Ready For School

[Guest]

Hi I am looking for your help and experience..

 

I am an outreach worker working in a children’s centre, we are planning to run six weeks sessions in the Summer for children starting school in September. This is aimed at getting children ready for school, we will be identifying and focusing on those children who are likely to underachieve.

 

Its going to link with the EYFS and in particular social and emotional development.

 

I would like to plan activities over the six weeks, involving the parents and children, im hoping that you may come up with some great practical suggestions,

 

A few I have already have are ;

 

story time –good listening

messy play, playdough – hand eye coordination

putting on p.e. item – personal care

taking turns

singing number rhymes-

something around colours, letters?

 

Thankyou

[KST]

Sounds like a great idea! As a recpetion teacher I think this will be work so well! I think developing the independence is crucial.I perhaps wouldn't worry about teaching children letters as they will do this at school. But learning to write their name or developing fine motor skills is good! Maybe looking at some simple shapes? Perhaps your observations of the children can feed into the recpetion teachers on-entry assessments. x

[Guest]

Hi

 

Sounds like a good idea.

 

There is a specific 'course' which I believe orginated in Australia which I know the borough of Hillingdon trialled a few years ago. I specifically concentrates on PSED and is called PALS. I don't know whether investigating this and perhaps adopting some of their methods may be worth it. There was an article in Nursery World a while back.

 

Good luck

[Guest]

Talking - so many of our little ones are inarticulate, and the ones who can express themselves are inevitably going to do better when they arrive at school. Talking about emotions, etc. Have you looked at the SEAL stuff, that is meant to be really good.

[Guest]

Nursery World ran a couple of articles about PALS. This news story and this case study. Hope this is of interest

[Guest]

I'd definitely say that personal care (changing pe kits, washing hands etc) and PSED skills are the ones you should be concentrating on, including things like sustained concentration, being able to express themselves well, listening to others, taking turns, knowing acceptable behaviour, empathising etc. Other things such as letters, numbers etc are something that the school will probably be concentrating on and of course the children will learn so much better if they have these basic life skills in place.

[HappyMaz]

Have you looked at the SEAL stuff, that is meant to be really good.

You might also look at SEAD which is like SEAL but aimed at pre-schoolers. Not that I have an intimate knowledge of either, mind!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Thanks all, this is really good stuff and it has reinforced just what I was thinking, washing hands is good, we will also do somthing around feelings and snack , eating -lunch boxes- itis the basic life skills.

 

I really like the PALS and I have read up on it, although I did think the SEAL is a little bit too old, some of these children that we are targeting are struggling with personal and social stuff and so I feel that it need to be at a very basic level. I hadnt heard of SEAD, but I will look.

 

Just out of interest I have been spending some sessions with pre schools and reception teachers trying to be clear about the focus of the group- and I think I was thrown of track for a moment -and its left me unsure as a teacher surprised me by suggesting that the children need to understand that their names start with a capital!! surely that is the next step?

 

Thanks again

[Guest]

I agree, way off the mark - seems like asking them to "run before they can walk" !

[Guest]

This thread has reinforced what I was told years ago by the Head of Nursery, that the skills they liked the children to have are

* being able to get changed for PE

* fastening their own coat

* recognising their own name in writing

* independent toiletting and

* independence at lunchtime

 

When my minded children are due to start school I give them a packed lunch every day, if that's what they're going to have, so they are confident at opening it, getting yoghurt lids off, inserting drinking straws etc

 

We've even practised getting changed before and after lunch for those who need to "speed up" a little

 

You'll be ever so popular with the school staff if the children master these over your 6 week course!

 

Nona

[Guest]

Re: PALS (Playing and Learning to Socialise). I don't know whether you have accessed this web site or not, but thought i would post it anyway - www.palsprogram.co.uk

[HappyMaz]

My friend did her BA dissertation on PALS. For a variety of reasons she couldn't recommend her setting to adopt it.

 

Maz

[Guest]

My friend did her BA dissertation on PALS. For a variety of reasons she couldn't recommend her setting to adopt it.

 

Maz

 

Really? That's very interesting, do you know why she felt that? I haven't relaly been involved with it much myself, but I've been to many schools where they use it a lot. I'd be interested to know some of the disadvantages to it!

[chocisgood]

what about social communication games and role play? introducing yourself, what to do if someone has a toy you want, how to be a good friend, who to talk to if you are scared, what will be different about big school, what will be exciting etc.

[HappyMaz]

I'd be interested to know some of the disadvantages to it!

I'll get her along to tell you herself!

 

Maz

[KST]

I think I was thrown of track for a moment -and its left me unsure as a teacher surprised me by suggesting that the children need to understand that their names start with a capital!! surely that is the next step?

 

Absolutely think this is too much for them! Recognising their name is the first thing, then attempting to write it, talking about captial letters would be way over their head!

[Panders]

I'd definitely say that personal care (changing pe kits, washing hands etc) and PSED skills are the ones you should be concentrating on, including things like sustained concentration, being able to express themselves well, listening to others, taking turns, knowing acceptable behaviour, empathising etc. Other things such as letters, numbers etc are something that the school will probably be concentrating on and of course the children will learn so much better if they have these basic life skills in place.

 

 

Regarding changing for p.e. Do most Reception classes change into a complete kit? or just remove socks, shoes - trousers, gym slips/skirts/dresses during the early days.

 

Do Reception teachers follow a routine with getting ready for p.e., or do all the children just change at their own pace. Do you all begin, say, by taking off shoes, taking off socks, put your socks into your shoes, now everyone take off.....etc?

[Guest]

Regarding changing for p.e. Do most Reception classes change into a complete kit? or just remove socks, shoes - trousers, gym slips/skirts/dresses during the early days.

 

Do Reception teachers follow a routine with getting ready for p.e., or do all the children just change at their own pace. Do you all begin, say, by taking off shoes, taking off socks, put your socks into your shoes, now everyone take off.....etc?

 

I'd say in all the reception classes I've seen it's been change at your own pace, which actually makes it useful for children to know that they need to put the clothes they have taken off in a pile or into their pe bag. (That might be something to think about during the six weeks abimat?)

 

Also the complete kit thing varies from school to school, my school does complete changes from the first pe lesson. If they are going to take off dresses/trousers etc, they are surely going to have to replace them with shorts anyway, but some schools might do just taking off shoes and socks at first.

Edited June 19, 2010 by Guest

[aliamch]

Teaching children to use cutlery is important, in my son's school many children are starting reception and having school dinners but are unable to use cutlery.

Karrie

[Guest]

Hi , its lunch boxes only, no hot food, so as the parent is staying for the session I will talk about what sort of foods to put in the lunch box.

 

I will also talk to the two main schools about their PE expectations.

 

There are so many good ideas, I think sitting still and listening would be good, some of the children havn't even been to pre school so have limited opportunity just to paint glue and enjoy wallowing in mess.

 

I have had a look at the pales, although I will use some of it, its possibly aiming two high, We are identifying the families/ children that need the support and I think that it needs to be fairly basic. sharing, feelings, turn taking. We will be working with a significant number of families that do not have basic literacy skills, so giving them long worded hand outs about what the aims of sessions would put them off.