Jolly Phonics Pupil Book 2: What’s Inside and How to Use It

We have not given a page count here because the sources we checked did not state one. Check the listing for the edition you are buying.

Jolly Phonics Pupil Book 2 builds on Pupil Book 1 by teaching the main alternative vowel spellings. It also covers capital letters and the alphabet, more tricky words and guided writing activities. The publisher groups its content into four topics: Alternatives, Handwriting, Tricky Words, and Words and Sentences.

Book 1 gives a child one spelling for each sound. Book 2 shows that the same sound can be spelled in more than one way, and begins to write words and sentences with more help from the adult.

• Children who have worked through Pupil Book 1 and can blend simple words.
• Children who read words like rain but write plai for play: they know one spelling and need the others.
• Children who need to learn capital letters and the alphabet properly.

If a child has not yet secured the 42 sounds and blending, go back to Book 1 first. Starting Book 2 too early usually causes confusion.

The exact order of pages is in the book and the Teacher’s Book lesson plans. The publisher says the activities also keep practising letter formation, hearing sounds in words and blending.

Alternative spellings are different ways of writing the same sound. These are examples of the main vowel families taught in Jolly Phonics. Your copy of Book 2 shows the exact selection and order.

This is the idea behind the book, not a copy of it. Our guide to Jolly Phonics alternative spellings explains when alternatives are taught, patterns that help children choose and the “try both” strategy.

Book 1 focuses on lower-case letters. Book 2 adds capital letters and the alphabet. This is where a child learns that the same letter has two forms, and that the alphabet has an order separate from the sounds.

• Teach capitals for names first: the child’s own name, then family names.
• Keep letter style the same as school: print or precursive.
• Say the letter name and the sound together: “capital A says /a/”.
• Practise alphabet order with a song or a chart, not only on the page.

See letter formation for the formation steps.

Pupil Book 2 adds more tricky words to the first set from Book 1. Children now meet common words such as was and said that contain a spelling they cannot yet sound out in the usual way. The routine is the same as in Book 1: blend the sounds, spot the tricky part, say it, write it.

Our tricky words guide shows the whole list by level.

The Words and Sentences topic moves from spelling a word to writing something with it. At this stage the adult helps: the child says the sentence aloud, counts the words, stretches each word into sounds, and writes them.

1. Say the whole sentence aloud.
2. Hold the sentence in mind while writing each word.
3. Stretch each word into its sounds (segmenting) and write the letters.
4. Leave a space between words.
5. Read the sentence back and check it makes sense.

See segmenting in phonics for the spelling skill.

1. Read the matching lesson in the Teacher’s Book.
2. Revise the Book 1 sounds quickly, then introduce one alternative family.
3. Read words with the new spelling aloud together.
4. Let the child do the Pupil Book page, then check it with the answer key.
5. Add a short dictation of two or three words.
6. Re-read the page at the next session before moving on.

• Introducing several alternatives for the same sound on the same day.
• Treating alternative spellings as rules to memorise, instead of patterns to try.
• Starting Book 2 before blending is secure.
• Skipping handwriting because the child can already write.
• Marking only spelling and not reading back for meaning.

A child is usually ready for Pupil Book 3 when they can read most Book 2 words without sounding them out, write capital letters and the main alternative spellings with help, and write a short sentence with guidance. If not, spend more time on Book 2 pages and sentence work first.

See also the overview of all four books.

Independent study guide. Jolly Phonics books are written by Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham and published by Jolly Learning. Jolly Reading is an independent teaching and training provider. We do not publish or sell these books, and this page is not an official publisher page. Book details come from the publisher’s catalogue and product listings; check your own copy for the exact edition, page layout and price.

Where the book details come from. Jolly Learning catalogue (2024), Jolly Learning product listings for the Pupil Book 2, and the publisher’s sample lesson for the sound /r/. Teaching advice on this page is ours and is written for study purposes, not as a reproduction of the book.