Some Reception Questions.

[Guest Cathryn1974]

Hi

 

I'm new here. Please can I list some questions. I have just returned to teaching after a long break (5 years). I have got a job in Reception 3 days a week in a school in special measures.

There seems to be confusion as to what is the best thing to do. I hope you can help.

 

1) Shoul about children have 3 carpet sessions a day - 1 CLL, 1 PSRN, 1 Lettes and sounds. These last about 20 mins the focus comes from the children's needs in tems of learning but they are quite isolated.

2) There are currently no small group focus activities it is all child initiated play in and out doors. The chiluidren don't have guided reading, writing or number sessions in small group? Is this right or should some small focus groups be taken within a playful context to help them progress?

3) What should the adult led teaching look like? Should it still be very led by the child or can the adult lead it in a playful way?

 

I think I know the answers but want to hear some ideas from more experienced colleaugues. I hope you can help.

 

Thanks

 

Cat

[Magenta]

What you're saying sounds about right to me - have you seen this document?

 

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/242798

[Guest]

1) Shoul about children have 3 carpet sessions a day - 1 CLL, 1 PSRN, 1 Lettes and sounds. These last about 20 mins the focus comes from the children's needs in tems of learning but they are quite isolated.

 

This sounds like too much focus on CLL and PSRN to me. All strands should have equal weighting and whilst in reality these always get more focus because of the drive on standards the others need some carpet session too! I'd say you should have either CLL or PSRN in the morning (alternate the days), then in the afternoon a carpet session focussing on other aspects such as KUW or PSED. Keep up the letters and sounds session as well of course!

 

2) There are currently no small group focus activities it is all child initiated play in and out doors. The children don't have guided reading, writing or number sessions in small group? Is this right or should some small focus groups be taken within a playful context to help them progress?

 

There should definitely be some small group focus activties going on in a reception class, probably in differentiated groups - at least for PSRN and CLL. Each group should have at least one session every morning (either PSRN or CLL not both) preferably linked to the work done in the carpet session in some way to help them practise these skills and progress as well as to iron out any misconceptions in a focused way.

 

In the afternoons reception at my school do a second adult led activity based on another strand and linked to that terms topic (even if this doesn't link to the carpet session which might just have been a whole group PSED discussion/game). This is usually the more 'playful' one, whereas the morning one tends to be quite structured with a clear learning goal and a clear set task.

 

3) What should the adult led teaching look like? Should it still be very led by the child or can the adult lead it in a playful way?

 

It's great that you're thinking about doing this in a playful way, however by reception I think some adult led focus activities are definitely necessary, since there are set skills that need to be developed. If you're doing some work on writing then there is nothing wrong with saying "actually we're writing today, let's talk about it and then do it". Obviously you'll be making it fun, but at the same time you are keeping the children on track and making them work towards the expected outcome. Also guided reading sessions are definitely a must for understanding stories and language development, even if they are only at the stage where they can't read the words but can work together to tell the stories from the pictures/talk about how characters might be feeling and why, and perhaps act out the story using small world figures.

 

As I said before afternoon sessions might be more playful with more room to go off the main point and follow the children's interests, plus of course there is still all the continuous provision which will be focussed on child initiated activties.

[KST]

I totally agree with Kariana, this is how I do it! x

[Guest]

Hi i taught reception in my Nqt year for a year. And now i do supply in different reception classes. I would say u need to have a phonics session everyday. Then you need to have atleast 3 numeracy sessions, 1 KUW and PSED through circle time. Sometimes u can interlink for example if you do a KUW session on parts of the body, u can link literacy in when you are writing the labels. Also, if you read up in shared sustained thinking it shows how an adult can extend individdual or group learning. Sessions should be 20 minutes no longer, and also they need to be very interactive. The rest of the time should be allocated to child initiated indoors and outdoors, where u can teach small groups while the rest choose. Hope this helps.