A is for Ant

1. Learn your phonic alphabet and don’t refer to letter names when guiding reading. Letter names will not help your child to sound out a word whereas phonics will. Also explain that most words will have at least one vowel. Vowels are in red below. Sounds are in bold.

a – at             g – get          m – met            s – sun

b – bat           h – hot         n – net               t – tan

c – cat            i – in           o – on                u - up

d – dot           j – jet           p – pen              v - vet

e – end           k – kin         qu – queen        w - wet

f –  fit              l – let            r – run               x – tax

                       y – silly         z – zebra

2. Use phonic reading books or write words that can be sounded out easily (see example below). Encourage your child to sound out each letter and do not rush them. A child starts to read as they grow more confident in putting these sounds together. Always add one sound at a time.

Example:            cat – c, c a, c a t  dog – d, d o, d o g                                

                           mum – m, m u, m u m  dad – d, d a,  d a d

3. Do not rush to introduce words that cannot readily be sounded out. Allow your child to be fully confident reading words that can readily be sounded out first. As your child progresses from reading 1 word to 3 words on a page, they will also understand the context of what they are reading. Then they are ready to read simple words that bend the phonic rules ( see examples below).

Example:   the –  thur -explain the th sound and the sound

the whole word makes.    

                   a and I – explain that these letters say their name

                  when they are on their own                                

                   what – explain that the w makes the h silent

4. You can call these words naughty words or awkward words. When your child says one of these words with the correct phonics, but not the correct pronunciation, tell them they are right but explain that this naughty word does something different.

Example:    what and bath – your child may pronounce the a in

these words phonically correctly like the a in cat.

                               Explain that these words are naughty (unless

                               you have a northern English accent).

5. It is important to practise guided reading and to keep up with your child’s progress by making sure their school reading book is changed at least every week. Children will get demoralised with reading if they are given the same book for weeks on end.

     6.   Your child will probably know their phonic alphabet sounds before

           they know all the names of the letters.  This is fine, but be sure to explain

that when letters stand on their own they “say their name”. Some of them also
“say their name” when followed by an “e” (even with a letter in between).

Example:            a – rat, rate

                                            c – lac, lace

                            e – pet, Pete

                            g – rag, rage

                            i – bit, bite

                            o – cod, code

                            u – tub, tube

                            y – dairy, rye

           Sometimes letters “say their name” for no apparent reason – e.g.“bacon”.

6. Most important of all, get in the habit of reading for pleasure with your  

child. Visit the library regularly and borrow picture story books that you can read to your child. Try to read to them every night. Reading to your children from any age will help them associate positive feelings with books. Phonics books, although essential in teaching children to read, can also be dull. Bedtime story reading should be fun and your child benefits from hearing you read.

If you would like more information about guided reading please contact Lynn on 01689 835079 or email turnaroundinfo@gmail.com to book a free

one-to-one session with your child.