What words are you reception children being sent home with?

[InkyStamp]

There seem to be such a a variation between schools, so was just interested in what is in your word box!

Feenie - 'What does your school use for blending practice, etc, DLTDotF?'

I have no idea! What is DLTDotF?

x

DontLetTinselDragOnTheFloor!

I use Big Cat Phonics on the IWB for daily blending and segmenting practise in reception and the words from Phonics International when working with groups.

What did you send home in Reception, mrz, wrt to words and/or books?

My DD brings home a book of her choice which I read to her, and is given a reading book which she reads herself. Current words she is being given to practise are pup, duck, the, go, ram, rat, rip, kick and peck.

" tricky words", ie those that can't be decoded with phonics. Words from phase 2,3 and 4 of "letters and sounds" syllabus. We get the Rigby Star phonic books, Sid, did it etc... I think they are great for children who have grasped all the phonemes... upto phase 3/4. DD2 is really taking off now.

DS brought home chapter books in Reception (he was a superb reader). DD brought home straightforward words and books with one word on the page. IME it depends on the child. Never heard of a 'word box', though.

What do you think of these printables?
www.familylearning.org.uk/reading_printables.html

Tricky words are usually partially decodable using phonics though, lulumama. Letters and sounds recommends teaching them as decodable with a tricky,'bit'.

in reception I start with just sound sheets (based on Jolly Phonics actions but I've added the letter formation "jingle" we use in school so parents can help if they wish).
Once six sounds have been taught I begin blending and segmenting in class (I don't use L&S as I think it is limitting and slow)so teach consonant blends from the second week = past - pant - Santa ... I use Action Words to help reinforce "Tricky" words but introduce the "tricky" bit and words that contain the same grapheme rep at the same time.
Once a child is showing they can blend and segment (it varies greatly from child to child with lots of factors affecting ability to "hear" the word) I send home the cards from Phonics International for blending practise and a book from the Songbirds or Rigby Star phonics scheme. All children are taught at the same pace (I do a sound a day so quite fast but with daily repetition of what they have previously been taught - so the fast learners get something new to work on while those working more slowly have constant reinforcement) but individually will be at different stages of compency.

We've just been moved on the the 'red books' which is the level 1 Ginn 360 books and I'm so disappointed. The first book is called Look and that is the only word on each page. Ds was bored and asked why it wasn't a proper story, the 2nd book had a couple more words in but it seems a step back from the ones he had before (didn't notice what range they were). I have got some books out of the library which are from the Reading Corner Phonics range, and he is reading so many words.

Question to teachers - do the children always have to read every book from the range, or will a teacher skip some books if the child is keeping up?

this time last year dd had things like they, them, what, was ect. they are given sheet fiest with letters and sounds the all the key words from reception up until year2 dd finnished them all by easter of reception then moved on to spellings.i would say that about half her year1 class have now finnished all the key words there are.

Thanks Octavia09 - that site has loads of good materials - shall be trying some this morning. :)

curly we're on ginn 360 too. I think the red books only have 21 words in but the stories do get marginally better. Marginally. The pictures are quite good, but DS1 isn't very impressed as he loves stories but can't read enough to access the stuff he likes. That's why we joined reading chest.

*granted", I have printed the first 45 words but also going to print 100 words; do not forget to check this link as well www.highfrequencywords.org/. My DS has already showed me which words he can read.

Thanks - I also liked lots of the other reading and numeracy games on the first site you posted - eg the numeracy one had some good games on place value - something my ds knows nothing about yet, but which seem to explain it very clearly. Also good phonics and early spelling games.

Shall report back when we have done them - this morning turned into this afternoon, after making xmas chocolates...

Curlybrunette Yes Ginn360 goes from Look! Look! Look to Look Here! No Here!

No children don't need to read every book at every level it is good practice to give children books to suit their individual needs but I'm afraid some schools and teachers do work that way.

We used to use Ginn 360 many moons ago. TBH I and the children found it boring tedious. Two years ago I found Code Breakers which is produced by Hamilton Trust. It is a phonics programme that uses puppets who need the children to decode/encode messages for them. The children adore the puppets and learn whilst having fun. The programme begins with sequencing sounds so they get to listen to beginning, middle, end sounds.

Last year I discovered the Dandelion scheme and it is brilliant! It builds on what they have learnt in Code Breakers. All the books are fun, even reluctant readers love them. I send a word box home with words from books and tricky words too.
Dandelion have games to play in the back and lots of info for parents. This year with the combined schemes my reception class have the best reading levels ever. Dandelion is available on the web www.phonicbooks.co.uk in small quantities.

Sorry, I'm a new mumsnetter and should've read the manual first! link to dandelion; httpwww.phonicbooks.co.uk
The blog is interesting reading too.

This is a topic close to my heart at mo. DD 2 is in reception and has picked up reading really quickly. Yet it would appear she is expected to read every single book in each red SUB level. She is now on red 2. These are these ginn books previously mentioned. She reads them in seconds. Don't want to be a pushy parent but this seems crazy. DD1 was much slower picking up reading and is going up one level per term. (only test termly)

Ginn 360 is the most boring reading system ever .... we have that and ORT at the school where I work... ORT is limiting but the children do like the pictures Ginn on the other hand should be banned.