Ready for Learning
Key gaps in foundation skills (Precursor Skills)
Helper hand vs holding hand - the hand that holds the pen and the hand/arm that supports/guides. The child might not even know!
Inability to cross the mid line - what might the child do?
- turn whole body
- turn their book/paper
Using PVA supports fine motor skills - leave the gluesticks out! Gluesticks foster the Palmer grip (fist grip).
Use this phrase when using pva - 'Not a lot, just a dot!'
Use small pencils to encourage proprioception.
Watch for risk averse children. Not willing to begin. They don't believe they can do it. Emotional engagement - if they don't see themselves as learners, they'll turn off. Self belief is pretty much set by age 7.
Concrete skills are the focus. What about the underpinning skills?
- Broad vocab
- gross motor skills (balance/core strength)
- fine motor (pincer)
- working memory
- self help skills
- how you feel about yourself
- persistence
Kids who are not making the expected progress - let's look at the underpinning skills they're missing.
Think about the language we use with kids. "You have a strength in ..."
Try not to use
- "I like the way you..." Puts the focus on the teacher.
- "Good girl." Evaluative feedback, signals obedience/approval. Child can think, "If I can't do it, i won't start, incase I fail. Fail = bad.
Automaticity - refers to the ability to perform complex skills with minimal attention and conscious effort. It can take 300-500 repetitions for a skill to become automatic. Multiple exposures everyday. If it 's not automatic, it's taking up cognitive load.
NE class - opportunities for kids to come back after a break and write their names/identify their name. Manipulate it in some way. Up on a wall to support shoulder girdle.
Getting from A to B - great opportunities to develop gross motor skills (crossing the centre line). Transitions in class/moving to assembly etc.
- Heel to toe movement
- Hopping feet together
- climbing up the slide
- Bear crawls
Kids are moving less - more time as babies in Jolly-Jumpers, exer-saucers.
Signs of poor core strength
- Leaning on furniture
- avoiding games
- sitting in a W shape (can also be a flag for dyspraxia)
- fidgeting in seat
- difficulty sitting still
Phase 1 Writing - transcription skills - comfortable posture
Developing pincer grip and other fine motor skills
- tearing paper
- threading beads onto pipe cleaners
- threading wool into colanders
Visual Timer
Let them climb the trees!
Speaking
Fundamental, primary skill.
Oral language skills are lower than before.
Learning through play
"Use your words." YUCK. Many do not have the words.
Visual conversation starters - What would you rather? Eg. 2 pictures of a scene - beach and skiing.
Word walls - to use more complex vocab - eg. weather - scorching, stifling...
Story telling - mahi-ā-ringa and pūrākau or any pakiwaitara!
Oral story telling
Hearing
Early phonological awareness
- Environmental sounds - Children's worlds are very noisy - they don't hear the finer environmental sounds eg. birds chirping, cars going past.
- Move in time to simple rhythms.
- Hear rhyming words and syllables
- Phonemic awareness
- Complete familiar songs and sentences
Barrier games
Heggerty
Brain breaks
Shared reads with no pictures - kids are developing their imagination and learning. how to listen.
Seeing
Seeing objects that are the same and different - I spy. Also develops memory
Visual perception activities will foster and develop ability to differentiate letters.
Eg. a picture of a tiger is a tiger no mater which way it faces. The letter b for example, could be a 'p', 'd', or 'q'.
Print
READ A BOOK! Read and Feed time. Tuākana/tēina reading time.
What makes a great activity for developing Foundation Skills?
- Teacher enthusiasm
- Fun
- Within reach - Zone of Promixal Development
- Teachers/TAs not taking over
- Correct practice
- Bang for your buck - sneak in a few skills
