Reading At Courthill First School

1. ReadingAt Courthill First School How to help your child!

2. What does this say? • ghoti

3. The answer! • gh – rough – makes a ‘f’ sound • O – women – makes ‘i’ sound • ti – motion – makes ‘sh’ sound • FISH!

4. Jolly Phonics • The following clip will be on the website by the end of the week • Jolly Phonics is done in the majority of schools across the country • Benefits of the program: supports ALL learning styles VAK

5. Jolly Phonics • Comments from previous parents • “I found the phonic sessions brilliant in Foundation and to be invited in to observe how the childen are taught was so helpful to then continue at home with my daughter. The actions were such an asset when it came to learning to read. We were all using the actions at home and now my 2 year old is already picking them up!” • “I feel that the actions really benefited my child, Its all we have been doing at home since, and all letters and sounds are now learnt.” • “My daughter really benefited from Jolly Phonics as in involved three different ways of learning, speaking, listening and actions. This increased her ability to remember each letter sound and name.”

6. Reading for the Foundation StageWhat we are assessing on. • Hear and say initial, final and short sounds within words • Can segment and blend - robot • Link sounds to letters and letter names • Use phonic knowledge in reading/writing (words and simple sentences) • Enjoys an increasing range of books • Re-tell narratives in correct sequence using story language • Suggests how story might end • Handles books with care, knows that print carries meaning. (directon) • Show understanding of elements of stories (character, sequence of events) and how information is found in non-fiction texts. Answer questions about stories.

7. ReadingAsk yourselves the following… • Do they have favourite stories, poems or songs? • Can they listen to and join in with stories, one to one or in a group? • Do they look at books independently? • Can they suggest how stories might end? • Do they show interest in illustrations and print in books and the environment? • Do they handle books carefully? (holding books the correct way and turn pages carefully) • Do they know that print is telling them something? Are they able to point at the words one at a time? • Do they like a range of books? • Do they know that information can be retrieved from books and computers? • If not – why not?

8. Our aim! By the end of the year we want most children to be… • Exploring and experimenting with sounds, words and text • Retelling stories in the correct sequence using story language • Reading a range of words and simple sentences independently • Realising that print is read from left to right and top to bottom • Understanding stories, main characters, events and beginnings • Knowing how information can be found in non-fiction and fiction texts to answer questions about where, who, why and how

9. How we get there and how you can help. • Teach Book behaviour – how to handle books carefully, turn the pages correctly, directionality of text and following text with the finger. • We look at the front cover of books, what’s the book about? Discuss illustrations, tell the story where there are no words, ask ‘why’ questions, talk about characters, pick out familiar sounds and words, talk about the story, become authors! • Tell stories in a way which motivates and excites children, expression, character voices • Modelling our thought processes aloud if stuck eg sounding out, picture clues, does it make sense?

10. Reading Opportunities • We hear children read individually to check progress and reading levels. • We read as a group once a week • Children also read every day in other ways: big books, Words/signs from boards/classroom • Using CD/tapes with books and stories • Computer programs • Paired reading/free use of books in the reading corner • Role-play corners

11. Phonics/Sound knowledge • Daily letters and sounds and Jolly Phonics, • Hear it, see it, say it, write it. • Alien words – government issued test- Quoam, Thorden • Hearing rhyme and alliteration • Letter names and capital letters • Robot talk: CVC e.g. Cat, sun, mum and CVCC words e.g. drip, stop, flip. Blending sounds together for reading and segment sounds for spelling. • Phonic Fridays – come along! Phonetic spelling egrokit

12. Word recognition • Some words can not be read by using our sounds – these are known as tricky words eg the, was, no, go • TAG words for homework to read and write • Key words displayed around room, • Playing word games such as bingo, silly sentences • Reading records to trackprogress.

13. What you can do at home • Find a comfortable, quiet place to read together. Try to read every day. (books can be kept for a couple of days) • Children responsible for choosing OWN book. • Make it a special and important time, if you need ideas just ask! • It is okay to re-read a favourite story/comic! It can help a less confident reader. You could extend this by finding a book by a similar author. • Try not to interrupt by correcting every mistake. Encourage children to read for meaning – does it make sense? • Play I Spy! You will soon know if they are recognising/hearing initial sounds- practice!

14. What you can do at home. • Be aware that tricky words can be harder to learn e.g. the, said, was • Other longer words can be sounded out • Making lots of mistakes? The book is too hard – take it in turns to read pages/sentences should be 80% accurate • Discuss the book together when you have finished. Check the child’s comprehension • Don’t forget to model writing – children rarely see adults write nowadays (due to texting and email) sound out your shopping lists, leave notes for each other, thank you notes/postcards etc – remember to write in phonetically e.g f r oo t (fruit) • Be patient. Reading and then writing can be a difficult skill to master • Keep sessions short, sweet and fun – give lots of praise

15. And finally… Just enjoy it!