Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Red, blue, red, blue, red, blue????

Hi there

We had a great week last week learning lots of Spanish. Now the children have got the 'bug' we will continue to develop the children's ability to speak a second language throughout the school year. We did begin to teach the children the spanish colour song but much to our surprise found that a large number of the children do not know the names of the colours in English. Please could you take the time to check this out with your child at home and reinforce the colours as much as possible. Thanks.

Here I Am

Last week we began our new topic INVITATIONS. Of course, this does imply party, party, party to me so...we will be developing the children's writing skills by learning about writing inivitations to their teddies for a teddy bear's picnic for Golden Time. This is another great opportunity to practise the children's name writing skills. You should have received an update of how your child is doing with regards to their name writing via their diary. Please continue to practise at home as the children do need to write their names at least four times in the day and the inability to do so is frustrating some children.

This week is ASSESSMENT and REVIEW week. This is when we assess what the children have been taught and prepare for learning after half term.

Communication, Language and Literacy

We had a really good laugh using our alliterative names this week, with the children only being allowed to call us Naughty Narraway, Laughing Latham, Lovely Lockett, Happy Higgins and Lucky Lambert.

The children are doing really well learning the focus letters and you will also receive an update on how your child is doing with regards the acquisition of the letter names and sounds for Ss, Tt, Ii, Aa and Pp. This week we will split into different groups to teach this area of learning.


By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to hear the initial sounds in words and match objects and words beginning with the same initial letter sound (have an awareness of alliteration)
SHOULD be able to recognise the letter names and sounds for Ss, Tt, Pp, Ii and Aa.
COULD be able to use the above letters sounds to orally segment and blend words for reading and writing.

A great way of developing their understanding of initial letters is to play I SPY. Being a mum of a four year old too I am glad to see the days of 'I spy with my little eye something beginning with T' only to find they were thinking of a window or something bizarre like that! You could also play treasure hunt where the children could hunt for objects around the house for things beginning with each of the focus letters.

Please also refer back to last week's blog for websites to support this area of learning.

Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

This week we will be continuing with the work we have been doing on patterns. As always I was completely over the top when I planned for the learning experiences the children would have available to them last week and so we will be continuing with them this week. Please refer to the websites from last week to support their learning.

As it is assessment and review week, you will receive an update on how your child is doing with regards their number recognition, counting and pattern making. Please do not worry where your child is at in comparison with others in their class. Each child is special and unique and therefore, starting points are always different.


A look into the future

The children have shown a real interest in the animals with patterns through our work in Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy. However, it has come to our attention that they do need to develop their recognition of some animals. Therefore, I have arranged for the class to visit Chester Zoo after half term. A letter will be sent out to you this week with the details. If you are able to assist us on the day please call in and see a member of the team. We need three more adults.

Parent's Evening

You will have received a letter about parents' evening. Please be aware that appointments are made on a first come first served basis. Please give as many options as possible and I will aim to accommodate you.

That's all for this week. Have a great holiday!

Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx


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