be grateful for further support with the following:

Further training due to staff changes at their schools, visiting schools of good practice, a bank of activities based on each level within the Tric a Chlic steps.
One English medium primary school noted that when evaluating Tric a Chlic in the reception class and in Year 3 it is essential that learners have a confident understanding of phonetic sounds in their first language before introducing a second phonetic programme. Despite this, the same school praised the ‘fantastic’ programme for its wonderful impact upon learners as it is implemented and embedded.

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