It is vital to widen vocabulary and improve comprehension before tackling reading and spelling. This can be done through every day speech and by learning rhymes and songs. Children often experience difficulty with spelling because of the way that they pronounce words. These ideas are to help children to listen carefully to words.

It should only take 10 - 15 minutes a day to help your child become more aware of the sounds in words which in turn will help them with reading and spelling. As it is you that will write, the child will not be worried about spelling or reading.

The word rhyme can mean nursery rhyme, pop or campfire songs.

Please read all the instructions before beginning work with your child.

1) Sit opposite your child. This is important for both of you to see how words are being spoken. A table between you would be ideal.

2) The rhymes should be written with double line spacing to allow for detailed recording. It may help you to write out the rhymes you know that your child knows before beginning. If the child does not know any rhymes teach one for two days then start this programme of work.

3) Ask the child to tell you a rhyme. Mark any words pronounced incorrectly. i.e.

Humpy Bumpy sat on the woll.

You would record as:

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall.

When the child has finished the rhyme, say " Well done, remember it is HumpTy DumpTy sat on the wAll." giving the correct pronunciation in the right timing. Do not draw letter sounds out or spell out, just say the words very clearly allowing the child to watch very closely how your mouth moves.

4) Chat about the rhyme, what is happening etc.

5) Clap the rhythm of the syllables and encourage the child to join in.

Day Two:

Repeat 1 - 5 listening to a new rhyme. Then remind the child that you will be listening very carefully for certain sounds from yesterday’s rhyme. Mark the original record accordingly, for example:

Humpty Dumpty sat on the woll

would now be recorded as

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall.

Remember to give the child response.i.e. "Well done, don’t forget Humpty Dumpty sat on the WALL." making sure that the child watches very closely.

For a few days repeat 1 - 5, with a new rhyme if possible. When both you and the child are comfortable, continue to repeat the above and add a change each day;

a) You choose a previous days rhyme to clap the rhythm. The child has to guess the rhyme.

b) You choose a word from the rhyme for the child to spell.

9) You say a line of a rhyme missing out a word; the child has to say what the word is. Then miss out two words, three words...