Feedback about ORT Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters...

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debbie
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Feedback about ORT Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters...

Post by debbie »

Just like to thank Debbie (and anyone else who was involved!) in producing these ORT Floppy books. We got these in the new year and the children love them - it's great to have books which actually TOTALLY support what you're teaching so the children can go on to practise and feel they have achieved so much! This week the "bulb" lit up for a group of my boys who found they could read pages of a book independently - I love "magic moments" like that!!!!


This was great to read on a TES (Times Educational Supplement) thread.

Thank you!

:D
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

Hi Debbie, I hope everything is going well for you with this new adventure you are starting. I just got our first copy of the Floppy's Phonics resources. They are great! They will support our teachers a lot when it comes to extend and revise the sounds in PI. These resources came very handy now that we are training our teachers in the use of the interactive whiteboards.
Early Years Curriculum Coordinator
School in Costa Rica

PS: I am linking to a posting below which makes reference to this feedback and whether or not schools should purchase the Phonics International programme of the Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters programme - or whether, if they have the Phonics International programme already, whether they would benefit also from the Floppy's Phonics programme. Of course teachers must decide for themselves but I am finding that people are asking me about this.

http://phonicsinternational.com/forum/v ... ?p=617#617
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

Here is a lovely little 'funny' that I received from a Reception class teacher today:
This will make you smile.

3d shapes this week:
The shape names were written underneath, as they tackle every word now with astonishing success. Usual pattern is they study the new words, then after a very short time listening to them discuss the word pyramid, a group of children decide between them that the y is an /i/ without consulting me. They then proceed to look at the chart with - "Look there it is again in crystal!"

When they came to tell me, it had developed into - "Did you know that there is phonics in 3d shapes!"

Their handwriting is just amazing now too.
LOL! :D

Teachers may worry about the use of the Alphabetic Code Chart with Reception children (aged 4 to 5) - but, believe me, this is an adult fear - not the children's! :wink:
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

http://www.teachprimary.com/tried_and_t ... nd-letters

I've just realised that I can add this review to the feedback for Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters! :wink:
Debbie Hepplewhite
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debbie
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Post by debbie »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkXurVvtMlE

See this heartwarming video where Floppy's Phonics is being used with children for whom English as an additional language.

Thank you so much to Miss Mary at CSA! :D

These children started their journey with Jolly Phonics which gave them an excellent start and they are now trialling Floppy's Phonics for the many spelling alternatives.

The school supplements the early phonics work with Phonics International's banks of cumulative sentences and texts and older children progress to Phonics International in a fuller way.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

I wish you were here!!!What can I say other than how much I admire you professionally. I have read all there is about your methodology to teach reading and spelling and I am currently working on a new project the school I work at in the UAE. I name you and use you as an example continuously during my training sessions and meetings. The "fit-for-purpose" approach is one of the theories I am trying to PUSH for over here so when I read your post I just thought: "Oh my word! I wish you could be here to share this with me" I would love to meet you, you would love to see what I am doing and how I am adapting the Sounds and Letters document using the Oxford Reading Tree Scheme. So many people thought I was mad when I made this proposal but it is proving to be SO beneficial for the children, you just would love to see the benefits. The majority of our pupils are non native speakers but the method is sooooo wonderful IT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE in so many areas (reading, creative writing, comprehension skills, speaking and listening...) Anyway, I won't go on... I saw your post and needed to shout out loud how successful our programme has been so far.... Kind regards,
Thank you so much for this lovely message.... :D

Further:
It is an honour to be on the Phonics International Website ...

I feel very excited about being able to use your programme and already I have evidence of success after only 5 months using it...

I wish I could be part of your project, WOW!! Spread the method across the world would be dream come true. I am training a team of teachers and teaching assistants as part of my current role and although I am loving every minute of what I am doing, teachers are often reluctant to change, you know. I don't give up easily so most people end up at least trying it out even if it's just to shut me up (hahahaha!!)

Over here, there is SO much work to do convince people that the "memorising every word in the English language approach" does no longer work, you often have to show them that it works before they believe you and even though, people still feel as if the more you are able to store in your brain the more successful you get to be. It's a cultural thing I suppose.

I am a very determined person and so far I have managed to show parents, teachers and school governors that reading and writing can be taught using a "hands on approach" and learning to follow simple rules.
I added this later email to demonstrate that individuals have to work really hard to persuade their colleagues. People DO get stuck in their old methods and materials and sometimes they cannot be persuaded no matter how much 'evidence' is provided. :?

Determination and commitment are necessary to move others forwards. :D
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

Out of the mouths of babes:

Another little gem.

The class had me smiling today. We were looking at y in why, and thinking about y in happy and yet.
A little voice chirped up from the back 'well that's a clever letter then'
:D
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

There are always school communities where people really enjoy getting involved with someone like me (as a teacher-trainer and programme-writer) and who are willing to support what we are trying to do in spreading the word about the effectiveness of the Systematic Synthetic Phonics Teaching Principles.

Sam Bailey, headteacher, is one such lady. She heads up a vibrant school where staff are committed to improving their professional knowledge and understanding and honing their teaching skills.

Sam has provided testimonials for Oxford University Press for the Oxford Reading Tree Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters programme. Her school uses Floppy's Phonics in the infants and continues with Phonics International in KS 2 as a spelling programme. Below you can see the first testimonial she provided some time ago following a talk I did for Oxford University Press about phonics. After that you can find Sam's comments based on recent 2013 results for the Y1 Phonics Screening Check (taken by all Year One children in English state schools):

“Debbie is a fantastic,
frank and plain speaking
genius whom I could listen
to again and again. The
team were fired up at the
end of the session.”
"Debbie has crafted magic, creating an approach to phonics that - put simply - works!

Adopting Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters in 2011, we were delighted that 70% of our Y1 pupils secured the pass rate.

In 2013, this has risen to 93%, and KS1 standards in reading, writing (and maths!) are up as the children are engaged, focused, motivated learners.

This isn't about phonics – it’s a pedagogical approach based on expectation, challenge, autonomy and rigour. The kids love it - and so do the staff!"
Thank you, Sam! :wink:

And very well done to the staff and children at your school. They are amazing! :D
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

Read about these fantastic results for the Year One Phonics Screening Check from Lord Scudamore school:


http://phonicsinternational.com/forum/v ... =1566#1566
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

2014: I have just been sent these results:

Our first Floppy's cohort (Reception 2011) are due to graduate from Y2 this summer - 98% are L2+ in Reading, and 40% L3+. Our previous baselines, you may remember, was 50% L2+ and less than 10% L3. Our 1 child not achieving L2 came to us at the beginning of Y2 from another school. This stuff seriously WORKS - but then you know that!
Serious congratulations to the children and staff. :D

But of course I am not the least bit surprised.

This is what I would expect from putting either FP or PI to good use and at least, in the main, following my guidance for the basic skills aspect reasonably closely. :D
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

Hi Debbie,

I hope you are well and looking forward to the Summer. Thank you for the certificates, the children loved them! We had a celebration assembly today and we gave them out. The children were impressed that you took such an interest in them.

I am really proud of each one of them, they all have been little stars this year. I am staggered by what the whole Key Stage has achieved.

We have significant improvements in reading, writing and spelling! Spelling has been transformed and the accuracy currently achieved by the Year 1 pupils is just astounding!

I have attached some pictures of the children with their certificates and some before and after writing.

Thanks and enjoy your Summer!
Sam Golia

KS1 phase leader and Phonics and Science Leader

Cookridge Primary School
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

Here is another lovely description of events in a Reception class. The teacher of this class likes to use the Year One Phonics Screening Check informally with her class at the end of the Reception year - at least two-thirds of the children reach or exceed the 32 out of 40 words read correctly or plausibly.

This teacher's phonics and literacy results are becoming renowned locally as the children are exceeding other teachers' expectations by far. Two Ofsted reports have singled out this teacher and her work as 'outstanding' and mentioned her use of the Year One Phonics Screening Check. Of the children who did not quite reach the 32 words, most of them nearly did - so not far to go! Mainly the issue was with 'split digraph' words which the children had not been formally taught at the time of decoding the words in the check.

Anyway, here is the message I received:

Hi

Well the next group of teachers have been along to see what we do!

I saw them again today at a cluster meeting and one said that she was thinking things through during the evening and it made her wake up in the night thinking about our writing, then she couldn't go back to sleep!

Another school then said that her head was talking about our FS and had been told to visit, it got a bit embarrassing when yet another school said that their head keeps saying you must go and visit. How mad is everything really?

I haven't sent you any of the little comments lately - there are so many again.

We are looking at /igh/ and they all love dictation..... So we start off (and this was the first day of this sound) with fright as a warm up. All the usual, segmenting, counting sounds....they write it and we all check it together, 4 sounds.....before rubbing it out I do the acting bit 'oh I can think of another word and all I need to do is add two sounds'.

Dutifully they all quickly add two lines [sound dashes] and we get frighten. One tiny chap calls out 'I can add two more look, frightening'. You would think we had given them treats with the excitement that followed when they realised they could manage 'an 8'.

Obviously they love the challenge as I then have to think of sentences with frightening in for mini dictation.

Today they have a mini spelling test, they find it exciting I don't mark it. It's really just them doing the same as always but in a 'list style' and they check it themselves. We start off with the words on the board for them to write when they come in from play. Why, try, fry, my, by, shy, sky. As I sit down one girl whispers 'oh no, Mrs ............,' nodding at the board and winking so the others couldn't hear 'f, f'.

I had missed off fly!

Next we clean the boards and have our 'test' and she is almost bursting until we get to fly.

I'm acknowledge with a wink I actually think she was saying well done for remembering it this time.

Hope all is well.
And here you have an example of the joy of phonics and 'learning spelling word banks' - in Reception!

:wink:
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

I really had to add this one because I love the 'Phonics Rocks' bit! So it does!!!!!
Dear Debbie

I really appreciate your work. This is my first year with Floppy's Phonics and the result with my Chilean students have been just great.

As an English teacher I just had experience with teenagers, now I can say that teaching little ones has opened my eyes.

Thank you and your team.

Phonics Rocks!!!

😆
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

I enquired as to progress in a Floppy's Phonics school where they've had fantastic results in the Year One Phonics Screening Check previously, but I discovered that they weren't training their Reception children in the 'folding up' part of the Activity Sheet routine. On my encouragement to incorporate the full routine for the Activity Sheets, not just the 'first side' of the sheets, I learnt that they are now doing the full routines, see here:
Hi Debbie,

We took your advice and got all of our Reception children doing the activity sheets, including folding them up. They are now able to do this independently as a class. Parents have commented about them practising at home, counting the sounds and drawing their own writing lines of different lengths. It has made a huge difference so far along with them doing daily cumulative text dictation and copying exercises. After Easter I will send you photo's of them doing this and some more writing examples.

We are also working really hard at handwriting as we know this is an area that needs improving.

In Year 1 we are beginning to think about the Phonics Screening check and hope to have a good year, we are aiming for well over 90%.
I really, really appreciate hearing how things are going in the schools using Phonics International and/or the Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters programme - otherwise, how can I be fully accountable for the resource design, content and methodology of the delivery of these programmes?

I'm constantly told how quickly and amazingly the children progress from the change to PI or FP, but teachers also need to provide findings with evidence that is tangible too - using reading tests, spelling tests and comprehension tests where possible.

Please don't hesitate to send me any information regarding your findings - this is always appreciated.
Debbie Hepplewhite
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Post by debbie »

In times of the Covid-19 pandemic, this lovely feedback was sent to me in a school that had newly launched the Floppy's Phonics programme:

Feb 2021
I hope this message finds you well, you may remember me from a few months ago when I contacted you about the Floppy Phonics Scheme. You will be pleased to hear that from September to December we saw some absolutely brilliant progress with the children in Nursery to Year 2 and I have many teachers who are singing your programmes praises! As a school we are also making sure we virtually use the phonics online whilst the children are at home and we genuinely feel that most children will not be behind in their phonic reading, which really is quite some achievement by all. Back in September I made every teacher in school do a phonics check with all the children and this has allowed me to see more where the phonics gaps are in KS2.
I recommended the use of the Phonics International programme to address any intervention requirements and to make a contribution to spelling in KS 2 (juniors).
Debbie Hepplewhite
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