Dear Parents and Carers,
Year 1 Phonics Screening check
In June, all Year 1 children in England will take part in the phonics screening check. Within the screening check the children will be asked to read 40 words, some of which will be real words and some will be pseudo words. The children may also refer to pseudo words as ‘alien’ words. This screening check will take place on a 1:1 basis with either myself or Miss Cox. There is no time limit to the phonics screening check but it should take no longer than 10 minutes. The children are taught phonics daily and so preparation for this is already in place so please don’t worry about this.
Here is a link to phonics play PhonicsPlay – Resources (www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources) where you can play Dragons Den, Buried treasure and Picnic on Pluto without subscribing. These games focus on real and pseudo words and will be a good way to practise at home too. We will be sending a copy of the flashcards home by the end of the week. Please continue to read with your child daily – even if it is just for 5-10 minutes – and then write a comment in the diary. This is a perfect way for you to help your child develop their reading skills and continue their reading journey to becoming fluent readers.
Helpful hints when reading:
Explore the text – Talk about the front cover; read the title; make predictions; read the blurb; discuss the illustrations. Who is the author?
Phonics check – Open up the book; discuss any digraphs the book aims to practise. Are there any non-decodable words? Talk about their meaning if necessary.
Pre-read – Read the book to your child then have them read it with you. Talk about what you’ve read.
Your child’s turn – Have your child read the book aloud to you. Ensure they apply reading behaviours accurately. Encourage silent blending where possible. Encourage fluency and expression when appropriate. Make your child aware of punctuation; encourage them to use it to improve pace and fluency.
Comprehension – Ask questions about the text to ensure your child has understood what they have read. What and when questions are fine, but aim for open ended questions too such as: why do you think …? How would you….?
Quizzes – Sometimes there is a quiz at the end of the book. Or you could make up your own.
Follow up – Provide follow up activities suggested by the book that link to the themes and develop your child’s understanding.
Please do get in contact with us if you have any questions as we will be happy to help.
Kind regards
Mrs Young
KS1 and Reading Leader
