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Primary teachers - need help with this email explaining how DD is taught letters and numbers

43 replies

Shitemum · 25/01/2009 21:10

The email is just to ask if I could have some info about what level the children will be expected to have achieved by the end of yr 1 (actually Scottish P1)so I can help her catch up beforehand if need be. She is starting at P2 level in Scotland this autumn having been at Spanish infant school till nearly 6 yo.
I am trying to explain that DD1 has been taught letters and number in a sort of intuitive way (not sure if that is even the right word)rather than 'Now we are going to learn the letter 'G'' for example.
Am not sure if the following is just waffle or if it makes any sense?
Can anyone tell me if it does? Thanks!

"My daughter is currently in the last year of infant school here in Spain. She has been full time since she was 2. As children start primary school here at 6 years of age she will effectively be skipping the first year of primary.
She knows the alphabet in capital letters and they do a fair amount of writing at school, mostly copying things they want to write etc. They haven't been taught letters and numbers in isolation from whatever they were working on but rather their knowledge of letters and numbers has arisen from a need to know in the context of everyday practical activities. They also use numbers and counting including subtraction but always in context. For example (DD)'s class, as the oldest in the school, is in charge of going round all 5 classes and counting the children to see how many are off sick and how many will be there for lunch and taking that information to the kitchen staff. The classwork is project based and stems from what they are interested in mostly.
She likes to ask me to give her simple addition sums to do on her fingers when we are walking to school and she can do written addition sums where the answer is less than 12."

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MumHadEnough · 26/01/2009 13:49

Hi Shitemum.

My ds is in P2, so if it helps when I go home tonight I'll get a list of the books he's done since the beginning of P2 and also the vocab list they've been working on.

We're in Glasgow. They use Jolly phonics and I also have the phonics lists from this year. They also get a "vocabulary list", basically a list of words they have to learn off by heart which are in advance of the books they are going to have to read.

I'll also see what Maths info I can get.

Would that help?

Seona1973 · 26/01/2009 14:02

Jolly phonics (Just in case you want a look at that too)

Shitemum · 26/01/2009 14:09

Mumhadenough - that would be fantastic but it's the words and maths for P1 we really need as I'd like to start those now while the children who she will be joining at the start of P2 this August are in the current P1.
I have yet to email the school she is down for, maybe they will be able to send me the word lists and a time frame for learning them.
But any guide to what P1 covers would be great. Thanks!

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Shitemum · 26/01/2009 14:10

Seona - thanks will have a look...

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Seona1973 · 26/01/2009 14:16

DD hasnt brought any maths work home (apart from learning to form the numbers 1 to 10)but she talks about doing 'active maths' at school. This seems to involve games of some sort although she doesnt go into much detail.

MumHadEnough · 26/01/2009 15:34

Oh right sorry, I misunderstood you. I have some stuff from P1 somewhere. I'll have a wee lookie for you!

MumHadEnough · 26/01/2009 15:41

The Jolly Phonics page on that jolly learning site is excellent. I remember at the start of p1 my ds doing all the sounds with the associated action with them. That is a must as far as I can see.

Go through that page with her that will be a big help!

imaginaryfriend · 26/01/2009 21:49

yes, it was dd who had the bad skin problems. She had a long long time on strong antibiotics but is so much better now, thanks for remembering her.

Shitemum · 27/01/2009 00:07

MHE - Thanks, if you happen to have anything lying around that would be great but if not don't worry...
The jolly phonics site looks good, will have a proper look tomorrow.

IF - I'm so glad your DD is better. Did they ever find out what it was?

How do you go about finding lost paintings? Somewhere there is one of my grandfather as a boy holding a violin, painted in 1904 I think, which is the original of a contemporary copy we have. We think it ended up in Florence. He was Italian, as was the painter. I can't remember why but we always thought it had got lost during the war. However, nobody in the story was Jewish...

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imaginaryfriend · 27/01/2009 00:25

Have you got any idea who the artist was? If you do then you could try searching for it on Art Sales Index to see if it's ever been sold at auction?

I think I've got some of dd's first reading books that she might not mind parting with if you'd like them?

Shitemum · 27/01/2009 09:19

IF - We did have the artist's card tucked in the back of the stretcher with his name and a penciled note about where the original had gone to but I'm not sure if we still have it as after my father died my aunt wanted the picture and it was removed from its frame and sent to Holland where she lives. We also have photographs of the picture. I'll ask my family about the card. Thanks!

Many thanks for the offer of the books. We do have a ton of children's books in English tho' as I always raid the charity shops when we are back in Scotland. I suppose we could just start with the simplest ones or I could make her texts using the words from the lists. Thanks anyway but it would be expensive to post as well.

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imaginaryfriend · 27/01/2009 12:03

sm, make sure the books you give her to read are appropriate for her though - some of the first readers here are made to be very simple. If you look online at the Jelly and Bean books they're very good for beginners.

Re. the painting, we tend to find that without the artists name at least it's very difficult to trace something. Unless it's a very unusual subject matter and has a specific title I wouldn't know how you could begin.

Shitemum · 27/01/2009 18:38

IF - thanks, I know what you mean about the books. I'll have a look at the Jelly and Bean ones.

We did know the name of the painter but I'd have to find the card...

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imaginaryfriend · 27/01/2009 21:35

sm, see if anyone can remember the artists' name and any kind of description. I'm happy to have a browse for you.

Shitemum · 28/01/2009 21:48

IF - thanks! Might be a few months before I find it tho as I am abroad till July...

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Jackalee · 29/01/2009 01:29

Hi there.

Try this www.mrsperkins.com/dolch.htm. Dolch Words - download the pdf file, its a list of 220 sight words and nouns that are difficult to sound out phonetically but essential for reading. I am not a teacher and have no idea what or who Dolch is but I thought the list was pretty comprehensive.

I used it to print out flash cards as ds was taking a real interest in reading (he was only 3 - bless!). I printed out two of each so I could also play at finding pairs with say 5 words at a time (10 cards) and placing them face down and turning them over, make a game of it. I never did get to use them as he had taught himself to read before they were finshed .Thought it might be a good idea at the time! He's too fast for me, I work at fuddled speed most of the time.

Hope they help you out.

Jackalee · 29/01/2009 01:39

Sorry - I posted this after I had only read the first page of this thread - oops! The phonics lists would be more age appropriate if you can get them. The same words will be on the dolch list I mentioned, try just picking a few words of the words at first. Just thought it might help.

Shitemum · 29/01/2009 09:42

Jackalee - thank, sounds interesting, will check it out!

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