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Five practical ideas for practising phonics with your child using my phonics check flashcards.
Is your child ready for the Year 1 phonics check?
This may be a unpopular opinion, but even if your child is an excellent reader, they may not pass the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check. The reasons can be shocking! Some children simply struggle with this test because many good readers try to make sense of those non-sense words.
I know, what you were told by your Year 1 child's teacher.
"There's no need to prepare (unless your child struggles), this is for us to identify any gaps in learning".
It's true. That's what the test is supposed to be used for, but it doesn't change the fact that alien words can be confusing! I know because I was a Year 1 teacher and experienced this first hand with my own students. I wish I had asked parents to help more at home!
So what can you do? The best advice is to practice phonics regularly with your child. But what does that really mean? I'll explain.
Phonics practice
Year 1 Phonics Check Flashcards
First you will need to get my Year 1 Phonics Check Flashcards. I created these flashcards specifically for children in Year 1. There are 40 real and alien words that are similar to the ones on the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check.
I spent time looking at the trends in past tests so the ones included in my pack are new words.
You can purchase it for only a fiver and get an extra 10% off with the voucher PHONICS10>>
I include steps for printing the cards in the email I'll send you. After you print them out and cut them up, you can play all sorts of games which are really fun. Here are a few to get you started!
Phonics Practice with your Year 1 child
1. Turn over and read
This game is called turn over and read and it's exactly that! Turn over all of the cards or pick a group of cards to use and take turns with your child to sound out and read the words.
You can challenge your child by counting how many words with the sound __ that they can read.
Maybe you could make it a matching game. Print off a second set and take turns matching the cards to the ones you turn over and read until you find a pair.
2. Tic-Tac-Toe-Real vs Alien words
Everyone seems to love tic-tac-toe! This popular game can be used to practise phonics. Play against your child, real vs alien words.
You will need a mini whiteboard and pens or paper will do. Seperate the real and alien words. Then draw a tic-tac-toe board.
Model to your child how to play.
Choose a word, sound it out and read it and then write it in a space on the board.
Next get your child to do the same with their word. Play until someone gets three in a row. You can then switch sides and play again.
Want a challenge? Play using only a particular sound like only the words with split diagraphs.
This game is a good way to sneak in some extra writing practice while still making it fun!
3. Draw pictures of aliens
Children love to draw pictures of aliens, there's something about these wacky made-up creatures.
In this game you can get your child to draw pictures of aliens and then give them wacky made up names.
Your child can be creative and use their imagination which makes it more enticing.
You can make up aliens from a particular planet that only have a certain sound in their name.
For example, the aliens from the planet 'Jone Voan' only have the oa or o-e sound in their names. So, Foap, Joap and Wone could be funny names!
4. Play hide and seek
Play hide and seek with the flashcards as the thing we have to read and find!
This can be a great game for playing in the garden!
Before you hide the words, you might want to laminate them so you can use them again. Clear sticky-back-paper can also be used to reinforce the cards.
To make the game even better, give your child a clipboard so they can make a list of the words they find or give them a ticklist with the words you want them to find. They can then read the list at the end.
Again, you make this game more challenging by asking your child to find word with a particular sound or giving clues to where they can find the words.
It is fun to play this game with others so invite some of your child's friends around to join in with the game.
5. Real vs alien word sort
In this game, we hide the aliens and have to decide if the word is real or an alien word when we read it.
Start by printing a second copy and cut off the aliens from the words.
Your child can then sort the words into two piles real or alien words.
Another idea is to have two sets and play a matching game. Turn over the cards and see if you can find the matching card.
Remember, no pressure on your child for any of these games. Just make it fun!
If you would like to get your set of phonics practice cards for your child, you can purchase them here>> Year 1 Phonics Check Flashcards
Don't forget to use the voucher code PHONICS10 to save an extra 10%!
It’s important to understand it’s about building your child’s confidence in reading not getting instant results. The bigger picture is your child’s reading confidence will set them up for school success in their future.
Practising phonics with your child should be fun, not a struggle. But if you need help, I am here to just that!
Year 1 Phonics Tutoring- Jigsaw Phonics with Kara
Hi, I’m Kara, an online reading tutor and phonics expert. It is my number 1 goal to build children’s confidence in reading and I would love to help your child!
Your child will have fun learning and making friends with the other children in the group.
Imagine your child learning to read with confidence and able to decode all those tricky words!
How would you like a reading tutor to help your child to read with confidence and give your child the tools to be successful?
Your child will get to learn phonics with a small group of children led by a phonics expert, me! I am offering a 10% Voucher for the first 5 bookings with this code BOOKNOW10
Group sessions start 22nd June
Book your child a place in one of my phonics group classes, places are limited. I offer a reading check to find out which group your child needs.
Follow this link to join my waiting list today!