GROUP 1: LESSON ‹n›

Teacher guidance:

Quickly revise previously taught letter sounds with flashcards. Pupils say the sound and do the action at the same time.

What to do:

• Hold up the flashcards and ask pupils to say the letter sounds and do the actions.
• Air-write each letter together.
• Invite a few pupils to demonstrate individually.

Teacher guidance:

Tell the story of a plane flying through the sky. It goes “nnnnn”, making a nasty noise, as it flies. Show the ‹n› flashcard and place the piece of wall frieze alongside the other letters.

What to do:

• Introduce the action for /n/: pupils stretch out both arms like aeroplane wings and say “nnnnn”. Encourage a long, clear “nnnnn”.
• Do the action together, then invite a few pupils to try it independently.
• Show the flashcard, then do the action and make the /n/ sound together.

Teacher guidance:

Begin with auditory blending. Say the sounds in short words and blend them together. Model with your arm as before. Move to blending with print. Write words on the board, such as 'nip' and 'nap' with sound dots beneath. Pupils tap the dots underneath each letter as they say the sounds, then blend to read.

What to do:

• Blend /n-i-p/ → “nip”.
• Blend /p-a-n/ → “pan”.
• Blend /a-n-t/ → “ant”.

Teacher guidance:

Begin with auditory blending. Say the sounds in short words and blend them together. Model with your arm as before. Move to blending with print. Write words on the board, such as nip and nap with sound dots beneath. Pupils tap their hands as they say the sounds, then blend the sounds to read.

What to do:

• Blend /n-i-p/ → “nip”.
• Blend /p-a-n/ → “pan”.
• Blend /a-n-t/ → “ant”.

Teacher guidance:

Encourage pupils to listen for the /n/ sound at the beginning of words.

Spot the ‹n› Sound:

Say each word from the list below. Pupils listen quietly at first then ask individuals to say aloud the word that starts with the ‹n› sound.

• net or cat
• hot or nose
• nap or dog
• nut or mat

Teacher guidance:

Have pupils complete the ‹n› worksheet from Pupil Book 1 or the free resources.

What to do:

• Trace and write over dotted letters to practise formation.
• Say four words (box, net, nest, neck). Pupils decide which one does not start with /n/ (box).
• Tap sound dots under words to blend and read: tin, ant, nip, pan.

Teacher guidance:

Dictate the sounds /s/, /a/, /t/, /i/, /p/, /n/ in mixed order. Pupils write the letter for each one.

What to do:

Sing the Jolly Phonics song for /n/, with arms out like an aeroplane’s wings.

Teacher guidance:

Send home the Home Sound Book with the new letter ‹n›. Pupils read it with parents and practise saying the sound, doing the action and sometimes tracing the letter.

Value of this routine:

• Builds a strong home–school connection.
• Provides daily review and reinforcement.
• Helps parents see and support their child’s progress.
• Develops confidence and fluency through repeated practice.

Ideas:

• Play “Name it!” – say two or three words, pupils call out the one that starts with /n/.
• Aeroplane game – pupils fly around the room making the /n/ sound when they hear a word starting with /n/.
• Pupils draw or find a picture of something beginning with /n/.