What would preschools be teaching in terms of going onto reception skills?

[beingarayofsun]

Hi, my son is due to go to school in September. Preschool said he will need additional support in transitioning as he's shy/ sensitive and just improving having had a significant speech delay.

Now they will closed for a while, what can I work on with him in terms of school prep? He does struggle with counting not that preschool do much of it. As he insists its 11 after 4 .. so he says 1 2 3 4 11 if I then say 5 or 1 2 3 4 5 he says no mummy. Up to four he can count items, but I'd say he's pretty behind for 3 1/2. So I'd really like to boost him a bit.

I am a former nursery teacher and lecturer in Education/SEN. Some of the things we would do would be to focus on developing his spoken communication. It is tough because he won’t has as much opportunity to interact with other kids but might develop his skills better at home where he is more confident.

One of the activities we did involved having boxes of toys small worlds on different themes transport animals etc and playing with them in a very small group with an adult modelling the vocabulary. Any impaginative play is good for language and if you play with him that can help.

The communication trust is a good website with early years speech activities.

www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/early-years/
One of the other things we did was make chatter boxes.
talk4meaning.co.uk/every-child-a-talker/fun-ideas-at-home-and-for-childminders/

In terms of maths if you make it fun and through play then that is better. Give him physical things to count. Cambridge University have a lovely page for teachers with early years maths activities.
nrich.maths.org/early-years
If you are able to get some numicom that is great too you used to be able to get a small home set on Amazon.

Getting dressed and undressed on his own for PE!

It’s also good to focus on independence skills such as feeding himself, getting dressed etc. Could he carry his own try in the dinner hall?

Does he like books, read with him. In the first few weeks of reception we would look at who can open a book and the right way turn the pages etc before we started on teaching reading.

Does he know how to hold a pencil? Do activities to help him develop fine motor skills. Play dough is good.

Have a look at the Early Years Foundation Stage and what they would do in nursery and reception. [[https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2014/08/EYFS_Parents_Guide-amended.pdf]{

Brilliant ideas thank you all

@Elephantgrey what is numicon I had a look online but wasn't sure I could see what you do with it ? Is it like the connecting blocks ?

If they're saying he will struggle with transition it might mean he can't cope with things like carpet time, sitting still for longer periods and how he'll cope with having a new teacher.
How is he with change?

I'd concentrate on those skills more than the ones mentioned above, although they're all good things.

Can we assume he is competent with toileting?

DD is in year 1, in reception there was a big jump to independence.

• They go in, in the morning and hang their stuff up on their peg so need to be able to recognise their name.

• Then they pick up their name from the table and put it in a hot dinner or lunch box tub so the teachers can be aware of how many hot dinners are needed

• they settled on the carpet where they had a little task to do each day like write their name on an a4 whiteboard, they showed it to the teacher who gave them a stamp or sticker

• register so had to recognise their name being called and respond appropriately

• they had to take themselves to the toilet, get their clothes back in order and wash their hands

• be able to put on coats, gloves, hats themselves.

• in our school they didn't change for PE in reception, but if yours do then they'll need to be able to get themselves undressed and redressed

• understand they need to sit quietly when told to and to put their hand up if they want to ask something.

• be able to share and play nicely.

• be able to carry a tray and ask for the options they want for hot dinners.or to find their lunch box and open everything in it. So avoid fancy storage tubs or complicated packaging.

• be able to store everything they get given like letters, invites, reading books in their book bag.

They did not need to know how to read, write, count or any of that, DD did but only because she wanted to learn. The teachers expect to need to teach everything and they start at the very beginning with every child then start to differentiate as it becomes clear what level everyone is working at.