Why does Chimp Fu split CVC syllables differently in levels 1 and 2?

Students with reading disabilities have a range of difficulties so Nessy provides a range of different learning strategies. For this reason Nessy uses both traditional analytical phonics and the progressive approach called blended phonics (also known as ‘synthetic’ phonics).

There are two ways to split cvccvc words (c=consonant v=vowel):

Method 1 is the traditional way and is the first Chimp Fu syllable division strategy: pic-nic

Method 2 is where you have two letters the same, but both making one sound, and you keep them together, e.g. Muff-in

It actually doesn’t make any difference to the way the word is read whether it is split ‘muf-fin’ or ‘muff-in’. We are showing the students two ways of doing the same thing, a bit like two methods of working out a mathematical problem that end in the same result.

In the UK, the level 2 strategy is the method that is prescribed by the Department for Education Phonics team.