NEWS: Talisman 2 Series out now! Teachers and pupils have been writing to us asking about the next Talisman Series. It has now been published and is available! The Talisman 2 workbook will be available in September 2011. This new series includes some really useful spellings and suffixes for the older, reluctant readers.
Read MoreLearning to Read
Year 1 Phonics Screening check – a good or bad idea?
The DFE will launch a Year 1 phonics screening check from 2012. This test is intended to assess the progress of the pupils’ phonics skills, with the aim of identifying pupils who are falling behind.
Read More‘To blend’ or ‘a blend’? – that is the question
What is the difference between ‘a blend’ (‘blend’ as a noun) and ‘to blend’ (as a verb)? Now that most schools are getting used to using synthetic phonics programmes, some old terms are being dropped and new terms are introduced. So, how do we now use the word ‘blend’: as a noun or a verb?
Read MoreAre ‘tricky’ words and high-frequency words the same?
These days, we hear a lot about ‘tricky’ words, phonically ‘irregular’ words, ‘sight’ words and ‘high-frequency’ words. Do all these terms mean the same thing?
Read MoreWhy the ‘A, B, C’ song is not helpful to beginner readers
Many young children learn to sing the ‘A, B, C’ song in nursery or at home. This song teaches them the names and the order of the letters of the alphabet. It’s a great way to store the alphabetic order of letters in our long-term memories. I still use the alphabet song when using a […]
Read MoreHow to choose a good phonics reading scheme
If you’re thinking of using a phonics reading scheme of decodable books, you may be wondering how to choose one. Here are some questions you should be asking.
Read MoreShould fluent readers be taught phonics?
Some children get the hang of reading easily and become fluent readers. Is there any point in taking them through a structured phonics programme?
Read MoreHow to say the sounds of letters in Synthetic Phonics
Most schools in the UK are now following a synthetic phonics programme. All such programmes teach children to pronounce letters in a slightly new and different way. This is called ‘precise pronunciation’ or ‘pure sounds’. Some staff members and parents may find they are not sure about this new pronunciation, as they were not taught […]
Read MoreWhy is English spelling such a headache?
Some languages have a ‘transparent’ phonic code. Take Italian or Spanish: the phonic code is simple and consistent. Once you have mastered the sounds for the letters of the alphabet, you can read and spell. The graphemes (written spellings of a sound) are reliable as they always represent the same sounds! Why is learning to […]
Read MoreTotem Series reviewed
The Totem Series has just been reviewed in SNIP, Special Needs Information Press. This is a really useful publication full of a wealth of information and resources for Special Needs teachers.
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