As early years children start their transition to school, we need to start to focus on phonics. If we begin this listening journey early, they can begin to understand sounds in environment. These flashcards are designed to ignite conversations about the world around us and the different sounds we hear in everyday life. It can be used to support development of all children including those with SEND and EAL learners, and will promote their early mark making and the process of learning the read and write. Please print them, cut them to be singular flashcards, laminate them and use them everyday all around the setting for children to use in a variety of ways within their role play, story creating and singing. Use them to help communication between practitioners and children and between children and children, supporting the approach of sustained shared thinking. The EYFS states: The development of children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of learning and development. Children’s back-and-forth interactions from an early age form the foundations for language and cognitive development. The number and quality of the conversations they have with adults and peers throughout the day in a language-rich environment is crucial. By commenting on what children are interested in or doing, and echoing back what they say with new vocabulary added, practitioners will build children’s language effectively. Reading frequently to children, and engaging them actively in stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems, and then providing them with extensive opportunities to use and embed new words in a range of contexts, will give children the opportunity to thrive. Through conversation, story-telling and role play, where children share their ideas with support and modelling from their teacher, and sensitive questioning that invites them to elaborate, children become comfortable using a rich range of vocabulary and language structures.

A simple sheet to edit to display around the room as a prompt for practitioners when interacting with the children. Edit it to include photos of children with staff members carrying out the suggestion…

A simple observation sheet to assist observations for managers to staff or staff to staff. To aid interactions, audit and observe your staff in the reading area. Help to create positive changes to your environment and goals for your staff.

An open ended extension planning sheet for ‘Owl Babies’. Ideas can be extended to all EYFS age groups. Ideal for new to Early years and apprentices. This document is 3 pages, with interactions, reflections and extensions (next steps). Sits well with a homemade story sack.