Teachers/Student teachers... your opinons on 'Letters and Sounds' please?

Question

I have to write a critical analysis of the Primary National Strategy 'Letters and Sounds' resource pack. If anyone has used it, or knows of it and has any opinions on it, be it good or bad, please can u let me know? Thanks a lot :o)

Answer 1

I also work in Foundation, we don't follow the document rigidly either; the planning for the rest of the school is quite positive, they have used the document to plan for a 'fast and fun' 20 minute session each day.  I think some of the activity ideas are useful and can be easily adapted to suit your own objectives and children's needs; my children love 'digging for treasure' so I adapt the ideas given in the document to suit what we are doing on any given week (e.g. digging for toys and saying the initial phoneme, digging for c-v-c's and looking at blending and segmenting).  I consider it to be another document to use in conjunction with other phonics schemes, rather then THE resource to follow.  Think the rest of the school are getting positive results from their planning based on the document, but again they are using in conjunction with many other phonics schemes.  Not sure if that helps but hope it's useful!

Also, I do agree with what Bittersweet has said; children should be learning to enjoy learning first and foremost, so we have lots of opportunities for creative phonics teaching as well!  (e.g. letter formation in baby lotion, writing words in chalk in the outdoor area, etc)

Answer 2

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My opinion

Answer 3

I have read it but dont follow it religiously because my children are on Foundation Stage however my opinion:

-They keep changing how it should be taught eg: jolly phonics vs letterland and i think that the inconsitency can be confusing children!

-Children learn letters in an 'order'--I dont think this should be stuck to as rigidly as some schools after all isnt recognising children's first name (eg: L for Lauren) important rather than cna the child recognise 'S' first!!!

-It is too target based and doesnt allow for individualism and differentiation-the children are entering into school work too early on and need to learn to 'enjoy' letters and sounds in fun and playful ways!