Reception Reading Information SessionReception Year Reading and Phonics
Reading • Our school reading target is for children to complete between 3-7
home reading sessions each week and for these to be recorded in the reading diary.
• Diaries will be checked each Monday. • However, more reading = better progress and quicker progression
through the reading awards in school. • Once an entry has been made in the diary, go to the back and colour in
one picture. • Only one entry per day. • Please colour left to right. • Initially, any kind of reading counts, books from home or school. Once
your child begins to decode text, the main form of reading is likely to be the school reading scheme books.
This is the target sheet found in the back of the reading diary.
For each daily entry (only one per day counts), colour one picture.
Colour left to right in lines.
By the end of Reception children should be able to read the majority of the following key words: Keywords for Reading
• Reception children will be given sets of keywords (at the child’s individual pace) to learn at home. You will find a word pack in their book bag. Please ensure that this is sent into school each day.
• 12 Word Sets. Once these are secure, the children will move onto other word lists.
• Word sets are mainly non-decodable and we call them “remember words”. Please learn these words at home little and often, so your child knows these words securely by sight (no blending). This will increase their reading fluency.
• Word learning sessions can also be written in the reading diary and count towards your weekly reading target.
• New word sets will be given once a week on your child’s allotted day as and when they are ready to learn new words.
Key Words
• Make sure you review previously learnt word sets to ensure your child does not forget any of the words!
• Make games out of learning the words and make it fun! Snap, lotto, word hunt, lucky dip, magnetic letters, etc. Try not to rely on just using flashcards.
• Little rhymes.
• If you find your child is struggling on a particular set, introduce one or two words at a time.
Synthetic Phonics
Synthetic phonics is a method of teaching where words are broken up into the smallest units of sound (phonemes). ... The 'synthetic' part of this particular phonics instruction derives from the process of synthesizing or blending sounds to create words.
Please do not add ‘huh’ onto the end of the sounds – they should be pure sounds.
Useful Links:
Autumn Term • Phonics taught through Jolly Phonics actions and rhymes. There are several
apps available that would support the learning of these letters and sounds at home. However, as we follow the cursive style for handwriting, the letter formation within Jolly Phonics will not be relevant.
• Although we introduce the name and the sound (phoneme) of each letter, our primary focus is the letter sound, without the ‘huh’!
Set 1: s, a, t (at, sat) Set 2: p, i, n (sit, tip, pin, pat..) Set 3: c, k, e (cat, kit, nip, tap, pen, kick, sick…) Set 4: h, r, m Set 5: d, g, o Set 5: u, l, f Set 6: b, bb, ff, ll, ss, mm, nn, rr, tt, pp, gg, dd.
Spring Term Digraphs are made up of two or more letters that go together to make one
sound. Tri-graphs are three or more letters that go together to make one sound. Pictures and phrases are linked with each digraph and tri-graph to help the children learn them in a multisensory way.
Set 7: y, z, zz, qu
Consonant digraphs: ch, sh, th, ng
Vowel digraphs / tri-graphs: ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, ow, oi, ear, air, ure, er
Summer Term • Consolidation of digraphs and tri-graphs. • Blend and segment longer words with adjacent consonants. • Begin learning some new digraphs ready for year 1.
Guided Reading
• Reading is taught through whole class and small group work. • Small group reading is generally timetabled for a Friday morning, we call
this ‘Fruity Friday’. Fruit groups are based on a pupil’s reading ability. • Other reading activities are timetabled during the week. • Phonics sessions are timetabled each day. • Wixams Tree uses a mix of reading scheme books with a strong phonic
focus to support reading development in school and at home. • Reading books are graded and each level is a different colour. • Children’s reading development and attainment is assessed through phonic
skills and knowledge, key word recognition and comprehension.
Handwriting We teach the children to form their letters using a cursive font. Children benefit from regular practice (little and often) to write their name
using the cursive letters. Practice (little and often) with lots of repetition to form the lower case
letters. Start with lower case letters! Initiall, only practise the capital letter which
your child’s name begins with. All letters begin on the line (near the mole in the hole!).
Website Link: https://teachhandwriting.co.uk/continuous-cursive-beginners-choice-4.html
This is our cursive font. A laminated A4 sheet and dry wipe pen can be found in your welcome pack. Practice letter formation little and often
Terminology Phoneme = letter sound. Grapheme = letter or letters that represents the phoneme (sound). Segment = splitting the word into sound units for spelling. i.e. c-a-t. Blend (synthesize) = pushing the sounds together to read the word. i.e. c-a-t ‘cat’. Decode = sounding out words to read. Sound Buttons = dots or dashes underneath each sound unit.
Home Learning / Parental Support
• Purple Mash accounts.
• We love to share pictures and learning generated at home. These can be uploaded in Evidence Me or to your child’s Purple Mash folder.
• In the event of your family having to self-isolate for any period of time, weekly home learning will be available via your child’s Purple Mash account.
• Practice name writing and cursive letter formation little and often.
• Read regularly and practice key words often.
General Reminders
• Please try to remember to wash your hands before and after handling the contents of the book bag to reduce the possible spread of Covid-19.
• Please NO drinks, lunches, snack boxes or clothing items in book bags. We only have a limited amount of space to store the bags and bulky items in the bags makes it difficult to fit them all in the storage boxes.
• Send the book bag, word pack, diary and book into school every day. • Please check the bags daily for letters home. • Please ensure you label everything!
Thank you!