Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
For Phases 3 to 5 of Letters and Sounds, here are over 270 fully differentiated worksheets to take pupils from Phase 3 to phase 5, passing through the introduction of consonant blends words in Phase 4.
Help every child to succeed by selecting the worksheet that is right for each pupil.
Here are two of our most popular books bundled together so that you save money!
A bumper pack of 160+ pages of resources - to help you to teach all of the new graphemes for Phase 5 of Letters and sounds to all abilities. This pack follows on from our popular Phonic Worksheets for Phases 3 and 4.
This pack will help you to Introduce the new phase 5 graphemes:
ay, ou, ie, ea, oy, ir, u-e, aw, wh, ph, ew, oe, au, ey, a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e, e-e, and ‘y’ saying ‘eye’ and ‘o’ saying ‘u’.
Please note: this pack uses Phase 5 tricky words as part of the comprehension passages, but does not aim to teach them.
Please not: Alternative pronunciations are not covered in this pack.
For each digraph there are:
Flashcards
Sentences to read - these build on the preceding digraphs, giving plenty of revision
Differentiated worksheets: find the missing word, complete the sentences, write the word, etc…
A reading passage including words from the newly introduced digraph
These passages also introduce tricky words, as well as being truly systematic, never introducing words that have not yet been taught. This instills confidence in pupils. These passages make great ‘reading books’.
Questions to answer about the passages
Great for classwork, revision, assessment or homework!
Fully differentiated, they meet the real needs of the average class and are fully systematic: no words are introduced for which the student has not yet learned the necessary skills to decode. They provide ample practice for students in both reading and spelling.
Suitable for use with other schemes as long as you make sure that your children know the sounds necessary to complete the sheet.
Copy, reduce, enlarge as much as you like.
For spelling dictations to accompany this book of resources please see my Phase 5 Spelling Programme.
Please see the book of Initial sounds Worksheets, the CVC/CVCC words Worksheets for Phases 2, early 3 and simple cvcc words in Phase 4 and the Phonic Worksheets for Phases 3 and 4.
Here are 12, FREE to download, Consonant Blends decodable, phonic reading books to support the blending of consonant blends words with a short vowel sound, for the very earliest stages of learning to read with phonics, WITH MATCHING WORKBOOKS to consolidate learning.
Suitable for use with all phonic programmes.
These books follow our FREE CVC words reading books, and are followed by our Graded Decodable readers, introducing common digraphs.
Together they form a FREE phonic reading scheme. Give your child a head start in reading, or help your struggling reader to succeed!
Suitable for home-education, parents, teachers, private tutors and all else who need them!
The focus is purely on sounding out with only the key words
** I, and no, go, to**
being gradually introduced.
Pictures are minimal to encourage the child to gain meaning from the text and not to guess.
Phonic words are introduced and then met again in subsequent readers, to help develop confidence and fluency.
The highly structured nature of these books helps every child to succeed.
They can be used alongside my consonant blends videos too:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZVljvSHfcAcPMCPlu9tBdsb5WJJ_k-wh
The stories are based around farmer Tom with his animals, his wife, his son Sam and daughter, Pam, dog Jiff and the cat.
Highly suitable for special needs children who have failed with other programmes.
Many parents have told me they wished they had found these books sooner, or had found them at all, as they would have been ideal for their struggling reader.
They have been thoroughly tested by my current pupils all of whom are boys. Even my nine-year old boy pupil loves them.
Teachers can find my consonant blends worksheets here:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12653569
This is a listening game to help the child to hear the ‘ee’ sound in words, as different to the ‘e’ sound as some children have difficulty hearing the new ee’ sound as their brain is trying to say 'e.
One of my pupils has a speech delay. When I introduced him to ‘ee’, he tried to sound out the words saying ‘e’ instead of ‘ee’. It was as if ‘ee’ was a foreign sound to him. So, I devised this game to help him to hear the ‘ee’ sound in words he uses frequently in speech. After playing it a few times he is now happily sounding out to read and spell words with the ‘ee’ sound. In addition it helps the pupil to understand that the sound ‘e’ does not change as some children will start to say ‘ee’ every time they see ‘e’.
Find more help with teaching the ee sound at Reading made Simple, my FREE Phonic reading and spelling programme that is really simple and really works!
https://readingmadesimple.weebly.com/level-1---ee.html
An easy reader about mushrooms for those beginning to read longer simple texts - with words that can be sounded out using phonic knowledge and only a few most common sight words.
Learn about mushrooms through a simple story.
For lesson notes and more help see:
https://ks1nature.weebly.com/free-science-lessons/mushrooms-for-ks1
See also our mushroom lesson resources and Power Point.
This Leaf Sorting lesson pack can help you to deliver the National Curriculum for Science in Year 1. The Leaf Sorting Pack includes
12 pictures of varying leaves, suitable for sorting according to vein pattern, formation and leaf properties (e.g. prickly/rounded edges, deep cut edges etc…) - in two sizes for whole class/group use or display.
a My leaf recording worksheet
a sheet of 12 small pictures to sort, cut out and stick.
See also our Why do leaves fall ? PowerPoint, which goes well with this pack of resources.
Full lesson notes are provided at KS1 Nature.
Two books to give ample practice learning to read, write and count numbers from zero to ten. Used extensively by the author with many KS1 children, including those with special needs.
Total 60 worksheets.
Can be used as stand alone worksheets for the school or for home-school as workbooks.
Can be used with any maths programme.
Two PowerPoints suitable for use when teaching about Seasons/weather/changing levels of light through the year.
Covers many areas of science:
Seasons:
Learn what changes to look out for across the four seasons
Learn that days get shorter and longer throughout the year
How this affects the weather
How the seasons affect us: what we wear/what we do
How the seasons affect plants and animals
Light and Dark
Darkness is the absence of light
The sun is the main source of light on Planet Earth
Reminds pupils never to look directly at the sun
The sun provides warmth too - or Earth would be very cold
Why plants need the sun: to make food to help them reproduce
Creatures of the day (the need for survival)
Shadows - how they are formed
Plants and animals that prefer the shade and why (the need for survival)
Creatures of the night
Nocturnal (the need for survival)
Both with full narration notes plus notes under slides for use in Presenter View.
A cheerful Weather Word Mat for younger children. This mat is phonetically coded to help with reading and spelling.
Many uses!
This Weather Word Mat is included in the Weather Resources Pack:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12616669
Please do not Purchase twice!
22 ‘ck’ fully differentiated worksheets, for use with any phonic programme. Written for those just beginning to blend, e.g Letters and sounds Phases 2 -4 and RWI Speed Set 1, Special friends. These worksheets cater for the needs of the average class and special needs.
The worksheets give practice in:
Reading and spelling ck words
Tracking the ck sound in words and sentences
Proofreading
Comprehension
Writing sentences using ck words.
These worksheets are simple, but effective. For use by teachers and private tutors.
Find activities suitable for all abilities
Assume no knowledge of other digraphs
Two worksheets for most activities: one without consonant blend words, and one with consonant blend words.
Suitable for Special Needs/intervention work/homework.
If you have already purchased our big book of Phases 3 and 4 worksheets for Letters and Sounds, you may have a few of these sheets, but this pack contains mainly new/changed material.
A pack of two super fun games to help children learn to hear the final sound of words, so vital for spelling with phonics. The games cover the final sounds: t,d, k, g, p, b, n, m and s.
They can also be used for speech therapy giving practice in like sounds: d/t/, k/g/ and p/b with which some children struggle.
Children from EYFS to teens with sepecial needs will enjoy playing these games!
Some children need a little extra practice to hear the final sounds of words, and a game takes the tedium out of learning!
Children will want to play these games again and again and you can change the sound each time. Nine sounds with 63 picture cards and two boards to choose from means the child will not get bored
Build a Castle, Win the Race: you choose! You can even change the fun level by adding in extra/missed turns - but play it simply first.
The games can be for up to 4 players, though it is recommended that each player plays first with an adult until s/he has begun to hear the final sound.
Full instructions are given.
Both games come in either colour or ink-saving black and white.
I made these games to help a ten-yr-old reluctant pupil to hear the final sounds of words. It won him round and now he is an expert!
I hope they help you too!
31 ‘ng’ fully differentiated worksheets, for use with any phonic programme, catering for the needs of the average class and special needs.
Written for those at the early stages of phonics, e.g.: Letters and Sounds Phase 3 and Read Write Inc, Set 1 Special Friends and for catch up work, extra practice, ESL/EFL and special needs.
The worksheets give practice in:
Reading and spelling ‘ng’ words
Tracking the ‘ng’ sound in words and sentences
Proofreading
Comprehension
rhymes
Writing sentences using ‘ng’ words.
These worksheets are simple, but effective. For use by teachers and private tutors.
Find activities suitable for all abilities
Assume no knowledge of other digraphs (except on two stated worksheets where ‘th’ and ‘ck’ are used in higher level worksheets)
Two worksheets for most activities: one without consonant blend words, and one with consonant blend words.
Suitable for Special Needs/intervention work/homework.
Our CVC Words Read and Reveal books are perfect for those just starting to blend.
Read the word on one page, turn over to reveal the picture and check that you are right!
Children love the visual feedback and it boosts their confidence no end when they find out that they can really read!
7 booklets, each with 7 words, grouped into sound families, and 7 pictures:
ap words
at words
an words
ip/in words
op/og words
Mixed shore vowel ‘e’ words
Mixed short vowel ‘u’ words
For use with all UK approved phonics programmes.
Prints on 2 pages of A4 double-sided - flip on the long edge.
Simply trim to A5, and staple.
Great to use in class, or to send home in book bags.
This Year 1 teaching resource pack, based on squirrrels, will help children to use the local environment throughout the year to explore and answer questions about animals in their habitat.
Pack includes Year 1 Science lesson outlines and worksheets on the subject of squirrels useful for follow-up work.
Background information for teachers so you have the answers to hand and can feel knowledgeable bout your subject without spending hours researching.
Lesson notes and ideas to help you plan
18 Differentiated worksheets will cater for all abilities in your class!
The worksheets cover
What squirrels eat
Parts of a squirrel
Labelling a squirrel (characteristics)
Where they live
Writing paper for recording
Comprehension sheets
And more!
The pack will:
Help you to fully embrace the non-statutory guidance for the Year 1 National Curriculum for Science as well as teaching the statutory requirements.
Bring Science alive and help you to deliver excellent lessons based on squirrels in the local environment.
Designed to appeal to the Y1 child, gently introducing key vocabulary. Written by an Environmental Education, Early Years specialist (ages 3 to 8) who understands how children learn.
Year 1: Science curriculum covered:
• identify and name a variety of common animals, including birds.
• describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (including birds).
Identify and name a variety of common animals that are …omnivores.
The Squirrel worksheets can be used with:
Our Squirrel PowerPoint which is great for starting a lesson, or reinforcing what has been learnt at the end.
In two books, 140 differentiated worksheets. 70 for teaching initial sounds,and a further 70 to take the child on to blend and segment cvc and consonant blend words with a short vowel sound.
For stages 2 and 3 of Letters and Sounds, or Set 1 or RWI (excluding ‘Special Friends’)
These sheets provide plenty of practice of vital early reading and spelling skills and can also be used for assessment purposes to help the vigilant teacher to plan the next step forward.
These sheets are simple and yet they work! Created to meet the needs of children in the average classroom.
All beautifully illustrated by Vera Conway.
Preview here:
https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A6e21d937-a35d-440e-ba0c-3ed5ad9a1bdb
and
https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A5027d2de-1ad5-49d9-a9c2-2d15cff37d8a
Our Autumn Leaves and Horse Chestnut Life Cycle PowerPoints will help you take EYFS/KS1 children on an exciting journey to discover why leaves fall and change colour and where conkers come from and why.
Full colour and some animation in the Autumn Leaves PowerPoint.
Five phonic games to help pupils read and spell words with consonant blends (short vowel sound only). Suitable for use with Read, Write Inc.
Make Phonics learning fun and help it to stick!
These games have all been written by a special needs teacher, who knows exactly where children get stuck and what is needed to help them progress. The children will not know they are learning!
These games work wonderfully to help disillusioned readers succeed, but great for helping all children Pre K to 2nd grade and older special needs pupils.
Great for book bags, for use by classroom assistants and for the home-school.
Supplied in pdf format, all ready coloured in. Just print and play! These games are very simple to play but very effective. Full instructions provided and tips on how to help your child/ren.
See our Games for teaching Initial Sounds and CVC words too!
Six phonic simple games to help children learn to blend and segment cvc words.
Suitable for use with Read, Write Inc. Learning to blend with set 1 sounds.
These games work wonderfully to help disillusioned readers succeed, but great for helping all children Pre K to 2nd grade and older special needs pupils.
These games have all been written by a special needs teacher, who knows exactly where children get stuck and what is needed to help them progress. The children will not know they are learning!
Make Phonics learning fun and help it to stick!
Perfect for teaching assistants, to send home in book bags and for the home-school.
Supplied in pdf format, all ready coloured in. Just print and play! These games are very simple, but effective. All you need is in the pack. Full instructions provided and tips on how to help your child/ren. Laminating them will help them to last longer, but iw not necessary.
Contents:
Short vowel games: ‘a’, ‘e’/‘i’ and ‘o’/‘u’ (three games) - reading games
All vowels Game - a reading game
Missing Vowel Game - a spelling game
Final sound Game - a spelling game
18 weather-related worksheets and puzzles covering 6 areas of weather:
•What is the weather like today?
•Hot and Cold
•What shall I wear today?
•It’s Windy
•It’s Raining
•General Weather
3 Worksheets for each:
1 easy activity for younger children/lower ability,
2 word searches, 1 easy and 1 harder.
Use for a topic on weather, or as early finisher activities at any time of the year.
The harder words searches were originally written for a class of Y3 children so can be used with that age group too.
These worksheets are included in the Weather Project Pack but are listed here separately for those who only want the worksheets.
Help your child/ren learn to count and write the numbers 0 to 5 - suitable for home or school use. 28 worksheets.
Each number is introduced and then practiced to build confidence and ensure success.
Includes:
Learning to write numbers
Matching 1 to 1
Ordering
Biggest/smallest
Number patterns
The easy, clear format is suitable for all ages and abilities - including those with learning difficulties.
Reinforces classwork - schools can print individual pages for home or school use.
Parents can download and print themselves as a first maths workbook.
See also:
Count 6 - 10
Beginning addition and subtraction