Letters And Sounds Phase 3

[Guest]

Hi everyone I hope you can help me! I started teaching letters and sounds phase 2 at the start of reception and have hence now moved onto phase 3. The problem that I'm having is that half of the children are not really ready to move on to phase 3 yet, as they are unable to write down CVC words or even break down the words into Sound talk. The rest of the class have been ready for a long time to move onto phase 3! I am currently teaching phonics as a whole class, but giving the lower ability children phonics activities during their literacy sessions. I don't know what to do other than what i am doing, but these children simply do not seem to be getting it, and it is not fair not to move the other children onto phase 3. I have no TA. Any ideas? The aprents are already working at home with their children every night!

 

Thanks

Charlotte

[Susan]

Is there any way you can split your group into 2, do the phonics with each and let the others "choose"?

Do you have any TA support to call on?

[Marion]

The problem that I'm having is that half of the children are not really ready to move on to phase 3 yet, as they are unable to write down CVC words or even break down the words into Sound talk.

 

Thanks

Charlotte

 

Hi charlotte

 

There is no requirement for children to be able to write words. Letters and sounds says ~ "compose words by manipulating letters even though children may not yet be able to write them, for example with a pencil;" Lots of whole class with magnetic letters or on an IWB if you have one. I think the rest is down to the dripping tap method and "over teaching" until it clicks. I would include all the children in teaching new sounds and then split into groups working at the different levels while the other children access independent activities.

[Guest]

I do what Marion does - we're introducing letters to the whole class and most parents are keen to support and do work with children so some of the children who might not have been put with the 'more able' group are learning the letters. For those who don't get it first time, we will revisit so they'll get a second (and third) go if needed. At the start of each session we revise graphemes etc., then introduce new sounds (using jolly phonics jingles and frieze), a very quick go at oral blending, segmenting, reading using the new sound. Then we split into two groups with one group working with nursery nurse and one with me, but if you're on your own (poor you ) you could do as Susan suggests.

 

I'm finding even my better ones, who can blend and segment, are having trouble with writing, but do manage with letter cards, magnetic letters and letter cards on the IWB.

 

Good luck Charlotte.

[Guest]

I think you should continue the others will pick it up if you keep reviewing each day. Blending and segmenting takes some children ages. One day it just seems to click. If you have children with SEN then it might be worth getting a TA to take these children and really slow down the pace

 

We have a particularily poor group of children with SEN in year one and two and I have planned letters and sounds at a much slower pace for them. They are making really good progress now.

[Guest]

I have 2 groups on Phase 3 (one well into t and one who have just started it) and a group consolidating Phase 2 - they are just not ready for Phase 3. Fortunately my TA is very good and we each have a group while 2 groups choose (the Phase 2 group is split into 2 parts so the children who think they can sit back and let others do everything can't!), then we each have a second group.

 

Also, my phase 3 groups are only having 2 new sounds each week (once onto digraphs) - last year's lot found it really difficult to take on board and remember the phase 3 digraphs when taught 4 a week, and I ended up reteaching most of them.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for all your comments! I have successfull split my class into 2 groups and have initially started digraphs with group 1, introducing 2 at a time and most seem to be coping. I can see a time when 3 groups might be needed but it seems to be working well at the moment. The trouble is, although the top group enjoy learning new sounds and see reading and writing as " fun", the lower ability group are already bored of all the games suggested in letters and sounds. i have got them playing standard "make a word" games but they are still bored. Does anyone have any suggestions for new games to make learning to read fun again?

 

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

 

Charlotte

[Susan]

What makes you think they are bored, Charlotte?

 

If they say that, do they mean they cant understand what they are doing?

[Guest]

What makes you think they are bored, Charlotte?

 

If they say that, do they mean they cant understand what they are doing?

 

we had someone come and give us letters and sounds training last week- what about making initial sound boxes- children have objects in different boxes etcthat all begin with one letter.

 

or you could play the farm game- children have figures of farm yard animals- they guess the sound or noise the animal makes where they say the sound.

 

or using tizzys first tools- have pictures of different animals where the children then add the noises they make to it and try writing cow etc- this gets the children really engaged and at least having a go at writing

 

im afraid you just have to keep going with the games and just try to get all children involved. even somethign simple like eye spy with initial sounds or girls verses boys- say a word - cat can they write the initial sound on their whiteboards? fastest boy or girl win- my kids love this game!

 

goodluck x x

[Guest]

we had someone come and give us letters and sounds training last week-

 

 

Do you mind me asking who came to give you training? Was it an external body? Was it useful?

[Guest]

Get some ping pong balls and write consonants in one colour and vowels in another colour. Put in the water tray. Children to catch 2 consonants and 1 vowel. Does it make a word?

 

The treasure game (from letters and sounds) I got loads of 2p pieces and stuck words on them. Hid them in the sand. If it was a real word it went into a treasure box if it was a nonsense word it went into a bin.

 

Play the river game

Get a big blue sheet and lay it across the floor. Get some large grapheme cards(laminated) Children have to cross the river by reading the cvc word. I usually sing to mine

 

'Who can cross the river who can cross the river who can cross the river and reach the other side (polly put the kettle on tune)

 

You could play the river game the other way round and ask the children to segment a word to reach the other side. You could shout out 'bat' and the child has to say /b/ /a/ /t/. They can then cross the river.

 

Magnetic boards and magnetic letters are a big hit. Show them a picture of a cvc word and the children find the letters needed and make the word.

 

For phoneme grapheme correspondances I have a bag of sounds which we pass round whilst singing 'bag of sounds pass it round pass it round pass it round bag of sounds pass it round what's in the bag? (London bridge is falling down) Child it stops on has to take out a letter and read it...you could use this with a bag of words, or a bag of pictures (initial sounds)

 

Also I use the large grapheme cards and lay them out on the floor and sing 'Walk around and find a sound, find a sound, find a sound, walk around and find a sound. What sound is it? The grapheme they are standing on they have to shout out what it is.

 

Will think of some more tomorrow am ready for bed now

[Guest Keen]

Have you seen this book

 

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0449668/details.html

 

it is fantastic and my children just love it even those coping really well! We don't ask the children to write at all in our phonic session we use the IWB and magnetic letters but what we are seeing is that in child initiated they are having amazing attemps in their own writing!