Early Basic Skills Single Sounds - using Victorian font

This book is the first in a series of five in the Early Basic Skills series using Victorian handwriting font for children aged 4 to 7:

• #366 Early Basic Skills: Single Sounds
• #367 Early Basic Skills: Simple Words & Sentences
• #368 Early Basic Skills: Blending Consonants
• #369 Early Basic Skills: Using Digraphs
• #370 Early Basic Skills: Written Text: Punctuation and Grammar

In this workbook the child is introduced to each letter of the alphabet. The child is also introduced to sight words - the Dolch List. The Dolch List of 220 words, are words that occur so often in our reading, that children need to be able to recognise them instantly, as sight words (even though some can be sounded out). Knowing these words helps children to develop fluency when reading. Flash cards should be made for the words from My First Wall of Words when the left-hand page is completed. Flash cards should be made for the words from My Second Wall of Words after the right-hand page is completed.

Teacher notes on each left hand page list words for an auditory discrimination activity. The Dolch words for flash cards are given at the bottom of some pages.

Children's activities are given in handwriting font. The left hand page introduces the letter. The child should be taught its sound and name. Each grey letter should be traced over many times, each time in a different colour. This creates a rainbow effect. The left-hand page should be completed on the first lesson with each letter.

The right-hand pages should not be done at this time, as all the letters of the alphabet need to be known before the child can complete them, without either becoming frustrated, or the teacher having to help too much. The right-hand pages may be read through with the teacher on the first day of meeting the featured letter, but leave the pencil work until after all the letters of the alphabet have been treated.

Each page should be read aloud by the child after the pencil work has been completed. Each page should be read aloud again a day/week later, as revision.