Early Learning Goals Writing Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible.

Reading Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read.

Letters and Sounds is a document that the government recommend we use to teach children how to read and write. The children in classes RS and RG are working in different phases of this document. The way we teach is to their developmental needs. We assess their experience in these phases. Some of the children have been exposed to different phases, and as a starting point we have been assessing this. We are now ready to begin our journey to read and write, using our own creative teaching methods.

WhathappensinRSandRG?

•  Wehavea20minutephonicssessioneveryday,firstthinginthemorning.

•  Welistentothechildrenreadindividuallyatleastonceaweek.

•  Weshareaclassstoryeveryafternoon.•  Therearereading,writingandphonicsbasedactivitiessetoutintheclassroomeachweek.

•  WedofocusedLiteracyactivitieseachday.•  Wemakelearningasmultisensoryandactiveaspossible,asweknowthisishowchildrenlearnbest.

Phase 1 Oral Blending and Oral Segmenting

bat

cat

van

ham What sounds can you hear

in pan? What is my

word f – o – x?

Phase 2

Pure sounds only! http://phonicbooks.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/how-to-say-the-sounds-of-letters-in-synthetic-phonics/

In Phase 2, letters and their sounds are introduced one at a time. A set of letters is taught each week, roughly in this sequence.

s, a, t, p, i n, m, d, g o, c, k, ck e, u, r, h, b f, ff, l, ll, ss

Each time a sound is introduced your child is taught how to apply it when reading and writing. They are taught how it is formed through handwriting practise.

We use pure sounds when

teaching these.

Phase 3 •  By the time they reach Phase 3, children will already be

able to blend and segment words containing the 19 letters taught in Phase 2.

•  Over the twelve weeks which Phase 3 is expected to last, twenty-five new graphemes are introduced (one at a time).

•  Set 6: j, v, w, x •  Set 7: y, z, zz, qu •  Consonant digraphs: ch, sh, th, ng •  Vowel digraphs: ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, ow, oi,

er •  Vowel trigraphs: igh, ear, air, ure

Now your child can read and write words such as sheep, chip,

moon, rain.

PhonicsTerminology•  Phoneme – is a sound you can hear. There are approximately 44

phonemes in the English language. Phonemes are put together to make words.

•  Grapheme – a phoneme when it is written down. Graphemes can be made up of 1 letter ‘a’, 2 letters ‘sh’ (digraph) or i-e (split digraph), 3 letters ‘igh’ (trigraph) or 4 letters ‘ough’

•  Blending – reading a word by putting the graphemes together. I see the word cat, I recognise the graphemes c-a-t and I can blend the phonemes and hear the word says cat.

•  Segmenting – the skill needed to write a word, hearing all the phonemes in a word. I want to write cat and I can segment the word and hear I need c-a-t.

•  Sound buttons – we add these to words, to help the children with segmenting to read.

High Frequency Words/ Sight words

It is a school expectation that your child can read these 100

words upon leaving Upper Foundation.

Sets of these words will be sent home. Please use

them as flashcards.

Beginning to write……

egz (eggs) caw (cow)

•  We don’t want your child to become over reliant on phonics and will choose to correct some spellings. These ‘incorrect’ spellings will mainly appear when children are writing independently . We will be promoting the correct spellings of the high frequency words where possible.

•  We recognise that not all children learn through phonics but by sight so they will be shown whole words that some children may memorise.

•  Writing will mainly be topic related and consist of many purposes in which to write such as lists, greeting cards, instructions, notes, stories, recipes or letters.

Don’t worry if your child’s writing is not

spelt correctly initially…as they become more

confident show them the correct spellings.

Reading Books and Reading Records

Each child has been allocated a reading day. On this day your child will need their book and record in school so that an adult to listen to your child read and change their book. If your child has received a book with no words we would like you to…. Ask your child questions about the pictures that prompt their understanding. Can they tell a story using the character names? Once your child has secure oral blending and segmenting skills and can recognise some sounds they will receive a book with words. Supplement your child’s reading with the literacy activities we send home. Please comment in your child’s reading record about what they can do and struggled with as this helps the teachers. Please also write about the literacy pack activities, any other books they have read or enjoy listening too. This builds up a picture of your child’s reading experiences in our minds.

Can your child recall character names, tell a legible story , answer simple questions and

predict what might happen?

Books with words…… If your child has received a book with words we would like you to…. encourage your child to talk about the illustrations as well as reading

the text.

Our aim is for your child to become a

fluent expressive

reader. They will begin to

read from sight with conviction.

Be patient…when your child first begins to read it

can sound robotic until they become more familiar with the process and recall

sounds quicker.

Handwriting

1. Pencil grips 2. Gross and fine motor skills 3. Name writing using correct formation 4. Letter formation 5. Joined writing for those who are developmentally ready with some of the phase 3 digraphs in preparation for year 1.

Correct your child’s

formation of letters, these

are the formations we

use.

How you can support your child at home…

•  Literacy activities will be suited to your child’s current developmental level

but also centred around any aspect of literacy such as name writing, letter formation, oral blending and segmenting or early comprehension skills.

•  Activities/words will be changed when the teacher feels they need to be, this may not be on a weekly basis.

•  Your child will receive HFW to practise reading and writing over a fortnight then they will be provided with the next set.

Practise makes perfect!

FUN! •  Everything with reading and writing we try and make

as fun as possible and meaningful. •  Each child has a literacy book and a handwriting book

in which to record their marks and the frequency in which we use these increases over the year in preparation for year 1.

•  All information