Why use actions in phonics sessions? •Promotes active engagement and participation – research suggests that the longer a child is actively participating in a lesson, the higher their academic success. •Targets kinaesthetic types of learners – movement •Helps to distinguish between similar sounds •Visual prompt – if a child is unsure of the GPC they …
What is it and how can we use it in the classroom to support spelling? Do you know what a zyzzyva is and how to pronounce it? Key Terms Base word – A word that can stand alone when all of the affixes have been removed Root Word – The root carries the primary meaning …
Using Morphology to Help Build Vocabulary and Spelling Strategies for Your Learners Read More »
Why use songs for learning phonics? It has been proven that songs have a positive intellectual impact on pupils, as well as helping linguistic development that later aids learning to read. The power of music: its impact on the intellectual, social and personal development of children and young people (Susan Hallam, 2010) Using songs in …
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Why flashcards? The scientifically proven best way to learn is practicing recall by spaced repetition. You repeat the process of recall in certain time intervals (every day, every weekend etc.), and that’s how information gets stored in your long-term memory. Spaced repetition indicates that it’s better to learn every day for one hour, than one …
Choosing and Using Flashcards to Accelerate Learning in Phonics Read More »
What is Orthography? ‘The conventional spelling system of a language.’ ‘The study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words.’ (Oxford English Dictionary) High quality SSP ensuring children have a solid foundational knowledge of GPCs The first way we use orthography is when teaching pupils phonics in KS1. We advocate the …
How to use Orthography to get the Most out of Phonics for Spelling Read More »
What is the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check? Designed to determine whether children can recall times tables facts fluently. Allow schools to identify children who need more help becoming secure in their times tables knowledge, but not specific gaps (sadly!). There is no pass/fail for the test, so no resits required (unlike Year 1 Phonics …
The importance of stories Schools who score highly in the Phonics Screening Check note that building a love of stories and reading plays a big part in their success (DfE, 2021). 2019 survey by the Literacy Trust found that children who enjoy reading were up to three times more likely to have higher than expected …
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Why use GPC Characters? Associating the characters with GPCs lends itself to story telling and putting these characters in meaningful contexts, which the pupils can relate to. These characters underpin the whole of the scheme and are referenced in the flashcards, decodable books, lesson plans, interventions, teaching books and formation rhymes. The characters are used …
Using GPC Characters for Engaging Phonics Teaching and Learning Read More »
What are bar models? Where did they come from? Bar models have been part of the Singapore Ministry of Education’s mathematics’ concrete, pictorial, abstract process since the late 1980s. Their origins date back further than the late 1980s, though. They were used as part of the American psychologist and educationalist, Jerome Bruner’s three-part lesson process …
What are bar models and how to use them to solve problems Read More »
About the Phonics Screening Check What is it? A statutory phonic knowledge screening for Year 1 pupils was introduced in 2011/12 in England. It is conducted orally and 1:1 with teacher, usually lasts 5-10 minutes (although there is no set time limit). The test should be done with a teacher that the child knows to …
The best ways to run and prepare your class for the Phonics Screening Check Read More »
