How we teach your child to read

Phonics a  Teaching sounds  Linking sounds to letters  Blending and segmenting sounds  Reading and writing sounds

Helping your child to read: Helping your child to read:  Make it a special time – a pleasure not a chore! a pleasure not a chore!  Choose somewhere calm and comfortable.  Be positive and encouraging!  Be a good role model!

Sharing Books  Discuss the front cover and the illustrations.  Talk about the story together – the characters, the sequence of the story, predict what may happen next, relate it to their own experience.  Ask questions about the story – can they remember what happened? Did they enjoy it? Why?

Working out words  Use the pictures to help.  Look at the initial letter.  Check the next letter and build up the word ( c-a-t ). cat

Further strategies:  Re – read the first part of the sentence again.  Read to the end to guess the correct word, so the sentence makes sense.  Recognise part of the word to help guess the whole word.  Notice key words.

Important Notice!!  Don’t let your child struggle with a word – if they have been unable to use the strategies, read the word for them and keep the story going.

How to help further:  Visit the library.  Look for writing in the environment – signs, posters, street names.  Encourage involvement in every day activities – shopping lists, recipes, T.V.Guides  Provide a wide range of reading material – magazines, comics, newspapers, fiction and non fiction books.

Remember!  Reinforce the sounds, linking them to the letters!  Be patient and use lots of positive encouragement!!  Enjoy reading with your child!

Stage 1 – The Beginning of Writing – The child is using letters to represent words. The teacher keeps a record of what she has “written” by writing the words.

Stage 2 The child is using initial letters to represent words and has begun to hear and write other sounds in words.

Stage 3 The child is using their phonic knowledge to write more words.

Stage 4 – The child is using basic sight vocabulary for some words and good phonic knowledge for unknown spellings. A story is developing.

Stage 5 – The child is beginning to use sentences and can spell many words correctly. Full stops are used but she is not yet quite sure of beginning a sentence correctly.

Supporting your child’s writing Play dough or plasticine Threading beads Finger painting Construction toys – Lego, blocks Jigsaw puzzles Air writing Writing on backs Using chalk, pencils, crayons, felt tips

Helping your child to write Value all your child’s writing. Remember! - early writing may look like ‘scribble’ or marks. Help them become aware of the meaning and purpose of writing. Give them the opportunity to write – lists, letters, cards, invitations. Provide paper, crayons, pencils, paint, chalk. Talk about their writing with them.

Helping your child with numbers Number rhymes Counting Playing games Numbers as quantities Numbers as labels Everyday numbers

Number rhymes - ‘ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 once I caught a fish alive...’ - 5 currant buns - 10 green bottles Sing number rhymes together:

Counting Count different objects in different ways: - plates on the table - sandwiches for a picnic - pieces of a jigsaw - coins in your purse - the number of times you can bounce a ball

Playing games Play games together: - games with dice and counters - dominoes - playing cards - magnetic/foam numbers

Numbers as quantities Point them out and count them with your child: – 6/12 on a box of eggs – 10 apples in the bag – print 5 copies on the computer

Numbers as labels Notice them all around: – the number on the bus – house numbers – television channels

Everyday numbers Notice numbers all around: – on money, timetables, clocks, receipts, tickets, computers, cards, telephones Look for numbers in the environment: – on signs, shops, traffic signs, car number plates

And Finally! Working in partnership Talking to children Savour the moments!