Literacy
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Once Upon a Time: The Importance of Books
Books really are a fantastic resource, aren't they?! We love how they can be used in many ways to promote learning and development in a child-friendly way. With educators thinking ahead to the start of the new school year, it's a good time to focus on the power of books in helping children to navigate the transition as they start... -
A Writers ToolKit
What do we need to have successful, independent writers? First, we need writing resources and then we need a range of meaningful mark making opportunities both indoors and outdoors. What should I have in my writing area? Writing areas, mark making areas, message centres, literacy sheds – whatever you decide to call it or wherever you set it up, carefully selected... -
Phonics outdoors: Learning through Play
We know that reading helps pupils to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually and socially. We also know that phonics is a key element in helping children to become successful readers. Phonics is a method that helps children decode words using phonemes. Before we get to the fun part, let’s cover some basic terminology. Phonics - Phonics teaches children to listen to... -
Pre-Writing & Letter Formation
What are they and why are they important? Pre-writing patterns bridge mark-making and letter formation. They take children from more free movement in their mark-making to more controlled movements and movements which mimic the strokes required for writing letters later on down the line. When should they be introduced? Ideally when a child is beginning to show some control over...