Communication, Language and Literacy meeting For: nursery

Contents of Session Supporting Language Development Supporting Literacy Development Other Activities To Play At Home How We Teach Letter Sounds Any Questions

Supporting Language Development Talk promotes reading and needs to be fluent before decoding words if reading is to be meaningful and understood Read poems and sing songs; delay the rhyming words to allow the child to supply. Focus on letter sounds, not names Encourage child to blend sounds of some simple words together by, for example playing ‘robot- talk’ games. Build up sight vocabulary- play timed ‘Hunt the letter sound/word’ post- its around the house. Let children see you read for enjoyment Read as much environmental print as you can - allow time for the journey Innovate stories when they are well known Read comics, recipes, bus routes, non fiction

Ideas for supporting learning at home Talk to your child about your day to promote them talking about their day. And give your child your full attention Model correct speech by repeating correctly but not asking for repetition Enjoy family meals which promote eye to eye contact and quality conversation times Turn off phones and the T.V! Play ‘I spy… (sound)’ Encourage a verbal discussion before and after reading books. Get male carer (in particular) to model reading and writing, stressing his purpose and enjoyment Write for a purpose- cards ,shopping lists etc Encourage tripod pen grip

Supporting Reading Development through talking to your child. Talk about pictures Hold book correctly and turn pages Text direction left to right, top to bottom. (Always encourage left to right eye motion even when counting etc) Predict what may happen and why Ask what the main events/ characters are in the story Talk about the setting Ask what the child likes/doesn’t like about the book and why Have regular fun with books

Other Activities To Play At Home Sing familiar Nursery Rhymes and songs Read well-known stories Retell/act out well-known stories, perhaps with puppets Develop memory by playing instruction games that start with one then two steps: Can you find….and then…..? game Alphabet poster to play I spy… so that child links upper/lowercase image of the letter and the picture beginning with that sound Feely bags of letters Playdough to squash ,squeeze and roll but also to make letter shapes, letters of name Writing letters on child’s back to feel and guess. Practice forming lower case letter correctly (in bath with foam letters/in air/ in sand/in paint/tracing over sandpaper letters/making playdough letters) Extension: think of words which begin with a chosen letter sound

How we Teach Letter Sounds Letters and Sounds (phase 1 for all and phase 2 for some) Careful listening needs to be established prior to effective teaching of phonics We regularly plan an activity to teach one aspect of the phase for children going to Reception in September, for example, rhyme or blending phonemes in simple words. This may be informally through songs and games, inside or out, or as part of circle time or story teaching Correct lower case letter formation in air/sand/paper/paint Opportunities to play at mark making for a purpose Order in which letters are taught: s, a, t, p, i, n * Tip for parents: say ‘sssssss’ not ‘s or suh’

Any Questions?