Meet The Teacher Evening Monday 15th September

Welcome and thank you for coming to our meeting. Life in Reception: Timetable Curriculum – 7 areas Indoors/Outdoors Assessment/Grouping/Differentiate Attendance/Punctuality/Arrival and Collection Homework Handouts and Resources Autumn Term Topics

Learning at Marston Green Academy We aim to cover: Literacy: Phonics Reading Maths Number system Shape, Space and Measures

School Expectations of Parents As parents or carers you are your child’s most influential teacher with an incredibly important role to play in helping your child to learn. Children who are supported at home will be more successful.

What are phonics? Phonics is the understanding of how letters combine to make words. We teach by slowly creating a working knowledge of the alphabet. We use a mix of actions and cued articulation. Gradually children recognise sounds without the visual clues.

Phonics 1. Letter sounds The way in which phonics are taught in sequence follows this pattern: s a t p i n m d g o c k ck e u r h b f ff l ll ss Each sound is given an action which helps children remember the letter that represents it. Jolly Phonics pronunciation – website Once secure the children move onto Phase 3 we will discuss this at our next meeting.

Phonics 2. Letter names Please teach your children the names of the letters of the alphabet. They will need this knowledge as they progress through school as spelling is taught through naming the letters. They need to name the letters of the alphabet to gain the ELG in Literacy.

Phonics 3. Blending Blending is the process of saying individual sounds and then running them together to make words. To begin with children will sound out words individually and then say them more quickly to hear the word, this process varies with every child . For this process to work we need pure sounds. Words that we cannot blend such as said we call tricky words and must be learned by sight.

Reading Books We use the Oxford Reading Tree scheme, please do not buy the books. Initially children may be given a picture book. Children are only given a new book when we feel they are ready to progress. Parents will need to prompt their child with questions. Encourage your child to ask questions about the pictures they see.

Reading How children develop Our aim is to create children who will become able independent readers. Not all children develop at the same time or pace. Once children can sound out the letters and begin to make sense of the plot, it is also about your child’s understanding.

Reading -What to talk about? These are often ideas which parents or carers automatically talk about with their children It is just as important that a child understands what is happening in the story as the importance of reading itself. Talk about: - Emotions and feelings of characters - The weather and clothing worn by characters - Likes and dislikes of the story/books - Predict what might happen next. - Their experiences, past, present and future events. - Who are the characters? (names, description, place in the family and where they live) - Where does the story take place?

Reading - Influence your child to take an interest. Let your child see you read books, magazines, they will want to do what you are doing they love to copy grown ups. Choose a quiet time everyday to read a story, always read with enthusiasm and use lots of expression. Join the library and talk about the books they choose. Offer your children choice, magazines, poems, books, information books, rhymes, fairy tales. When your child brings home a reading book, communicate with the teacher regularly with positive comments this shows your child you value their reading.

Reading - Games to play Look at letters and mail - talk about the address, sort by name. Send a letter/postcard to your child and read it together. Print hunt – encourage your child to recognise signs and labels, cars, registrations etc. I Spy – Links sounds to real life objects. Use magnetic letters on the fridge or sponge letters in the bath e.g what does hat begin with? Make letter cards together. Odd One Out – collect items which begin with S and one which is T. Ask you child to spot the odd one out. Cooking – Follow a recipe, use icing to write letters or names. Make labels together and match them to items around the home. If you have the internet sites such as www.patandpals.co.uk help promote reading skills.

Reading Activity Now it is your turn to take part in a reading activity. Next writing

Emergent Writing Definition: Emergent writing means that children begin to understand that writing is a form of communication, and their marks on paper begin to convey a message

The Stages of writing There are eight basic stages of writing that children progress through. All stages overlap and children progress and reach writing stages at many different ages.

The Drawing Stage Children use drawing to stand for writing. Children may believe that drawings have “a message”. Children “read” their drawings as if there was writing on them.

Scribbling and Letter Like Forms Children begin to make a very important distinction. Marks used for writing look different from those used for drawing pictures. Writing marks are ‘lined up’ picture marks are not.

Random Letters or Letter Strings Uses letter sequences perhaps learned from his/her name. May write the same letters in many ways. Long strings of letters in random order. Will then begin to use initial letters of each word to write a sentence.

Invented Spelling Creates own spelling when conventional spelling is not known by applying limited phonic knowledge One letter may represent an entire syllable. Vowels often missed. Words may overlap. May not use proper spacing. As writing matures, more words are spelled conventionally.

Tripod grip/aids

Phonetic Writing As the children develop their knowledge of phonics we will be asking them to think of the sounds they hear in the words and then write the corresponding letter.

The cursive script

The Benefits of cursive handwriting It helps children’s writing to be clear, fluent legible and fast. Having a lead in and out stroke avoids confusion about where to begin letter formation. This has also proved beneficial for children with poor hand control and for dyslexic children. The pencil does not often need to be lifted from the page – this reinforces phonic and spelling patterns.

. Now it is your turn. Everyone stand up. All hold out your magic pencil

How can you help How can you help? Write for your children – You teach by modelling good practice Write with your children - Here is where correct spelling and grammar does not need to be enforced We do not want to discourage children from trying Write about meaningful things. Go for a walk. Write what you saw. If someone visited write about that Allow them to share the pen, write letters or words they know

Provide opportunities to write Provide opportunities to write. When children draw a picture write what they tell you about it, in their words, to show what they say can be translated into words. Mummy took us swimming.

Maths in Reception In the Foundation Stage children are supported in developing their mathematical understanding in a broad range of contexts, both indoors and outdoors. Within the environment they can explore and learn in a very practical way.

Maths in Reception Some whole class work exploring mathematical concepts will be teacher led and children can also freely explore these concepts through a variety of different activities and resources set up each day.

What Maths looks like The mathematics curriculum in Reception is split into two categories; numbers and shape, space and measures.

In the Autumn term we will be focusing on the number system so the children have a solid understanding in readiness to calculate. The children will be consolidating their knowledge of the 2D shapes and their properties. Calculation will begin in Spring Term

Numeral recognition Ordering numbers Matching values Recognising a small quantity without counting Estimation

They explore characteristics of 2D shapes and use mathematical language to describe them I am a flat shape I have 1 curved side I have no corners What shape am I?

How can you help your child Looking for and name shapes at home and in the environment Involve children in cooking. Look at numbers on scales and measuring jugs Measure and compare feet sizes and height of family members Using the vocabulary of size

Maths At Home Do little and often. Maths homework will be alternate weeks Lots of praise Play lots of games Remember maths should be …..fun!