At our school, the journey toward building confident and fluent readers has taken a significant leap forward with the introduction of the Ransom Phonics program. This multi-sensory, structured phonics initiative is designed to support the teaching of phonics through a comprehensive range of fully decodable reading books. It caters to students from pre-nursery to Class 2, covering Phases 1 to 5 of phonics development.
Our school’s decision to adopt the Ransom Phonics program was driven by its unique features and benefits. The program’s structured nature ensures that reading skills are developed progressively, while the engaging topics and styles maintain students’ interest. The “hi-lo” books—designed with a higher interest age than the reading age—make this program particularly suitable for students learning English as a second language.
By seamlessly aligning decodable books with the sounds taught in each phase, Ransom Phonics offers a consistent and practical approach to literacy. Its multi-sensory methodology actively engages students by incorporating actions, visuals, and sounds, making the learning process both effective and enjoyable. This alignment between structured content and interactive methods resonates with our school’s goal of fostering literacy and lifelong learning skills among our students.
The Ransom Phonics program was rolled out at our school this year with meticulous planning and support. Teachers underwent comprehensive training sessions conducted by the curriculum head, as well as direct training from Ransom Phonics experts. These sessions introduced educators to key components of the program, including sample words and sentences for reading and writing, and common exception words.
The program’s resources include flashcards featuring sounds paired with pictures, actions to mimic, and phrases, all of which enhance student engagement. As students learn new sounds, they immediately apply them through corresponding decodable books. This immediate implementation ensures continuity and builds confidence in reading and writing.
Ransom Phonics employs several strategies to ensure its effectiveness:
- Flashcards with Picture Actions: Sounds are introduced alongside visuals and actions, helping students remember and apply them effectively.
- Aligned Decodable Books: Each sound learned is reinforced through books specifically tailored to match students’ current phonics level.
- Multi-Sensory Engagement: Activities involve visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning to cater to diverse learning styles and maintain interest.
Although we are only one term into implementing this program, the results have been promising. Teachers have observed significant improvement in students’ reading and learning skills. The structured and engaging nature of the program has made phonics lessons more effective and enjoyable for both students and educators.
Recognizing the vital role of parents in their children’s literacy journey, the school organized focused sessions for parents on September 18 and December 16. These sessions provided insights into the program and offered practical tips for supporting their children at home. Parents actively participated, shared positive feedback, and requested more sessions of this kind.
To further strengthen the home-school connection, parents were provided with Parents Engagement Forms accompanying the readers. These forms included suggestions and questions to guide parents in becoming active participants in their child’s reading and writing journey.
As we continue to implement the Ransom Phonics program, we are excited about the future of literacy development at our school. The initial success of the program inspires us to refine our approach and expand its impact. Together with our dedicated teachers and supportive parents, we aim to cultivate a generation of confident readers and enthusiastic learners.
