by Sharona Edwards | April 17, 2020 | School Start Articles, School Start Buddy |
There are two very important skills that I want to share with you so that your child can start writing. You will be surprised how easy these skills are to teach, but I assure you, they are absolutely essential. I will very briefly explain these skills and then I will...
by Sharona Edwards | April 10, 2020 | School Start Articles, School Start Buddy |
The first step to teaching your child to read is really quite simple if you have the right equipment and understand exactly what your child needs to learn. These are skills that children should learn in their first year of school, however many children don’t...
by Sharona Edwards | April 7, 2020 | School Start Articles |
Teaching your child to go from writing single words to putting their thoughts and ideas into sentences seems like a big leap, but it is a skill that anyone can teach. This is my favourite stage of teaching children to write because it is where I see the most rapid...
by Sharona Edwards | April 4, 2020 | School Start Articles |
You may feel unsure about what words you should teach your child first. Beginning with your child’s name, is a great place to start. But where do you go next? What words should I use first? A good starting point is to use words that only include the sounds your child...
by Sharona Edwards | March 10, 2020 | School Start Articles |
If your child is learning to read, it is important that they quickly build a bank of commonly used words that they can recognise and read. Schools give these words various names (for example, high-frequency words, tricky words, camera words etc), but for the purpose...
by Sharona Edwards | January 13, 2017 | School Start Articles, School Start Videos |
The first year of school sets the foundation for success. Children learn to become more independent, follow routines and learn essential skills that provide the platform for future learning. Set your child up for success with these ten tips. Teach your child to...
by Sharona Edwards | October 11, 2016 | School Start Articles |
Phonics is a method of teaching spelling by focusing on the sounds in a word. Children need to be able to hear and break words into sounds and then learn the letter patterns that make these sounds. For example, the long “a” sound can be made with eleven different...
by Sharona Edwards | October 6, 2016 | School Start Articles |
Next time your child draws you a beautiful picture and happily explains what they have drawn, grab a marker and write exactly what they say underneath the picture. This is one of the easiest ways to teach a child to write! What early writing skills is your...
by Sharona Edwards | October 5, 2016 | School Start Articles |
When children are able to spell well, writing becomes more enjoyable and effortless. The problem is often that there are so many words that it can seem overwhelming and it is hard to know which words to teach and where to start. There are a number of key strategies...
by Sharona Edwards | October 3, 2016 | School Start Articles |
Learning to write with the correct pencil grip is much easier than trying to correct an incorrect pencil grip as children get older. You can start putting this important skill into practice before children begin school. Activities to strengthen hand and wrist muscles...
