QTS Phonics and Early Reading

Question 1

What does 'systematic synthetic phonics' (SSP) require teachers to do?

Accepted Answer

Teach letter-sound correspondences in a structured sequence and blend them to read words

Answer

Teach whole words by sight only

Answer

Focus on meaning before decoding

Answer

Use pictures as the primary decoding strategy

Question 2

Which government-commissioned review in 2006 strongly endorsed systematic synthetic phonics for early reading in England?

Accepted Answer

The Rose Review

Answer

The Ofsted Framework

Answer

The Carter Review

Answer

The Williams Review

Question 3

In the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, what score must pupils reach to pass?

Accepted Answer

32 out of 40

Answer

25 out of 40

Answer

40 out of 40

Answer

20 out of 40

Question 4

What is a 'grapheme' in the context of phonics teaching?

Accepted Answer

A written representation of a phoneme (one or more letters)

Answer

A spoken sound

Answer

A whole word

Answer

A syllable

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a 'digraph'?

Accepted Answer

sh

Answer

s

Answer

ing

Answer

str

Question 6

What is the purpose of 'decodable books' in early reading instruction?

Accepted Answer

To allow pupils to practise phonemes they have been taught in context

Answer

To expose pupils to a wide vocabulary without phonics

Answer

To develop comprehension before decoding

Answer

To introduce sight words only