Trying to help DD reception RWI phonics !

[buld]

I'm just trying to help my DD and trying to get to grips with the RWI phonics system.

Can someone advise ?

They were assessed before half term and are now in groups.

DD can sound out words and then say them- so

She'll go M A T - MAT. What she can't yet do is do the M A T bit in her head and just say the word in its own. She knows all the sounds they're supposed to know at this stage. In her reading log book, the teachers wrote she was ' reading words ' by the second or third week. Now she needs to learn to sound them out in her head, rather than out loud. How long does that stage take and how can I help her ? Is she on track or behind ?

How can I help her get on track if she's behind ? Thank you.

It sounds like she's doing very well. My daughter is in reception and also doing RWI, they don't send any books at all home until after xmas at her school. I think some schools tend to rush through and some take a more laid back approach.

As an aside I wouldn't worry about their ability in reception, it has very little bearing on how they'll do later on. Anecdotally my eldest was a great reader and very good academically throughout primary but got majorly stressed out with exams and just about scraped 3 GCSEs, my younger daughter was put on the SEN register in year 2 because she could barely read at all and struggled in absolutely every subject, she's now in year 10 and is predicted to get very good grades at GCSE. So try not to put too much pressure on her or yourself, she is doing great.

My DS started reception this year, not doing RWI but he's at a similar stage. I actually encourage him to sound out allowed because then I know he's making all the right sounds. It's still very early days and if he's using the wrong sound and I don't catch it then it could provide a rocky foundation.

Point to the word. Fred talk, so sound out loud. Then Fred in your head, point to each letter, remember to remind that it's Fred in our head. Then say Fred talk, read the word.

Maybe invest in the RWI sound cards, set 1 and 2. Give Ruth Misken a watch. I think she is already doing great so don't worry!

I've got a lot of stuff already. I also have the red words, like YOU I THE- when do they learn those ?

I've also got the other cards they've not seemed to learn yet- like NK NG AE OO I think they've touched on sounds like SH.

I also have some red books with sentences. I have so much but I'm finding it hard to put in order what she should be doing.

I've started her on some of those red words and some of the NK NG sounds. But very little. I just showed her a couple of times as I am not sure that's what she should be doing, so I don't want to confuse her.

She sounds like she's doing great. My youngest is in reception and at the same stage. I've been told that she's doing great. Most of the kids in her class are still learning the letter sounds.

I have the reading eggs app and that has really helped her with her sounds. I also got the Julia Donaldson Song Birds books so we can read something more exciting than the RWI books.

They come along slot between Reception and Year 1. My eldest is in year 1 and reads fluently.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Donaldsons-Songbirds-Oxford-Phonics-Collection/dp/0192776517/ref=asc_df_0192776517/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696450770345&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12105547734472770775&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046010&hvtargid=pla-956942530485&psc=1&mcid=d47074eafbc8363f9b395a2ff33e71ae&gad_source=1

I have the set 1 and 2 sounds at home. She knows set 1 sounds. She doesn't know set 2 sounds yet. I'm not sure when they'll learn them.

I think you need to slow down. They aren't there yet in class. Just reinforce what she's already learning. Let her be clever and show off what she can do rather than stretch her to much. Have they given you worksheets as homework and the Fred talk videos. We get a worksheet with a QR code that takes you to the video and do the worksheets.

m a s d t, i n p g o, c k u b, f e l h sh, r j v y w, th z ch qu x ng nk are the set 1 sounds. Make sure she is confident on the sounds before you move to another one.

RWI tends to start with a speed sound lesson. So that's all the set 1 sounds that she knows and then you add one new one in when she is secure on the previous ones.

Red words you can introduce slowly then alien words.

So securing the sound, then blending, Fred in your head. Rinse and repeat with new sound.

Sentences I would introduce slowly.

www.phonicsplay.co.uk is. good resource as well.

I think you’re trying to do too much with her and probably rushing ahead on what’s been done in class!

I would just leave it to the school to teach her this. Read her stories at home for enjoyment and do whatever the school ask in the way of reading books sent home but really you sound far too overinvested and competitive. It won't make any difference in the long run if your 5 year old is slightly ahead of other 5 year olds. They all learn to read in the end. Spend your time and energy doing things school doesn't do much of - outdoor activities, baking, swimming, music, craft rather than doing even more of the one thing they do daily.

My kid is now in Y1 but did set 1 in the first half term, set 2 in the second half term, then started bringing home "ditties" in January. He finished red by end of year. We did some tutoring over summer and when the Y1 teacher assessed him they skipped green. He is halfway through purple currently.

He's always been a bit behind the curve for reading (was a daily reader for most of YR) but as long as there's steady progress I'm happy.

I have the stuff here, because I'm also trying to make sense of it. I'm not using the stuff they haven't done yet, if that makes sense. I just have some stuff and will use it when I see they're actually using it.

Yes I am quite invested because I want to support her. I don't do a lot with her, just at weekends - if she wants to. Otherwise I leave it.

I didn't do anything over half term. She got her stuff out a few times and wanted to play phonics teacher. She likes to do that, but that was it.

We do a lot of other stuff too of course. I guess I just want to understand the system and I want to make sure she's on track.

Reception teacher here. If she's sounding out loud, then blending, she's doing well for this stage in reception. Lots won't be yet. Has the teacher asked her to practise reading the words by blending in her head? If she hasn't yet, then leave it. It is explicitly taught in the RWI scheme. If the teacher has asked you too, then she's asking you to practise 'Fred in your head' with her for the words she can read. If she's at that stage, every day in their sessions, they will practise reading new words by sounding out loud and blending, then they will be starting to practise reading words they've come across before using 'Fred in your head' I.e. sounding in your head and blending. They will then start to add in 'speedy words' where they've blended them so many times they start to recognise them. Because it's done so explicitly in RWI, you don't need to worry too much about helping her to do it, because it will be practised at school. If you do want to help her, though, use words that she knows and model saying the sounds in your head and then saying the word, ans then ask her to use Fred in her head.

Isn't that what most are doing in reception and is encouraged . With dd1 there wasn't an emphasis to do it in your head and just say the word until year 1

She can sound out and it's not even Christmas yet! If I was her teacher I'd be so happy that she knows the sounds and blends even out loud. If you're really keen on pushing her on I'd maybe get some of the ort Phonics books because rwi makes me want to pull out my eyeballs and i cant imagine it inspires anyone to actually read.

Yes the teacher mentioned Fred in your head today to me and that she needs to learn that.

OK, so, do you have the green word cards?

I think the ort ones are called songbirds.

@Depressedbarbie no I don't have those 🤯 what are those ??

@Depressedbarbie actually I do have the green cards. They've been sending those home all term.

Great username btw

They will be what she's using at school, but don't worry, because it's the same words that come up in the books she's bringing home, so you can use those. If I were you, I would Google 'how to practise fred in your head' because there are quite a few videos of teachers explaining it, and it will be easier to watch it than me trying to explain it here!

Ok cool thank you !!
☺️

@buld haha thanks. OK, so then those will be the ones she's learned, so use those.

Yeah, make sure you do the red and green words every time. It really does help.