Reading schemes

[WheelieKidzMum]

Hi

Does anyone know anything about reading schemes?

We are trying toe by toe.

School is trying Synthetic phonics.

Any advice?

My child has cp, is quite bright, but struggles with the written word.

[ancientmiddleagedmum]

I am using the jolly phonics DVD at home, plus books, and the nice songs CD in the car. My boy is ASD but has already learned to read 7 letters, so I feel like there is hope at last of him learning to read.
The best bit on the DVD is in the bonus features, where a lady says the letter 10 times, beside a huge letter on screen. My son is learning to pronounce and recognise letters just by repeated watching of this bit, 5 letters at a time, each night. I'm using rewards of chocolate when he gets them right, so he looks forward to it. The DVD is £25 but I think it is so good, and it ties in with school too I think. Good luck!

[sphil]

I'd love to do Jolly Phonics but have just realised the school do something called 'Codebreakers' - way above DS2's head. Do you think it would be very confusing if I did Jolly Phonics at home?

[moira199]

Where can you buy Jolly phonics ? I would love to try this. You never know !

[WheelieKidzMum]

Hi

I was told by my daughter's school that they don't use Jolly Phonics because it is very Americanised in its pronounciations, and they didn't want the children copying that - need the 'pure sounds' apparently. Whatever that means, and I don't know if true.

Any thoughts?

[ancientmiddleagedmum]

Jolly phonics is certainly English, the lady who says the sounds has very English accent. Must admit that I feel like I'm going to teach DS to read and the school just can't do it with a ratio of staff to pupil of 2 to 30. Not sure what codebreakers is, sorry sphil. I got the Jolly Phonics dvd in Early Learning Centre, but another mum gave me the CD of songs - it must be possible to buy it somewhere though. Then each set of 5 letters has a book attached to it. Wheeliekidzmum, I think jolly phonics does have pure sounds, like you don't say m, you say mmmmm, because that's how it actuallly sounds in a word like hum (sorry, that probably doesnt' make much sense unless you're hearing me)! Maybe your school could tell you another system and I'm sure there must be other DVDs. I'm just really excited about this one, as up till now I've had no hope and suddenley he is recognising 7 letters! The choc probably helps his motivation, but whatever it takes I'll do it! Good luck whatever system you all try.

[Reallytired]

Get the Jolly Phonics handbook from amazon.

www.amazon.co.uk/Phonics-Handbook-Teaching-Reading-Spelling/dp/1870946073?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

It is all that you need. The other resources just make learning to read a bit more fun. You can get loads of other stuff from amazon.

Jolly phonics doesn't seem american to me.

[ancientmiddleagedmum]

Just checked the Jolly phonics DVD box, it's made in Essex! My DD's (nf) mainstream school use jolly phonics all the time, inluding little signs to prompt memory of the letter, eg L is a licking lolly movement.

[ChasingSquirrels]

Sphil - ds's school also do Codebreakers. I was under the impression that it was just another package similar to Jolly Phonics - they do actions for letter etc.

[hels9]

Jolly Phonics isn't American, it's English. I think the best bit of the Jolly Phonics series is the Finger Phonics - the books are hardback, so hard wearing, they teach you all the letters and letter sounds (including ch, ai, etc) and best of all, they have indented letters your child can trace his fingers round to learn how to form letter shapes, which is supposed to be an extremely effective way of learning for children who have problems with their motor skills, as they can learn by touch as well as by vision. You can get all 7 books on Amazon. Subsequently, I've also found Jolly Readers very useful, as in the first couple of series virtually all the words can be read phonically, which gives your child a huge sense of acheivement when he or she realises they can read some quite difficult looking words by breaking them down phonically.

I would have thought the DVDs would work well for some children also, on the basis that they are another way of learning that might suit some children more than the other ways. My son didn't need the DVDs as he tends to learn by vision and touch, so the Finger Phonics books were enough.

However, in terms of that possibly interfering with what your school is doing, it might be best to ask, first. Although if they're doing a dreadful job of teaching your child how to read, it's a bit difficult following their advice!