Year 1 Phonic Check

[BaconAndAvocado]

To,all you KS1 experts out there, how and when is this test carried out and what bearing does it have on a child's education?

Ds2 is a good reader thoughI worry about him being asked to read "nonsense words". If he thinks they're not real he won't attempt to read them!

www.nonweiler.demon.co.uk/Y1_Phonics_Check.pdf

The nonsense words are presented as aliens' names. Can your DS accurately read the names of unfamiliar people or places? How would he deal with a word he hadn't previously encountered in his reading?

I think he may struggle with a very unusual word. He has always tended to learn through memory and almost sees having to,"sound out" a word as a weakness IYSWIM.

All new words are non words until they enter a child's vocabulary.

Sorry if this sounds harsh but I think a willingness to sound out words he hasnt seen before is essential if he is to be described as a "good reader". My DD is also in yr 1 and now on white/emerald books so a lot of new vocabulary. (Think books set during WW2, and words like nazi, evacuee, etc). She has realised very quickly that of course she can't possibly know whether words are real or not and is happy to sound out the word...and then ask what it means!

Just read your link mrsz

Wow! Thanks, it covered all and lots more that I wanted to know. Will recommend this to other mums.

Cross posted with Mrz who made the same point more succinctly.

Thanks for the link mrsz

It does sound harshLego but thanks for,your advice.......

I agree with Lego "good readers" have an effective strategy for when they encounter unknown words - it's called decoding.

Yes, I gathered that from your link. It was interesting comparing reading from memory (sight vocab) and decoding unknown words.

I guess as DS matures he'll hopefully develop the confidence to do this.

Interestingly DD is much more willing to sound out her words. I think DS is always in too much of a hurry!

Apparently he's on the penultimate reading level at his infant school so it's not all doom and gloom!

A quick question for you mrz, if that's ok?

I tried the words with DS earlier. He had no problems, but when he came across 'sclow' he pronounced the -ow as in flow whereas I would have pronounced it as in cow.

I am assuming that, where there are several possible (correct) ways of sounding out a combination of letters, any one of them would be considered 'right'. Is that so?

Yes that's correct for the non words

Yes, radicalsubstitution, you're correct. With the non-words, as long as it's an appropriate phonetic attempt (taking into account accent etc) then it's marked as right. The real words have to be correct however e.g. 'snow' to rhyme with 'cow'- wrong.

Thanks.

Thanks pozzled that's reassuring!

www.spelfabet.com.au/2012/12/nonsense-words/

A small distinction, but...

I think an ability to sound out unknown words is essential for a child to be described as a 'good reader'.

Willingness, OTOH, at the age of 5-6, does rather depend on the personality, the mood, the time of day, whether child has had lunch or has a cold

The length of the word and whether or not it contains tricky/unpredictable bits.

You might want the same bond with your mother ? but this doesn?t mean you need to use the same book. Apologises if I seem rude, but I don?t mean to be. But I think you?re thinking about it too simply. I am sure your daughter might like Alice in Wonderland in later life. But at the minute you need to think about the things which you are taking for granted. Lewis Carroll was writing in a time where children were more educated (not that I am saying your child is stupid, but what I am saying is that she, and all children, are more sheltered) Now a days it takes children longer to read, as they learn stage by stage, building upon what they know. It may take longer, but, look at our education system, compared to theirs. Anyone can go to university now ? if they put in the hard work that is ? not just the upper classes like it used to be.

Also what?s history to you (old fashioned words like you mentioned) is ancient to your child.

If you don?t want your give your child a patronising book. Have you considered any of the Roald Dahl book? I read the BFG to my daughter, who is now reading it to her son; circle of life eh?

The language is simpler than Alice in Wonderland and the sentences are less complex. But, it won?t undermine her intelligence. The book is imaginative with made up words, using compounds and blending... so at a stretch it?s educational too! The illustrations by Quintin Blake are in colour too, so she shouldn?t complain.

And Roald Dahl has definitely stood the test of time.

Where does Alice in Wonderland fit in?

Thanks, elliebean I do think he has the ability to sound out words but maybe at home with me he's less likely to do so than at school in a more formal environment?

Also very true about the mood he might be in!

I think someone's posted on the wrong thread, LandS!

B&A, dd2 (also Y1) is far less likely to do anything required of her at home than at school!

Though in her case, making nonsense words is quite good fun and therefore she will probably cooperate. Her best friend, who is younger and male, and a total engineer in the making, thinks sounding out nonsense words is utterly daft and it infuriates his sense of logic, so he will probably get upset and refuse.

OTOH, at the age of 5-6, does rather depend on the personality, the mood, the time of day, whether child has had lunch or has a cold

Never found it a problem most 5 & 6 year olds really want to please teacher even if they are stubborn little darlings at home.

The length of the word and whether or not it contains tricky/unpredictable bits.

not sure if this was meant for this thread but the length of the word and alternative spellings for the sounds isn't a problem for reading non words

try
chiffusion neightrap blavoursome thrillispauce drigner