Letters And Sounds Groups

[Guest]

As the year progressed last year we differentiated into 4 groups for our phonics - A top group - 2 middle groups and a Lower ability group- this meant we could really focus the phonic work each group needed - so the 2 CT and 2TA's took one group each. Everyone had the group for a week and filled in evalyuation sheets as we went so we could plan to their needs -it also meant as a CT you had a pretty good idea as to how each group were achieving - however this year we wondered if it would be better to keep the same adult with each group for a longer period of time - maybe 3 weeks or half a term- does anyone have any ideas on what may work best - ? Thanks!

[Guest]

As the year progressed last year we differentiated into 4 groups for our phonics - A top group - 2 middle groups and a Lower ability group- this meant we could really focus the phonic work each group needed - so the 2 CT and 2TA's took one group each. Everyone had the group for a week and filled in evalyuation sheets as we went so we could plan to their needs -it also meant as a CT you had a pretty good idea as to how each group were achieving - however this year we wondered if it would be better to keep the same adult with each group for a longer period of time - maybe 3 weeks or half a term- does anyone have any ideas on what may work best - ? Thanks!

Hi Suebee,

I am presuming you are in a Nursery setting. Don't know if this will help, but as a Foundation Unit in a mainstream school, we now all split for phonics work at the same time for 20 minutes a day( including all Key stage 1 children as well.) Teachers, Teaching Assistants and my Nursery Nurse all take different phases from 2 to 6 and then we have a jolly phonics group for our youngest children. Phase One activities are run as part of the Lower Foundation curriculum and an adult per session works with different children until all LF children have done the activity.

Our staff stay with the same phase all the time and it is the children who move up when they are ready. We assess about every 4 weeks. We feel is is good for the children to become used to working with different adults. Last year, I had a mix of LF, UF Yr1 and Yr2 children in my phase 3 group. They all coped well being mixed and it worked well!

[AnonyMouse_3307]

Call it a pilot , try it for a few weeks and see how it suits your children - if they make good progress maybe it's worth changing and if it's much the same then you can decide how you want to go - same or change back with not too much disruption. Suck it and see can be a good policy sometimes!! I think either way has merits.

Cx

[Guest]

When I have had lots of phonics groups in the past (well, up to 4 but it felt like lots!), my TA and I each had a group while the others did something else and then swapped so we each had our 2nd group - this was all within one class.

 

I organised who had which group according to what level the children were at - for example, when my 2 top YR groups were working on Phase 5, I taught them because of the new content, while my TA had the actual top group (Y1s) who were consolidating Phase 5, and the lower YR group who were consolidating Phase 3. Prior to this, I had had the Y1s and another group.

 

Hope that makes sense!

[Guest]

Last year when I taught mixed Reception and Year 1 I had 3 different groups. 1 group were always taught by the same TA, at a separate time to the others, and worked through phase 2. The others were split into two ability groups. It was suggested that myself and my TA swapped every two weeks so that I knew the ability of all of the children at all times. Although this worked to some extent, I feel the continual swapping, and the differing teaching styles confused some of the children. This year with straight reception, I aim to have two ability groups, each one having the same member of staff, and only swapping children in the groups.

I think with all these things we just have to 'try it and see'. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another - though thats not much help.

Good luck with it - and hope it works for you and the children, and that all enjoy it.