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Learning Overview

Phonics Hero’s resources include three stages of phonics curriculum: the Basic, Advanced Code and Complete the Code. These three parts span 26 levels of systematic reading and spelling learning and practice.

We find that most children most enjoy the Phonics Hero games between the ages of 4 and 7, while our click-and-go phonics lessons support parents in providing quality phonics instruction to younger and older children, as well.

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Placement Test

When first playing the Phonics Hero games, you will be given the option to start at the beginning (for new readers) or to take our Placement Test.

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Our Placement Test asks children to read nonsense words to
assess their phonics knowledge.

What We Teach:

Although it’s 3 years of content, it’s a better educational approach to place your child on a level by ability, rather than age.


Part 1 – Basic Code – Beginning Reader & Speller
Level Target Sounds and Spelling Choices Example Words
1 s m c t g p a o sat, mop, tap, cog
2 r l d b f h i u rag, fib, hid, lug
3 v w y z j n k e vat, win, zip, ink, men, yum
4 ll ss ff zz bell, huff, buzz, mass
5 sh ch th wh shall, then, chum, which
6 ck ng qu x pack, sung, quick, flex

What They’ll Learn:

  • A great foundation: the first 29 of the 44 sounds.
  • A sound for each letter of the alphabet and the concept that a sound can be represented by more than one letter, for example: ‘sh’ or ‘ch’.
  • To read and spell over 350 words.
  • To read over 150 sentences.
  • 36 camera/tricky words, which are so essential to get children reading and writing passages of text.

Part 2 – Advanced Code – Emerging Reader & Speller
Level Target Sounds and Spelling Choices Example Words
7 Words with a more complicated pattern VCC
(Vowel, Consonant, Consonant)
CCVC and CVCC words		 ash, stop, drum, gift, dress
8 ee ea y e cheek, beach, merry, being
9 i igh y ie i_e blind, thigh, spy, tried, drive
10 o oa ow o_e hotel, boast, pillow, alone
11 a ai ay a_e lady, chain, fray, grape
12 oo ew ue u_e spoon, grew, blue, fluke

What They’ll Learn:

  • The 5 critical vowel digraphs.
  • Watch spelling fly with all the ways these vowel digraphs can be spelled.
  • 248 fun, lively, unique games.
  • Read and spell over 250 new words.
  • Read over 150 new sentences.
  • 36 new camera/tricky words.

Part 3 – Complete the Code – Advancing Reader & Speller
Level Target Sounds and Spelling Choices Example Words
13 r rr wr risky, carrot, wrung
14 oi oy point, toilet, employ, royal
15 ph f ff dolphin, shelf, offend
16 ow ou drowsy, allow, crouch, ground
17 c ce s se ss pencil, fence, sixty, rinse, stress
18 u oo oul full, bully, shook, should
19 ar a sharp, parcel, grasp, chant
20 ir er ear ur or squirt, berth, early, blurb, world
21 or au aw al ore horse, pause, scrawl, stalk, swore
22 air ear are ere hairy, parent, there
23 j dge ge g wedge, fridge, surgeon, giraffe
24 ch tch tu child, charm, blotch, fracture
25 sh ci ti splash, shrunk, gracious, direction
26 s si unusual, leisure, illusion, abrasion

What They’ll Learn:

  • The last remaining sounds needed to complete the phonics code.
  • Read and spell over 456 new words.
  • Read over 376 new sentences.
  • And your child will now be off on their own reading and spelling adventures!

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