Conrad Phonics

The six stages

Every stage has 12 lessons. Every lesson includes review.

1. 1

   Stage 1 · Letter sounds and first words

   All 26 letter sounds, plus qu. Blend sounds into simple words such as cat, run, wet and box.

   Goal: read their first real words independently.

2. 2

   Stage 2 · Long vowels, digraphs and blends

   Magic e and vowel teams (a_e, ee, ea, ay, ai, igh, oa, ew). Digraphs and blends (sh, ch, th, ck, sp, st, sn, sw).

   Goal: read words like cake, night, ship and snake.

3. 3

   Stage 3 · Special vowel sounds

   R-controlled vowels and diphthongs (er, ir, ur, ar, or, oi, oy, ow, ou), plus oo, ue, ui, air, ear and -le endings.

   Goal: read two-syllable words like chicken, little and under.

4. 4

   Stage 4 · Advanced vowels and 3-letter blends

   More vowel patterns (ie, ey, e_e, aw, au, short oo, -ing, -ang, -ong) and three-letter blends (squ, thr, shr, str, scr, spr, spl, tch).

   Goal: read words like straw, scream, king and witch.

5. 5

   Stage 5 · Soft sounds and word endings

   Soft c and g (ice, city, cage), ph, silent t, and common endings (-al, -ful, -el, -y) with patterns like ild, ind, ire, oil.

   Goal: read words like animal, helpful, child and family.

6. 6

   Stage 6 · Silent letters and complex spellings

   Silent letters (kn, wr, wh, mb, dge, gh, gn, sc) and complex endings and patterns (-tion, -ture, -ious, eigh, ought, aught).

   Goal: read everyday words like knight, action and daughter with confidence.

How each stage works

• Lessons 1 to 5 and 7 to 11

  New sounds and patterns, each lesson with a review of what came before.

• Lessons 6 and 12

  Full review lessons.

• Stage exam

  Lesson 12 ends with a stage exam, so your child moves up once the stage is secure.

Where your child starts

• Optional diagnostic

  A short assessment shows which stage fits your child today, so nobody repeats what they already know.