1. Welcome to our Reading Meeting!

3. Why is reading well so important?
We all know that reading opens the door to all learning. A child who reads a lot will become a good reader. A good reader will be able to read challenging material. A child who reads challenging material is a child who will learn. The more a child learns, the more a child wants to find out.

4. Why is reading well so important?
Reading is the key to unlocking any child's future potential. Research shows that children who read well by 11 do better at school, get better exam results, do better in the workplace and have healthier lives. They're also best placed to give their own children the best start in life.

5. Who can get involved?
We can all do something - just ten minutes reading a day with a child makes a huge difference and will help them to fall in love with reading. Will you play your part?

6. Step 1 = Phonics
Phonics = the sounds in our language. Watch our sound pronunciation guide. Now it is your turn to practise…
This video is available on the RMT website and Facebook page

7. Go through these sounds quickly with parents using My Turn/Your Turn.
Stress you must not use letter names at this stage – just pure sounds.
Emphasise getting rid of ‘ugh’ to help blending. Parents usually love this bit! Make it fun! Set 1 then long vowels in Set 2.
Explain that when the children are taught the sounds they use the cards and a multi-sensory approach – hold up the cards again.

8. The English language is a complex code…
It would be easy if we only had to learn Set 1 and Set 2 sounds. ay
igh
play
eight
cake
straight
right
spie
kite
fly

9. Set 3 sounds
Explain again the sound boxes and say this chart show the many different graphemes for the same sounds! No other language has as many to learn! Pink graphemes are Set 3 – explain they only learn these once they know all of Set 1 & 2 effortlessly – systematic and structured!

10. How do phonics help us read?
Say “hello” to Fred. Fred can only talk in sounds... He says “c_a_t.” Not cat. We call this Fred Talk. Watch Ruth Miskin explain Fred Talk.
Hold up Fred! Say you too can have a Fred at home – use one like this or any stuffed toy. Watch the video for a demonstration of how to Fred talk.

11. How to help your child at home…

12. You can read stories with your child. Relentlessly.
Read favourite stories over and over again Read some stories at a higher level than they can read themselves. Practise phonic flashcards and homework sheets. Listen to them reading their take home Phonics storybooks. Watch our storytime at home video.
View the Ruth Miskin Training suggested reading lists for great books to read with your children.

13. You can practise pronouncing sounds.
Remember no ‘fuh’ and ‘luh’! You can order your own pack of Phonic Flashcards so you can practise with your child at home - £4.90 per pack from Amazon.

16. You can have fun with Fred Talk.
“What a tidy r-oo-m!” “Where’s your c-oa-t?” “Time for b-e-d!”
Give a couple of examples e.g. Where is your c_oa_t? Time for b_e_d! Make sure your child can tell you what the word is.
Use only single syllable words (no Fred Talking multi-syllabic words) and only the last word in a sentence or it gets very silly! E.g. P_u_t o_n y_our b_l_ue c_oa_t (you’ll never get out!).

17. You can refer to this training or watch the videos at home
This power point can be found on our website. For further training:
If you have time then you could watch the one to one parent tutorial ‘How to teach a Set 1 Sound’

18. Pencil Grasp

19. Homework
Every Friday your child will receive a copy of the new sounds we have learnt this week on a sheet for you to practise the correct letter formation. Alongside this, your child will bring home a short Literacy/Numeracy/Topic activity to complete.

20. What’s next? We will begin the RWI phonics initiative in school.
There will be a daily phonics session and your children will practise the new sounds throughout the day.
They will bring home phonics homework sheets and a read together story book.
They will then move on to Ditties, which are simple phonetic sentence sheets for your children to practise segmenting and blending.
Once your child is able to recognise the sounds and segment and blend with fluency then a RWI book will be sent home.
Miss Barber will organise Further Phonics training for parents/ carers who would like further information

21. Just keep reading!
Favourite books from home
Library book from School
Visit to Eccles Library
Oxford Owl books online (free resource that works with tablets)

22. If you have any questions, please ask
If you have any questions, please ask. Thank you for coming to this Reading Meeting.