Teaching Phase One L+s As A Daily Session

April 5, 2008

Hi everyone

Am hoping someone can help me - had a quick search and I know there have been lots of discussions about Phase One of the Letters and Sounds but don't think my problem has been covered.

In our school I am co-ordinating a phonics programme which is running between three class (my Reception, a mixed R/YR 1 and a mixed YR1/2. We currently have 8 ability groups across the three classes (approx 8 chn in each group) and we have a set time each day when we deliver the phonics. Currently we have one group who are not ready to move onto Phase 2 so are still working through the 7 aspects of Phase One.

I know that Phase One is not ideally suited to a discrete daily session but due to the way we have decided to implement the phonics this group of children have a 20 minute session each day with one adult. I was wondering if anyone else is having to do this for the Phase One and if so how are you managing it? For example are you concentrating on one aspect for a certain lenght of time or do you do a mixture of the aspects in the same time block. I'm really struggling as despite most of these children having had Phase One input in this way for at least a term they are really struggling to get to grips with it and I'm now worrying that it because of the way I have organised it.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated,

Many thanks

April 5, 2008

Hi Ariel

Have you thought abouty doing lots of music with this group of children? I heard Helen MacGregor just recently talking to a group of us about music and phonics and there was so much that met the needs of phase one.

I wouldn't do any of aspect 7 until I was happy that the children had a good listening skills and were able to discriminate. I have been told that originally aspect 7 was in phase 2 but the powers that be wanted to push the whole thing on faster so put it inot phase 1!!!!

In my personal opinion I wouldn't put the children in ability groups as I think this puts a ceiling on what they see and hear I would always work in mixed ability groups but of course your school has chosen this route so it may be best to make it work.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bingo-Lingo-Suppor...0401&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Go-Shoolie-sh...0401&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Singing-Pigs...0401&sr=1-2

http://www.acblack.com/Catalogue/details.a...mp;dept%5Fid=10

The following resources from Liecestershire also come very highly recommended and all would help that phase 1 work!

http://www.lmpi.co.uk/content/view/82/27/

Good luck!