Learning Tips

Spelling
Tips to make spelling fun, but even more importantly... stay in your child's long term memory:

• copy, hide, then try again. Try it with your eyes closed!
• write words in chalk on the concrete.
• write words in different colours for each different sound e.g. but
• create letter shapes with plastercine, play dough or pipe cleaners (the $2 shop sell these).
• write the word in sentences.
• type words in crazy fonts on the computer.
• click on spellingcity.com to go to free spelling games.
• come up with your own practising ideas.
• Practise your words three times per week e.g. Mon, Tue, Wed. Don't cram homework in on one night as you are less likely to retain the information in your long term memory.
• Keep it fun.

Reading

• Keep it fun. Keep it relaxed. Make it interesting.
• When you have time, do activities that help make the book make sense. E.g. A book on boats - make a boat with lego and see if it floats.
• Discuss the book first. Look at the front page and inside pages to work out what the book is all about. Click here for an example video.
• Point out words that your child might find difficult before they read the page. E.g. "Which word is 'nose' on this page? Well done, how did you know that? Oh, it starts with an 'n' and has a 's' sound as well. Well done."
• When reading, if your child finds an unknown word, say "What would make sense here? Say the sentence again..." "Does 'He went swim,' make sense? No, look at the end of the word. That's right, it says "He went swimming."
• Focus a little on sounding the word out, but not too much. It's best to focus mainly on what would make sense. If you focus too much on sounding out the words your child may end up reading aloud beautifully but not understanding much of what they read on the page.
• Discuss the story with questions that start with a range of what, who, why, how, when and where questions.

Maths

• Keep it fun. Keep it relaxed. Make it interesting.
• Try to use materials that your child can touch to explain any maths problems. You can use iceblock sticks and wrap them in groups of 5 and 10 with elastic bands and have loose sticks also (from the $2 shop). This will help your child visualise problems like 5 + 3 = 8, 10 + 2 = 12 or 10 + 20 = 30...
• Always use stories when doing maths problems to help your child understand what the numbers really mean. E.g. 5 police officers were joined by 3 more. How many police officers were there altogether? 

Writing

• Keep it fun. Keep it relaxed. Make it interesting!
• Make writing come alive and be useful by leaving notes for your child around the house, in the bedroom, lunchbox... Get your child to write back to you. E.g. "Hi Dad, we need to get eggs."
• Write to uncles, aunties, grandparents, other family members in letters, text or by email.
• Write illustrated stories with your child and get them to read it for news or show it to the teacher.