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Something a little seasonal this month! A bright, colourful autumn word mat.
When I am asking my KS1 or special needs children to write on a topic, they often need words appropriate to the topic to help them with their spelling. Of course, being able to spell a word quickly helps the children to write more fluently and therefore to convey their thoughts more precisely.
How much better it is when teachers point out the spelling patterns in the new vocabulary!
I will use every opportunity to point out the sounds in new words that the children have already learnt (or are perhaps struggling with, for a bit of extra practice!)
I find that phonetically coded word mats help children to see the phonic sounds in the words they use. This has three outcomes: 1) The children learn to spell new words quicker when they recognise the sounds they have already been taught in words they have not used before. 2) The spelling patterns they have already been taught are reinforced as they use the word mat. 3) The children are delighted to see that that many of the 'new' words, are words that they can sound out for themselves - when the sounds are highlighted for them! This is a tremendous confidence booster!
Right there on the desk next to the child
I always like to draw children's attention to the spelling patterns in new words, and will often write them where all children can see them. However, for some children it is helpful for them to have them right there by them, on the desk as they write, as the physical effort of looking at a board/screen and back to the paper several times is just too much.
Great for classroom assistants to use
Having the words phonitically coded helps classroom assistants to key into the phonic structure of the words as they help the children. However - a warning - it is never advisable to give the weaker children to a classroom assistant. These children need the teacher's skill to help them - and the teacher needs to know exactly how the child copes with the activity in order to identify strengths and weaknesses to plan further work.. This is information that can only be gained by watching as the child completes the activity.
We hope this colourful Autumn Word Mat will be of use to you and to your children!
Download by clicking on the image.
If you like our Autumn Word Mat - please tell others!
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WelcomeHello, I'm Lilibette, qualified teacher (B.Ed Hons). I have taught phonics in mainstream education, followed by have home-educated my two sons to 18, and am now a private tutor. Categories
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