Reading at Belmont
A prime focus for us is to instil and develop a love of reading for all learners. In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to Read for Pleasure. As such, the children choose two books each week from a selection of story and fact books. This is at the heart of our commitment to encouraging our children to become lifelong readers. These books come home with the children on their library day and must be returned before another book can be borrowed.
Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read these books alone. Please read the books to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters and explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that everyone has lots of fun!
There are two types of reading books that your child will have access to at home:
- A Reading for Pleasure sharing book.
Children will not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you to both read and enjoy together. - A Library book.
As above, please spend time with your child reading and discussing the book together.
Helping your child with reading
Nurturing young readers
Ways to support your child’s learning at home.
Personal, social and emotional development
- Practise putting on their own coats.
- Learn how to do up zips
- Play a simple turn taking game at home – parents can model how to lose gracefully and show resilience by playing again!
- Talk about how we can be kind to others (including turn taking and sharing)
- Practise washing hands with more independence
- Practise putting on and taking off shoes and socks
Literacy/Phonics
- Go on a listening walk where you both identify and describe the different sounds in the environment
- Sound talk simple words such as, “Can you put on your h-a-t” “Can you see the d-o-g”
- Point out words which rhyme with others
- Point out words with the same initial sound, like ‘apple’ and ‘ant’ (alliteration)
- Clap the syllables in names and simple words
Maths
- Practise showing ‘finger numbers’ (showing one finger to represent one, two to represent two etc.)
- Look for numerals in the environment (e.g. on buses, doors, in the supermarket)
- Practise counting objects (making sure to point to each object, or to move it, when saying each number name) and then match a numeral to this amount
- Talk about shapes using 3D shapes to build a model (cube, cuboid, cylinder, sphere, pyramid) and flat shapes (square, triangle, circle, rectangle) to make a picture
- Talk about the different height, length and size of objects for example: the tall tree, the big dog, the small flower
Understanding the world
- Look for and talk about signs of the different seasons (tree leaves, conkers, warm and cosy clothes, daffodils, ducklings, t-shirts etc.)
- Talk about different celebrations through the year
- Talk about any any different countries or places you have been or where family or friends live
- Naming animals and insects you might see together in the park
Expressive Arts and design
- Sing Nursery Rhymes and songs
- Take part in simple pretend play and play with small world toys
- Explore colours and colour mixing
- Practise drawing shapes to make a picture
Think Equal
Think Equal is a global initiative that seeks to end the discriminatory mindset across our world and ensure positive life outcomes for our children. Together with world experts Think Equal has designed a programme to teach social and emotional learning to early years (3-6-year-olds). Think Equal’s vision is a safe, free, equal, cohesive and sustainable world. Through the power of narrative we provide young children with a profound grounding in social and emotional skills and competencies including: equality, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution. We provide the concrete tools with which to build a strong foundation for individual and societal progress, making communities safer, healthier, more equal and just.
This complimentary resource has been put together to help you to support your child’s social and emotional development in the home in fun and engaging ways. It is to be used alongside the Think Equal programme and stories being used in school.
The Home Kit serves as a platform to reinforce topics covered in the classroom, fostering meaningful conversations at home. Through a variety of resources, games, and exercises, you can nurture your child’s growth and help them become empathetic, compassionate, and resilient individuals.
This week’s learning:
This week the children have been learning about similarities and differences between all of our friends and that we are all individual and unique.
Home Kit Level 1 Week 2 – Is there anyone like me
Home Kit Resources Level 1 Week 2 – Is there anyone like me
