Phonics at preschool

[sheberene]

Just wondered if other people's 4 year olds are learning reading/writing at preschool?

My 4yr old DD1 is in her 3rd term at nursery in a foundation stage unit in our local primary school. In the first couple of terms she learnt to write her name and a number of other letters, and read a few simple phonic words.

A new teacher started in September and my daughter told me that now only reception children do 'learning'. I asked the teacher about this at parent's evening and she told me that phonics are not statutory for nursery age children, so the nursery children are not being taught to read/write any letters, but they will be listening for the sounds making up words.

She encouraged me to help my daughter to learn letters at home, but was very clear that she would have to wait until next September to do the school's phonic's program.

It seems a bit strange to me that she will now have to wait a year to learn phonics that she is keen and able to do now - is this the case in all primary school nursery units? Thanks!

[Niecie]

I don't know about primary school nurseries but my DS2 is at a nursery where they only seem to teach the phonic sounds and not really words and writing. I did question it a while ago because DS is a September born child, will be starting school when he is more or less 5 and I can imagine many younger children will have picked up some words and how to write. They tell me DS is very bright and yet they aren't pushing him in a formal academic way.

Part of me says that is right, he is only small for such a short time and there is plenty of time but another part says it is a wasted opportunity to get him doing some reading and writing before school when he could cope with it OK.

I am not keen to do anything at home because I am not a teacher and I don't want him to have to unlearn things that I have taught him when he gets to school but I wish I knew what to do.

I have to say it is an excellent nursery and he is very happy to go so maybe I should resist the urge to be pushy but I can't help thinking that I should be doing more.

[Elkat]

My daughter's pre-school doesn't do any phonics or anything about reading or writing. Again, something to do with the fact that it is not in the curriculum. So I taught her myself. She enjoys it and is more than ready for it - so if your child would enjoy it, go for it! There are lots of guides that you can get from amazon to help you if you don't feel confident!

[scorpio1]

my 3 year old knows phonics - i taught him, maybe you could teach your dd?

i had to teach ds2 them to help with SALT btw, am not pushy parent!

[sheberene]

Thanks, sounds like I do need to do this at home then.

My daughter asked me tonight if she can go to a different nursery after christmas where she can 'do learning', she says it's boring just playing and making things every day. She sees the January reception intake kids, including her best friend, going off for phonics sessions every day so I guess she's just a bit jealous.

My daughter used to be at a montessori school from age 2-3, I know they taught some of the 4 yr olds phonics and writing, seems a shame it's not part of the state nursery curriculum if some kids are ready and enjoy it!

[pollypumpkin]

the Montessori approach is to introduce things when the individual child is ready but the larger class sizes in state reception classes make this more difficult I imagine. You can certainly introduce phonics at home - you could invest in some Montessori sandpaper letters whereby you teach the phonic sound of the letter AND, importantly, introduce the correct formation at the same time. (i.e., the direction you go in to trace the letter). And do lots of 'can you hear the 'b' in 'baby' etc. to reinforce.

[nosnikrap]

I spy with my little eye is a good game to play with young children to practice phonics. Just obviously use the sound not letter name.

Please don't forget other very important pre reading skills i.e. story prediction and using clues from pictures.

My son is 5 and all I have ever done is read to him and talk to him about stories, taught him his name (writing and recognition) and the concept of sounds as pollypumpkin said b for baby etc. And he is well above average in his class, they will read/write when ready. PLAY WITH THEM, PLAY PLAY PLAY!!!

[nosnikrap]

One more thing, blah blah

At 5 I had a reading age of a 10 yr old thanks to my mum teaching me at 2 yrs old, she was a professor of linguistics, I am now working minimum wage at a pre-school! It doesn't matter when they learn as long as they do!!

[seeker]

Read to them, play with them and talk to them. Don't "teach" them! They have years and years to be "taught" by people whose job it is to teach them - our job is to "mother" them, which is a completely different thing.

[nosnikrap]

SEEKER! I love you! someone who agrees with me! I know parents worry but although teaching children to read and write is important there are a million and one other things that will be far more important in their lives that you could be doing.

[nosnikrap]

parenting is teaching, we are the first teachers, schools just do the mechanical stuff we do the soul stuff! ha ha, it is such a hard concept to explain, I am so passionate about it!! being pregnant makes me a bit crazy
!!

[hellish]

Here in Canada, my 5 and half year old (would be in Yr1 in England) only goes to school half days and won't be starting to learn to read until after Christmas. She is, however, REALLY good at sharing, tidying up and 'making a good choice"

[nosnikrap]

Hellish I love you too . Don't you agree that things like that are much more valuable and that if a child is happy and well supported they will learn what they need when they need it?

[seeker]

There was a report in the education Guardian this week saying that all the countries who do better academically than Britain without exception start formal education later than us.

Nosnikrap and hellish - well there's three of us! I quite often feel like a lone voice!

[nosnikrap]

We should start a movement here on mumsnet advocating play and all its advantages, just cos children can read a bit doesn't make them happy!! And according to recent findings half the kids leaving school can't read anyway!! Probably cos they are so depressed and deprived of play and constantly feel like they are under achieving!!! OOOOOH I could rant all night!!

[PrufrockingAroundTheXmasTree]

I completely disagree with phonics at preschool. We encourage children to expand on their existing activities at mark making table, with the aim that they al have the correct pencil grip by the time they leave us, but only write names/letters if kids are instigating it. And whilst we do use resources that teach letter sounds (some books at circle time, word games) we would never teach formally - they will only get bored in reception. Pre-school should be about learning through play - ie, the kids don't actually realise tehy are "learning" and about learning to fit into a group and follow orders - sitting quietly, putting up hands, getting in line - plenty of time for formal academic learning later.
If you really wnat her to be prepared for reception teach her to do things like dressing herself and wiping her own bottom properly.

[nosnikrap]

See!!! a movement! Although my 5 yr old still shouts 'mummy! can you check my bum!!' Ha ha!

[charliemama]

Can I join the let them play gang?

I'm a Reception teacher and mum of a reception child. He loves learning and school, but he is still a little 4 year old. I know he wll learn to read and write. I think it is more important that he learn social skills, self confidence and respect for others. That is what I believe Infant school should be about.

BTW I didn't learn to read until I was 6 as I was in America before that. I think I turned out alright.

[seeker]

The more the merrier - welcome to the Gang!

[nosnikrap]

Thats it I'm starting a new thread!

[JingleyJen]

they teach phonics at D1's primary school nursery class.

the way they do it is through letter games - they have a sack of toys and some letter cards and are asked to find a toy that begins with a letter - or for the younger children in the group they ask them to choose a toy and ask them what letter the toy starts with.

It is very gentle we play eye spy with DS1 but at the moment he says Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with Lucy (name of cat he is looking at)

We aren't in a rush and like the gentle approach his teacher is taking.

[nosnikrap]

SEE NEW THREAD!! Its all about waiting till they are ready!

[lilmissmummy]

My DS (6) starting learning phonics in reception year at 1st school- he is now in Year 2 and has no problem reading or writing. All of his class whether they learnt to read or not have pretty much evened (sp?) out and are now at the same level. He had no interest so I encouraged him with things he did have an interest in... such as playing foodball, running, shouting, making a mess and generally being a child.

My DD (2) is desperate to learn to read- she is quite artistic and you can actually 9times out of 10 tell what she is drawing so she already has good pen control and is used to looking at books. I have encouraged her to do the things that she is interested in and she knows some of the phonics and can write some of them too.

I think it is totally up to the child- if your child wants to learn why stop them however if your child wants to run round the house like a maniac then point them towards the garden where they cant do any damage.

[charliemama]

Cool I'm in a gang!!

My DS loves numbers so we talk about numbers we see in everyday life and count things. He has a natural aptitude (didn't get it from me!). I think you should follow your child's natural interests. You don't have to 'teach' them, just join them as they explore the world. This can all be done through play for example making up silly rhyming sentences, playing eye spy with colours/sounds/numbers. They have many years in formal education ahead of them.

I do think that in this country there is sometimes a panic that children need to start 'learning' as soon as possible. When in reality they are learning things everyday.

IMHO children reach a point when they are ready to learn things like reading. My Ds has learnt all his sounds effortlessly, but is unable to put them together to read words or remember sight words. I would rather wait until he is ready, then risk him developing a feeling of failure so young. So I am currently politey ignoring the sheets of words he gets sent home to learn. We look at them in books we share instead.

[nosnikrap]

lilmiss; Paste that into my new thread!! ha ha, shameless self promotion,

[nannynick]

As a nanny, I'm in the let them play gang... the 3 year old play's on Starfall and makes marks on pictures from Jolly Phonics. We have also recently started playing I-Spy.

4-year old who started school in September (reception class, not a nursery), does phonics at school plus tries to write her name (she has a 10 character name, poor thing).

If a child wants to learn, then let them learn through games.