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The Best Phonics  Tutor Blog

Meet official Jigsaw Phonics tutor Kara Cook!

Updated: May 10, 2023


Kara Cook-Official Jigsaw Phonics Tutor

This week I am in the tutor spotlight in the Jigsaw Phonics Tutoring membership as an official Jigsaw Phonics Tutor! You can read the original post here:

Meet official Jigsaw Phonics tutor Kara Cook!



Kara Cook-Primary tutor

Hello, I'm Kara.

I am a passionate primary tutor and phonics expert.

My mission is to help children learn to read and write with enthusiasm and fun so their confidence and success rocket.


What made you decide to become a tutor?

Teaching has been my life's passion. I am a qualified teacher with 22 years of experience, an MA in Early Years Education, and an English Literacy specialism. While working as a primary teacher, I enjoyed helping children master their literacy skills in small groups and 1:1. I felt there was a need to help children become confident with their reading, and decided tutoring was a way to use my experience to support them. I tutored children in person as a private tutor for about ten years during the summer holidays and made the switch to online tutoring about two years ago. It was the right fit for me and my family and I am happy I made the decision to start my own online tutoring business.


Who do you tutor?

My ideal tutee is a child between the ages of 4-8, who needs help with their reading or writing. Ideally, they will love being silly and having fun (as much as me) and have a positive growth mindset to learning.


What's the best part of being a tutor?

The best part of being a tutor is having those wow moments with children. It is a fantastic feeling to work with struggling readers and take them through their learning journey to the moment where they have a breakthrough and are able to read with confidence and fluency.


What has surprised you most in your tutoring journey?

My online tutoring journey started just shortly after the pandemic. What surprised me most was that there were so many children that needed my help. The other thing that impressed me is that tutoring online has the same if not more of an impact than in-person tuition. As I have done both, I definitely prefer online!


Jigsaw Phonics Tutor

Apart from your computer, what's the most useful resource or piece of tech you use in your tutoring business?

Currently, the most important resource I use is the ready-to-teach Jigsaw Phonics lessons that I use with my phonics tutees. The characters, Puzzle the panda, Wug the alien and Trick the robot make the lessons fun, and the children and I absolutely love them!

What's the most useful educational "bit of kit" you use to tutor your students?

The most useful educational bit of kit that I use daily is simply a mini whiteboard when working with younger children. I can show them my board and model writing words and have them do the same on theirs. We also do this on the screen in one note, but I think mini whiteboards are brilliant! Puzzle the panda and Froggy are also a necessity when I'm tutoring phonics as they add an extra touch of encouragement and fun to each lesson.

Group tutoring or one-on-one? How are you tutoring?

I am currently tutoring one-to-one but am excited to be offering small group tutoring. I think children need that extra socialization and that it will help them in their phonics learning.


What's your best single piece of advice for someone thinking of starting their tutoring business?

My best advice is to start off small and find a niche that suits you best.

Also, be persistent and don't be afraid to ask for help.

What has been your proudest accomplishment while tutoring your students?

One of my proudest accomplishments has been with a 5-year-old child named Charlotte who I've been tutoring for nearly a year. When we first started tutoring, Charlotte had just turned 5. She was shy at first and needed lots of encouragement to get her to interact with me online. Her mum worked hard to keep her involved in the phonics lessons and was a great help in supporting her. Charlotte has delayed speech and found learning a real challenge. She struggled with reading and saying her sounds when we began tuition, so we started with the first phonics phase and simple decodable books. Each lesson was a challenge but together with her mum, her confidence grew. Since then, she has been so determined to learn to read, which I find inspiring.

In contrast to those early days, Charlotte is a completely different child now! She tells her mum what she needs for her lesson and just gets on with it. So mum can relax in the background knowing she is getting the best support.

When we greet each other at the beginning of our lessons, we are jumping with excitement! I join in with Puzzle the panda and Freddy the frog and she does the same on her end with her cuddly toys, Timmy the turtle, and Rex the dinosaur. We then start out by seeing how we are feeling, and she is always all smiles. She is hooked on phonics and can't wait to see the characters Puzzle and Wug.


phonics star

Last week, when Puzzle said, "You are a phonics star!" she quickly responded, "I know this already, I know all my sounds and I'm a really good reader."


Charlotte expresses herself with oodles of confidence and determination, something I want for every child I tutor.

After we learn our new sound and read and write some silly sentences, Charlotte loves to practice her reading and reads an Oxford Owl e-book to me. She is currently reading above her age range which is amazing progress. We are looking forward to starting the Trick the robot lessons this week which I am sure she will love!


What is happening next?

I am excited to offer small group tutoring. My Puzzle, Wug, and Trick groups will be available from this April. Places will be limited to 3- 4 children to allow for a personalised learning experience. Book now to ensure your child's slot!

Where can we find you?

You can get in touch with me in a few places!

LET’S GET SOCIAL:

💻 My website & blog: www.karaprimarytutor.com

🎇 DOWNLOAD your FREE Reading Toolkit: https://www.karaprimarytutor.com/freebie


Are you interested in literacy support for your child?

Book a FREE Discovery Call with me to find out more.

Kara-Primary Tutor

GET IN TOUCH: I’d love to hear from you if you feel like chatting!

Feel free to email me at kara@just2imaginetutors.com

I can’t wait to connect with you!





Top 5 Cherished KS1 Children Books recommended by 5-year-olds

Updated: May 10, 2023

carefully chosen favourite children's books for KS1 readers

Blog-cherished children's books

Top 5 cherished KS1 children books recommended by

5-year-olds for your primary or early years learners


Are you looking for books to read with your child? Don't miss out on these well-loved tales!

Here is a list of the top 5 cherished children’s books recommended by 5-year-olds. They were suggested by children whom I have taught over the years and were the top most-read books in our class. They are definitely classics that are both enjoyable to read aloud or for sharing with a friend.


chocolate mouse for greedy goose

1. Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose by Julia Donaldson


This book is hysterically funny and was my son’s favourite when he was 3. We loved it so much that when it was time to return it 2 weeks overdue to the library, I said it was lost and bought it instead!


Children can join in the fun at this delicious dinner party, where good manners aren't on the menu! Duck is fussy about carrots, Moth is eating the cloth, and Sheep would rather sleep than wash the dishes.


To top it all off, Goose is being greedy, keeping all the chocolate mousse to himself!

Thank goodness some of the animals know how to behave. Just right for ages 2-4! As ever, there’s an important moral to the story.


mr wolf's pancakes

2. Mr Wolf’s Pancakes by Jan Fearnley


Poor Mr Wolf fancies making pancakes but doesn’t know how to make them!


When he asks his neighbours, they are rude and refuse to help, so he has to do it all by himself. He makes a tasty batch and have you guessed who wants to eat those delicious, yummy pancakes?


This is a brilliantly funny twist on a well-loved classic fairy tale, packed full of fun and humour, and will have young readers roaring with laughter.


Perfect pancake day picture book or for cosying up to read aloud.



we're going on a bear hunt

3. We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen


This is one of those fun and interactive read-along books that most under 5s know by heart! I can still remember my first reception class chanting along to it!


Join this family’s adventure as they set off on a beautiful day in search of a bear. Along the way, they wade through the long-wavy grass-swishy-swashy, splash through a deep, cold river, and squelch through the thick, oozy mud.


But they’re not scared. They are full of confidence until…they are face-to-face with a real bear and find it more frightening than they thought!


We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too? Recommended for children ages 3-7.

Here's a fantastic video of Michael Rosen performing We're Going on a Bear Hunt for you to enjoy with your child.




the gruffalo

4. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson


No list would be complete without this classic tale!


When a clever mouse takes a stroll through the deep dark wood, he finds many animals looking to gobble him up as a tasty snack. But he manages to outwit each one by inventing tales of a Gruffalo, a gruesome creature with terrible claws, terrible tusks, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws.


It’s a splendid trick and scares off his enemies. But what will the little mouse do when he meets a real Gruffalo? Children love this rhyming story as both a fun read-aloud and for dramatic play. Recommended for children ages 3-7.


For more information on the Gruffalo books, games, and activities visit their website www.gruffalo.com.


Last but not least...


supertato

5. Supertato by Sue Hendra


This might be my favourite but it is so hard to choose!


Total mayhem in the kitchen begins when one badly behaved pea escapes from the freezer.


Fortunately, Supertato, a superhero tater is there to save the day with his superhero antics. He gives chase through yummy cakes, faces a near-fatal disaster, and much more.


Finally, the pea is trapped and marched back to the freezer along with his accomplices.


Supertato is a much-loved hero who won’t be mashed and is always there for you when the chips are down! No pun intended. Recommended for 3 + readers but enjoyed by children young and old.


I hope you enjoyed reading my list! Read further to find out where you can get a copy of these books. Also please vote for your child's favourite!

Lovereading 4 kids

"Reading books changes lives. Now buying them can change lives too.” Love Reading 4 Kids

As an affiliate of Love Reading 4 Kids, I highly recommend their website to buy books for your child.

If you buy from the lovereading4kids website, you get 10% off RRPs and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books.


Follow this link to take part!


What is your child's favourite children's book?

  • 0%Chocolate Mouse for Greedy Goose

  • 0%Mr Wolf's Pancakes

  • 0%We're Going on a Bear Hunt

  • 0%The Gruffalo

Leave a comment below with your child's favourite book!




6 Helpful KS1 reading and spelling tips for supporting your primary or early years learner at home

Updated: May 10, 2023


Early Years and KS1 Reading and Spelling Support
Reading and Spelling Support for parents of primary children

Early Years and KS1 Reading and Spelling Tips

There are several simple and practical tricks to support your child’s reading and spelling at home without it feeling stressful. Here are 6 activities that work well for parents of primary school learners and will help make reading and spelling tasks easier for your child.

These alternative ideas for literacy support offer solutions with a more encouraging and calming outcome. As all children learn differently, you can alter these to fit your own child's learning, ability, and interests. Try them out and adjust them to fit.



tandem reading

1. don’t insist on reading aloud

It’s usually very effortful for children to read aloud if they struggle with reading. If asking your child to read aloud causes any kind of anxiety or shame, then it’s better not to insist on it.


If you want them to read at home, do some tandem reading where you read one part and they read the next part - whatever part is comfortable for your child. You can take turns and make a fun game of this. Use the time to expand the meaning of what is read.


Some other great tools to help children become very well-read are audiobooks, which your child can listen to while following along, and graphic novels which are often easier to read because they have pictures to support their understanding.


2. use a reading ruler

Some children have what is called tracking difficulties - it’s hard for their eyes to move smoothly over a page and they often lose their place. If you spot that in your child, a reading ruler is a simple tool to help keep their eyes on the line they are reading and make it a bit less effortful.

reading ruler

I offer a set of free reading rulers which your child can colour and then use in their favourite books when you sign up for my KS1 reading and spelling tips and tricks. They double as bookmarks and can be laminated for durability and long time use.



word games

3. look critically at word “games”

Those fun puzzle-type games like word searches, unscrambling the word or identifying the incorrect spelling are often anything but fun for some learners.


Over-designed and cluttered pages are often visually stressful too. It’s best to look critically at “fun” word games and activities to really check your child will enjoy them.

Why not make your own interactive word game with letters so they can move them around?


An extra tip - some learners find bright white pages very glary so buy some plastic transparent wallets in different colours. Insert bright white pages into the colour folder to see if a coloured overlay helps.



online dictionary

4. alphabetical order might be difficult /choosing a dictionary

Sequencing skills are hard for some children who may be on the dyslexia spectrum, so learning the alphabet can be tricky too.


Telling some children to “use a dictionary” if they can’t spell a word is sometimes not the helpful suggestion it is intended to be. It’s best to just spell it for them if they find using a dictionary difficult.


Online dictionaries are also a good alternative as they have drop-down menus for alternatives, so it might help to provide the beginning of the word if the child isn’t sure. Being able to click to hear the word is brilliant, and extra helpful if English is not your child’s first language.


The best online dictionaries for upper primary learners are for learners of English as a foreign language because the definitions use a limited vocabulary, making them easier to understand. As a good example, check out the Advanced Learner’s dictionary from Oxford University Press.



pen grip

5. pen grips

If your child has reading and spelling challenges, there’s a chance they may also have motor skills difficulties which makes it challenging to hold or control a pen. Larger, triangular pencils or rubber pen grips can be a great help.


It’s not worth insisting on beautiful handwriting if your child has weaker motor skills. If possible, learning joined-up handwriting might also be helpful to create muscle memory that makes writing, and particularly spelling, more automatic.


But if writing is too problematic, then learning to type might be the most helpful thing for your child. Check out the typing club a free online tool to help teach your child how to type.


homework tips

6. practical homework help

The best homework help for primary school children with a lot of text to read is to read the text to them.


Read comprehension questions to them and check they understand the question before answering.


Younger learners often have challenges developing strategies for answering questions and tend to dive into the work without structuring how they are going to go about it. Helping them to organise their thoughts, and structure how to complete their work is effective.



And finally, the golden rule is to help for as long as it’s not stressful. If either you or your child is losing your patience, that’s a signal to stop. No successful learning takes place in stressful situations when tempers are running high. Pace yourself! Look after yourself. If you would like more tips like these, sign up for my weekly email list where you will also get a free toolkit to support your child.

Kara-primary tutor

And remember, you don’t have to do it all. I’m a qualified teacher and tutor with lots of experience supporting children who need to boost their learning. So, if you’d like some help, please let me know! You can book a free discovery call with me or contact me via email at hello@just2imaginetutors.com.








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