Making Reading Fun
I love teaching children to read. That spark when they remember their sounds, the moment when they start to blend and recognise words! It’s magic! Doors open for them. Reading is a journey. A beautiful journey. And making it fun and engaging is what makes it extra special.
I have taught hundreds of children to read and I believe I have found the perfect formula. Phonics, real meaning and Flora (aka fun).
Phonics
Phonics it the key to decode written words and is an essential skill when learning to read. There are many programmes that teach children phonics. But in the english language, spelling rules and phonics are only correct 50% of the time. Which means we need to use other skills to support our reading such as memorisation and real life meaning.
Real Meaning
Phonics should not be seen as a separate skill. Along with everything in child development, reading is holistic. Pre reading, children develop their own knowledge of many aspects of language, communication and the world. This is where meaning comes into play. Children need to understand the purpose of symbols. We need to merge their reading skills into the real world. This includes life experience and exposure to a variety of text! The more experience a child has to real life literacy, the more they will see the purpose, connect the wires and grow in confidence and fluency.
Flora (aka Fun)
Well for us the fun is definitely Flora the Phonics Flamingo. Flora makes the whole process more fun and engaging for children! Flora has been by my side for years as we introduce each sound (correctly) and letter name. We explore and connect the sounds and words in the real world and children are motivated to take the relevant steps to read. Children learn when they are having fun, and that’s what Flora provides!
Flora the Phonics Flamingo Programme
Flora the Phonics Flamingo Programme has everything you need to support your child’s first steps to reading and to make reading fun. 38 videos and PDF resources. Each video includes:
- single letter sound (correctly) and name
- exploration activity and finding the sound in the real world
- creative letter formation
- creating our phonics song
Additional videos include:
- Blending
- Review
But that’s not all! The programme also includes:
- Example Timetable
- Alphabet Flashcards
- High Frequency Words
- Top Tips
Everything you need is in the programme and this will provide a secure foundation for every child’s reading. Learn all the single letter sounds and names, make it creative and get moving. Find the sounds in the real world recognise and form each letters.
If you are one of the lucky ones teaching kids to read, join Flora and I and we’ll do it together!
Once you have secured all of the sounds and letter names I would highly recommend moving onto 100 Gentle Lessons. I am currently completing the curriculums with my children. We are loving every minute and made their reading journey even more special. I am incredibly pleased with how confident readers our boys have become!
Try our FREE mini Phonics the Flamingo YouTube programme by jumping over to our YouTube channel. This includes short clips from videos A-Z.