Letters And Sounds

[skippy]

I just wondered if anyone has been implementing the letters and sounds pack and how you are finding it? Have you begun with phase one and worked your way through or have you gone by individual children's needs. Also have you run it alongside another programee Ie Jolly phonics?

[apple]

Hi Skippy we have been doing letters and sounds in our Nursery for a couple of terms now and it is going great. We use the Jolly Songs with the flashcard and action which support the kineasthetic, aural and visual learners. Our first term was spent with lots of steady beat and music sessions- singing, drumming etc Using some ideas from Phase 1. Now we have split the children into two groups with Phase 1 repeating some of the ideas from the document along with the Jolly Songs and Phase 2 working on blending and segmenting. They have astounded us with what they can do.

 

I was unsure whether or not to keep doing Jolly Phonics at first as the graphemes do not appear until Phase 2. however, by introducing the children to the visual letter card in a very understated way alongside the song I really believe it has made a big difference to their rate of learning. Straight after Christmas we started the Jolly Phonics and learnt 3 letters a week, these where sent home for the parents to help their child with.

 

With the Phase 2 children we are just dipping in and out of the activities. Some are ready for writing but on the whole most aren't- however, when we think that they are only Nursery and what they have happily achieved so far then this wil really give them a great 'leg up' for Reception.

 

We are really pleased with how it has gone this year but realise it could all be different with the next co-hort. We will keep an open mind and only move on to Phase 2 if they are ready- hence the splitting of the group this year.

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have been using it since September. I have a mixed class of YR and Y1. We all started on Phase 2 back in September. As a school we decided to add in inital blends around week 4 of Phase 3, so we are only just finishing phase 4. It has been good and the children have enjoyed the activities, but:

I now have 3 phonics groups. One that works with me, and are just finishing phase 4. One that is back to the initial blends, and are doing a little bit of writing. And one that is only just on phase 3, and is still struggling to form letter correctly, so not word building yet. Having these groups is difficult, but at least it caters for the children's needs.

I have to say I quite like it - but then again this is my first year in FS/KS1 - and phonics wasn't taught much up in Year 4, so I have no idea what other schemes are like (so I might not be of much use)

The only thing my school did comment on, was that we thought whilst it was create for writing, our children are over heavily dependent on phonics now for reading, and so we're trying to fit in extra reading skills to cover the other strategies.

 

Emily-Jane

[Marion]

The principle behind Letters and Sounds (Rose Review) is that other methods aren't introduced until children are fluent readers. I would use magnetic letters or cards for word building for children who are struggling with letter formation because that isn't the skill being taught in L&S.

[Guest]

Hi All - we have been implimenting and had feedback from our feeder schools who have said we should just stay within phase 1 -and that phase 2 at pre-school should not be introduced as children are not emotionally ready for this step, and also the research into how boys by 11 are totally turned off to education.

 

I also have a child a pre-school who I feel is more than ready to move onto phase 2, however as she is starting school in September and in phase 2 first sets of letters are taught rapidly, should I really be introducing this to her now - should I not let her carry on building on phase 1 and she learns her new experience at school ?

 

Advice on any thoughs please Dot

[Guest]

I have only just come across this scheme as due to a change in management plus me only recently starting there, it had not been implemented before and it was only when I was reading through my manager and I realised we are supposed to be teaching phonics (she is not from a childcare background so had no idea herself). However I have looked through the pack and understand the principle, but will not implement until September as it then gives me a bit of time to inform other staff aswell. Because I am new to this can anybody guide me to some more information about how to bring this into a pre-school that has never done phonics? And as such has no resources apart from my speech and language resources.

 

Unfortunately I have been out of early years for a few years so was a bit surprised it had not been brought up before.

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

Hi Karen M and welcome to the forum - there are loads of resources you can buy from Jolly Phonics, but to be honest, we generally create our own, and in phase 1 there are so many ideas - on a recent course for this topic we were given a list of books not only to support adults but for the children as well - I will post these over the weekend. Dot

[Guest]

I have been using it with my recption class since the beginning of September. I know have a real range of abilities- a large group who are beginning to look at phase 5, a good chunk on the class who are confidently working on phase 4 and a small group of children who are struggling at the beginning of phase 3.

 

In just one year I have seen a impact on both reading and writing, particularly over the last few weeks- it all seems to be coming together. One of the bits I really like, is the high emphais on teaching tricky words and HFW as sight alongside phonics. Most of mine confidently read words that last years cohort would never have read!

 

We use jolly phonics actions to teach letters in the order stated in letters and sounds.

 

I wouldn't recommend starting phase 2 before they are in reception- I didn't with mine and they are now working on phase 5, as they coped really well and we moved them along quite quickly. so they can still make good progress.

 

sparklebox has been fab for resources and games.

[sharonash]

Do you cover letters and sounds in nursery as part of a group time activity or throught the session?

Do you record this on a planning format if so could anyone share please?

[Lorna]

We are using letters and sounds as well... still working thriough the phase 4 sounds.

All children can build at least cvc words and many 4/5 and even 6 letter words.

We have just done one of the vowel diagraphs a week as it is an awful lot for little children to take on board and use. We find many of the children can read the sounds but not many of them write them of use them completely correctly when spelling. We are not moving on to phase 5 and feel that next year there will need to be a lot of consolidation of phase 4.

 

We have had many conflicting opinions of Sand L.

Saying that for some children by the end of Reception you may only just be introducing phase 2, and then on the other hand saying the more able children should be working in phase 5. HEnce we have taken it slovly this year with lots of games and reinforcements. Not been able to do seperate groups as we have had so many TAs during the year, we just get them trained up and they move on. Roll on September... when I will have trained my currect TA and she will be able to lead a group for phonics.

 

I have encouraged my pre schools to only concentrate on phase 1 and other speaking and listening activities and not to teach the phonic sounds... play games as stated in phase 1 to develop auditory skills so that they will want to learn phonic when we start at half term. Obviously if there are children ready or more importantly wanting to learn the phonic sounds in nursery/ pre school them I wouldn't want to hold a child back...

 

Interesting thread.

 

Lorna

[apple]

As our nursery is attached to the school and in consultation with reception staff and the literacy coordinator we felt that it was very appropriate for those children who are ready to move into Phase 2 to do so. Hence the differentiate groups. We see no point in holding back these children if they are ready and if there is time in the session to do so.

I can see the concerns that some feeder schools may have but why hold some back- surely we have a duty to meet the needs of all children and to challenge and extend their learning?

[skippy]

Hi There seems to be mixed feelings with Letters and sounds. From looking at the pack and phase one it looks great, What I would like to find out as sharonash aked is if and how you record its implementation?

Thanks for sharing all your thoughts. X

[skippy]

Hi could anyone help (again!) I would like to start in Septemnber with letters and sounds Phase one only but was wondering if anyone could share a format for it's implementation? Thanks

[apple]

Skippy what kind of format do you need- is it planning or ideas?

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post so forgive me if I make a boob!

I am the literacy co-ordinator and early years manager for a nursery and infant school with around 170 children on roll.

 

This Februray we assessed all of our reception, Y1 and Y2 children as to where they were with phonics and sorted them into differentiated groups (across the whole school) at the different phases. This meant that some of our Y2s were working with YR and vice versa.

 

I wrote a 6 week programme for each phase which involves a 20 minute session every day and assessments on phonics and tricky words every 6 weeks to determine whether the children are ready to move on. If they are not ready they do that level again. All the teachers and support staff were trained in the new program so each group has no more than 15 children in and some of the earlier groups are much smaller.

 

Every child has worked at their own pace and level and they love it. Some of our special needs Y2 children who have had to sit through Y2 whole class phonics and not understood a word are making huge progress with the younger children moving up 3 phases since februrary. The parents are 100% behind us following a school meeting and last week during our OFSTED inspection the inspector thought it was great. In September I am taking the program into our 52 place nusery and we intend to have several small phase 1 groups but the chilren who are ready will go in with the phase 2 (and higher when ready socially) groups. We are also planning to run a speech and language group at the same time for the children who have specific needs to have them met daily.

 

I hope that makes sense I am sure you will all let me know if it doesn't!

[skippy]

Hi apple a planning format would be good but I suppose it is a bit of both really.

[catma]

There are 32 funded CLLD LAs who will have a specific consultant for CLLD which includes the rolling out/support of letters and sounds so if you are unsure of what to do check with your LA team (maybe early years, may be primary strategy a sdifferent LAs organise differently) and they might be able to support if you arecoming new to the programme.

 

Some thoughts from being a CLLD authority:

 

Children can achieve secure at phase 3 even if they are summer born. We have improved our LA % to something like 60% of all Reception chn in the schools supported in the programme. Our LA FSP scores have improved equally in CLLD.

 

Whole school ownership is important for phases 2 -6. It is a programme and it requires fidelity by everyone as children progress, not just "something they do in early years"!

 

In reception the RTPA teaching sequence will work if the balance of teaching and supported application in the discrete session is equally evident. All input and no application modelling waters down the impact.

 

Pace in teaching is important, children can learn more than 1 phoneme a week!

 

Getting your differentiated groups right is important if you have capacity but the focus must be on all chn making equal rates of progress even if they have different levels of attainment at the end.

 

Children in nursery really need to be focusing on phase1 and strand 7 is very important in that. I would rather have children who can orally blend/segment than have loads of PGC but no application when they start in reception! That's not to say that chn can't be supported in phase 2 before reception if they are really ready for it but it's often seen as a race to the letters and not a clear focus on the underpinning skill set required to use them confidently later.

 

DCSF focus on the remaining LAs re CLLD will be the next phase of the natiional agenda so you may find a CLLD consultant near you soon if you don't akready have one. However your eyats/FS consultants should have a good understanding of the programme anyway.

 

CLLD Expectations: Reception children should be secure (not just working within)at phase 3 by end of year. This is compatible with ELG expectations in CLLD and also with book bands etc. Use of phonics should be the primary strategy used and that is not a failing! Once they can decode confidently then you can support the other axis in the simple view of reading ie reading comprehension which is a key part of the continuing readiong curriculum through to end of primary

End of yr1 secure at phase 5. If they are still at phase 4 (which is a very short transitional phase with no new input really) then they are a year behind in terms of national expectations as phase 5 is basically a years worth of focus!

end of yr2 secure at phase 6. Supporting expectations of level 2.

 

Cx

Edited July 19, 2008 by catma

[Marion]

Children in nursery really need to be focusing on phase1 and strand 7 is very important in that. I would rather have children who can orally blend/segment than have loads of PGC but no application when they start in reception! That's not to say that chn can't be supported in phase 2 before reception if they are really ready for it but it's often seen as a race to the letters and not a clear focus on the underpinning skill set required to use them confidently later.

 

 

 

Cx

 

 

I couldn't agree more ... another one of my battles for next year

[catma]

It's a constant battle I have with people all over!

[Guest LOSINGTHEWILLTOLIVE]

Hi Karen M and welcome to the forum - there are loads of resources you can buy from Jolly Phonics, but to be honest, we generally create our own, and in phase 1 there are so many ideas - on a recent course for this topic we were given a list of books not only to support adults but for the children as well - I will post these over the weekend. Dot

 

 

Hi Dot

 

Please can you post those book references to support letters and sounds as we do not have much in the way of alliterative texts or reading lists - just the Jolly Phonics stuff. I would also like to have a longterm plan on how to implement letters and sounds as I am in the middle of planning for next term and am unsure how long to spend on each aspect and phase before moving on to the next. Last year we started Phase 2 in Jan but only got as far as Phase 4 (which was a bit patchy with the middle groups) - any suggestions please?

Edited August 5, 2008 by LOSINGTHEWILLTOLIVE