Level 0
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Resources to help teach the initial sounds
We have made this FREE pack of flashcards to match our Phonic Programme. It can be downloaded and saved onto your computer. It is in pdf format. Most computers should have a programme by which it can be opened.
FREE Phonic Flashcards
All the flashcards required, from the alphabet through to the end of Level one.
All the flashcards required, from the alphabet through to the end of Level one.
What you need
1. Alphabet book
You will need an alphabet book that has Aa-Zz, both capitals and lower case. The simpler the better. Look in charity shops, but be discerning as some are not right. For example: 'a' is not for aeroplane, despite being spelt with an initial 'a'. Listen for the sound 'a' as in 'ant'. 'i' is not for for ice-cream; again listen for the sound 'i' as in 'insect'. Vowels must represent their sounds not their names.
For an older child/adult you can just use the alphabet letter flashcards (see No.2 below) and think of words that begin with each sound. The 'Letterland' book featured above (click on picture) is ideal as it is specifically designed for this purpose and is phonetically correct.
2. Flashcards
Download the letters of the alphabet from our FREE phonic flashcards file (see this page): Print them on card if you can and cut them up into individual letters. Laminate them for durability if possible. They are useful for playing games and making words, throughout the whole programme.
OR You will need to make your own. Cereal packets are a good source of card. Use lower case letters.
3. Something to write with and a book to practice writing letters
If your child is learning to spell as well as read, something to write on/with: chalkboard and chalk, paper and pencil/crayon, whiteboard and pen.
4. Read through the lesson plan below so that you know what to do!
You will need an alphabet book that has Aa-Zz, both capitals and lower case. The simpler the better. Look in charity shops, but be discerning as some are not right. For example: 'a' is not for aeroplane, despite being spelt with an initial 'a'. Listen for the sound 'a' as in 'ant'. 'i' is not for for ice-cream; again listen for the sound 'i' as in 'insect'. Vowels must represent their sounds not their names.
For an older child/adult you can just use the alphabet letter flashcards (see No.2 below) and think of words that begin with each sound. The 'Letterland' book featured above (click on picture) is ideal as it is specifically designed for this purpose and is phonetically correct.
2. Flashcards
Download the letters of the alphabet from our FREE phonic flashcards file (see this page): Print them on card if you can and cut them up into individual letters. Laminate them for durability if possible. They are useful for playing games and making words, throughout the whole programme.
OR You will need to make your own. Cereal packets are a good source of card. Use lower case letters.
3. Something to write with and a book to practice writing letters
If your child is learning to spell as well as read, something to write on/with: chalkboard and chalk, paper and pencil/crayon, whiteboard and pen.
4. Read through the lesson plan below so that you know what to do!
What to do
Please read before doing the lesson with your child.
Choose a day to start and start at the beginning with the letter ‘Aa’. Choose a time when your child is fed and relaxed.
If your child is struggling with reading at school, then either do it at a different time to his/her school reading, or just read his/her school book to him/her and then do your 'lesson'.
Words in red are only suggested phrases to say. Say whatever is necessary to help your pupil understand what is required.
Keep each session short and maintain a sense of real purpose. Be real with your child. There is no need to become an actor or pretend to be a teacher.
What to do
Please read before doing the lesson with your child.
Choose a day to start and start at the beginning with the letter ‘Aa’. Choose a time when your child is fed and relaxed.
If your child is struggling with reading at school, then either do it at a different time to his/her school reading, or just read his/her school book to him/her and then do your 'lesson'.
Words in red are only suggested phrases to say. Say whatever is necessary to help your pupil understand what is required.
Keep each session short and maintain a sense of real purpose. Be real with your child. There is no need to become an actor or pretend to be a teacher.
1. Letter Sound
Tell your pupil that s/he is going to learn to read. To be able to read, s/he needs to learn all about the letters that we use to make words. In our language their are 26 letters.
Each letter has a name and a sound. We are going to learn one letter every day!
You can download and print our Alphabet Mat so that your child can keep track of his/her progress!
Introduce the first letter, either on a flashcard or in the alphabet book :
‘This is the letter ‘AY’ and it stands for the sound /ă/ (as in apple).'
Tell your pupil that s/he is going to learn to read. To be able to read, s/he needs to learn all about the letters that we use to make words. In our language their are 26 letters.
Each letter has a name and a sound. We are going to learn one letter every day!
You can download and print our Alphabet Mat so that your child can keep track of his/her progress!
Introduce the first letter, either on a flashcard or in the alphabet book :
‘This is the letter ‘AY’ and it stands for the sound /ă/ (as in apple).'
If you do not have a suitable alphabet book - you can use our specially made video. Only look at one new letter each day.
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2. What begins with...?
Now look and see how many things on the /a/ page begin with that sound (or if using flashcards, how many things you can think of between you beginning with that sound).
At this stage you will have to help – if not tell your child which words begin with /a/, emphasising the first sound.
Apple begins with /ă/ (sound not name).
'Here is an 'apple. a..a.....a...apple. '
'Here is an arrow, a..a...arrow'.
'What can you see that starts with 'a'?' a...a..............
See if the pupil can fill in the blank with a word beginning with the sound 'a'.
If the pupil says another word, not starting with /ă/, say:
'Yes, I can see a house too, but listen...hhhhhouse. Does 'hhhouse start with 'aaaaa'? No it doesn't.
Listen, aaaaapple, aaanchor. Here's a word. (Point to another picture starting with 'a'). What's this?
Child: 'ant'
Teacher: 'Yes!' aaant starts with /ă/.
Some children will sit for a while happy to look, others will be eager to go! Either way, keep the session short. We don't expect pupils to grasp this in one lesson. What must happen is that the pupil starts to learn that this letter symbol stands for the sound /ă/.
Optional actions:
Some phonic programmes assign an action to the sound which many very young children find helpful. Simply find a word that is meaningful to your student that can be mimed and make the action along with saying the alphabet sounds, for example, mime eating an apple, or make an ant crawl up the arm for the sound /ă/; Pretend to bounce a ball for /b/, drive a car for /c/ and so on.
Now look and see how many things on the /a/ page begin with that sound (or if using flashcards, how many things you can think of between you beginning with that sound).
At this stage you will have to help – if not tell your child which words begin with /a/, emphasising the first sound.
Apple begins with /ă/ (sound not name).
'Here is an 'apple. a..a.....a...apple. '
'Here is an arrow, a..a...arrow'.
'What can you see that starts with 'a'?' a...a..............
See if the pupil can fill in the blank with a word beginning with the sound 'a'.
If the pupil says another word, not starting with /ă/, say:
'Yes, I can see a house too, but listen...hhhhhouse. Does 'hhhouse start with 'aaaaa'? No it doesn't.
Listen, aaaaapple, aaanchor. Here's a word. (Point to another picture starting with 'a'). What's this?
Child: 'ant'
Teacher: 'Yes!' aaant starts with /ă/.
Some children will sit for a while happy to look, others will be eager to go! Either way, keep the session short. We don't expect pupils to grasp this in one lesson. What must happen is that the pupil starts to learn that this letter symbol stands for the sound /ă/.
Optional actions:
Some phonic programmes assign an action to the sound which many very young children find helpful. Simply find a word that is meaningful to your student that can be mimed and make the action along with saying the alphabet sounds, for example, mime eating an apple, or make an ant crawl up the arm for the sound /ă/; Pretend to bounce a ball for /b/, drive a car for /c/ and so on.
3. Write
Show the pupil how to first trace the letter, travelling round the letter in the right direction to write it in the air (or to finger trace a letter on a flashcard or in our free-to-dowload book), and then to write it on paper. (If you are not sure how, see How to form letters.)
You may need to take a young child's finger to guide it in the right direction, if need be.
Concentrate on teaching lower case letters first. Capitals can come later.
You may wish to buy a cheap early writing book which would give letters to trace for young children. Just be sure to do the letter to match the lesson. Such books are easily available.
Optional: The pupil could write the letter in the middle of a piece of A4 paper. The student could then decorate the page with things that start with that day's sound and in so doing build up his/her own alphabet book. If your child is too young to start writing then just trace the letter with his/her finger as this will put the idea into his/her head that letters are drawn in a particular way. Very young children will be able to read before their writing skills catch up.
Note: This part of the lesson is important for all ages of pupils, as the physical act of writing (not typing) provides a multisensory aspect; the child hears the sound, feels it as s/he says is and then writes it, and these together build good connections in the brain which, in turn, accelerate learning.
Show the pupil how to first trace the letter, travelling round the letter in the right direction to write it in the air (or to finger trace a letter on a flashcard or in our free-to-dowload book), and then to write it on paper. (If you are not sure how, see How to form letters.)
You may need to take a young child's finger to guide it in the right direction, if need be.
Concentrate on teaching lower case letters first. Capitals can come later.
You may wish to buy a cheap early writing book which would give letters to trace for young children. Just be sure to do the letter to match the lesson. Such books are easily available.
Optional: The pupil could write the letter in the middle of a piece of A4 paper. The student could then decorate the page with things that start with that day's sound and in so doing build up his/her own alphabet book. If your child is too young to start writing then just trace the letter with his/her finger as this will put the idea into his/her head that letters are drawn in a particular way. Very young children will be able to read before their writing skills catch up.
Note: This part of the lesson is important for all ages of pupils, as the physical act of writing (not typing) provides a multisensory aspect; the child hears the sound, feels it as s/he says is and then writes it, and these together build good connections in the brain which, in turn, accelerate learning.
4. Tell the pupil that the letter 'a' is a word too. If teaching and older child/adult then show it to the pupil in a book and explain that it sometimes says it's name and sometimes it's sound. A dog. A cat. ....a ball...
We will slip this little word into some sentences soon - so don't worry too much about it at this point. Just give a hint.
The formal lesson is now over.
We will slip this little word into some sentences soon - so don't worry too much about it at this point. Just give a hint.
The formal lesson is now over.
Then:
1. Throughout the day keep emphasising ‘AY says /ă/. Encourage the pupil to finish the sentence: ’AY says…?’
Say it for the pupil if s/he can’t remember.
Note: We use the expression 'Ay says /ă/, rather than 'Ay stands for the sound /ă/ as the former is easier for a young child to say quickly. It's a technical point, but one that your pupil will not be overly concerned with.
Encourage your child to look for things around the house that start with each day’s sound.
It is a good idea if you can be constantly emphasising the first sound of words at suitable moments. Here are some ideas:
‘Where is your bbball?
‘Are you playing with your dddoll?’
'Time for bbbbed!'
'Where is your ccccup?'
2. When you see words around and about, point to the first letter of the word (if it says the right sound, e.g. not /c/ for 'circle') and say (for example) :
'Look, /t/ for tomato.'
This will help to train the child's ear to hear initial sounds.
1. Throughout the day keep emphasising ‘AY says /ă/. Encourage the pupil to finish the sentence: ’AY says…?’
Say it for the pupil if s/he can’t remember.
Note: We use the expression 'Ay says /ă/, rather than 'Ay stands for the sound /ă/ as the former is easier for a young child to say quickly. It's a technical point, but one that your pupil will not be overly concerned with.
Encourage your child to look for things around the house that start with each day’s sound.
It is a good idea if you can be constantly emphasising the first sound of words at suitable moments. Here are some ideas:
‘Where is your bbball?
‘Are you playing with your dddoll?’
'Time for bbbbed!'
'Where is your ccccup?'
2. When you see words around and about, point to the first letter of the word (if it says the right sound, e.g. not /c/ for 'circle') and say (for example) :
'Look, /t/ for tomato.'
This will help to train the child's ear to hear initial sounds.
For an older child/adult this lesson plan can be adapted. As you can see the main aims are:
1) To know the letter name and sound and be able to give both when asked, for any of the 26 letters of the alphabet.
2) To write the letters by sound (and name where possible).
3) To be able to hear the initial sounds of words.
1) To know the letter name and sound and be able to give both when asked, for any of the 26 letters of the alphabet.
2) To write the letters by sound (and name where possible).
3) To be able to hear the initial sounds of words.
Help for children struggling to hear initial sounds
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