Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 In light of Rose report, we're evaluating current practice at school and are considering future purchases. Initially planned to buy Jolly Phonics stuff (don't have any at present), but one our new KS2 teachers said she did teaching practice in a school where they had introduced a scheme by Ruth Miskin. She said the school reported fantastic results, and that it was a complete scheme, complete with lesson plans outlining everything needed. Just wanted to know if anyone has any experience of this, and if so, what do you think of it? Harricroft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_79 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Why dont you get some inspection copies and have a look at both? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 We have some of the ReadWrite books in our phonics reading scheme. I don't like children reading just from one scheme so we also have Songbirds and Jelly and Bean. The books are quite good although too tricky for the very early phonics readers who are just getting going. They include high frequency words and there is information at the beginning of the book for the teacher/parent e.g. look at these words before getting the child to read the book (these would be the high frequency words which are written in red to indicate to the child that they can't be sounded out). There are also guidelines of the types of questions to ask and graphemes or digraphs to practise - these would be ones that appear in the text. The children seem to quite like the stories and the illustrations which look rather like Quentin Blake - not sure if they are or not. I don't know anything about the rest of the stuff - sorry! There is a website though: http://www.ruthmiskinliteracy.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_7441 Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Hi Harricroft,Had rep in as part of a staff meeting and then purused some inspection materials. A bit put off by the prescriptive daily reading/writing format that I felt would drive me to despair.For me personally too prescriptive and few options to apply phonics in 'creative' ways. Rep also advocated a training session to properly use the scheme although this may of course not really be necessary? Only had limited budget so opted for the Songbirds phonics (great little stories )with useful guided reading ideas to support each text. Good luck. It's a tricky decision! luluj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 (edited) According to website "All staff (teachers and assistants) are trained together by one of our trainers who have taught and managed the programme themselves (no cascade training is used) [nor, presumably allowed] Whole school training costs: £1400 for 2 days (or equivalent) £1800 for Ruth Miskin Support days* 8.30am to 3.30pm £300 per day *Support days - Schools are supported for at least two days to ensure that the programme is implemented effectively. [so that adds at least another £600 onto the bill]. During the last two years the Read Write Inc. team has worked with many pilot schools to develop the programme further. We now have over 400 schools using the programme...... " You are therefore looking at a minimum of £2000 per school in training, or £2400 if delivered by Ms Miskin herself. The storybooks, get writing books, sound cards, word cards, posters, handbooks, etc., all cost extra, but then so would the resources for any literacy scheme. Another concern is that use of the materials is locked into the training provision. Teachers and schools are not able to just purchase the materials and get on with it. Edited June 29, 2007 by Marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest heleng Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 We are in the same position. Other schools in our area use Jolly Phonics very succesfully, I have also heard of some teachers who swear by THRASS. Having had a quick look at the Ruth Miskin site it looks very prescriptive and expensive!! I have recently been on an early reading and phonics course and we looked at the Dfes publication Letters and sounds which is being sent out to schools at the moment. As a whole school we are probably going to follow the Letters and Sounds program and will use Jolly Phonics as a supplement. I would be interested to hear what you decide and also what other schools use. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_5180 Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 We had RML training for the whole school in September and started teaching soon after. We teach it from reception to year 3. Although it is phased in in reception. The scheme is prescriptive but the children really seem to enjoy it. My planning now takes me 5 mins!!! I am back in reception in September after spending a year in year 2. I am looking at ways of adapting RML here and having two 20min sessions per day. We are still on a huge learning curve!!! The children are assessed aproximately every 8 weeks and are placed in ability groups. (although reception were kept together initially)The groups are smaller as Ta's take their own groups. My group at the moment is y2, y1 and class r mixed and I have a group of 13. Bliss! I'm sure if you contact a school with experience of RML they would be more than happy for you to have a look. Any questions please ask. Andrea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Hi, We had Read, Write training at the start of term. We have now assessed our children and from Monday will be starting the programme across the school. In FS it is our phonic programme and we will follow the lesson plans introducing a letter a day and completing the activity sheet for the sound each day. In Year 1/2 for the childten we assessed who need the programme it will replace the children's Lit and from year 3 up it is an intervention programme. It is expensive but we used as an intervention last year and the results were great! I will let you know how my fs class get on - I start it on Monday and have my PM lesson obs following a lesson on Wed! We are going to do 15/20 mins phonic input each day with all children completing the sound practice sheet each day. Hope this info helps. Vikkim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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