Fun with Phonics!

Please can anyone give us some ideas for this subject. Until recently we were doing activities with the initial sounds of words, then after going on a course (which told us we could not do this with children 2 3/4), we should be playing more games that involve rhyming. We tried that, we say "hat, bat, cat" and they say "dog!!!" now we need more ideas please what to do. Any ideas please

[Ruthierhyme]

It's a long old haul building the foundations for solid phonic/letter & word knowledge.

Your course was right though, under 3's aren't usually ready for this.

Remember everytime you communicate clearly with them whatever you're doing, you are helping to teach word formation, they are all mini sponges & you'll probably find they'll show you when they recognise the initial & last sound of a word, try not to rush them. .. enjoy yourselves !

Role play, dressing up, sand, water and exploration of materials through the use of vocabulary, stories, books, and creative play... anything really that involves you all talking with each other and experiencing new things!
Gloop, silly putty, playdough, paint. Building bricks, blocks and pebbles !
Nursery rhymes, clapping & rhythm, songs & music.
We liked dingle dangle scarecrow, 5 little monkeys,
There's a worm at the bottom of my garden & his name is wiggly woo :jump:
Lyrics & music

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For the older more advanced children you could play the 'finish off' game ... you begin a word & they finish it for you . Ba..... G
Then reverse it for the children to start a word and you finish it !!
(that's always interesting !! )

I spy but use the majority of the word in your sentence ~ 'I spy a CHAI ....... R'

Circle games.
Hide and seek or mix and match
Word or letter of the week.
Topics that have a 'Word focus .. opposites, colours, shapes, toys,
Goldilocks & the three bears is a good one !!

Use simple sentences and pictures to talk about a specific parts of your topics (that's if you use them)
For the Summer you could use ..
A Sun is shiny, bright, round and makes you feel warm (or hot!!).
The wind is cool, fresh and blows.
Icecream is cold, it melts in the sun and drips down your arm!!

These stories from Usborne are a lovely introduction to phonic rhyme .. they also look good for the written aspect of Planning and are, more importantly a relaxed read

Fat cat on a mat
Toad makes a road
Sam Sheep can't sleep
Ted in a red bed
Hens Pens
on a log
Teds Shed

Setting up a routine of gently emphasising the first & last letter as you speak may help, some children will begin to recognise them .. others will think thats just the way the word sounds until they too are ready to understand its patience and much of this lol.

I hope this helps a little .. & have fun

our recent training told us NOT to use phonics at this age, but to name letters instead and leave phonics for reception

Thank you for your comments. We usually have a bag of things that all start with the same letter sound and model the sound so they can hear it. We were told the other day that children from us that went on to school were told to use the letter names only, one girl knew the sound for "a" but not the name "A". How confusing! Anyway, at least we are doing all of the things you say. thanks again Ruthierhyme

Wish you were nearer Kilnsea .... we'd love to come and do some of our Speech Sparkler sessions for you!
Regards,


Lisa

[Miss Muffet]

Just posted this. It might be of some help.