Tric a Chlic

Welsh Systematic Synthetic Phonics Programme

Tric a Chlic should be introduced when children are developmentally ready, typically in Year 1, once they have acquired foundational phonics skills in English. Specifically:

• Children should have an understanding of phoneme-grapheme correspondence in English.

• They should be able to blend and segment consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words confidently.

• Teachers should ensure that the introduction of Tric a Chlic builds on, rather than disrupts, their existing phonics knowledge.

Toward the end of children's time in the Reception Class, phonics instruction reinforces oral blending and segmenting under teacher guidance, with the teacher modelling consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. This stage creates a connection with English phonics strategies. The focus at this stage should be:

• Strengthening oral blending and segmenting in line with English phonics strategies.

• Introducing Welsh sounds that are shared with English, ensuring children recognise familiar phonemes before learning new ones.

• Using consistent multisensory strategies (actions, visual prompts) that align with English phonics learning.

• Begin with the nine letters from the Yellow Stage of Tric a Chlic, which are also used in English phonics.

• At this stage, only reinforce sounds already known from English – no new phonemes are introduced.

• Children practise blending and segmenting with these familiar sounds, ensuring a seamless connection between their English and Welsh learning.

• These foundational sounds are introduced progressively, reinforcing phoneme-grapheme correspondence, blending, and segmenting strategies that children have already encountered in English phonics.

• When moving on to Stage 2 (Cam 2), only two new sounds are introduced, both of which are nasal mutations.

• Reinforce these new phonemes through explicit teaching, ensuring children understand how they function within the Welsh language.

• Continue using blending and segmenting strategies that mirror English phonics approaches to maintain consistency in learning.

• Avoid phonics overload: Ensure children have mastered key English phonics skills before introducing Welsh phonemes that are distinct.

• Use a familiar teaching style: Maintain consistency by applying techniques used in English phonics (e.g., actions, segmenting strategies, repetition).

• Provide regular opportunities for reinforcement: Encourage practice through structured activities, small-group work etc.

Tric a Chlic can be an effective tool for supporting Welsh language literacy in English-medium schools when introduced at the right stage of development. By aligning its introduction with existing phonics learning and ensuring a progressive approach, we can create a strong foundation for bilingual reading success.

For additional guidance and resources, visit the Support Playlist: Support Playlist on Hwb

Tric a Chlic Training Booklets

If you’ve misplaced your Tric a Chlic training booklet, please contact Catrin for a replacement digital copy.