Phonics at home

[Cobo]

DS starts school in September, and I've recently realised I've been making some rookie mistakes with the letter recognition I've done with him at home. (Teaching him "tuh" or "puh" instead of just "t" or "p" sounds, for example.) He's showing an interest in reading, so I'd like to start learning a bit about phonics myself so I can avoid errors like this, but I have a couple of questions :

• Does it matter what phonics system we start with? Should I ask the school what they use or will any free online resources do?

• If I do ask the school, are they likely to be helpful, or would they rather parents just left it to them?

Thanks in advance.

You might as well use the same system, so I would ask them.

Whether the school is helpful is rather school dependent.

If the school uses RWI you can get the cards online. DD2 used to love posing them into a homemade post box. I let her post them in if she got the sound right.

Also make sure
a) you do lower case writing not capitals
b) if you do any letter formation make sure you are doing it right as it's really hard to unlearn.

Other things - no guessing or using picture clues as to what the word may be!

(More important to be school ready will be other stuff like dressing himself, going to toilet, waiting, etc but I guess you are aware of that already)

I learnt phonics along side mine - ( had reading and writing issue to prove hadn't worked out some of the complex code).

alphablocks

jolly phonics songs on as well.

They were pretty fun ways to introduce phonics and make DC vaguely aware of sounds and letters.

My DC school was/is still using mixed methods while claiming to be all about phonics - promoting guessing, sending home books full of words not yet decodeable to the DC and one of our DC was to hear sounds in words as well - so we had to do more - so 10 minutes and Bear Necessities A1 and later books were needed. You can do them from aged 4 - but shouldn't be necessary.

Their school sent home as part of parent pack how they wanted letters formed - not sure all schools do that. They are quiet strict about how they want them done - later on it's no looping letters to join up.

School was much more interested in practical things at this stage- like getting their schools on and of - recognising their names on pegs, getting dresses after PE and performances by themselves, being abled to follow instructions - stuff like that.

Oh school on induction days mentioned they used jolly phonic stuff - so if they are using other systems I'm sure they will mention them -or won't mind you inquiring.

It would obviously be easier to use same system however in our case we've had to go our own way at home - massively discourage guessing, pic looking and sometime giving up on the books sent home ( and writing why and being ignore or told guessing is a good technique) and using phonics based ones - it hasn't done anything but help them.

Yes; try the ideas already suggested. If you want something slightly more formal, but still easy and entertaining, you could try this:

An inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing, and really help them to understand Phonics, is reviewed in the MN Book Reviews section. Just search ‘Phonics’.

Most schools actively encourage parents to get involved - you'll be doing most of the 1:1 reading with them when they start school after all. DS school had an information evening shortly after he started, but I would imagine they'd be happy to tell you sooner if you ask.

I don't think it matters too much what system you use as long as it is phonics rather than anything else. We've used all sorts. My preschool DD has picked up loads from things like alphablocks, jolly phonics songs on youtube, teach your monster to read. We've found it helpful to have some phonics books at home too, got a couple of sets from the Book People - was useful when DS school books were too easy or too hard or just not enough, and now DD is learning to read with them too.