Welcome back to our five-part series on the skills of Jolly Phonics. At every Cuddles Childcare Centre in the Perth area, serving suburbs such as Queens Park, we provide Jolly Phonics as part of our curriculum.
Jolly Phonics is a way to learn literacy that has proven to be superior to the traditional “rote” method that has been taught for years. We have been extremely successful with it at each Cuddles Childcare Centre in the Perth area. We have provided countless children with a great “head start” before going to school.
Jolly Phonics teaches literacy in a way that feels a lot more like playing than learning. This ensures that the children are fully engaged and learn the best way children learn: by playing.
There are five skills in Jolly Phonics: learning the letter sounds, learning the letter formation, blending, identifying sounds in words and tricky words. The English language can be difficult because it doesn’t always follow its own “rules.” Jolly Phonics makes it easy by helping children around the places where the rules don’t always make sense.
When words just don’t follow any of the rules, though, they need to be memorised as tricky words. It is done in a way that is still fun for the children and puts them light years ahead of children who haven’t had the benefit of preschooling.
Tricky Words: the Process
Look, cover, write and check. Look at the tricky part of the word. See if the child can “air-write” the word while saying the letters. Cover the word over and see if the child is able to write it correctly. Then check it to see if it is right.
Say it as it Sounds
For example, say the word “Monday” as “mon-day.”
Mnemonics
Mnemonics with the first letter of each word are extremely effective. For example, “laugh” can be “Laugh at Ugly Goat’s Hair.”
Joined up writing is also used to improve spelling.
To learn more about Jolly Phonics, call your nearest Cuddles Childcare Centre in the Perth area.
