FARZANA CHOWDHURY, ASSISTANT HEADTEACHER, BRAYS SPECIAL SCHOOL, UK
PAULA RUSSELL, READING LEAD, FORWARD EDUCATION TRUST, UK
Introduction
Despite the essential role of early phonics foundations in reading, there is limited guidance on adapting phonics teaching for early developmental learners, particularly in specialist settings where pupils have complex cognitive, sensory, physical and communication needs. Mainstream phonics programmes often assume typical developmental trajectories in relation to attention, auditory processing, symbolic understanding and language comprehension. For many learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) or severe learning difficulties (SLD), these assumptions create barriers, as they may not yet be working at the symbolic level required to access conventional phonics. This article describes the implementation of an inclusive phonics and early reading framework in a specialist school, exploring its impact on pupil engagement, communication and early literacy development through two case studies.
Moseley (2015) emphasises that learners with complex needs require approaches rooted in developmental readiness rather than linear skill sequences. Such approaches are consistent with theories of multimodal memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968), which suggest that information experienced through multiple sensory channels is more likely to be retained and transferred from short-term to long-term memory. The framework presented in this article was developed in response to these challenges, providing a structured pathway from sensory exploration to symbolic phonics learning while maintaining high expectations for learners with complex needs.
A multisensory phonics framework
With around 70 per cent of pupils working at early or pre-phonics stages, the school needed an approach that recognised the foundational skills and experiences required before learners could access traditional phonics. The resulting framework aligns phonics teaching with pupils’ developmental starting points through sensory-rich, personalised learning.
The school maintains fidelity to Read Write Inc. (RWI; Miskin, 2023), a phonics programme widely used in schools, while adopting a developmental structure informed by Bruner’s theory of cognitive development (1966), which suggests that learning progresses from action to images and then to words and symbols. The framework therefore builds phonics readiness through three carefully sequenced stages:
- Stage 1 – Listen and Learn: Grounded in Bruner’s enactive mode, pupils learn through movement, rhythm, sensory exploration, songs and real objects. This stage develops early phonological awareness through repeated concrete experiences.
- Stage 2 – Get Ready: Aligned with Bruner’s iconic mode, pupils begin working with objects of reference, image, and visual anchors that help to connect sensory experiences to early representations. This bridging phase supports emerging symbolic understanding.
- Stage 3 – Formal Phonics: Once developmentally ready, learners engage with adapted, accessible RWI activities linked to grapheme–phoneme correspondences. Symbolic learning is introduced gradually, building on sensory and visual foundations.
This progression reflects Piaget and Inhelder’s (1969) view that children develop symbolic thinking through sensory experiences and active exploration. In practice, this has resulted in a whole-school approach that values developmental readiness before formal symbolic learning. Over five years, the framework has become embedded in the school’s pedagogy, with shared routines, consistent language and clear expectations providing continuity, accessibility and ambition.
How progression is assessed
The framework was designed to capture both vertical progression (movement between stages) and horizontal progression (deepening and broadening skills within a stage). For many early developmental learners, progress is best reflected through repeated experiences and consistency over time; as Kolb (1984) suggests, learning develops through experience, making consolidation an important indicator of readiness.
Key indicators of meaningful horizontal progression include:
- anticipation of familiar routines
- improved auditory discrimination
- increased purposeful interaction with sensory objects
- sustained engagement
- more consistent responses across sessions.
To capture progress holistically, the framework is used alongside the engagement model (DfE, 2024). Observing how learners attend, respond, initiate, persist and interact provides insight into their development. For many pupils whose learning is non-linear or idiosyncratic, engagement data can provide the clearest evidence of developmental readiness.
Implementation
To ensure that sensory experiences were directly linked to RWI, the school created Listen and Learn boxes, each focused on a single Set 1 sound. These boxes contain sensory resources designed to promote auditory awareness and sound–meaning connections. For example, the ‘m’ box includes items beginning with ‘m’ and incorporates the familiar Music Man rhyme. This emphasis on sound awareness is supported by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF, 2025), which identifies sound discrimination as a key component of early literacy. Opportunities to notice, identify and classify sounds help to develop listening skills and lay the foundations for later phonological learning, particularly for learners with SEND.
Sessions begin with a consistent ‘What’s in the box?’ routine, supporting anticipation and regulation. Pupils explore each item through sound, movement and touch, supporting early phonological connections through repeated multimodal experiences. This stage develops listening, cause and effect understanding, sound exploration and early literacy readiness.
Once a learner demonstrates readiness – through improved attention, anticipation and consistent responses – they transition to Get Ready boxes. These combine sensory stimuli with RWI flashcards to introduce early grapheme–phoneme correspondence. These boxes focus on the first five Set 1 sounds, providing a manageable step into symbolic learning.
When learners demonstrate a secure understanding of these sounds, they progress to formal phonics. This stage mirrors the RWI approach but remains adapted through bespoke planning, including shorter sessions, personalised objects, sensory breaks and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC refers to methods that supplement or replace speech, such as symbols or communication devices.
Across five years, implementation has been strengthened through whole-staff training, coaching and co-produced resources. Staff collect engagement observations, half-termly RWI assessments and ongoing sound discrimination data. The reading lead and class teams use this evidence to determine whether pupils should progress to the next stage or would benefit from further consolidation within their current stage.
Case studies
To demonstrate impact, two anonymised case studies are presented, in line with ethical guidance (BERA, 2024).
Pupil A
Pupil A has cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, hydrocephalus and cortical visual impairment, requiring high levels of sensory adaptation. When he began phonics in April 2022, he was working within Listen and Learn and engaged primarily through tactile and auditory exploration.
Over time, staff observed significant horizontal progress, such as consistent anticipation, increased responsiveness to familiar cues and improved sustained attention. These shifts were important developmental markers and were monitored to ensure readiness for abstraction. By spring 2026, he had progressed through Get Ready into formal phonics, and he now recognises more than 20 letter–sound correspondences. His progress demonstrates that strong sensory foundations can lead to meaningful symbolic learning, even for pupils with complex physical and visual profiles.
Pupil B
Pupil B has a rare genetic condition and acquired brain injury affecting memory, auditory processing and processing speed. Since 2023, she has remained in the Get Ready stage. Although she has not yet moved vertically, her progress has been significant, as she now engages for longer periods, attends more consistently and shows clearer purposeful responses.
Her learning profile illustrates the value of horizontal progression, which for some pupils provides the consolidation needed for transferable understanding. Her journey also highlights why specialist phonics pathways must be genuinely developmental, rather than driven by age or curriculum pacing.
Outcomes and implications
Across the school, implementation of the framework has been associated with stronger engagement, increased anticipation, improved sustained attention during sessions and clear gains in early sound discrimination. The framework has increased staff confidence, strengthened consistency across classes and provided clearer progression pathways for pupils whose progress was previously difficult to recognise. Staff report that predictable routines support regulation and participation, enabling pupils to engage more meaningfully in learning.
Although developed within a specialist setting, the principles underpinning this framework are applicable more widely. Teachers supporting pupils with SEND can use sensory experiences, predictable routines and sound discrimination activities to build readiness for formal phonics teaching. While the approach can be adapted across a range of settings, it is important to note that successful implementation depends on staff training, collaborative planning and the development of bespoke resources, underpinned by a whole-school commitment to embedding developmental phonics approaches.
Conclusion
Overall, this case study suggests that when early phonics teaching is grounded in developmental readiness, sensory engagement and consistent routines, learners with complex needs can access phonics and early reading in meaningful and developmentally appropriate ways. Further research could explore the framework’s transferability to other types of settings, and which elements of the framework are most influential in supporting engagement and early literacy development.
As national guidance continues to emphasise ambition and equitable access to reading for all pupils (Owston, 2023), approaches that recognise diverse developmental pathways may help to ensure that no learner is excluded from early literacy experiences.
Read more from In Praxis: SEND and Inclusion
