Early Years Term 2 Skills: Alphabet Sound Recall & Letter Formation along with Initial Sound Awareness. Why mid term testing?
In terms of the Early Years Term 2 skills, there are several things to keep in mind.
The Term 2 section of the teaching sequence has been updated in line with existing research. In previous years, initial sound awareness has been taught independently (and before) alphabet sounds (starting with satpin). However research is calling for phonemic awareness to be taught in conjunction with mapping to the sounds. Hence, simultaneously, as children learn to 'hear, say and think about' the initial phonemes in words, they also will begin their journey of learning the alphabet sounds and forming the alphabet sounds. Students will be focusing on:
Alphabet sound instruction (starting with satpin)
Alphabet letter formation
Initial Sound Awareness
Initial Sound Awareness is one of the most difficult skills for teachers to teach and for students to learn.
The continuant sounds (i.e. the long, noisy, and visually distinguishable) sounds require initial explicit instruction. These are identified by the tasks with the blue borders in the program "Preparing for the Alphabet". https://pld-literacy.org/product/preparing-for-the-alphabet-2/ A significant section of this whole program is devoted to developing students' ability to 'hear, say and be able to think about' initial continuant sounds.
For a proportion of students in a class, once they are conscious of the continuant sounds, they are then simultaneously able to identify and verbalize the short-stop sounds. It would appear that the awareness of the obvious dominant continuant sounds, that the awareness of the subtle stop sounds also occurs. A smaller section of this whole program is devoted to developing students' ability to 'hear, say and be able to think about' initial stop sounds. These are identified by the tasks with the red borders in the program "Preparing for the Alphabet". https://pld-literacy.org/product/preparing-for-the-alphabet-2/
For a proportion of the class in the class, once able to identify and verbalise continuant sounds, will mean that these students are ready to commence developing the ability to identify, isolate and process initial stop sounds.
Many teachers do not fully understand why mid-term testing is scheduled. Or why the mid-term testing is comprised of constinuant and stop sounds, alphabet sounds and alphabet sounds recall and formation?
It is likely that a small group of students will already have acquired these skills and be ready to progress on.
Many students will likely score 40% or 60%, suggesting the skill is solidly being acquired and by the end of the term, the majority should have sufficient skills, for the Term 3 learning of the alphabet and also blending.
For the students who score 0-20% time is running out for acquiring this vital skill within the term. The testing will highlight these students at risk of not acquiring the skill and suggest small group focused and intensive attention.
Make sure you have the most recent update of the Early Years Teaching Sequence Manual and the Early Years Screening & Tracking Manual
The Term 2 section of the teaching sequence has been updated in line with existing research. In previous years, initial sound awareness has been taught independently (and before) alphabet sounds (starting with satpin). However research is calling for phonemic awareness to be taught in conjunction with mapping to the sounds. Hence, simultaneously, as children learn to 'hear, say and think about' the initial phonemes in words, they also will begin their journey of learning the alphabet sounds and forming the alphabet sounds. Students will be focusing on:
Alphabet sound instruction (starting with satpin)
Alphabet letter formation
Initial Sound Awareness
Initial Sound Awareness is one of the most difficult skills for teachers to teach and for students to learn.
The continuant sounds (i.e. the long, noisy, and visually distinguishable) sounds require initial explicit instruction. These are identified by the tasks with the blue borders in the program "Preparing for the Alphabet". https://pld-literacy.org/product/preparing-for-the-alphabet-2/ A significant section of this whole program is devoted to developing students' ability to 'hear, say and be able to think about' initial continuant sounds.
For a proportion of students in a class, once they are conscious of the continuant sounds, they are then simultaneously able to identify and verbalize the short-stop sounds. It would appear that the awareness of the obvious dominant continuant sounds, that the awareness of the subtle stop sounds also occurs. A smaller section of this whole program is devoted to developing students' ability to 'hear, say and be able to think about' initial stop sounds. These are identified by the tasks with the red borders in the program "Preparing for the Alphabet". https://pld-literacy.org/product/preparing-for-the-alphabet-2/
For a proportion of the class in the class, once able to identify and verbalise continuant sounds, will mean that these students are ready to commence developing the ability to identify, isolate and process initial stop sounds.
Many teachers do not fully understand why mid-term testing is scheduled. Or why the mid-term testing is comprised of constinuant and stop sounds, alphabet sounds and alphabet sounds recall and formation?
It is likely that a small group of students will already have acquired these skills and be ready to progress on.
Many students will likely score 40% or 60%, suggesting the skill is solidly being acquired and by the end of the term, the majority should have sufficient skills, for the Term 3 learning of the alphabet and also blending.
For the students who score 0-20% time is running out for acquiring this vital skill within the term. The testing will highlight these students at risk of not acquiring the skill and suggest small group focused and intensive attention.
Make sure you have the most recent update of the Early Years Teaching Sequence Manual and the Early Years Screening & Tracking Manual
Updated on: 19/04/2024
Thank you!