There are great schools and teachers in Northern Ireland, dedicated to giving children the best start in life. But while many parts of the UK have embraced a structured, systems-led focus on phonics, Northern Ireland’s efforts have lagged behind, leaving some children struggling unnecessarily.
A child struggling to read often hides it. They glance around the classroom, hoping no one notices. They dread being asked to read aloud. They start to believe they’re just not ‘good’ at school.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
According to Save the Children, thousands of children in Northern Ireland are at risk of leaving primary school without strong literacy skills. That means lost confidence, lost opportunities, and a harder future. But we can change that—starting now.
It is probably not surprising that I focus on phonics as part of this puzzle. But what struck me like a thunderbolt was how the Save the Children report emphasises that children need more than just letter-sound knowledge.
To become confident readers, children need:
🔹 To see, hear, and feel phonics to make sense of words.
🔹 To recognise patterns (like common spelling chunks) to read fluently.
🔹 To move beyond blending and develop whole-word recognition.
These principles sit at the heart of Monster Phonics. Monster Phonics is built on a simple but powerful idea—colour coding for sounds. The monsters serve as powerful memory cues, helping children visualise and retain phonics knowledge. This makes phonics:
✅ More memorable
✅ More accessible
✅ More engaging
We are excited to be working with schools in Northern Ireland, and we are actively looking for more to join the Monster Phonics family. Our brilliant training and
support make us an easy choice.
Take a look at a DEMO for more information.
Or get in touch with me! We would love to find out more about your school and context.
Ian Connors – [email protected] Director of Education
Monster Phonics