helping children become independent learners
To help you continue your child’s learning journey at home, we have been busy developing a number of useful video guides and links to useful websites. Over time, we are sure that this resource will grow and become a valuable tool in helping assist our children and families with pre and post learning. In the meantime, we would be delighted to receive your feedback.
phonics
Children in Foundation Stage begin learning the letter sounds (phonics) early on in their school life. As this is the first step in developing reading skills it is important that children learn the correct sound that a letter makes.
We've had a little help from some of our slightly older children to make videos demonstrating the pure sounds of each letter, grouped in 'sets'. This will allow parents and children to practice at home if they wish to extend their learning beyond the school day.
We've had a little help from some of our slightly older children to make videos demonstrating the pure sounds of each letter, grouped in 'sets'. This will allow parents and children to practice at home if they wish to extend their learning beyond the school day.
phonemes and pure sounds
Phonemes are the smallest unit of sound. Children are taught the individual sounds that each letter of the alphabet makes before they start to put them together to read short words e.g. c-a-t, n-a-p, t-a-p. Children will learn the 'pure sounds' of each letter rather than the letter name. This helps make it easier to blend the sounds together to read. The videos below will introduce families to the pure sounds of each letter.
set 1- s, a, t, p, i, n
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set 2- c, k, ck, e, h, r, m, d
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set 3- g, o, u, l, ll, f, ff, b
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set 4- j, v, w, x, y, z, zz, q / qu
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consonant digraphs- ch, sh, th, ng
Digraphs are two letters that make one sound. There are consonant digraphs and the more challenging vowel digraphs.
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vowel digraphs (and a trigraph)
These are groups of two letters of which at least one is a vowel. Together they make a single sound. A trigraph is a group of three letters which make a single sound.
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learning through songs
Children at Kirkistown Primary School rehearse the letter sounds in a variety of ways. You may find some of the songs below helpful when rehearsing these sounds with your child at home
set 1- s, a, t, p, i, n
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The letter 's' sound
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The letter 'a' sound
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The letter 't' sound
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The letter 'p' sound
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The letter 'i' sound
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The letter 'n' sound
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SET 2- C, K, CK, E, H, R, M, D
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The letter 'e' sound
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The letter 'r' sound
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The letter 'm' sound
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The letter 'd' sound
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SET 3- G, O, U, L, LL, F, FF, B
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The letter 'g' sound
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The letter 'l' sound
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The letter 'f' sound
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The letter 'b' sound
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SET 4- J, V, W, X, Y, Z, ZZ, Q / QU
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The letter 'j' sound
The letter 'z' sound
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The letter 'w' sound
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