Letter formation rhymes

These are a great way to help your child form their letters correctly. The teachers also use these in class and during interventions to help children form their letters on the line and in the correct direction.

Year One Common Exception Words

These words are for the children in Year 1 to read and write correctly by the end of the year. They are revisited and taught daily in RWI/Literacy lessons.

Your child can practise their spellings in lots of fun and creative ways!

Why not try:

• Making each of the words out of play dough
• Creating the spellings using string and glue
• Playing Hangman using your child's current spelling list
• Writing an acrostic poem with the words going down the page
• Tracing each spelling using different coloured crayons (rainbow letters)
• Making up a spelling word song
• Writing a short story using each spelling word from your child's spelling list
• Playing the game Charades using your child's spelling words
• Playing a "What letter is missing game?" using your child's spelling words

As well as recalling these sounds whilst your child is reading, it is important that they are able to use them in their writing when spelling different words.

At home you could complete a mini quiz with your child by asking them to write down the sound that you read out. If they write them all down correctly, they could receive a reward! A next step would be to say a word the contains one of these sounds. For example, they have correctly written down the sound ‘ow’. Can they now write the word ‘elbow’?

The basis of all good writing comes from knowing lots of words and being able to join them together in interesting ways. Below are some ways to develop your child’s writing skills through the use of vocabulary in engaging ways.

• Encourage your child to explain the rules of a board game, interactive game or physical activity.
• Ask your child to retell one of their favourite stories that they have read. Challenge them to speak in full sentences, saying aloud where a full stop needs to be placed and where any capital letters need to be.
• Can they predict what may happen next in a story/TV programme/sequel to one of their favourite films?

Writing activities you can do at home for further practise