Schedule a regular time for reading - perhaps when you get home from school or just before bed. Even first thing in the morning is a good time as children are sometimes more alert. Spend around 10 minutes reading, 5 times a week.
Before you read ask your child to look at the front cover of the book. Ask questions such as:
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What do you think the book/story is about?
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Who are the characters in the story?
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Where does the story take place?
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What do you think might happen in the book?
During reading encourage your child to think beyond just the words they read by asking questions:
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How does Biff feel?
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What did Mum do at the beginning of the story?
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Who is helping Dad?
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Why did this happen?
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What would you do if this happened to you?
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Have you ever been to the beach/garden centre/a castle? What was it like?
Encourage your child to use different skills when reading if they find a word difficult.
If they can sound it out encourage them to do so e.g. c-oa-t.
If it is a tricky or high frequency word then use the ‘look and say’ method.
Can the picture give a clue to the difficult word?
Other games can help with reading. Playing ‘I Spy’ can develop your child’s ability to hear and blend sounds together. If you use the intial sound when playing the game it will have more impact on reading. Instead of sun beginning with letter ‘s’ use the sound ‘ssssss’.
During school holidays visit a local library. Look for books on topics that you know your child is interested in. You could also borrow audio books. If your child is an emergent or struggling reader always opt to read to them. Hearing story language develops reading skills.
Supporting your child at home with phonics and spelling.
Appropriate phonics or spellings will come home weekly in the home school book. Please practise these with your child 5 times a week.
Supporting your child at home with mathematics
To support children’s progress in their Mathematics, we would like children’s maths learning at home to focus on key skills.
Reception:
Basic mathematics and number concepts used in the Early Years Foundation Stage set the foundation for learning more advanced concepts as children progress into KS1 and KS2. Early exposure to these concepts and number activities will develop your child’s skills.
Children should be able to count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number.
Year 1:
Recognise number names and know numbers 1-50
Add and subtract within 1-20 practically
Have quick recall of addition and subtraction facts up to 10
Have quick recall of doubles within 20
Year 2:
Know number bonds to 10 and 20
Know the 2,5 and 10 times tables