Speed Sounds

Once children know all Set 1 sounds by sight and sound and use them to blend to read words, we start teaching Set 2. When a child learns their Set 2 sounds in school they will learn:

• The letters that represent a speedn sound e.g. ‘ay’

• A simple picture prompt linked to the ‘speed sound' and a short phrase to say e.g. ‘may I play’

There are 12 Set 2 ‘speed sounds’ that are made up of two or three letters which represent just one sound, e.g. ‘ay’ as in play, ‘ee’ as in tree and ‘igh’ as in high. It is important that your child does not pronounce these as 2 or 3 separate sounds. When your child sees the ‘speed sound’ letters together in a word, s/he must say just one sound for these letters. When a sound contains two letters that makes just one sound e.g. ‘sh’, we call it a ‘digraph’. When a sound contains three letters that make just one sound e.g. ‘igh’, we call it a ‘trigraph’.

How to Practise Set 2 Speed Sounds

When you practise your child’s Set 2 ‘speed sounds’, you either have to stretch or bounce them.

Example of how to practise recognising a sound e.g. ‘ay’ sound

• Identify the ‘ay’ sound on the sound mat. Look at the picture and say "aaay". Ask your child repeat and say "aaay".

• Stretch the sound and say the phrase, "aaay, may I play?" Repeat the phrase again.

• Cover up the picture and just look at the sound and say "ay".

• Use the green words set 2.1 and encourage your child to sound out and sound blend the words containing the speed sound they have just practised e.g. 't-r-ay = tray".

• Point to each sound in the word as you say the sound e.g. "P-l-ay" or "d-ay".

• Repeat sounding out the word, getting faster each time.

• In the end your child should be able to read the green words without sounding or blending. Once your child knows sound well, drop the bouncing/stretching to enable him or her to sound blend. Also stop showing the picture prompt so that your child doesn’t become too reliant on it.