Reading Catch-up Programme
Help your reluctant reader become fluent and confident.
It can happen!
It can happen!
KS1 Reading and spelling catch up holiday programme
If you feel that your child would benefit from some extra reading help to make sure they start the new school term confidently, then this programme is easy to use. Please make sure to read the Understanding Phonics page first.
Basically you want to start at the beginning of the programme and work through quickly until your child finds something difficult. Then stop and work more slowly at it until they are confident, then go again until you find another sound that they are unsure of.
How do you know if a sound is causing trouble?
1) They can't quickly tell the sound the letters represent. Read some words from a list and ask the child which sound they all have in common. Ask them to write some of them for you. Do they use the correct vowel combination? Are they hearing all the sounds in the word. Make sure you understand the programme first so that you don't ask them to sound out individual letters, but to look for the letters that together make one sound.
2) They repeatedly stumble over words containing that sound when reading. As they read have a piece of paper beside you and write down the words/sounds they have trouble with. Then look at the stages of this programme and see if you can see where the word should fit. If it isn't a listed sight word, then leave it for now, but if it contains a sound or more of those covered here, then be sure to go more slowly when you reach that stage and ensure they grasp it fully.
3) They can't hear the sound in words when asked to spell them, or get confused and put in another similar sound e.g. er/ir/ur. This isn't terrible in and of itself on the odd occasion as usually it gets ironed out with practice, but if it is happening often then some work is needed to help them to become more familiar with the word lists.
As you reach each new word list, check both reading and spelling.
See www.spellingmadesimple.weebly.cm for our sister, compatible spelling programme.
Always throw in some words from previous stages/sound lists to check they are still confident with them. Be testing, testing, testing, but don't let your child think it's a test. Good teachers are constantly assessing their pupils, every minute! You are looking for the weak points to strengthen them as that's what will improve their reading. Make it fun. Use chalk boards, white boards and games. Keep it short and simple and as unlike school as possible. Be yourself and don't try and assume their teacher's identity! Above all, be firm but encouraging.
Plan each short session so that you can keep it brisk an business like so that they sense you know what you are doing (even if you don't feel that way!!!) have confidence in yourself and I promise that as you work with the programme, your confidence will grow as well as you see how it builds on itself step by step, no hit and miss.
Do encourage your child to read every day. Plan for it to happen. Institute a daily 10 minutes (or longer if that's appropriate) quiet reading time. They can read anything - but please make sure it is wholesome. Young minds are so impressionable and there is so much evil in children's literature these days. Don't give in to them just because all their friends are reading those books. Decide what you as a family consider appropriate and stick to it. No argument.
Libraries are free and good sources of books, but there again, not all is appropriate for our family so I am selective. Most non-fiction is fine, but we steer clear of all witchcraft and violence.
Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 22 (The Bible)
Basically you want to start at the beginning of the programme and work through quickly until your child finds something difficult. Then stop and work more slowly at it until they are confident, then go again until you find another sound that they are unsure of.
How do you know if a sound is causing trouble?
1) They can't quickly tell the sound the letters represent. Read some words from a list and ask the child which sound they all have in common. Ask them to write some of them for you. Do they use the correct vowel combination? Are they hearing all the sounds in the word. Make sure you understand the programme first so that you don't ask them to sound out individual letters, but to look for the letters that together make one sound.
2) They repeatedly stumble over words containing that sound when reading. As they read have a piece of paper beside you and write down the words/sounds they have trouble with. Then look at the stages of this programme and see if you can see where the word should fit. If it isn't a listed sight word, then leave it for now, but if it contains a sound or more of those covered here, then be sure to go more slowly when you reach that stage and ensure they grasp it fully.
3) They can't hear the sound in words when asked to spell them, or get confused and put in another similar sound e.g. er/ir/ur. This isn't terrible in and of itself on the odd occasion as usually it gets ironed out with practice, but if it is happening often then some work is needed to help them to become more familiar with the word lists.
As you reach each new word list, check both reading and spelling.
See www.spellingmadesimple.weebly.cm for our sister, compatible spelling programme.
Always throw in some words from previous stages/sound lists to check they are still confident with them. Be testing, testing, testing, but don't let your child think it's a test. Good teachers are constantly assessing their pupils, every minute! You are looking for the weak points to strengthen them as that's what will improve their reading. Make it fun. Use chalk boards, white boards and games. Keep it short and simple and as unlike school as possible. Be yourself and don't try and assume their teacher's identity! Above all, be firm but encouraging.
Plan each short session so that you can keep it brisk an business like so that they sense you know what you are doing (even if you don't feel that way!!!) have confidence in yourself and I promise that as you work with the programme, your confidence will grow as well as you see how it builds on itself step by step, no hit and miss.
Do encourage your child to read every day. Plan for it to happen. Institute a daily 10 minutes (or longer if that's appropriate) quiet reading time. They can read anything - but please make sure it is wholesome. Young minds are so impressionable and there is so much evil in children's literature these days. Don't give in to them just because all their friends are reading those books. Decide what you as a family consider appropriate and stick to it. No argument.
Libraries are free and good sources of books, but there again, not all is appropriate for our family so I am selective. Most non-fiction is fine, but we steer clear of all witchcraft and violence.
Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 22 (The Bible)
