Curriculum afternoon for new parents. How do we teach your children to read, write and communicate successfully?

Speaking and listening. You might think “my child doesn’t need to be taught to speak. The problem is getting them to be quiet.” But there are actually a lot of skills that we hope to develop in your child’s first year at school.

Speaking. The EYFS is a play based curriculum. There’s a lot of research to show that the language children use in play is far richer than that they use in more formal situations.

How do children develop their speaking skills in school? In the role play and small world play areas children use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences. In the role play and small world play areas children use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences. Knowledgeable adults help extend their language in these play situations. Knowledgeable adults help extend their language in these play situations. During a plan/do/review process children learn to explain, and clarify their ideas and feelings. During a plan/do/review process children learn to explain, and clarify their ideas and feelings. Remodelling and extending encourages children to talk in complete sentences and to develop their vocabulary. Remodelling and extending encourages children to talk in complete sentences and to develop their vocabulary. Stories, songs and rhymes are all important. Stories, songs and rhymes are all important.

How can you help? Make time to talk to your child every day. It might be when you sit around the table to eat in the evening. Or when you are playing Lego. Or you might get out their Barbies or Power Rangers and enjoy some pretend play. Make time to talk to your child every day. It might be when you sit around the table to eat in the evening. Or when you are playing Lego. Or you might get out their Barbies or Power Rangers and enjoy some pretend play. Even if you are really busy try to avoid this turning into a list of instructions. Even if you are really busy try to avoid this turning into a list of instructions. Specific skills : Specific skills : Modelling how to extend their sentence not simply one word answers. Modelling how to extend their sentence not simply one word answers. Quiet reminders not to shout. Quiet reminders not to shout. Reminders not to interrupt. Reminders not to interrupt.

Listening. Children need to learn the kind of behaviours that a good listener shows. Children need to learn the kind of behaviours that a good listener shows. -Sitting still -Sitting still -Sitting quietly -Sitting quietly -Looking at the person who’s talking -Looking at the person who’s talking -Trying to remember what the speaker said -Trying to remember what the speaker said -Not interrupting -Not interrupting

How do we develop listening skills in school? Carpet sessions which are initially kept short Carpet sessions which are initially kept short Circle games such as pass the whisper. Circle games such as pass the whisper. Talking to a partner and remembering what they have said. Talking to a partner and remembering what they have said. Musical games- copying patterns, using different voices. Musical games- copying patterns, using different voices. Using Signalong to support comprehension. Using Signalong to support comprehension.

Reading. I will be talking about what your child will do in their first few years at school. I will be talking about what your child will do in their first few years at school. Children develop at different rates based on gender, previous experience and age. Children develop at different rates based on gender, previous experience and age. Some children will be confident readers by the end of their Reception year. Others will be just beginning to read independently. Others will not be reading at all but will take off in year 1. All three of these stages are perfectly normal. Some children will be confident readers by the end of their Reception year. Others will be just beginning to read independently. Others will not be reading at all but will take off in year 1. All three of these stages are perfectly normal.

4 main skills that we want children to develop. 1. Love of books. Try to read a bedtime story every evening and make that story time a special, calm, cosy time. 2.Knowing how books work. Which way up the book goes, how to turn the pages carefully. Predict what might happen next. How do the characters feel? 3.Letter recognition. 4.Phonic skills

Letter Recognition. We teach the children the 26 letters of the alphabet and also some digraphs and trigraphs. e.g ch, ee, ear, air. We teach the children the 26 letters of the alphabet and also some digraphs and trigraphs. e.g ch, ee, ear, air. We use both Jolly Phonics and Letterland to teach the sounds. We follow the government’s own Letters and Sounds programme alongside this. We use both Jolly Phonics and Letterland to teach the sounds. We follow the government’s own Letters and Sounds programme alongside this. We have a short daily phonic lesson and children take home the new sounds as they are introduced in their Sound Book. We have a short daily phonic lesson and children take home the new sounds as they are introduced in their Sound Book.

Phonic Skills. Children need to be able to blend (put sounds together) to make words. Children need to be able to blend (put sounds together) to make words. Some children, especially the oldest ones, come to school able to do this but most don’t. It takes a lot of practise and really good listening skills. Some children, especially the oldest ones, come to school able to do this but most don’t. It takes a lot of practise and really good listening skills.

Reading Development. 1. Child knows and sounds out simple cvc words but can’t hear the word. c-a-t= dog 1. Child knows and sounds out simple cvc words but can’t hear the word. c-a-t= dog 2. Child can hear the word if an adult sounds it out. 2. Child can hear the word if an adult sounds it out. 3. Child can sound the word out and hear it independently. 3. Child can sound the word out and hear it independently. 4. Blending has become so fast and automatic that a child looks at a word and says what it says. 4. Blending has become so fast and automatic that a child looks at a word and says what it says.

Tricky words. Some words cannot be sounded out easily. These are known as Tricky words. E.g the, come. Some words cannot be sounded out easily. These are known as Tricky words. E.g the, come. When learning to read these words it helps to look at the regular part, the letters that make the sounds we would expect and then to look at the tricky bit. When learning to read these words it helps to look at the regular part, the letters that make the sounds we would expect and then to look at the tricky bit.

How can you help? Practise their Sound Book for a short time each day. Practise their Sound Book for a short time each day. Don’t use it as a test but say the sounds together. Don’t use it as a test but say the sounds together. Remember to sound digraphs and trigraphs as a unit not individual sounds. E.g ch-i-n not c-h-i-n Remember to sound digraphs and trigraphs as a unit not individual sounds. E.g ch-i-n not c-h-i-n or h-air not h-a-i-r. or h-air not h-a-i-r. Point out letters and sounds in the environment. Point out letters and sounds in the environment. Play games such as I Spy. Play games such as I Spy. When you get them, practise blending the words in the packets. When you get them, practise blending the words in the packets.

Writing. There are 4 main skills. 1. Letter formation. 1. Letter formation. 2. Segmenting words. (robot talking) 2. Segmenting words. (robot talking) 3.Understanding how to write a sentence. 3.Understanding how to write a sentence. 4.Seeing themselves as writers. 4.Seeing themselves as writers.

How do we teach Letter Formation? We develop the fine motor skills needed for writing through a range of activities. E.g threading, using clothes pegs, popping bubble wrap, painting, posting objects… We develop the fine motor skills needed for writing through a range of activities. E.g threading, using clothes pegs, popping bubble wrap, painting, posting objects… We practise letter shapes emphasising anti clockwise and vertical strokes and a correct tripod grip. It is important to develop a correct grip right from the start. Again clothes pegs are useful! We practise letter shapes emphasising anti clockwise and vertical strokes and a correct tripod grip. It is important to develop a correct grip right from the start. Again clothes pegs are useful! We develop gross motor skills (strength in the shoulders) through climbing, throwing and all large scale movements. We develop gross motor skills (strength in the shoulders) through climbing, throwing and all large scale movements.

Segmenting. We need to be able to segment or robot talk words in order to spell words we don’t know. Night= n-igh-t We need to be able to segment or robot talk words in order to spell words we don’t know. Night= n-igh-t

Understanding how to write a sentence. Deciding what to say before writing it. Deciding what to say before writing it. Where to start the sentence. Where to start the sentence. If you can’t spell the word sound it out. What sounds do I need? How do I write those sounds? If you can’t spell the word sound it out. What sounds do I need? How do I write those sounds? Leave a finger space between each word. Leave a finger space between each word. Where do I go when I get to the end of the line? Where do I go when I get to the end of the line? Put a full stop at the end of the sentence. Put a full stop at the end of the sentence. Read the sentence back through to check it makes sense. Read the sentence back through to check it makes sense.

Seeing themselves as writers. Children need to write for a range of purposes: Children need to write for a range of purposes: Letters, lists, cards, signs, stories, instructions. Letters, lists, cards, signs, stories, instructions.

How can you help? Encourage a correct pencil grip when you see your child holding felt pens, paint brushes etc. Try a clothes peg if they find this hard. Encourage a correct pencil grip when you see your child holding felt pens, paint brushes etc. Try a clothes peg if they find this hard. When writing letter shapes encourage anticlockwise and vertical strokes. When writing letter shapes encourage anticlockwise and vertical strokes. Let your child see you write. Let your child see you write. When your child brings home a Writing Book make time to help them with this. When your child brings home a Writing Book make time to help them with this. Later in the year when some of the children will be bringing home dictations you will need to talk them through this. Later in the year when some of the children will be bringing home dictations you will need to talk them through this.

Finally! Don’t worry! Your child will learn to read, write, and be an effective communicator. Don’t worry! Your child will learn to read, write, and be an effective communicator. You can come in to see me for ideas whenever you feel you need to. You can come in to see me for ideas whenever you feel you need to.