Reading and Phonics Workshop for Parents 2019

There are so many factors that play a part in the process of learning to read and write. Phonics is certainly one of them, and most children do benefit from explicit teaching of the sounds letters make. When a child is taught Phonics, that child will be able to recognise sounds in words and sound them out correctly, spell them correctly and eventually be able to read with comprehension and fluency. At the International School of Ahafo, we use the Letters and Sounds Programme and Jolly Phonics in our Early Years Foundation programme (Sankofa class).

On Wednesday 30th October, 2019, our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 class teacher, Mr. Alan Macdonald held a short workshop on Reading and Phonics for parents, at 5.00pm in the Sankofa class. The aim of the workshop was to ensure consistency between the home and school approach to teaching children Phonics and reading. 

During the workshop, Mr. Macdonald introduced parents and carers to the school’s Phonics programme and discussed how this helps in the development of children’s reading and writing skills. He also shared some of the activities used to support reading and writing, as well as some useful websites and tips for supplementing children’s learning at home.

Some of the tips shared include:

• Helping children believe in themselves as a reader
• Helping children with decoding unfamiliar words
• Saying each sound in the word from left to right.
• Blending the sounds by pointing to each letter as you say the sound, then running your finger under the whole word as you say it.
• Trying to ensure that you enunciate the sound accurately.
• Talking about the meaning if children do not understand the word they have read.
• Working at each child’s specific pace.
• Always being positive and giving lots of praise and encouragement.

We wish to extend a special thank you to Mr. Macdonald for this initiative and to Ms. Tracy Ritchie, our Academic Coordinator, for her continued support. Thank you to all parents who were able to attend. We are hopeful that this initiative will impact children’s learning very positively.