Welcome to Reception at Littlehaven !

1. Welcome to Reception at Littlehaven!

2. Our focus today • Phonics – Song of Sounds • Writing and handwriting • Reading • General information

3. Phonics • Daily 15 mins phonic session and follow up activities. • Phonics at Littlehaven is active or kinaesthetic. • The programme has a proven impact of success. Our Year 1 Phonic screening results have improved to above the national average over the last two years. 100% of our pupils achieved this before leaving Littlehaven last year.

4. What kind of resources are used? • Key component is the song! • Green decodable words • Red tricky words • Frieze, and phoneme stars • Bingo game and grapheme/phoneme card • Phoneme mats

5. So how can you help? • Please practice the song at home. • Play games with the songs, such as one doing the action and the other writes the song. • Use the phoneme mats and play teachers. • Identify and encourage your child to use the phonics when they are reading. • Use sound buttons to decode words.

6. Writing Early Learning Goal Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible. • Encourage mark making (on appropriate surfaces!) • Continue to practice nip, flip and grip, and name writing. • Write for different purposes eg a card, a list, a label.

7. Handwriting • Cursive handwriting taught from Reception • Lead ins and lead out, moving to joined up in Year 1 • Linked to fine motor skills Letter families Name writing – please practice regularly, demonstrating how to form correctly. If you need another copy, please ask us 

8. Song of Sounds phoneme mat

9. Reading Early Learning Goal Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read. • Continue to share stories, every night if possible. • Ask your child questions about the story, eg characters, settings, encouraging them to predict what may happen next. • Visit a library and encourage them to look at a range of books (information, poetry)

10. Reading at Littlehaven Stage 1 – Robot read’ Getting to know the book and the illustrations on their own. They may attempt to decode the words. Stage 2 – ‘Thinking out loud’ Your chance to read the story to your child. Read slowly, talking about the characters and what is happening in the story. Stage 3 – ‘Re-read’ Your child will re-read the book, this time with you, with greater fluency. Can they notice the difference since the first time they read the book? Stage 4 – ‘Performance’ In this rehearsal stage, encourage your child to add expression and animation to the story. Eg ‘she was very sad.’ Stage 5 – The final stage The final stage is where your child will use all that they have learned to read the book as independently as possible. Have fun!

11. General information • Tapestry – if you have not yet logged on, the link has expired! Please feel free to add your own observations of what your child does at home. • Nativity dates: Tuesday 11th December 2pm Wednesday 12th December 9am Don’t worry, you don’t need a costume! Any questions?