SOUND BLENDING BOOKS
When children are first learning to read words, they will bring home sound blending books. These books have one word per page. When reading these, encourage your child to say the individual sounds (taking care to say the pure sound for example: ‘mmm’ and not ‘muh’) and then blend the sounds together to read the word. This book will be changed once the child has become secure and confident with the text.
When children are first learning to read words, they will bring home sound blending books. These books have one word per page. When reading these, encourage your child to say the individual sounds (taking care to say the pure sound for example: ‘mmm’ and not ‘muh’) and then blend the sounds together to read the word. This book will be changed once the child has become secure and confident with the text.
PAPER VERSIONS OF THE BOOKS READ IN SCHOOL
Once children have mastered the sound blending books, they will move on to reading phonics books every day in school. These books are carefully selected to match the phonics knowledge that your child has learnt so far. Over time, these books become progressively more challenging. Children read these books three or five times (over the course of three or five days). The first time they read a new book, they are learning to read each word and to develop fluency; the second time, they are developing their expression and the third time they develop their reading comprehension. After they have read the book in school, they bring a paper copy home to read to you. This is a chance for you to celebrate the progress they have made together. Once they have finished their three- or five-day cycle, their teacher will send a new book home.
Once children have mastered the sound blending books, they will move on to reading phonics books every day in school. These books are carefully selected to match the phonics knowledge that your child has learnt so far. Over time, these books become progressively more challenging. Children read these books three or five times (over the course of three or five days). The first time they read a new book, they are learning to read each word and to develop fluency; the second time, they are developing their expression and the third time they develop their reading comprehension. After they have read the book in school, they bring a paper copy home to read to you. This is a chance for you to celebrate the progress they have made together. Once they have finished their three- or five-day cycle, their teacher will send a new book home.
BOOK BAG BOOKS
Children will receive a second story book to read at home. This is a new book that they will not have seen before. Your child should be able to read all the words in this book. If they get stuck, you can encourage them to sound the word out (in school we call this ‘Fred Talk’ and they will be very familiar with this). If they get stuck on a word that is not phonetically decodable, simply tell them what the word is, we call these ‘Red’ words. Please encourage your child to read through the Speed Sounds page first, then the Green and Red words page and then check your child understands the meaning of words on the vocabulary check page, before they start reading the book. This book will be changed once a week.
Alongside these books children will also choose another book to bring home as a ‘choosing book’. This book won’t necessarily match their phonics level therefore it is meant to be a text that you share and enjoy together.
Children will receive a second story book to read at home. This is a new book that they will not have seen before. Your child should be able to read all the words in this book. If they get stuck, you can encourage them to sound the word out (in school we call this ‘Fred Talk’ and they will be very familiar with this). If they get stuck on a word that is not phonetically decodable, simply tell them what the word is, we call these ‘Red’ words. Please encourage your child to read through the Speed Sounds page first, then the Green and Red words page and then check your child understands the meaning of words on the vocabulary check page, before they start reading the book. This book will be changed once a week.
Alongside these books children will also choose another book to bring home as a ‘choosing book’. This book won’t necessarily match their phonics level therefore it is meant to be a text that you share and enjoy together.