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Literacy Glossary
An A–Z guide to key literacy terms aligned to PLD’s Structured Synthetic Phonics (SSP) approach.
A
Understanding that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language.
Regular checks of student progress to guide grouping and instruction.
B
A standalone word to which affixes may be added (e.g., help in helpful).
Combining individual sounds to form words
C
Two letters that represent one consonant sound (e.g., ch, sh).
Ensuring teaching and resources follow PLD’s sequenced order.
D
Decodable readers are texts that align tightly with the phonic code students have been taught. Early sets constrain word choices to reinforce simple CVC patterns (e.g., mat, sat, cat), and later sets introduce digraphs and more complex patterns (e.g., ship, chat, thin). The goal is successful practice: students read using decoding rather than picture cues or memorised patterns.
For teachers, decodables are best used in small-group rotations and take-home practice aligned to each group’s current code knowledge. Selection is driven by screening data: assign books that practise precisely the grapheme-phoneme correspondences and word structures students are learning this week. Re-reads build fluency; brief pre-teaches (e.g., target digraph) and quick checks (word reading, sentence reading) maximise impact. PLD’s decodable sequences mirror the PLD teaching order so that guided reading, fluency practice, and spelling instruction reinforce one another. This alignment builds accuracy, confidence, and automaticity across the term.
For teachers, decodables are best used in small-group rotations and take-home practice aligned to each group’s current code knowledge. Selection is driven by screening data: assign books that practise precisely the grapheme-phoneme correspondences and word structures students are learning this week. Re-reads build fluency; brief pre-teaches (e.g., target digraph) and quick checks (word reading, sentence reading) maximise impact. PLD’s decodable sequences mirror the PLD teaching order so that guided reading, fluency practice, and spelling instruction reinforce one another. This alignment builds accuracy, confidence, and automaticity across the term.
Writing sentences using taught code, HFWs, and punctuation. Phonic dictation asks students to rewrite passages that contain code they have been taught. It consolidates phonics, HFWs, punctuation, and handwriting in a meaningful context and provides teachers with immediate evidence of transfer.
Implementation: Present weekly, level-aligned sentences; pre-teach target correspondences; model one sentence with think-alouds; dictate to groups matched by tracking data. Mark rapidly with a simple code (spelling, spacing, punctuation) and feed results back into the next week’s instruction.
Implementation: Present weekly, level-aligned sentences; pre-teach target correspondences; model one sentence with think-alouds; dictate to groups matched by tracking data. Mark rapidly with a simple code (spelling, spacing, punctuation) and feed results back into the next week’s instruction.
F
Reading with speed, accuracy, and expression.
Common words often requiring targeted instruction.
H
High‑Frequency Words are the most common words in print (e.g., the, was, said, of). Some are fully decodable; others contain irregular or infrequent correspondences. Automatic recognition of HFWs frees cognitive load for decoding and comprehension.
PLD recommends teaching HFWs in tandem with phonics: decode what’s decodable, and explicitly teach the “tricky” grapheme(s) in irregular words. Use spaced review, cumulative lists, and application in sentence reading and dictation. Track mastery to inform revision and homework focus.
PLD recommends teaching HFWs in tandem with phonics: decode what’s decodable, and explicitly teach the “tricky” grapheme(s) in irregular words. Use spaced review, cumulative lists, and application in sentence reading and dictation. Track mastery to inform revision and homework focus.
M
Morphology studies how words are built from morphemes—the smallest meaning units (prefixes, suffixes, roots). Teaching morphology from Year 3+ supports vocabulary growth, comprehension, and accurate spelling of multisyllabic words.
Classroom practice: introduce common prefixes/suffixes and Greek/Latin roots in connected sets (e.g., tele, micro, photo). Analyse and build word sums (e.g., tele + graph → telegraph). Link morphology to decoding (syllable division) and to writing (accurate affix spelling).
Classroom practice: introduce common prefixes/suffixes and Greek/Latin roots in connected sets (e.g., tele, micro, photo). Analyse and build word sums (e.g., tele + graph → telegraph). Link morphology to decoding (syllable division) and to writing (accurate affix spelling).
Morphology studies how words are built from morphemes—the smallest meaning units (prefixes, suffixes, roots). Teaching morphology from Year 3+ supports vocabulary growth, comprehension, and accurate spelling of multisyllabic words.
Classroom practice: introduce common prefixes/suffixes and Greek/Latin roots in connected sets (e.g., tele, micro, photo). Analyse and build word sums (e.g., tele + graph → telegraph). Link morphology to decoding (syllable division) and to writing (accurate affix spelling).
Classroom practice: introduce common prefixes/suffixes and Greek/Latin roots in connected sets (e.g., tele, micro, photo). Analyse and build word sums (e.g., tele + graph → telegraph). Link morphology to decoding (syllable division) and to writing (accurate affix spelling).
O
Orthographic mapping is the process by which words become stored for instant recognition. It depends on strong phonemic awareness and accurate grapheme‑phoneme knowledge. With sufficient successful encounters in reading and writing, words shift from “sounding out” to automatic recognition.
Classroom practice: ensure daily decoding practice with matched decodables, integrate phonic dictation, and explicitly teach irregular words by highlighting the “unexpected” letters while still decoding the regular parts. Fluency work (re‑reads, phrase drills) accelerates mapping.
Classroom practice: ensure daily decoding practice with matched decodables, integrate phonic dictation, and explicitly teach irregular words by highlighting the “unexpected” letters while still decoding the regular parts. Fluency work (re‑reads, phrase drills) accelerates mapping.
Oral language underpins literacy: vocabulary depth, sentence structure, grammar, and listening comprehension all influence reading and writing outcomes. Strengthening oral language in the early years raises readiness for code‑based instruction and later comprehension.
Classroom practice: daily routines for vocabulary (tiered words), sentence combining, narrative retell, and listening tasks. Screen and provide targeted small‑group intervention for students with identified needs; link oral language goals to reading and writing tasks.
Classroom practice: daily routines for vocabulary (tiered words), sentence combining, narrative retell, and listening tasks. Screen and provide targeted small‑group intervention for students with identified needs; link oral language goals to reading and writing tasks.
P
The smallest unit of sound.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the smallest units of sound (phonemes) in spoken words—e.g., segmenting cat into /c/ /a/ /t/ or substituting /c/ with /h/ to make hat. It is a strong predictor of reading success and a necessary foundation for phonics.
In classrooms, instruction targets phoneme awareness, blending and segmenting with short targeted teaching routines. Screening identifies students who need intensified practice. Phonemic awareness activities should be tightly linked to the grapheme‑phoneme correspondences taught in phonics to accelerate orthographic mapping.
PLD integrates phonemic awareness within oral language and early‑years programs, providing screening tools and targeted activities so teachers can group and instruct efficiently.
In classrooms, instruction targets phoneme awareness, blending and segmenting with short targeted teaching routines. Screening identifies students who need intensified practice. Phonemic awareness activities should be tightly linked to the grapheme‑phoneme correspondences taught in phonics to accelerate orthographic mapping.
PLD integrates phonemic awareness within oral language and early‑years programs, providing screening tools and targeted activities so teachers can group and instruct efficiently.
Phonological awareness encompasses broader sound skills: rhyme, syllables, onset‑rime, and phonemes. It develops before and alongside phonemic awareness and is fostered by songs, rhymes, clapping syllables, and word play.
Classroom practice: brief daily routines (rhyme odd‑one‑out, syllable sort, onset‑rime blending) that progressively narrow toward phonemic tasks. Screen periodically to move students from broader skills into phoneme‑level work when ready.
Classroom practice: brief daily routines (rhyme odd‑one‑out, syllable sort, onset‑rime blending) that progressively narrow toward phonemic tasks. Screen periodically to move students from broader skills into phoneme‑level work when ready.
Teaching the relationship between sounds and letters.
The PSC is a brief assessment of decoding that includes real and pseudo‑words to ensure students apply phonic knowledge rather than memorisation. Typically administered at the end of Year 1, it flags students needing additional instruction.
For implementation: schedule practice opportunities with pseudo‑words, teach testwise behaviours (sound left‑to‑right, blend smoothly), and use results to adjust groups and reteach specific correspondences. Combine PSC insights with PLD screening data for a full picture of class needs.
For implementation: schedule practice opportunities with pseudo‑words, teach testwise behaviours (sound left‑to‑right, blend smoothly), and use results to adjust groups and reteach specific correspondences. Combine PSC insights with PLD screening data for a full picture of class needs.
R
The core meaning unit of a word, often derived from Latin/Greek.
S
Breaking a word into its individual sounds.
Words recognised instantly, some irregular.
Structured Synthetic Phonics (SSP) is a systematic and explicit approach to teaching reading and spelling. Students are taught the relationship between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters or letter groups) in a carefully sequenced order, progressing from simple correspondences to complex patterns. For example, simple consonants and short vowels precede digraphs (sh, th, ch) and advanced spelling patterns.
SSP is called synthetic because learners “synthesise” (blend) phonemes to read words. Once a student knows /c/ /a/ /t/, they can blend to read cat. Rather than relying on memorisation or context‑guessing, SSP builds transferable decoding skills so students can tackle unfamiliar words independently.
Within PLD, SSP underpins programs from Foundation through upper primary. Teachers are supported with placement tests, screening tools, sequenced word lists, and explicit lesson resources. This evidence‑aligned approach (Science of Reading) supports data‑informed grouping and targeted instruction, enabling teachers to address variability within classes efficiently.
SSP is called synthetic because learners “synthesise” (blend) phonemes to read words. Once a student knows /c/ /a/ /t/, they can blend to read cat. Rather than relying on memorisation or context‑guessing, SSP builds transferable decoding skills so students can tackle unfamiliar words independently.
Within PLD, SSP underpins programs from Foundation through upper primary. Teachers are supported with placement tests, screening tools, sequenced word lists, and explicit lesson resources. This evidence‑aligned approach (Science of Reading) supports data‑informed grouping and targeted instruction, enabling teachers to address variability within classes efficiently.
T
Tracking sheets record what each student knows and what they are ready to learn next, enabling data‑driven grouping. In a typical Year 2 class, sheets may show one group consolidating basic code, another tackling digraphs, and a third moving into advanced patterns and fluency.
PLD’s Screening & Tracking system aligns with its teaching sequence, producing clear next‑step recommendations. Teachers use this to plan rotations, assign decodables, set dictation sentences, and select HFW targets. Tracking simplifies communication with year‑level colleagues and leaders and ensures continuity across terms.
PLD’s Screening & Tracking system aligns with its teaching sequence, producing clear next‑step recommendations. Teachers use this to plan rotations, assign decodables, set dictation sentences, and select HFW targets. Tracking simplifies communication with year‑level colleagues and leaders and ensures continuity across terms.
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