Letterland Parent's Leaflet

Unlocking thedoor to literacy...Three simple steps to enjoy with Three your simple child. steps to enjoy with your child.Learning to read and write is like learning to unlock Learning a code. to read It’s easy and write if you is have like the learning key! to unlock a code. It’s easy if youThese steps will help you and your child unlock have the the door key! to These literacy. steps will help you and your child unlock the door to literacy.RUnlocking the door to literacy...To view our full range of books, CDs, games and software To view and our to full order, range visit of our books, website: CDs, games and software and toorder, visit our website: www.letterland.comwww.letterland.comStep 1: Speaking & ListeningStep 1: Speaking & ListeningAim: To encourage speaking and listening and introduceAim – To encourage speaking and listening andthe basic concepts of print.introduce the basic concepts of print.Activitiestick tick as you as you complete✓4Read a board book with your child__________________Read a board book with your childEncourage your child to hold a crayon,scribble Encourage and start your to child draw to pictures__________________hold a crayon,scribble and start to draw picturesSing songs together______________________________Read Sing rhymes songs and together stories together__________________Encourage Read rhymes your child and stories hold together the bookand turn the pages_______________________________Encourage your child to hold the bookMake and up turn stories the pages and take turns decidingwhat should happen next_ ________________________Make up stories and take turns decidingwhat should happen nextResources that help:Resources that help:Step 2: Sounds & ShapesStep 2: Sounds & Shapes– To introduce a-z letter shapes and sounds.Aim: To encourage a-z letter shapes and sounds.Activitiestick as you complete 4Activitiestick as you complete ✓Meet the the Letterland Letterland characters alphabet in in the the ABC ABC book_ book ________Practise pencil control with with an an activity activity book_____________Listen to the Letterland songs songs and and learn learn thethe a-z sounds a-z sounds______________________________________Listen to to the the Letterland handwriting songs songs andand learn learn to write to write the the a-z a-z shapes sounds correctly______________TalkTalkaboutaboutthethepuzzlepuzzlepicturespictureswhilewhileyouryourchildchildputs them together_ ________________________________Resources that help:Step 3: 3: Making WordsAim Aim: – To advance To advance into into making, making, reading reading and and writingsimple simple words. words.Activities tick as you complete 4Activities tick as you complete ✓Use Use the the Letterland Letterland activity books books to review to review all theall the a-z a-z shapes shapes and and sounds____________________________Look Look for for words words to to read read in in your your environment_ ________Build Build simple simple words words with with the the flashcards______________Read Read simple simple books books together together_______________________Read the Letterland Beyond ABC book togetherRead the Letterland Beyond ABC book together,for fun explanations of letter combinationsfor funsuchexplanationsas sh, ch, aw andof letteroo_________________________combinationssuch as sh, ch, aw and ooGive lots of praise and help – don’t test_____________Give lots of praise and help – don’t testResources that help:Resources that help:

What is phonics?Child-friendly phonicsPhonics is the teaching of letter shapes and soundsand how to use them to read and write. English has44 speech sounds but only 26 letters. So nearly halfthe sounds are represented by more than one letter.Letterland makes all this easy to learn, which is why it isused with great success all around the world.The first and best thing you can do is give your child alove for books as things to treasure.Read books together from a very young age. From the momentthey’re born, children love to hear your voice and learn new things. You don’t haveto be a teacher to be an amazing resource for them!Children are individualsParent’s GuideThey all learn in different ways and at different speeds.Focusing on making learning fun will give your child apositive learning experience before they start school.Step 1 - Speaking & ListeningThe first step is to talk and listen to your child as much as possible.Developing their confidence with spoken words is an important foundation for learningthe written word.How can I do this?• Make a cosy time each day to read with your child.• Look at picture books, read rhymes and sing songs together. Make it lively and fun! Pointto the pictures in books and talk about them.• Add board books to their toy collection.• Tell them stories and make some up together. Ask questions and usenew words.• Read yourself! Your child will see there is fun to be found in theseshapes on the page.Step 3 – Making WordsThe key skill for learning to read is called ‘blending’. When a child sees a word in print(like hat), they sound out the letters, pause between each one, “hhh-aaa-t”, and thensmoothly blend them together to form the spoken word, “hat”.The key skill for learning to write (and spell) is called ‘segmenting’. When a child wants towrite hat, they say its sounds slowly enough to identify which letters to write: “hhh-aaa-t”“hat”.Many sounds are represented by two or more letters, e.g. the ‘sh’ sound in ‘shop’ is quitedifferent from ‘s’ in ‘sun’ and ‘h’ in ‘hot’. Each of the vowels a, e, i, o, u, also have morethan one sound. Learning all these could be tricky. But Letterland uses simple, fun storiesand songs that explain everything.• Read to your child at bedtime.• Begin to make and read simple three letter words together.• Read the next level of simple books.Harry Hat Man hatesnoise so he hushesSammy Snake’s hisswith a ‘sh’ sound.Step 2 – Sounds & ShapesLetters are the building blocks for reading words. So the next step for yourchild is to start to recognise each letter and to learn its sound. It is reallyimportant for your child to learn the correct sounds.Letter names are not the same as letter sounds. In the word ‘cat’ the firstletter name is ‘see’ but its sound is a quiet whispered ‘c’ sound. Also be carefulnot to add ‘uh’ at the end of the other quiet sounds: ‘f’, ‘h’, ‘k’, ‘p’, ‘s’ and ‘t’ – say‘fff’ not ‘fuh’, ‘p...’ not ‘puh’ and ‘t...’, not ‘tuh’.The Letterland character names really help with sounds, as they always start with theletter’s normal sound: Clever Cat, ‘c...’. You can also find the correct sounds in Letterland’scatchy alphabet songs.There are handwriting songs too, to help get the letter strokes right – makinglearning all those shapes and sounds both memorable and fun.“Brush down Ben’s big, long ears. Go up round his head so his face appears.”• Try making letter shapes out of modelling dough.• Keep crayons and coloured pencils handy.• Encourage your child to trace letter shapes with their finger on paper, in the air or in sand.• Be patient as your child learns. No one gets everything rightfirst time!• Be supportive of what your child is doing at school.www.letterland.comPhonics books, CDs, games and softwareProduct Advice & Support: Letterland International Ltd, Stonebridge House, 28-32 Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey. KT22 8BZ Tel +44 (0)1223 262 675 Fax +44 (0)1223 264 126 Email: info@letterland.comZM47