The Reading and Writing Expectations in the 4+ Assessments.

The reading and writing expectations will be very different at each different school that you will be applying to. Certain schools will expect that your child will be able to read 3 letter words with ease and that your child will be able to write 3 letter words with accuracy. They will expect your child to have correct letter formation for all of the letters that they observe them writing and they will expect them to be able to read a 3 letter words by segmenting and then blending it (ie. They can sound it out before reading it)

Most likely your child will be asked to write their name at most schools that they will attend Assessment at. Please note that not all schools will ask your child to write their name. Some schools will be completely ‘play based’. I will talk about how I interpret these two little words in another blog!

Reading

When you begin tuition with us, we will initially learn all of the phonemes (single sounds). Once your child is confident with all of their phase 2 and phase 3 phonemes, we move onto digraphs (2 letters that make one sound eg. sh) We will only ever move onto digraphs if you child knows all of their phonemes really well. You will see your child become so confident with their single sounds that before you know it, they will begin reading 2-3 letter words. It is inevitable.

Alongside learning their phonics, your child will do reading in each lesson. Reading could be listening to a story, analysing a story, answering questions about a story or sounding out individual words within a story. Exposing your child to so many different books will enable them to go into their 4+ Assessments and know exactly what is expected of them when it comes to reading.

Writing

When you begin tuition with us, we will immediately begin an intensive programme of writing (depending on your chosen schools). We will begin by writing numbers. Writing numbers takes time. It can take between 3-6 months before your child can accurately write numbers with correct formation. So we practise writing numbers at every single lesson. You will also receive weekly home learning where you will have the opportunity to practise writing numbers with your child. Children can regress when in comes to writing, please don’t worry about this. It is perfectly ok. Just keep practising. We will then move onto writing letters of the alphabet.

At some schools, your child will be asked to write 3 letter words and therefore it will be an expectation that they write each individual letters with correct letter formation. Pencil grip is also something that we practise. Some schools will expect your child to have ‘correct’ pencil grip. Some children learn this quicker than others. Some children enjoy writing immediately and others simply do not. None of it is a problem. Each child is different and unique.

Take your time with pencil grip and never ever make it a ‘problem’ is your child is not ‘able’ to hold their pencil correctly. Show them, practise it and if they don’t want to just move on and come back to it another day.

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