THE POPAT PROGRAMME This new approach to the teaching of synthetic phonics, and to making children aware of speech sounds, gives all Learners the ability to write by analysis and to read by synthesis. POPAT then mediates the absorption of the spelling of a bank of high frequency irregular words and teaches an approach to proof reading. In the final part of the programme, Learners study the irregularity of English spelling by discovering the variety of ways in which speech sounds are spelt. The process of investigation and discovery develops a critical and reflective thinking style. This enables children to make increasingly better decisions about the conventional spelling of words they wish to write and the probable sound of letter combinations they wish to read.