Being able to read is an important skill for children in the early years. It’s vital that children have plenty of experience listening to adults model segmenting and blending, for example c-a-t can be blended to make the word cat and the word cat can be segmented to the sounds c-a-t.

Children in the early years are given opportunities throughout the day to practise segmenting and blending.

Giving children authentic opportunities to blend and segment in everyday life is a great way to practise. For example, while getting ready for school you could say “could you put on your s-o-ck-s?” “Please get your
c-oa-t!” or “I wonder what’s in your lunch b-o-x?”