Mastering Aw and Are

Overview

This 15-minute session with 4 Year 2 students focuses on teaching the phonics sounds "aw" (as in saw) and "are" (as in care). It aligns directly with the National Curriculum for England (Years 1-2, Reading: Phonics and decoding) and consolidates pupils’ ability to recognise and pronounce grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) for these specific vowel sounds.

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National Curriculum Links

• English Programmes of Study: Years 1-2
  • Reading: Word Reading
    • Pupils should continue to apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words until automatic decoding has become embedded and reading is fluent.
    • Recognise and use alternative graphemes for phonemes.
• Spelling focus: Phonics phase 5 graphemes including “aw” and “are” (e.g., “saw,” “care”).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the 15 minutes, pupils will:

• Identify and pronounce the phonemes /ɔː/ (aw) and /eə/ (are) accurately in words.
• Recognise the graphemes "aw" and "are" within spoken and written words.
• Use the sounds confidently during a fun, interactive activity to reinforce retention.

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Resources Needed

• Flashcards with "aw" and "are" words and pictures (e.g. saw, paw, jaw, care, share, scare).
• Mini whiteboards and markers for each child.
• A small mirror for each child (to watch mouth formation).
• Magnetic letters or letter tiles (optional).
• Timer or stopwatch.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (3 minutes)

Objective: Engage pupils and introduce the new phonemes.

• Greet pupils and briefly say: “Today, we’re going to become detectives hunting for two very special sounds — like the ones in saw and care.”
• Show two flashcards with the graphemes aw and are boldly written. Pronounce each slowly and clearly.
• Use the mirrors: Ask the children to watch your mouth and then theirs when making the sounds /ɔː/ (aw) and /eə/ (are). Highlight lip rounding for aw and mouth hovering for are.

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2. Sound Hunt and Sorting (6 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce recognition through multisensory sorting.

• Show flashcards one by one with images and words.
• Say the word aloud, encourage children to repeat it focusing on the target sound.
• Ask “Does this word have the /aw/ sound or the /eə/ sound?” and have them hold up the correct flashcard “aw” or “are”.
• Use mini whiteboards: children write the grapheme "aw" or "are" next to the word you read aloud.
• If available, children can use letter tiles to build the word, reinforcing grapheme recognition.

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3. “Phonics Detective” Challenge (4 minutes)

Objective: Apply phoneme spotting and reading in a fun, memorable way.

• Explain: “You are all phonics detectives. When I say a word, raise your hand if you hear the /aw/ sound, and put your hand on your head if you hear the /eə/ sound.”
• Say a mixture of words (some with 'aw', some with 'are', some trick words without either).
• Follow with a written version on mini whiteboards; children underline the grapheme corresponding to the sound they heard.

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4. Quick Recap & Assessment (2 minutes)

Objective: Solidify learning and assess understanding informally.

• Show mixed flashcards quickly, one or two seconds each. Children shout out “aw!” or “are!” and briefly explain why.
• End by praising children: “Fantastic work detectives! You can now spot ‘aw’ and ‘are’ sounds like pros. Your mouths and brains did a brilliant job!”

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Differentiation

• For lower ability: Use fewer words, slow down pronunciation, provide more visual support.
• For higher ability: Encourage children to think of their own words with "aw" or "are", and write a simple sentence using one of those words on their mini whiteboards.

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Assessment & Follow-up

• Formative: Teacher notes which children confidently recognise sounds and graphemes during activities.
• Quick verbal feedback given to check correct pronunciation and grapheme spotting.
• Suggested follow-up: At home or next lesson, children practise writing sentences using "aw" and "are" words.

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WOW Factor

• The use of mirrors encourages meta-cognition of mouth shapes — turning phonics into a physical, visible experience.
• The “Phonics Detective” game promotes active listening and rapid recall, helping embed sounds rapidly.
• Mini whiteboards add a kinaesthetic element that secures grapheme recognition for visual learners.

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This tightly focused but lively 15-minute lesson is designed to make "aw" and "are" sounds memorable and engaging for Year 2 pupils, fully meeting the expectations of the UK National Curriculum for phonics progression.