1. Early Years information evening

2. Learning through play The Importance of Play
Play underpins the EYFS. It also underpins learning and all aspects of children’s development. Through play, children develop language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills. For most children their play is natural and spontaneous although some children may need extra help from adults. Play takes place indoors and outdoors and it is in these different environments that children explore and discover their immediate world. It is here they practise new ideas and skills, they take risks, show imagination and solve problems on their own or with others.

3. Doctors surgery What are the children learning here?
Literacy- Numeracy- Communication and Language- Personal, Social, Emotional – Knowledge and Understanding- Expressive Arts and Design
Reading- signs and labels. Writing - prescriptions, appointments, doctor notes. Communication and language- manners, speaking in different roles, understanding of vocabulary. Personal, Social, Emotional- sharing, playing with other children, organising play (e.g. who plays what role). Knowledge and Understanding- what do we go to the doctors for, the role of doctor, nurse, secretary. Expressive Arts and Design- role playing, being imaginative.

4. Main points
Reading
Writing
Maths

5. Reading
At the children’s stage of development, reading is recognising speed sounds, both in isolation and context
To use the reading books, jump from speed sound to speed sound to gain an understanding of your child’s letter recognition. Following this, ask your child to find specific sounds within the text e.g. Can you found the ‘c’ sound in the book?
As children grow more confident, begin decoding CVC words.
Decoding – reading
Encoding – spelling
CVC- consonant, vowel, consonant words e.g. cat, bop, pin
Decoding in its early stages would be sounding out the individual sounds within a word e.g. m-a-t and blending these sounds together to make a word.

6. Writing Writing within early years takes on four different formats
Writing for communication
Encoding
Letter formation
Purpose of writing

7. Writing for communication
Writing for communication is a vital element to children’s learning.
It allows children to give meaning to the marks they make.
The child can ‘read’ their text and tell you what it means and why they wrote it – they are composing .
The adult has to be sure to celebrate their achievements without an over-emphasis on moving on to ‘correctness’.
Writing for communication may look like scribbles on a page, but this is the early stages to writing where children are gaining an understanding that the marks they make convey meaning. It is extremely important to celebrate this and agree that whatever they say their writing says, is what it does say!

8. Letter formation
Teaching the children exactly how each letter should be correctly formed and practising this.
ALL letters start from the top. ‘ Where do our letters begin?’
Letters must be on the line. ‘bottoms on the line!’
Without the correct formation, children will not be able to join later!
This is only to be emphasised in homework tasks and handwriting sessions- not if a child is writing for communication!

9. Encoding Encoding is the process of writing down a spoken word
This is a skill that is further developed the more children progress throughout school
At this stage of development, it is important for the children to listen carefully to the sounds and try to recognise as many as possible
However, it is the skill which has the least importance at this stage.
Encoding is effectively spelling. This is something that is not formally taught until Year Two.

10. Purpose of writing
Purpose for writing is about giving children a reason to write
In addition to showing them the different writing formats e.g. letters, lists, stories, signs, labels.
It is about giving children a purpose for writing.
Purpose for writing might be that the child needs to write a shopping list for you to go shopping. It also might be that they need to write a letter to Santa for Christmas! Even something as simple as creating a poster for their Lego model so that nobody knocks it down demonstrates to the child that we need writing!

11. What can you do?
At home, it is about supporting the children in their writing development.
If your child comes to you with writing, ask them what does this say? Asking them about their mark making will example to them that they are successfully communicating and will thus inspire them to write more.
Do not worry about spelling. This is not of importance at the stage of writing and is a skill developed within the classroom.
Do remind them about their letter formation- ensure they are ALWAYS beginning at the top of the letter for homework tasks or if they are practising formation.

12. Maths Number Shape, space and measure
There will be a Mathematics Early Years meeting after Christmas to provide a more in depth view of what mathematics looks like in the Early Years.

13. Number
Within early years math is about the children understanding what numbers look like, understanding number value and understanding order of numbers.
Most children learn their numbers at an early age through rote learning. This is quite useful to be able to do, but it means very little in itself. Children need to come to know what the number system really means.
Within early years it is about unpicking this and ensuring that the children have a solid understanding of what each number represents. Using appropriate vocabulary is essential and will further the children’s learning
Vocabulary: greater, fewer, less, more, worth, total.
Modelling mathematic language such as this gives children a solid foundation of what number means. It is important within Early Years that we give an in depth understanding of what numbers represent, which numbers mean more and which mean less. Lots of practical activities such as counting pasta, sharing out sweets shows children that numbers represent a physical object.

14. Shape, space and measure
Recognising shapes and talking about their characteristics
Noticing similarities and differences
Positional language
Ordering weight, height, size,
Vocabulary: bigger, smaller, taller, shorter, round, point, edge, sides, faces, heavier, lighter
Positional language means using vocabulary such as in front of, behind, under, on top, beside. Using this language frequently  at home (E.G. the remote is on top of the television) with children ensures they have an understanding of its purpose.
Noticing similarities and differences means simply looking at shapes in a real life context and discussing them. E.g. the steering wheel is very round, is your book round? Why not? What is different?

15. What can you do?
Engaging in valuable maths ‘talk’, through activities and by pointing out/doing things in daily life (shopping; cooking; counting).
Giving one-on-one time to develop their child’s maths understanding e.g. that house number is 7 is that greater or fewer that 6?
Being able to instruct their child in small steps and build upon their child’s prior knowledge and skills. E.g. can you count me out 9 bits of pasta?
Instilling a positive attitude towards maths

16. Questions?