ABSTRACT

Helping Children with Reading and Spelling contains a basic kit of suggestions to help children who struggle with learning to read and spell. The materials build on the content of an earlier manual, Learning Difficulties in Reading and Writing, which has been widely and successfully used by teachers. The detailed teaching sequences, combining the enjoyment of content with the more systematic practice of subskills, which were particularly appreciated in the earlier volume, have been further developed here.
The book is consistent with: * English National Curriculum Programmes of Study, and * the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs.
Teachers using the manual will be following the school-based stages of intervention recommended by the Code and will be providing, when necessary, an invaluable basis for further action. Its practical A4 format, photocopiable materials and case examples make this an invaluable handbook for day to day use in the classroom.

chapter 1|7 pages

AN OVERVIEW OF THE MANUAL

This chapter describes the purposes, main themes and rationale of the manual. We regard it as essential reading

chapter |5 pages

SOME KEY QUESTIONS

chapter 2|5 pages

MEANING AND MOTIVATION

This chapter discusses teaching methods. We consider the emotional consequences of learning difficulties and provide examples of the way children, parents and teachers can work together.

chapter |3 pages

SUMMARY

chapter 3|2 pages

INTERACTIVE ASSESSMENT AND TEACHING

The purpose of this chapter is to help you decide which parts of the manual are relevant for a particular child. This requires you to make some checks and assessments as described below.

chapter |2 pages

INTRODUCING TABLE 3.1

chapter |4 pages

CASE EXAMPLES

chapter |2 pages

FLUENCY

Matches words by sight (Stage 1)

chapter |1 pages

PHONICS

Can read and write single letter sounds (Stage 2)

chapter |1 pages

FLUENCY

v Reads some 100 words fluently from initial books (Stage 2)

chapter |2 pages

STAGE 3: BECOMING COMPETENT MEANING and PHONICS and FLUENCY

fl Uses context to understand and predict meaning and to help with more complex phonics (Stage 3)

chapter |1 pages

STAGE 4: BASIC COMPETENCIES ACHIEVED MEANING

fl Context and phonological cues are used automatically in combination (Stage 4)

chapter |2 pages

SUMMARY

chapter |1 pages

TINA (aged 6.6 years; Year 2)

chapter |1 pages

RASHID (aged 6 years; Year 2)

chapter |2 pages

DAVID (aged 8 years; Year 3)

chapter |1 pages

MATTHEW (aged 9 years; Year 4)

chapter |1 pages

EMMA (aged 10 years; Year 6)

chapter 4|3 pages

DEVELOPING FLUENCY

Initial difficulties easily lead to avoidance of reading and writing which, in turn, prevents progress. This chapter considers ways of increasing opportunities for rehearsal and repetition of familiar texts in order to consolidate learning

chapter |1 pages

REPETITION THROUGH WRITTEN ACTIVITIES

chapter |1 pages

Writing and drawing activities

chapter |3 pages

Additional workbooks or worksheets

chapter |4 pages

The tape recorder

chapter |2 pages

CHRISTOPHER’S OWN BOOK

chapter 5|1 pages

STEP-BY-STEP TEACHING

The purpose of step-by-step teaching is to set very limited learning targets and ensure that the child has really learnt those targets before moving on to new ones. This chapter describes the general principles of the approach in relation to

chapter |1 pages

The step-by-step approach

chapter |1 pages

The next target objective

chapter |2 pages

HOW TO PLAN A STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMME

chapter 3|2 pages

Plan learning steps

chapter 5|2 pages

Record and evaluate progress

chapter |1 pages

SUMMARY

chapter 6|2 pages

PHONICS AT STAGES 1 AND 2

Detailed teaching suggestions in this chapter cover the following areas: STAGE 1 • Rhymes and rhyming words

chapter |2 pages

Silly nursery rhymes

chapter |6 pages

Rhyming riddles

chapter |1 pages

Extra games for reinforcement

chapter |8 pages

B. INTRODUCING WORD BUILDING

chapter |5 pages

PICTURES FOR INITIAL LETTER GAMES

Easy Kim’s game

chapter |5 pages

ILLUSTRATED LETTER CARDS

This chapter has described activities and games which help children acquire early competencies in phonological awareness and letter recognition. The illustrated letter cards presented on the following pages can be used in many ways to assist with the learning. When starting to work on the cards we assume

chapter 7|5 pages

PHONICS AT STAGES 3 AND 4

Teaching suggestions in this chapter help children learn the following phonic combinations: Stage 3 • Consonant blends (e.g. fl, sm, tr)

chapter 3|13 pages

Methods of teaching

chapter 8|3 pages

SPELLING

chapter |3 pages

Examples illustrating the ‘stages’

chapter |2 pages

Initial plan of action

chapter 5|1 pages

DICTIONARY GAMES

chapter 7|1 pages

ALPHABETICAL ORDER ACTIVITY

chapter 9|2 pages

HANDWRITING

Handwriting as a skill supports the development of spelling. This chapter describes teaching and learning methods and materials. It provides suggestions for helping those children who have difficulty with the fine coordination involved in

chapter |1 pages

CONCEPTS ABOUT HANDWRITING

chapter |12 pages

LETTER SHAPES

chapter |1 pages

INTRODUCTION

chapter 10|1 pages

WORKING WITH A GROUP OF YEAR 2 CHILDREN

This chapter is based on the work undertaken by Bronach Bansal as part of the Diploma in the Advanced Study of Specific Learning Difficulties at Manchester

chapter |1 pages

INITIAL ASSESSMENTS

chapter |5 pages

Week 1

chapter |2 pages

Weeks 7 to 13

chapter |2 pages

OVERALL EVALUATION

chapter 11|2 pages

CATCHING AND CONQUERING SPELLING IN YEAR 6

This chapter is based on the notes and records kept by Helen Moss. It describes the development of spelling practice in one primary school classroom.

chapter |3 pages

CHANGE OF SPELLING GROUPS

chapter |4 pages

Group A dictation

chapter |3 pages

BIBLIOGRAPHY

chapter |1 pages

ADDRESSES