1.

How systematic synthetic phonics supports the teaching of

reading

Systematic synthetic phonics is a structured approach that teaches

children to recognise the relationship between letters (graphemes) and
the sounds they represent (phonemes). It supports reading in several key
ways:

• Builds strong decoding skills:

Children learn to blend individual sounds to read whole words. This
helps even very young or struggling readers approach unfamiliar
words with confidence because they can decode rather than guess.
• Provides a clear and logical progression:
Phonics programmes are taught in small, manageable steps,
beginning with simple letter–sound correspondences and gradually
moving to more complex patterns. This ensures all children receive
consistent instruction.
• Reduces cognitive load:
Because phonics is taught systematically, children learn a known
routine. This structure helps them focus their effort on recognising
sounds, blending, and reading fluently.
• Supports spelling and writing:
Once children understand how sounds map onto letters, they can
apply the same knowledge to spelling, segmenting spoken words
into phonemes and writing the corresponding graphemes.
• Closes early literacy gaps:
Systematic synthetic phonics is particularly effective for children
who come from language-poor environments or who have early
speech and language difficulties, helping them build a secure
foundation for future reading success.

2. Short-term and long-term effects of not addressing speech,

language, and communication difficulties

If a child’s speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) are not

recognised and supported, there can be a range of consequences:

Short-term effects

• Difficulty expressing needs, leading to frustration or behavioural

challenges.
• Limited vocabulary, making it harder to understand instructions
or join in discussions.
• Challenges forming friendships, as communication is essential for
social interaction.
 • Reduced participation, especially in group activities where
listening and speaking are required.
• Lower confidence, as the child may feel “behind” or
misunderstood.

Long-term effects

• Educational delays: Weak language skills affect reading, writing,

maths, word problems, and overall learning.

 Ongoing social difficulties: Trouble communicating can lead to

isolation or difficulty resolving conflicts.

 Reduced emotional wellbeing: Persistent communication struggles

may lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, or withdrawal.

 Impact on behaviour: When children cannot express themselves,

frustration can appear as anger, avoidance, or disengagement.

 Limited future opportunities: Language is central to learning,

employment, and independence; unaddressed difficulties can affect
long-term career and life outcomes.

3. Ways adults can effectively support and extend children’s

speech, language, and communication

• Model rich, varied language:

Adults can demonstrate correct grammar, introduce new vocabulary
naturally, and show expressive communication.

• Engage in meaningful conversation:

Taking time to listen, respond, and ask open-ended questions
encourages children to think and speak more.

• Use positive reinforcement:

Praise efforts, repeat unclear words correctly, and celebrate
improvements to build confidence.

• Provide language-rich environments:

This includes books, visual prompts, story props, and labelled areas
around the setting.

• Model turn-taking and social language:

Adults can show how to wait for a turn, listen to others, and respond
appropriately.
 • Expand on children’s speech:
If a child says “big truck,” an adult could reply, “Yes, it’s a big, shiny
red truck that goes very fast!”

• Use visual aids and gestures:

Some children benefit from pointing, signing, or picture cards to
support understanding.

• Scaffold learning:
Adults can break tasks and conversations into small steps, gradually
encouraging the child to take more of the lead.

4. Positive effects of adult support for children and their

parents/carers

For children:

 Improved confidence when speaking and interacting.

 Better social skills, leading to stronger friendships.

 Enhanced academic progress, especially in reading and writing.

 Greater emotional stability, as they can make themselves

understood.

 Sense of being valued, because adults listen and respond

thoughtfully.

For parents/carers:

 Increased understanding of how to support communication at home.

 Stronger relationships with practitioners, built on trust and shared

goals.

 Confidence in their child’s development, reducing anxiety.

 Empowerment, as they can use strategies modelled by staff (e.g.,

open-ended questions, turn-taking games, storytelling).

5. Why practitioners must recognise and respond to children’s

differing levels of speech, language, and communication

a. When settling into the setting

  Children may arrive with different experiences of communication.
Some may be confident talkers, while others may be shy, have
limited vocabulary, or speak English as an additional language.

 Recognising these differences helps practitioners offer the right

support—extra reassurance, visual cues, or one-to-one attention.

 Early recognition helps children feel safe, understood, and included,

which is essential for building secure attachments.

b. When planning activities for individuals and groups

 Activities need to be differentiated so all children can take part.

 Children with strong language skills may need greater challenge,

such as storytelling or problem-solving.

 Children with emerging or delayed language may need simpler

instructions, smaller groups, or more practical, hands-on learning.

 Planning with communication levels in mind prevents frustration and

maximises learning for every child.

6. Mind map of resources, activities, and routine elements that

support speech, language, and communication

Speech, Language & Communication Support:

• Resources

 Storybooks, puppets, picture cards

 Word banks, vocabulary mats

 Mark-making materials

 Role-play props

 Songs and rhyme cards

 Listening devices (e.g., sound buttons)

• Activities

 Storytime and shared reading

 Circle time conversations

 Small-group discussions

 Role-play and imaginative play

 Singing and nursery rhymes

  Turn-taking games

 Show-and-tell

 Phonics games and rhyming tasks

• Routine Elements

 Greetings and register time

 Snack-time conversations

 Daily “news” sharing

 Transitions supported with verbal cues

 Visual timetables

 Encouraging children to help with tasks (giving instructions,

describing actions)

Observation of the Toddler Book Corner: Focus on Communication

and Language

Over the week, I spent several short periods observing the book corner
during toddler free-play sessions. Because toddlers have shorter attention
spans and often move in and out of activities, I watched how they
naturally approached the space, how they interacted with books, each
other, and the adults, and how communication was encouraged through
everyday moments. What I saw was a warm, inviting area that supported
early speech, gestures, sound-making, and simple conversations
beautifully.

1. Language and Communication Being Used by Toddlers

Toddlers communicated in a variety of ways—not just with words, but also

through gestures, pointing, babbling, sounds, facial expressions, and early
phrases. Their communication was spontaneous and often linked to
excitement or curiosity.

A. Early words and naming

Throughout the week, I observed toddlers naming familiar objects or

characters.
For example, one child pointed at pictures of animals and said:

 “Doggy!”
  “Moo cow!”

 “Ba-ba!” when pointing to a sheep

These early labels were often accompanied by the children mimicking

animal sounds, which is very typical of this age and shows their growing
ability to connect images to sounds and words.

B. Sound effects and babbling

Toddlers often “read” books through sound play.

One little boy flipped through a car book saying:

 “Brmm brmmm!”

 “Beep! Beep!”

Another child opened a book with textured pages and made a long string
of babble as she touched each page, clearly narrating in her own toddler
way. This kind of babbling is an important step toward forming real words
and phrases.

C. Simple phrases and emerging sentences

A few older toddlers tried linking words:

 “More book?”

 “My turn.”

 “Where teddy?”

 “Baby sleep night-night,” while looking at a bedtime story.

I also saw toddlers imitating adult language, such as one repeating “Turn
page” after hearing an adult say it.

D. Social communication

Toddlers often used gestures to communicate:

 Handing a book to an adult and saying “Read?”

 Patting the floor to invite another child to sit

 Pointing excitedly at pictures to share attention

Joint attention—when a child looks at an object, then at an adult to share

the moment—happens frequently. This is a key foundation for later
language skills.

2. Resources Being Used in the Toddler Book Corner

The resources were very appropriate for toddlers—durable, accessible,
and sensory-rich.

A. Board books and sensory books

Most toddlers gravitated toward sturdy board books. I saw great interest
in:

 Lift-the-flap books, where toddlers loved lifting a flap and saying

“Open!”

 Texture books, touching “soft,” “rough,” and “bumpy” patches

 Sound books, pressing buttons and copying the noises

One child repeatedly stroked the furry patch in a book about pets and said
“Soft,” showing emerging descriptive language.

B. Familiar and simple stories

Toddlers were drawn to:

 Books about animals

 Bedtime stories

 Simple picture books with one image per page

 Stories with repetition

Familiar books encouraged lots of pointing, naming, and imitation of key

words.

C. Props

Some story sacks were available with small soft toys. Toddlers used these
in very simple ways:

 Hugging the teddy while looking at the teddy bear book

 Holding the toy duck and saying “Quack!” when shown a duck
picture

These props helped link real objects to pictures and words.

D. The physical environment

The book corner was:

 Soft and cosy

 Low to the ground

 Safe for toddlers to move in and out freely

Cushions and rugs encouraged toddlers to settle for short periods, which
is important for building attention skills.

3. Role Modelling of Adults

The adults in the book area played a crucial role in supporting toddler
communication. Their interactions were gentle, responsive, and perfectly
suited for early language development.

A. Modelling simple language

Adults consistently used:

 Short, clear phrases (“Turn page,” “Big bear,” “Where’s the baby?”)

 Repetition (“Duck… duck… yes, duck!”)

 Exaggerated expression and tone to hold attention

This made it easy for toddlers to imitate key words.

B. Expanding toddler speech

When toddlers used one or two words, adults naturally extended them.
For example:

 Child: “Doggy!”

 Adult: “Yes! Big doggy. The doggy is running!”

This helped toddlers hear longer structures without being pressured to

repeat them.

C. Encouraging gestures and shared attention

Adults pointed to pictures, looked at the child, and smiled to show joint
enjoyment.
They followed the child’s lead, commenting on whatever the toddler was
looking at.

One adult noticed a child tapping a picture and said, “You found the frog!
Jump jump!” The child copied the jumping motion happily.

D. Supporting social skills

Adults gently encouraged turn-taking:

 “You choose a book, and then it’s Ella’s turn.”

 “Can you share the cushion with Tom?”

They also helped children communicate with each other, offering
language like:

 “Do you want to show him the picture?”

 “Say: ‘Can I have that?’”

This modelling taught toddlers polite ways to interact and express needs.

E. Reading with warmth and expression

Adults read stories in a highly animated way—using voices, repeating key

words, and pausing to allow toddlers time to react.
This made reading feel exciting and encouraged even quieter toddlers to
participate by pointing, copying sounds, or filling in a familiar word like
“Boo!” or “Night-night.”

Overall Reflection

The toddler book corner consistently encouraged early communication

through a combination of well-chosen resources, a calm and inviting
environment, and responsive adult interactions. Toddlers used the space
in short bursts—typical of their age—but even brief visits led to
meaningful language moments such as naming, pointing, babbling, and
turn-taking.

What stood out most was the importance of adult involvement. When
adults joined toddlers on the floor, matched their level of interest, and
responded gently, the children became much more vocal, engaged, and
confident. The book corner helped toddlers practise early literacy
behaviours—turning pages, pointing to pictures, copying sounds—while
also supporting their social and emotional development through shared
moments and joint attention.

Overall, the book corner functioned as a nurturing space where toddlers

could explore books freely and naturally build their earliest
communication and language skills.