If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, host Danielle discusses the concept of heart words, focusing on the words 'you', 'your', and 'of'. She explains the importance of understanding the etymology of these words to help children decode and spell them correctly. The conversation includes practical tips for parents on how to reinforce these concepts at home, making learning engaging and fun for children.

Takeaways:

• ​Heart words are essential for children's literacy development.
• ​Understanding etymology helps in decoding tricky words.
• ​The word 'you' has historical significance in English.
• ​'Your' is a possessive form of 'you'.
• ​The spelling of 'of' is influenced by old English sounds.
• ​Practical activities can reinforce learning at home.
• ​Using fun sentences can help children practice heart words.

Continued exploration of heart words will be discussed in future episodes.

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational andgeneral discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

Sorry about the crackly audio! Microphone glitch this episode!

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, host Danielle discusses how parents can support their children's reading journey at home. She emphasises the importance of understanding word patterns and decoding rules, using specific examples to illustrate how to approach reading and writing exercises with children. The episode serves as a review of key concepts and encourages parents to engage with their children's literacy development actively.

Takeaways:

• ​It's helpful to have a pause episode to review patterns and rules.
• ​Encourage free writing exercises to enhance literacy skills.
• ​Understanding word patterns can aid in decoding unfamiliar words.
• ​The letter 'E' can change the pronunciation of words significantly.
• ​When an 'A' follows a 'W', it often makes an 'O' sound.
• ​The letter 'Y' can represent vowel sounds in certain contexts.
• ​Identifying syllables can help with word pronunciation.
• ​Regular review of words can reinforce learning for both parents and children.
• ​Engaging with everyday reading can help children with their literacy.

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational andgeneral discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher orspecialist for tailored guidance and advice.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, host Danielle discusses the importance of building a strong and wide vocabulary in children. Through personal anecdotes and reflection she considers how reading and focus on language in her own children’s early years has led to the expansion of their vocabulary and ability to comprehend texts.

Takeaways:

- Daily reading or listening to audiobooks helps increase your child’s exposure to language

- Discussing books, language and tricky words at home through practical activities can help expand vocabulary

- Every child learns at a different pace

- Start reading and modelling a love of literature for your family.

You’ve got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational andgeneral discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, host Danielle discusses the Science of Reading and how decades of research has helped educators understand that an explicit, systematic, synthetic approach is the best way to teach a child to read. Danielle discusses ‘comprehension’ and why the goal of reading is not only being able to decode words, but actually make meaning of the text.

Takeaways:

- The Science of Reading is not a program or fad

- Science and academic research informs modern reading education and teaching practice

- The Simple View of Reading explains that a child needs to be able to both decode and make meaning of words to truly read

- There a simple ways you can embed development of comprehension into your daily life

You’ve got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational andgeneral discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, hosts Danielle and Jess discuss what to look for when touring primary schools.

Takeaways:

• It's all about getting a feel for the school
• It can be hard to tick all boxes but it's important to make sure the school aligns with your family's values
• Questions to ask include how the school approaches phonics in the junior years and whether or not they use a commercial program, Phonics Plus or their own school developed program?
• Do they have a whole school approach to teaching literacy?
• Does the school use decodable readers?
• How does the school support students needing extra help?
• Are parents encouraged to help out in the classroom?
• Try and tour the school during school hours and take note of how engaged the students are
• How does the school make you feel when walking around?
• If possible tour multiple schools so you have comparisons

You've got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, hosts Danielle and Jess discuss what might be happening in your child's classroom and how you can support that learning from home.

Takeaways:

• ​From 2025, all government primary schools in Victoria are required to explicitly teach phonics for 25 minutes per day
• ​explicit teaching is teacher directed rather than student led.
• ​Explicit teaching does not take away from the 'art' of teaching
• ​Schools may use a commercial program or may develop their own scope and sequence
• ​Phonics Plus is a government resource available to schools for free
• ​Phonics Plus is designed for teachers but can be useful for parents
• ​Decodable readers have 90% decodable words - can be sounded out
• ​Levelled readers will contain more complex language and rely on using strategies such as using picture and context clues to work out the word
• ​Decodable readers can increase a child's confidence
• ​Decodable readers can be accessed online or in the library
• ​Ask your child's school about their explicit teaching of phonics

You've got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of prepping parents, host Danielle gives a little insight into what she does at home to support her children on their literacy journey.

Takeaways:

• ​Learning can be organic, it can happen anywhere, anytime - even during nappy changes
• ​You don't need heaps of resources
• ​Give your child thinking time
• ​Prompt when necessary
• ​Ask questions to help your child reach the answer
• ​Make learning at home fun and engaging
• ​Share your home learning with your child's teacher

You've got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠⁠Episode 1⁠⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, Danielle reviews the Amazing E series, focusing on the significance of the letter E in reading and spelling. She discusses the concept of Magic E, its role in changing vowel sounds, and the importance of syllables in words. The episode also highlights how the letter E can alter meanings and provides fun activities for parents to engage their children in learning. The conversation concludes with encouragement for parents to continue exploring literacy with their children.

Takeaways

• ​The letter E plays a crucial role in English spelling.
• ​Magic E changes the sound of vowels in words.
• ​Syllables must contain a vowel, often represented by E.
• ​E can change the meaning of words
• ​Engaging activities can make learning fun for children.
• ​The silent E is essential for proper pronunciation.
• ​Children can learn through playful interactions with words.

You've got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠Episode 1⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, Danielle discusses the significance of the letter E in phonics, particularly focusing on the silent E. She explains how silent E alters the meaning of words, changes pronunciation, and softens consonants. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding phonics for reading and spelling, and offers practical tips for parents to support their children's literacy development.

Takeaways

• ​Silent E changes the meaning of words significantly.
• ​It helps in softening consonants and altering vowel sounds.
• ​Understanding phonics is crucial for decoding and encoding words.
• ​Phonics tests may include nonsense words to assess understanding.
• ​The letter E has multiple roles in language and literacy.
• ​Engaging with schools about phonics instruction is beneficial.
• ​Practicing phonics helps in reading beyond CVC words.

You've got this!

Let’s debrief about our ‘amazing E’ next Wednesday!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.

If you’re new here, welcome! We suggest you start with ⁠Episode 1⁠ to upskill and build your phonics knowledge.

In this episode of Prepping Parents, host Danielle explores the multifaceted role of the letter E in English language, particularly focusing on its silent presence and its impact on syllables and spelling. The discussion delves into how silent E influences vowel sounds, aids in understanding syllables, and clarifies singular versus plural forms in words. Danielle equips parents with knowledge to support their children's literacy development.

Takeaways

• ​Silent E plays a crucial role in English spelling.
• ​Each syllable must contain a vowel sound.
• ​Magic E changes short vowel sounds to long ones.
• ​Silent E helps indicate singular versus plural forms.
• ​Understanding syllables can aid in reading fluency.
• ​E can represent a vowel in a syllable without being pronounced.
• ​Clapping or humming can help identify syllables.

Even more amazing E coming next Wednesday!

You've got this!

A little reminder: This podcast is for informational and general discussion purposes only. We are not trained speech or literacy pathologists, and this isn’t educational advice for your child. We’re just parents sharing what’s worked for us. Always consult your child’s teacher or specialist for tailored guidance and advice.