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Original poster

Reception child being given homework that he cannot do!

15 replies

spookyskeleton · 23/10/2013 20:17

DS2 is being given phonics worksheets with exercises that he cannot do - it is basic blending of 2 or 3 sounds (sat, it, pat etc) but he has no idea how, to blend and I have no idea how to teach him...I just don't think he is ready for it.

When DS1 was in Reception 3 years ago, they worked at the pace of each child and such exercises weren't given to the child until tbey were ready - it now seems to have changed and every child gets the same Confused

Is this right??

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Periwinkle007 · 23/10/2013 20:45

well that isn't how my daughters reception classes have done it (well class really because they had the same teacher) the children get basic sounds to find or draw pictures of things starting with the sound. So the sounds they have done that week then get sent home for this exercise over the weekend.

No blending at all yet and my daughter is already able to read so her reading book acknowledges that but the phonics work is nice and simple. my other daughter was reading fluently at this stage in reception so they gave her spellings to do instead.

I would put a note with it saying that he couldn't do it or speak to the teacher and ask for advice.

blending is really a case of sounding out the individual sounds so
s a t s a t and then say them quicker until you get sat. hard to describe.

thegreylady · 23/10/2013 21:14

My dgs is in Reception and they seem to get 'differentiated' homework.He is beginning to read and his homework recently was a set of 10 cards of cvc words to sort into real words and not real words.
They were cat bat Pat mat and hat
gat dat nat jat and wat
he had to put the real words into an envelope with a picture of a postbox on it and the others in an envelope with a picture of a dustbin.
I'd just have a word with the teacher but as long as he can recognise the letters blending will develop just as Periwinkle describes :)

TeWiSavesTheDay · 23/10/2013 21:20

They should differentiate. Very poor not to - I would speak to the teacher, maybe just a mistake? Wrong homework in bookbag?

Original poster
spookyskeleton · 23/10/2013 21:32

I am aware of how to blend as did it with DS1 but that was not until he was ready to do it so it was an easy process. DS2 is clearly nowhere near ready and I am not a teacher so do not even know where to start with it!

it is not the wrong homework as he has had 5 similar worksheets now with 5 different phonic sounds - they can't all have gone in the wrong bag Confused

Unfortunately I missed the information evening last week as I couldn't get childcare so they may have explained the reasoning behind it then.

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 23/10/2013 21:35

Go and ask the teacher if you can arrange a meeting with them. They will help you and show you. They'd rather you go in and explain the problem than have your child struggling.

toomuchicecream · 23/10/2013 21:39

Agreed - go and ask the teacher - you'll save yourself lots of time and heartache trying to second guess them.

Periwinkle007 · 23/10/2013 21:42

if they are sending one sheet per phonic sound then are they sending it from the point of view of practicing the sound and then showing how it would fit into blending so that those who are ready for it will pick it up and those that aren't haven't lost anything by trying?

I was imagining they were sending home a sheet expecting them to learn to read all the words in a sense but now I have seen they are doing one for each sound I suspect it is more to help develop those who are ready.

LittleRobots · 23/10/2013 21:47

That doesn't sound quite right. Can you chat to her after school?

My daughter's class only seems to have a few that are actively blending on their own. Everyone is doing the sound-a-day type homework with those who are blending being encouraged to do that as well.

sangsta99 · 24/10/2013 19:53

Its really hard for parents to know exactly what to do at home - and blending is not that obvious a thing to teach. Try using the phonic soundboard and watch the teaching videos of phase 2 blending on the excellent website www.homeschoolconnect.co.uk. The site is specifically designed for parents to learn what they can do at home to help and 'demystify' what happens at school. Hope it helps!

mrz · 25/10/2013 06:46

Can he hear the words if you say the sounds OP?

BoundandRebound · 25/10/2013 06:48

Go and talk to the teacher tell her he isn't ready and so you won't be doing it then just read to him

I'm sure it will be fine

mrz · 25/10/2013 07:09

Blending and segmenting should be taught right from the start (as soon as the first set of sounds have been introduced if schools are teaching a sound a day) but some children need lots of practice just hearing the sounds in words and take longer to learn to do it when they say the sounds themselves.

mrz · 25/10/2013 07:11

sat, it, pat are all words that can be read/spelt with the six sounds commonly taught first in many programmes

Original poster
spookyskeleton · 25/10/2013 20:34

mrz no, he can't hear the words if I say the sounds either Confused it is as if I am speaking a completely foreign language to him! yes sat, pat, it are all words that he has got on the worksheets amongst lots of others.

He is completely comfortable with the sounds and knows them, can say them and do actions so it does seem to be blending.

OP posts:
mineofuselessinformation · 25/10/2013 20:43

Have you tried running the sounds into each other? I know this helps some children who can recognise the individual sounds but can't as yet 'put them together' in their head.

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