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Workbooks for reception (I know, I know!!)

11 replies

LoadingDishwasher · 26/03/2017 15:05

My youngest ds is in reception class and up until recently has had absolutely no interest in learning inside or outside of school. In class he's done the bare minimum, just been far more interested in playing and being with friends. As he's not my pfb I've not been overly concerned by this at all having seen how children make massive leaps and plateaus throughout primary school in his sibling's classes. Despite being a September birth, he is in the bottom group of his class - and in fairness he had speech delay and didn't talk till he was 3 1/4 - but since Feb this year he has finally clicked and is keen to learn. In class he's trying hard and at home is happy to do his reading homework.
This is where the workbooks come in....Grin he does get sheets home from school with phonics on, but they are very boring and not exciting at all. I don't get to town much, but I would like your opinions on the various workbooks out there. It's hard to tell on the internet if they are too easy or too hard - ie preschool or year 1 levels - and most books seem to be aimed at these groups rather than reception class.
Can anyone recommend any......cgp, carol vorderman, letts......which ones are best?
He's keen to do more at home and prefers a bit of structure to his learning rather than just counting in the car or trying to spell out word sounds. I never did death by worksheet with the other two and won't with him either!!!

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Ferguson · 26/03/2017 20:30

This isn't a workbook, but it can be very useful in encouraging children with reading, writing and spelling. It presents things in an attractive way, and gives lots of 'rules' about words, that can be used with children, right up to secondary school level:

Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary
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’ and my name.

LoadingDishwasher · 26/03/2017 21:24

Thanks Ferguson I'll have a look into that

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MooPointCowsOpinion · 26/03/2017 21:27

Is his School signed up for an online learning platform? Like Hegarty Maths or RM easimaths or MyMaths? He can login from home and do sessions on there, my dd has RM easimaths and she thinks it's so fun. She also reads everything and anything, but encyclopaedias really got her hooked.

LoadingDishwasher · 26/03/2017 21:31

No, we're not signed up for anything like that via school - but I would really rather be using pencil and paper and developing his fine motor skills with English and maths at the moment.

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Ginmummy1 · 27/03/2017 08:36

Collins Easy Learning workbooks are nice for the early stages (and inexpensive), but seem to go 3-5, 5-7 so you’d want to read reviews online to decide which age band to go for. DD chose an Andrew Brodie mental maths book a while back, which has reward stickers and is nicely progressive through the book. I’ve not looked at any others in that set, but it might be worth looking at online reviews.

alwaysthepessimist · 27/03/2017 08:40

I use a website called Twinkl - it's for parents, teachers etc, there is lots & lots of free resource but you can also subscribe, my DD loves the worksheets off there as they are fun and she can colour them afterwards. I also bought some collins maths books for her as that is what she needs help with, we do also have the Biff, Kipper & Chip books at home for her to read, she is keen to learn too but we only do it when she is happy too - the rest of the time she plays - just like a 4 yo should do. Also we aren't signed up for anything online, everything she does is pencil & paper based

Didiplanthis · 27/03/2017 10:38

Hello. In same boat in reception ds asking to do homework wants to learn but bored witless by copying letters out which he actually finds quite hard but loves maths,puzzles etc. We use Letts and Collins and mix up 3-5 and 5-7 we only do it if he asks but he loves them and it has really boosted his desire to learn.

noramum · 27/03/2017 11:42

We used Letts, I think the series is called Mystical Maths or similar. If in doubt go a step back as it will enable your child to do them independently and have a "yeah" moment than stumbling across topics they have not done or not in depth yet.

LoadingDishwasher · 27/03/2017 13:02

Thank you all for your inputs, I've ordered a Collins 3-5 and will look into the Letts ones too. At least on Amazon it lets you view a couple of pages to get a general idea.
With Easter holidays rapidly approaching it will be good to spend a little bit of time with him trying them out to see if the engage him in the way I hope.

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Didiplanthis · 27/03/2017 20:41

The Letts ones we have have something like wild about animals. Have a look at the book people on line - they often have sets really cheap.

LoadingDishwasher · 27/03/2017 21:22

Thanks Didi have just looked on there - very good value. Have just ordered the 3-5 and 5-7 and will see how we get on.

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