Teaching reading - step before simple books

[Grinchinlaws]

I’m teaching my child to read at the moment. She is enjoying segmenting and blending 3 letter words (sun, tap, cat) etc - I’m just writing them down for her atm.

She’s not ready to move to simple books yet as still needs to build fluency (though I don’t think it will be long). I also taught my son to read but have completely forgotten this stage - does anyone have any recommendations for activities or resources to do with her at this point?

(PS not looking for a debate about the pros and cons of teaching a child to read before starting school - this is totally driven by her, as it was with DS).

Are you doing phonics? You can start blending letter sounds like SH and CH and TH.
My DS was an early reader - he learned from watching the alphablocks. By the time he started school he was reading easy chapter books like Jamie and Angus. It's a mixed blessing because he had to sit through a lot of boring lessons that were too easy for him.

Yes - doing phonics.

Thank you - that’s a good point. I had assumed we would move on to the next sounds after reading simple books with the first sounds in (tip it in the bin type stuff - which would still be slow going now) but actually we could do that now.

DS started school reading well and didn’t ever seem to get bored - I think he enjoyed the confidence boost. He’s a summer born boy and really struggled with writing though so it was nice for him to feel “ahead” in phonics I suspect. DD is an autumn born girl so a whole different kettle of fish, but she is so super keen to be like her big brother.

You need to move onto ccvc and cvcc words such as drip, drop, frog, lamp

Look up phonics phases and go to phase 3. This will tell you which digraphs to teach eg ow oi ea

Perfect - thank you!

This shows you the rough order of which sounds to introduce: www.twinkl.co.uk/teaching-wiki/order-of-phonics-teaching

Though different schemes have some slight tweaks, the general order is similar.

Moving onto digraphs and trigraphs, and then using them in words.

Also look at common exception or 'tricky' words - the first are thinks like I, no, go, to, the - these are needed before the sounds are introduced in order to access some of the first level books.

Thank you @Longma - I had also completely forgotten about tricky words (other than “the”).

Looking at those lists phase 3 is where we are at (apart from the phase 2 tricky words) so this has been really useful.

Well done. I don’t think anyone should rely on school to teach their DC early maths, or reading. They just don’t have the time to do it.

I can’t get into the technical aspects like the others, but I do remember focusing on just getting my DC to love books. Looking at pictures, being read to, going to the library and book shops. My DC used to cry laughing at the Mo Willem books, even though they aren’t ones designed for phonics, just joy.

My DC’s school were really focused on phonics back then, so I didn’t concern myself that much with it, just tried to reinforce it at home. There are so many books that brought us such joy in the early years and led to a love of reading.

My advice would be to cover yourselves with books, laugh, enjoy and soak up the gift of being immersed in great adventures.

Yes, thank you @TheCaringHormoneHasGone - we are big book lovers in this house. And huge fans of Mo Willems!

DS (year 1) is basically ignored in school as far as reading is concerned - he is listened to every 2-3 weeks (meant to be weekly). But it’s fine. He is doing great.

I've made a blog and website to help parents with this. I am a early years/ks1 teacher.

I think it'll help you. It's not for profit, just because I love teaching reading and wanted to help parents.

It goes over what tricky words and sounds to teach at each stage.

Catching children's interest and going with it is so important.

https://www.instagram.com/theearly_reading_teacher?igsh=MTJsemltdGtsM2I4bQ==

www.theearlyreadingteacher.co.uk

Hopefully you don't mind the shameless plug but I made the blog and website to help parents just like you.

Looks like she has mastered the early skills of phase 2 and now needs to work on tricky words and putting them into short sentences read in isolation (not in a book).

Try the first stage phonics books without words. It will get her used to the narrative structure of stories (and allow her to read the title and concentrate on the page). There are lots of biff and chip ones.

Thank you @CherryBlossom100 - I will check it out.

And yes @Ozanj - I must get some of those from the library. She’s not quite ready for the first songbirds and alphablocks ones yet (which we own) but I’d forgotten there were ones that were even more basic than that!

@CherryBlossom100 just wanted to say I had a look at your website last night - it’s brilliant! I really like the rainbow steps - such a good way of dividing the stages and explaining it. Thank you for making it!

Thank you. All schools use different systems so wanted to use a method that all parents could understand.
To build up to the books, build in the tricky words and then read simple sentences with those tricky words. E.g. The bus is big. Then change final word. The bus is red. Change noun. The hen is red.
All can be done on handwritten flash cards. No need for anything fancy.