Blending - when and how?

[Pitchounette]

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dd1 is now in year 2. It took her what felt like a very long time to get the concept of blending. I don't think she really got it until she was in year 1.
I started out by getting really stressed about it and then so did she and she refused to read for a while. So,I then started to get her to sound the word out and I would tell her what it was as at least that way she found out what it sounded like. We also got through the books by her reading one page and me the next, or even taking it in turns to read a word.

It all improved dramtically when she reached ORT Stage 5 with the Magic Key, this was in the second term in year 1.

I woek in a Y1 class and there areseveral children who are not yet able to blend CVC words and only just starting to get the hang of it. I have the whole range in the class: a couple who can read really very well right ddown to a couple who are still learning the first few letter sounds.

My 1-1 is just starting to blend now in reception he was simply not ready

Learning to blend with ORT books is very difficult as the scheme wasn't written as part of a phonics programme and relies on a variety of strategies which sends mixed messages to children.

What really helped with DS was starting by blending only the end of words so CAT becomes CA - T and bus becomes BU - S. Start with just a short hesitation before the last letter and then lengthen it. When he has got that gradually start with C - AT or C - A - T. We also played I Spy with semi-blended words eg 'something beginning with CA...'

Jolly phonics is a lovely fun way to practice phonics. I'd get hold of a few of the finger phonics books. Most reception classes use them, so you won't be confusing him. DS's teacher recommends www.starfall.com - we haven't tried it yet but it looks fun

most of all - don't worry. DS1 has struggled to pick up anything new in reception so far because there is just so much to take in (he did phonics and blending in the school nursery class). Although he is good on phonics, he still can't hold a pen properly or form any letters without one to one support. His teacher isn't at all worried.

My DD learned to blend, and read basic words before starting school. However her school reception have only just started phonics so she has not been doing any reading for the first half of term. Feels as though our school is the last in the country!

DS learned all the phonic sounds in the autumn term of reception and by the spring term was beginning to blend them. It seemed to take him a while to blend and I worried he was slow at the time but he soon took off with reading once he could blend and is now a good reader.

I really wouldn't worry too much about the blending now as it is still early days in reception. Try to help your child learn the phonic sounds by reinforcing the sounds learnt in class at home such as "s" (snake). Then once they get the hang of blending they will quickly progress (due to knowing the phonics) - am not a teacher by the way this is just my experience as a mother.

I have rebelled today and allowed DD to read a Peter and Jane book (non phonic, not pc!) as while she is waiting to do phonics at school I thought it would be useful for her to learn a few tricky words!

I do like the phonic system on the whole but there are so many exceptions.."said", "was" etc.

Having DD's reading journal to hand, I can confidently say that she started blending on 18th November last year! So a little later than the current point in thet term, and she was by no means the last, although some children were already reading pretty well at that point. It also took a while longer to really click, or embed, it was kind of painful for a month or two.

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I'm using Songbirds, Rigby Star Phonics, Big Cat Phonics until children have the skills and knowledge to read non phonics texts.

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I bought a copy of the e-songbird cdrom (Amazon £35.00 instead £100+) and the games really help with blending and has 12 books to read on the PC

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www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0199114412/sr=8-5/qid=1257438566/ref=olp_tab_new?ie=UTF8&coliid=&m e=&qid=1257438566&sr=8-5&seller=&colid=&condition=new

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It works out cheaper than buying all the books and gives lots of interactive games for blending. I use it on my IWB with my reception class.
The game I used today shows series of four pictures (cvc words) the child clicks on the worm who says the sounds (and shows the letters) to spell one of the words and the child has to select the picture that matches the word if they get it correct (lots of praise from songbird) and moves onto next set of pictures and new word to blend.