PREPARATORY LEVEL (c. ages 4-7, Key Stage 1)
Update autumn 2022: here are some recent guides I've made for getting started in the basics of reading and writing. Some of this repeated elsewhere but it seemed handy to have these collected together:
Background to teaching reading
Beginning reading
Beginning spelling
Beginning handwriting
Beginning composition
I refer to these ages as 'preparatory' simply because I've become convinced over the years that it is better (particularly, perhaps, for boys), to delay the onset of formal learning until about the age of seven. This does not mean, however, that I don't teach my children before the age of seven! Like any engaged parent, I'm teaching them from the moment they are born: the difference lies in both my practical approach and my general attitude. In a more formal learning environment I will be following a stricter schedule, expecting work to be completed when it's set, and expecting certain rules (such as those of grammar) to be applied and followed. Before seven, I try to have a much more relaxed approach, keeping thing interesting and keeping the pressure off, encouraging rather than demanding.
Children at this age are naturally curious and keen to learn, and indeed there is so much in the world for them to be busy with, they may not necessarily be keen on sitting still and learning letters and numbers, and least not for long periods every day! Short, regular sessions are much better: phonics for 5 mins a day every day is better than one half hour a week, and maybe that ending in tears. At this age, letters and numbers are just part of a much wider picture for a child. Fill up your young child's day with things that catch his attention and imagination - cook with him, read with him, play games with him, walk outside and study nature with him, teach him how to chop vegetables, plant seeds, stitch....and in between these hundred other exciting things, squeeze in a bit of English and maths on the way, but don't make a huge issue of it. If you do this, if you live a normal life with your child, talking to him and answering every question his little mind is bursting with, by the time he's seven you'll be surprised at how much of the first two years of 'formal' school he's already covered. What he hasn't covered, he'll pick up a lot more quickly at seven than he would have at five because he'll be ready for it. That's been my experience, and it has been proven by countless pieces of research and the experience of most other European countries whose children begin formal schooling at seven. I like to think of teaching children at a very young age as being a bit like planting seeds: you have to give seeds time to develop, in peace and quiet: if you keep on digging them up to see if they are growing properly, well - they just won't grow, or at least not half as well or half a quickly. Give things time to sink in: provide what's needed, but don't always be pushing and prodding and testing!
With regard to teaching reading by a phonic method, the instructions and lessons here can sound quite technical but the important thing is to keep reading real books to your child, occasionally pointing out words that he can already read but always focussing on the real reading and not just on the phonics exercises. Reading always comes first. If your child hates learning this stuff, don't worry – he has plenty of time to catch up. The worst thing you can do is make him thinks he hates reading when he actually just hates phonics lessons (I know, because I've done it!). And remember, your child might learn to read without even doing all these exercises so long as you just keep encouraging him and give him plenty of time to look at books.
Catechism, or RE, is a subject which as Catholics we live and breathe: our Faith isn't something tagged on in a lesson, it's part of the fabric of our lives. Lessons at this age are often just reading stories, praying as a family etc. The nice thing here is that your child probably won't need to be taught most of this in a lesson: he'll just pick it up by absorption by virtue of being raised in a living, growing, vibrant Catholic home.
What about history, geography, science and all the rest? Read about these subjects, by all means, following your child's interests, introducing new topics as they crop up in your lives, in conversation, on trips. The official KS1 (ages 5-7) curriculum for these subjects is very insubstantial and will easily be covered if you read enough to your child and raise him/her in a stimulating atmosphere filled with books, conversations, real life activities and the occasional trip out (answering questions is the best form of teaching there is - if you don't know the answer, show your child how you can find it!). If your child is keen, look into a subject in more detail, or try a simple project. We do a lot of lap-booking here, and by the age of five my daughter wanted to join in. So, we did some simple projects on butterflies, trees and types of animals (lots of colouring and going over a few words). At six, we made a lap-book about different habitats, and at six and a half, having learned from her brothers how to trace, she is making a lap-book about Ancient Egypt. It isn't important to me that she learns about this subject at this age, but it is a good vehicle for her to practice reading, writing, drawing and presenting information in an attractive way: it's helping to lay good foundations whether she retains the 'facts' or not.
here's a new list of some ideas for Other subjects for ages 5-7
One more point: the ages given here are very flexible. You might well look at the lists for 4-5 and think, 'But my three year old is already doing all that!'. Great, that's wonderful - just go on to the next stage if you think your child is ready. Alternatively, if you look at this and think, 'I don't want to do all that stuff with my son, he's only 4' , that's fine too: just wait until you and he are ready. The later you leave it, the faster you'll cover it. Over the past 15 years I've tended to move from the former position to the latter: my first child knew his alphabet by 2 and, after much badgering by me (and tears from him), was reading at age 5 and a half; my eighth child didn't even look at the alphabet until he was four, because he wasn't bothered and neither was I. However, by four and a half he had learned the alphabet, quickly started reading simple words, moved onto blending longer words and was starting on the first set of letter-combinations - all painless and fun because he was ready. Generally speaking, the older they are, the faster they'll learn. Remember, you are doing this for your child, not to impress anyone else!
One final recommendation. I'd already been home-educating for 13 years when I came across the little book 'The Three R's' by Ruth Beechick (covering ages 5 - 7/8). I loved it straight away- and learned a lot from it, largely because it totally chimed in with my own experience, which was that, at the end of the day, you really do not need expensive, intimidating programmes (or teaching qualifications) to teach young children well. Beechick has a wonderfully relaxed outlook but also shows you effective ways to teach - an excellent combination. It's a small book but packed with good sense and ideas.
If you would like to read a detailed summary of statutory requirements for schools in English Key stage 1 (ages 5-7) click here
If you would like to read a detailed summary of statutory requirements for schools in Maths Key stage 1 (ages 5-7) click here
Update autumn 2022: here are some recent guides I've made for getting started in the basics of reading and writing. Some of this repeated elsewhere but it seemed handy to have these collected together:
Background to teaching reading
Beginning reading
Beginning spelling
Beginning handwriting
Beginning composition
I refer to these ages as 'preparatory' simply because I've become convinced over the years that it is better (particularly, perhaps, for boys), to delay the onset of formal learning until about the age of seven. This does not mean, however, that I don't teach my children before the age of seven! Like any engaged parent, I'm teaching them from the moment they are born: the difference lies in both my practical approach and my general attitude. In a more formal learning environment I will be following a stricter schedule, expecting work to be completed when it's set, and expecting certain rules (such as those of grammar) to be applied and followed. Before seven, I try to have a much more relaxed approach, keeping thing interesting and keeping the pressure off, encouraging rather than demanding.
Children at this age are naturally curious and keen to learn, and indeed there is so much in the world for them to be busy with, they may not necessarily be keen on sitting still and learning letters and numbers, and least not for long periods every day! Short, regular sessions are much better: phonics for 5 mins a day every day is better than one half hour a week, and maybe that ending in tears. At this age, letters and numbers are just part of a much wider picture for a child. Fill up your young child's day with things that catch his attention and imagination - cook with him, read with him, play games with him, walk outside and study nature with him, teach him how to chop vegetables, plant seeds, stitch....and in between these hundred other exciting things, squeeze in a bit of English and maths on the way, but don't make a huge issue of it. If you do this, if you live a normal life with your child, talking to him and answering every question his little mind is bursting with, by the time he's seven you'll be surprised at how much of the first two years of 'formal' school he's already covered. What he hasn't covered, he'll pick up a lot more quickly at seven than he would have at five because he'll be ready for it. That's been my experience, and it has been proven by countless pieces of research and the experience of most other European countries whose children begin formal schooling at seven. I like to think of teaching children at a very young age as being a bit like planting seeds: you have to give seeds time to develop, in peace and quiet: if you keep on digging them up to see if they are growing properly, well - they just won't grow, or at least not half as well or half a quickly. Give things time to sink in: provide what's needed, but don't always be pushing and prodding and testing!
With regard to teaching reading by a phonic method, the instructions and lessons here can sound quite technical but the important thing is to keep reading real books to your child, occasionally pointing out words that he can already read but always focussing on the real reading and not just on the phonics exercises. Reading always comes first. If your child hates learning this stuff, don't worry – he has plenty of time to catch up. The worst thing you can do is make him thinks he hates reading when he actually just hates phonics lessons (I know, because I've done it!). And remember, your child might learn to read without even doing all these exercises so long as you just keep encouraging him and give him plenty of time to look at books.
Catechism, or RE, is a subject which as Catholics we live and breathe: our Faith isn't something tagged on in a lesson, it's part of the fabric of our lives. Lessons at this age are often just reading stories, praying as a family etc. The nice thing here is that your child probably won't need to be taught most of this in a lesson: he'll just pick it up by absorption by virtue of being raised in a living, growing, vibrant Catholic home.
What about history, geography, science and all the rest? Read about these subjects, by all means, following your child's interests, introducing new topics as they crop up in your lives, in conversation, on trips. The official KS1 (ages 5-7) curriculum for these subjects is very insubstantial and will easily be covered if you read enough to your child and raise him/her in a stimulating atmosphere filled with books, conversations, real life activities and the occasional trip out (answering questions is the best form of teaching there is - if you don't know the answer, show your child how you can find it!). If your child is keen, look into a subject in more detail, or try a simple project. We do a lot of lap-booking here, and by the age of five my daughter wanted to join in. So, we did some simple projects on butterflies, trees and types of animals (lots of colouring and going over a few words). At six, we made a lap-book about different habitats, and at six and a half, having learned from her brothers how to trace, she is making a lap-book about Ancient Egypt. It isn't important to me that she learns about this subject at this age, but it is a good vehicle for her to practice reading, writing, drawing and presenting information in an attractive way: it's helping to lay good foundations whether she retains the 'facts' or not.
here's a new list of some ideas for Other subjects for ages 5-7
One more point: the ages given here are very flexible. You might well look at the lists for 4-5 and think, 'But my three year old is already doing all that!'. Great, that's wonderful - just go on to the next stage if you think your child is ready. Alternatively, if you look at this and think, 'I don't want to do all that stuff with my son, he's only 4' , that's fine too: just wait until you and he are ready. The later you leave it, the faster you'll cover it. Over the past 15 years I've tended to move from the former position to the latter: my first child knew his alphabet by 2 and, after much badgering by me (and tears from him), was reading at age 5 and a half; my eighth child didn't even look at the alphabet until he was four, because he wasn't bothered and neither was I. However, by four and a half he had learned the alphabet, quickly started reading simple words, moved onto blending longer words and was starting on the first set of letter-combinations - all painless and fun because he was ready. Generally speaking, the older they are, the faster they'll learn. Remember, you are doing this for your child, not to impress anyone else!
One final recommendation. I'd already been home-educating for 13 years when I came across the little book 'The Three R's' by Ruth Beechick (covering ages 5 - 7/8). I loved it straight away- and learned a lot from it, largely because it totally chimed in with my own experience, which was that, at the end of the day, you really do not need expensive, intimidating programmes (or teaching qualifications) to teach young children well. Beechick has a wonderfully relaxed outlook but also shows you effective ways to teach - an excellent combination. It's a small book but packed with good sense and ideas.
If you would like to read a detailed summary of statutory requirements for schools in English Key stage 1 (ages 5-7) click here
If you would like to read a detailed summary of statutory requirements for schools in Maths Key stage 1 (ages 5-7) click here