Injecting Some Excitement Back Into Phonics

[Guest]

We now have only about 7 or 8 sounds left to teach the children in reception. After this is going to be all about consolidation and reviewing but I am increasing finding myself very bored with phonics and I'm sure the children must be too. I am going to assess them all after I have finshed the last set of sounds in order to find out what I need to revist etc. I also have a January intake who obviously are not up to the same speed as the rest but at the moment they are in a different group with my TA

 

I just hoped people could give me some ideas about making it interesting again

[Cait]

I don't know really - it does seem like they would be easily boring - especially after repeating it yourself, year in and year out! Have you googled it to see if there's any fresh ideas on the web?

[Guest]

Do you use the letters and sounds document as there are lots of fun games in there you could adapt and use to encourage your class to practise and apply their phonics skills?

 

If you search for 'letters and sounds' there will be lots of activity ideas here in the forum. Also have a look in the planning section of the forum, Marion posted the letters and sounds activities (split into phases) a while ago as a word document which is great for laminating and pulling out each session.

 

Also I use a puppet throughout all my phonic sessions which really engages the children - you can really have fun with a puppet, make him make mistakes etc, or set the children challenges to help him.

 

Hope this helps?

 

Tinky

[Cait]

Oh that sounds a bit like fun, hmm. I can see how that would jolly things up nicely. Thanks

[Guest]

Thanks for the ideas so far, I will certainly be trying some of them out.

[Marion]

I have some good activities (at school) that involve rockets etc...) Try Phonics Play or LCFClubs if you have an IWB or PC.

Debbie Hepplewhite has kindly asked me to take a look at her Phonics International programme (unit 1 is free) and I'm working closely with a JP trainer at the moment .

[Guest]

When you say you are nearly at the end of the sounds from reception do you not follow the letters and sounds document? The phases set out in that are not limited to year groups and you work through them in order when the children have achieved each phase.

[Guest]

you probably might already do it but i use jolly songs and they are good fun and we have a kareoke machine that the children access and practice on and they love it and for any eal it really boosts their confidence x

[HappyMaz]

Debbie Hepplewhite has kindly asked me to take a look at her Phonics International programme (unit 1 is free) and I'm working closely with a JP trainer at the moment .

Ooh you are a name dropper, Marion! How did this all come about?

 

Maz

[Guest]

We now have only about 7 or 8 sounds left to teach the children in reception. After this is going to be all about consolidation and reviewing but I am increasing finding myself very bored with phonics and I'm sure the children must be too. I am going to assess them all after I have finshed the last set of sounds in order to find out what I need to revist etc. I also have a January intake who obviously are not up to the same speed as the rest but at the moment they are in a different group with my TA

 

I just hoped people could give me some ideas about making it interesting again

 

I am interested when you say you only have 7 or 8 sounds left to teach is that all six phases that you have covered - we use Letters and Sounds linked to PIPS -(those younger ones won't remember this programme) it has some wonderful resources for games and letter fans which I use all the time I also use Jolly phonics as I like the actions as do the children. I try to make my descrete teaching as fun and active as possible we jump the sounds in CVC words and where two phonemes make one sound (digraph) we place our hands on the floor - we also use elastic for segmenting and blending and a rope that each letter (held by a child) slides along to blend into a word - I love Phonics but we only do the descrete bit for 15 mins each alternative day so it is not ardous but we use those skills in everything we do - so if you see a group of small children and a very old lady - jumping up the street in an Oxfordshire town you will know it is I with my wonderful class of children with positive dispositions to learning phonics

[Marion]

Ooh you are a name dropper, Marion! How did this all come about?

 

Maz

 

Erm she just said she'd appreciate my opinion so I asked the head for permission...

[Guest]

I also go along wth those who question why you only have a few souns lft to teach. Leters and Sounds provides a continuous programme designed to gp to the end of KS1 (and beyon if necessary) so how can all the phonemes be finished??? Some of th schools I work with have differentiated groups ranging from Phase 2 to Phase 4 in Reception.

[Guest]

I am in exactly the same position as Fraggle80. I have about 8 phonemes left to teach in phase 3 but I intend to go back and revise and revisit phase 3 for a lot longer before moving onto phase 4. Just because I have taught it doesn't mean the children can do it! They recognise the phonemes but don't always apply it to their reading and writing, hence the need for consolidation! I too find myself doing the same boring activities for the 15mins input and need some fresh ideas. So keep them coming!!

[Marion]

I also go along wth those who question why you only have a few souns lft to teach. Leters and Sounds provides a continuous programme designed to gp to the end of KS1 (and beyon if necessary) so how can all the phonemes be finished??? Some of th schools I work with have differentiated groups ranging from Phase 2 to Phase 4 in Reception.

 

Actually by the end of Phase 3 all phonemes have been taught. Phase 4 onwards introduces new graphemes not new phonemes.

[Guest]

I'm with Bethie. most of my children are not yet sure enough on the long vowel sounds for me to move on any further. I am following my LEA's phonic scheme which is sort of similar to letters & sounds but some of the groups of sounds are different. It has a suggested pace and coverage for the reception year. I know that I could move them on to the next stage etc but not until I feel that my children are secure in what I have taught so far and can apply their knowledge. I will be doing lots of revisiting and consolidation work once I have covered this next set of sounds. I just don't want to be delivering the same lesson I did when I originally covered the sounds.

 

I have 2 out of 23 children who would be able to move on further which I will cover and introduce to them on a more individual basis.

 

There have been some great ideas on here, pity I don't have a whiteboard yet!

[Guest]

I'm with Bethie. most of my children are not yet sure enough on the long vowel sounds for me to move on any further. I am following my LEA's phonic scheme which is sort of similar to letters & sounds but some of the groups of sounds are different. It has a suggested pace and coverage for the reception year. I know that I could move them on to the next stage etc but not until I feel that my children are secure in what I have taught so far and can apply their knowledge. I will be doing lots of revisiting and consolidation work once I have covered this next set of sounds. I just don't want to be delivering the same lesson I did when I originally covered the sounds.

 

I have 2 out of 23 children who would be able to move on further which I will cover and introduce to them on a more individual basis.

 

There have been some great ideas on here, pity I don't have a whiteboard yet!

 

have a look at Sparkle box and print off the treasure box game - I use sounds, words and non-words in the sand asking children to read and decide if they are treasure or not. I also use a puppet with words, pictures and captions crossing the river is great - ( from Letters and sounds) I have an IWB which is great for whole class introduction and self initiated activiesi but I feel its a bit like me watching you doing - I turn off if used too often for whole calss - beware of over use!

[Marion]

My class play the pirate game on Phonics play on the IWB as part of continuous provision and we have a treasure chest from Ikea with words on chocolate coins

[Guest]

Meant to add earlier. My 2 favourite sites-

 

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/literacy_menu.html

 

http://www.ictgames.co.uk/

 

Have some really good games for whole class use on Interactive Whiteboard and classroom computers. You probably have them already. My children love "Poop Deck Pirates" and always want it on the whiteboard as well as in the sand pit!!

[Guest]

Thanks for links to sites. I love poop deck pirates - will have to use that one tomorrow.

 

Thanks again.