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Q&A session: Making a start with a phonics progression and phonological awareness instruction

This recording of a 30-minute Q&A session supports schools in choosing and following a systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) progression, including phonological and phonemic awareness instruction.

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Choosing and using decodable texts

This self-paced learning module explains the process of orthographic mapping, how decodable texts support this process and how to choose quality decodable texts and use them in your classroom. It contains a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the third of seven professional learning ...

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Making a small wicking bed

Making and planting a small wicking bed is a fulfilling activity. It upcycles materials, building awareness of waste and reuse. The completed wicking bed can suit small spaces – such as a balcony – demonstrating that even small spaces can be used to produce food. Its small size allows children to take ownership of its maintenance. ...

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What’s happening in the habitat?

We’re going to identify animals in their habitats by exploring either your backyard, schoolyard, a local park or some other natural place. Investigate your surroundings to see which animals are sharing the local habitat with you. Use the field guide to help you identify animals in your community.

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Sow a seed, grow a feed

Engage young learners’ senses as they grow food from a seed. They can learn about caring for a living thing, experience the joy of watching something grow and harvesting healthy edible food. The activity provides opportunities for development of science, sustainability and maths concepts. OUTCOMES of this learning activity ...

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Getting the buzz on bees and other beneficial insects

We’re going to investigate insects! Explore your outdoor surroundings to see if your habitat is home to bees and other beneficial insects. Use the field guide to help you get the buzz on bees and other local insects. OUTCOMES: For children to look closely for beneficial insects outdoors and identify those which are present; ...

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How to choose a decodable text

This video provides an overview of how to choose a decodable text for your students' needs. It is presented by literacy specialists Elaine Stanley and Rebecca McEwan.

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Choosing and using decodable texts: Q&A

This video is of a Q&A session about choosing and using decodable texts in your classroom. It is presented by literacy specialists Rebecca McEwan and Elaine Stanley

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Fluency and progress monitoring

This self-paced learning module explains fluency at the letter-sound correspondence level, word, sentence and whole-text level, and explains how to use a progress monitoring tool. It contains a webinar, free downloadable resources and further professional reading. It is the fourth of seven professional learning modules ...

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Introduction to SSP - Module 2: framework for evidence-informed reading instruction

This 14-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses the framework for evidence-informed reading instruction. It includes information on the Simple View of Reading, Scarborough’s Reading Rope model and the Big Six of reading instruction (oral language, phonological awareness, ...

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Assessment and intervention for an SSP approach

This self-paced learning module outlines the specific areas of knowledge and skills that are assessed for a systematic synthetic phonics approach to teaching reading and spelling. It explains how this approach to assessment is helpful to identify student needs across the Response to Intervention framework. It contains a ...

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Administering and analysing the Year 1 Phonics Check - Student 2

This short video (three minutes and 40 seconds) shows a teacher administering the Year 1 Phonics Check with a student who is given wait time to decode the words, followed by a teacher discussion about next steps for the student.

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Administering and analysing the Year 1 Phonics Check - Student 4

This short video (2 minutes and 45 seconds) shows a teacher administering the Year 1 Phonics Check with a student who displays knowledge and application of the simple code, followed by a teacher discussion about next steps for the student.

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For school leaders: Understanding the evidence

This webpage provides information and resources for school leaders about the evidence and research on how students learn to read. It discusses cognitive load theory, explicit instruction, a whole-school curriculum approach, the Big Six of literacy and using a systematic synthetic phonics approach to instruction.

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Student learning support

This webpage provides information and resources to support teachers to target specific student learning needs and create an inclusive classroom. It discusses differentiation and inclusion.

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Year 1 Phonics Check overview video

This short video (2 minutes and 2 seconds) outlines what the Year 1 Phonics Check is and includes clips of teachers administering this assessment to test students' decoding abilities. It also includes a clip of two teachers discussing the students' results.

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Spelling generalisations and SSP

This self-paced learning module outlines what makes English an opaque language and why it is valuable to teach students spelling generalisations. It explains how to support students to apply spelling generalsiations and how to incorporate them into your systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) lessons. The module contains two ...

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Introduction to SSP - Module 3: key understandings

This 13-minute professional learning video, presented by literacy expert Jocelyn Seamer, discusses key understandings of a systematic, synthetic approach to teaching phonics. It includes information on alphabetic code, sight words, blending and how to meet the needs of all children in the classroom. The other videos in ...

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The Big Six: a whirlwind tour

This one-hour webinar recording provides an overview of the Big Six components of literacy (oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). It includes theoretical understandings and practical ideas for the classroom. It is the first in a series of eight webinars about the Big Six ...

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Administering and analysing the Year 1 Phonics Check - Student 3

This three-minute video shows a teacher administering the paper version of the Year 1 Phonics Check with a student who displays efficient recall and application of simple and complex code, followed by a teacher discussion about next steps for the student.