Phonics
Teaching phonics in Reception The English language is made up of approximately 42 separate sounds. During the year we aim to teach the children most of these sounds. They are the foundations that the children build upon as they learn to read. Each week your child will bring home a key ring which has the sounds on it. If you help your child to learn these sounds it will consolidate their knowledge and they will learn to read more quickly.
How to use the key rings Each sound has an action. These actions help the children to memorise the sound. Initially please encourage your child to continue to use the action even when you feel they have learned the sound. Take care to pronounce the sound correctly, letters such as - r, s, w, f, h - need careful pronunciation. We find that little and often is the best way to learn the sounds: 3 or 4 times a day is not excessive. Each week we will put new sounds on the key ring. Please continue to practise all the sounds not just the new ones. Please ensure that the key ring is in your child’s book bag every day.
Blending When the children begin to recognise the sounds, we then teach them to blend the sounds together to make words. The sounds are spoken individually and then blended together. To an adult this can seem like an easy skill to acquire but children find it hard and it can take some children a long time to blend. When you are helping your child to blend it is important to pronounce the initial sound louder than the rest to emphasize the beginning of the word. In school we use a variety of ways to show the children the letters to blend, flashcards, plastic letters, simple text in a book, white board computer programmes etc.
Word boxes Once your child has started to blend we will send them home with word boxes. The children need to practise blending the sounds and once they can confidently read the words on the list we will give them the next word box in the sequence. When you are practising with your child please do not read the words in the same order every time. The children can begin to learn the words by rote and memory and not really be able to ‘read’ them. Once your child can blend easily we will start to give them the more tricky sound alternatives such as ‘igh’.
Reading books Your child will start to come home with a reading book. These books are changed each week. You should aim to read with your child at least twice a day. Little and often seems to work best: this way it remains a joy for you and your child. Choosing the right time to read is important. Try not to leave it too late when your child is tired and don’t remove your child in the middle of their favourite programme to ‘come away and read’. Each week your child selects a library book to bring home. This is your opportunity to model reading and read the story to your child.
How to get the best from your reading book. Little and often. Talk to your child about the book, look at the illustrations, discuss the characters, predict the ending etc. Read the book several times until your child is very comfortable with it. Try to read when you and your child are relaxed. Choose a quiet place free from distractions.
Key Words Key words are ‘high frequency’ words. They appear with great regularity in the books that the children read. There are about fifty Reception key words and these are given out on a key ring once your child is reading books. Some of these words cannot be read by using the phonic sounds for example words such as come, said and the. These words should be learned by sight. Once the children can read all their key words the next step is to be able to spell them.
Reading in Our Lady of Pity School The children in our school make excellent progress in their reading. It will help your child immeasurably if you are able to read with them every day and show that you value books and reading. Each term we take the children to Greasby / Hoylake library. They choose a book each time and we share them all in class. Any help in walking the children to the library is greatly appreciated.