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Original poster

YR ds (4.7yrs) has got to repeat phase 2 phonics

32 replies

MadButMeansWell · 16/12/2011 17:50

has this happened to anyone else's dc?

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mrz · 16/12/2011 18:05

I would hope it happens to every child on a daily basis because that is good teaching but if you mean he has completed phase 2 and now has to start again at s then Hmm

Original poster
MadButMeansWell · 16/12/2011 18:25

The note has only come home today-and they've broken up now so can't speak to teacher til Jan. But it says that at the end of phonics stage 2 assessment he has good letter recognition but isn't blending confidently or segmenting confidently and will have to repeat phase 2 before attempting phase 3.

What I can't figure out is if this makes him terribly behind or if several children in the class will be in the same position.

He also has glue ear and some minor hearing probs and I am a bit worried about how this would affect his ability to deal with phonics - esp as his writing is coming on really well, he has good letter recognition, but just struggles with blending and segmenting.

Sorry this is long!

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Original poster
MadButMeansWell · 16/12/2011 18:26

came home!!

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mrz · 16/12/2011 18:37

If he recognises the phase 2 letters/sounds I can't see what can be gained by starting again. I would continue teaching new sounds while working on his blending and segmenting skills. Of course glue ear is going to impact and it may take longer to become confident but IMHO it doesn't mean he can't continue to progress. Those bliddy phases!!!

Iamnotminterested · 16/12/2011 18:49

mrz you almost swore!

IndigoBell · 16/12/2011 18:51

It won't make him terribly behind, and other children will be repeating it.

(If they weren't it would mean he'd be getting 1:1 :) )

mrz · 16/12/2011 18:52

/it makes me swear when people get so hung up on those phases they don't give children the chance to progress

Campaspe · 16/12/2011 19:02

My DD - just 5 - is in Reception. I'm not sure what is meant by the phases. She has learnt a lot of letter sounds, and the teachers are encouraging basic blending of these to form 2, 3 and 4 letter words. Mad, I don't think your DC is behind yet, as it's still early days. If he has the letter recognition, he's getting there. Something DD's teacher told us is that for some children, the reading and blending doesn't really "click" until Y1, but when it does, they really do take off and catch up. So, too early to worry I would say. But what is phase 2?

mrz · 16/12/2011 19:20

Letters & Sounds is split into 6 phases children in reception are expected to cover phases 2,3 & 4 children in Y1 phase 5 and phase 6 in Y2 (phase 1 is continuous throughout)

EBDteacher · 16/12/2011 19:36

Some schools 'stream' their phonics groups by the phases. Mad are they telling you he is staying in a Phase 2 group? If not and he is with his class he will certainly be exposed to teaching of phase 3 and maybe more. Perhaps she just means she is going to focus on him consolidating his phase 2 work in terms of the questioning she directs at him etc.

Remember teachers are very tired right now and the words might not be coming out right!!

Original poster
MadButMeansWell · 16/12/2011 20:46

Thank you for replying- its so hard to know if I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.

My biggest fear really is that ds's school is a v small rural primary. reception are on their own, but then Y1/Y2 are a mixed class. Children that aren't considered to be progressing well are held back a class- presumably on the basis that a class that incorporated y2's would be way beyond them. There are 2 children in ds's class that are Y1s the rest are YRs (out of 19) so it really is only a couple.

DS has always been painfully shy, but has settled really well into school. I would be devastated to think that his friends would all move on without him and he would have to start over.

In fairness I should really be speaking to his teacher- who I have to say is normally v approachable, experienced and professional.

I am a bit Hmm though,becaus I went to see her about 6 weeks ago to check that his hearing probs weren't affecting him in whole class 'listening' type activities and she assured me that he was getting on fine, and even had him sound and blend some words for me to show this.

I am so determined that I don't want him held back that i am thinking of hiring a tutor - although I think he is v young for this- because I don't want him to be left behind his firends.

This of course my not be the case- I'm just a bit gutted that I've got this note on the last day of term, didn't spot it in his bag until I got home and now can't speak to his teacher til Jan.

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Original poster
MadButMeansWell · 16/12/2011 20:47

EBD teacher- that sounds quite likely- I will check- I would be fine with that

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PastSellByDate · 17/12/2011 11:51

Hi Madbutmeanswell

I came across this Mr Thorne Does Phonics website which has some sweet videos reviewing a lot of the phonics stages sounds www.mrthorne.com/t1/. The videos are mainly with Mr. Thorne dressed up or with puppets - and it's free.

If you haven't discovered CBEEBIES Alphablocks yet - then can I also recommend this lovely cartoon (also games & support materials): www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/alphablocks/ I should warn you the tunes have a sneeky way of infiltrating your brain - I find myself humming them still and my girls are now in Y4 and Y2.

Both are visual and quirky and fun - so I'd suggest doing a little each day (maybe 10 minutes max) and just put those pennies in the bank. You will see a slow and gradual improvement. The alphablocks songs are catchy and 'magic e' www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/alphablocks/watch/alphablocks-clips/ episode entitled 'magic' is absolutely fabulous. You can select all sorts of phonemes from the watch and listen box on the Alphablocks homepage on CBEEBIES.

Hope that helps.

RiversideMum · 18/12/2011 13:44

In my experience children can know all of the letter/sound correspondences before they can blend or segment confidently so I don't see why a teacher would put a halt to that learning.

RiversideMum · 18/12/2011 13:45

I also think it's a bit sad that they are assessing children in rececption on their phase 2 knowledge ... but that's just me ...

mrz · 18/12/2011 13:55

So they know what they need to teach next?
Teachers are continually assessing children (not testing just seeing what they do day to day )

IndigoBell · 18/12/2011 13:56

Riverside - if they don't assess children how do you expect the teacher to know what the child needs to learn next?

Or o you think a child shouldn't be taught anything in reception?

HalfSpamHalfBrisket · 18/12/2011 13:59

Riverside - we assess the children continuously as we have to know where they are so we can plan appropriate work for them.

OP - 'repeating Phase 2' is likely to affect his grouping for the daily phonics session which is only 15 minutes per day.
It is very unlikely your son is going to be on his own, but the teacher's awareness of what he can and can't do will help him progress.

In my school we also do assessment sheets at the end of each half term - I've got a group that will be (broadly) working within ph2, and a group that will be working in ph3 after Christmas.

TeamSledward · 18/12/2011 14:05

Please don't think of Y1 children "being kept back" in Rec as necessarily a bad thing. These children are getting extra support in a smaller class. This is very common in small schools, and IME is beneficial to all concerned.

maizieD · 18/12/2011 16:42

mrz said:

I would continue teaching new sounds while working on his blending and segmenting skills.

Worth noting!

If children are kept back to 'repeat' (and I can't see why he should be if he knows the correspondences he's been taught so far) they start falling behind their peers.

It makes more sense to give pupils who are slower with blending & segmenting extra help with those skills while keeping up with learning the correspondences.

mrz said:

bliddy phases

I agree wholeheartedly. The source of many misconceptions!

mrz · 18/12/2011 17:00

TeamSledward it isn't about a Y1 child being kept back in reception it is about a reception child not being taught the next step because that haven't mastered another skill ... absolutely mad!

itsstartingtofeelalotlikexmas · 18/12/2011 17:04

Christ on a bike!

A tutor?

Kids don't even have to go to school until they're 5!

brightblueday · 19/12/2011 10:18

Please do not fret. My ds repeated phase 2 after Christmas in his reception year. He then progressed at such a rate he ended up being taught with the year above from easter in reception. Now in year 2 his reading and writing are fantastic and he knows phonics inside out. His friends who also struggled a bit are also doing well!
My dd is currently in reception and doing phase 3 now, but she knew more when she started. She is no more able than the dc still doing phase 2. They are just ensuring that he has a good grasp of sounds which is invaluable later on. Keep reading with him and help him to blend (help him break down word into sounds), and he will definately get there.

mrz · 19/12/2011 15:16

Sorry but it is really bad practice

Original poster
MadButMeansWell · 22/12/2011 21:05

Thanks for all the replies on here- I haven't managed to get onto mumsnet for a couple of days. I have taken on board all the helpful tips and advice.

Having calmed down a bit since I got the note i have decided against a tutor (!?!) and just been spending lots of time now its hols doing phonics-y stuff with ds. He seems to be improving a bit- which is good.

Will just have to deal with what will happen next yr closer to the time.

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