Family Natters

Yvonne contacted Familynatters when trying to understand her child’s report.

Dear Lorna

Can you help me understand what a level 2a is in literacy and 2b in numeracy?  My son is coming to the end of year 3 and I’ve just received her school report.

Well, Yvonne, a 2A is the expected achievement level for a child about to finish year 3.   Your son has therefore achieved the expected level in literacy but not quite in numeracy.

Sometimes parents are given attainment levels on their children’s school reports.  But what do they mean?

When a baby can walk with one hand held, there are several ways you can help him or her further:

• put toys and food on the sofa so baby has to stand up
• put toys and food slightly out of reach so baby has to cruise to get them
• encourage baby to stand balanced against a toy you are both playing with
• play a game whereby baby walks one or two steps or dives between two people he or she knows well; give lots of praise
• instead of letting baby hold your hand to balance, let him or her hold a toy that you are also holding

Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check is a tried and tested method many teachers use in schools to help children learn spellings. You can easily do it at home too.

All you need to do is write the spellings at the left hand side of a grid like in the photo. Ask your child to look at the first spelling and read it (say it) aloud. Then cover it up and ask your child to write it from memory before comparing (checking) what he or she has written to the real spelling. Then repeat the whole thing a couple of times to fix it in the child’s memory.

think it works because it engages childen on so many levels. If you wish, you could laminate the blank grid so you could use it again and again with a dry-wipe pen.

This Christingle lesson plan is suitable for both KS1 and KS2 children and provides a natural link to RE and our local community. It includes how to make a Christingle and the Christingle story.

Aim: to know the meaning of Christingle

• Tell the story of Christingle, that in 1747 the German Pastor John was one evening trying to think how to explain to children what Christmas means. Ask the children for their ideas, perhap using response partners.
• Then explain Pastor John hit on the idea of giving each child a lighted candle wrapped in a red ribbon, and then saying the prayer:”Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these dear children’s hearts”. This custom was so successful that it has spread to more and more churches each year.
• Demonstrate how to make a Christingle while at the same time asking the children what they think the various parts might symbolise. You will need an orange and candle for each child, a reel of narrow, plain red ribbon, cocktail sticks and a bag of dolly mixtures.
• Explain the red ribbon represents the blood of Jesus and his sacrifice, the orange and dolly mixtures) symbolise the fruits of the earth and the four seasons while the lighted candle is Christ, the light of the world.
  in pairs have the children make their own Christingle. Obviously smaller children will need help and cautions regarding not eating the sweets and the dangers of the cocktail sticks.
• ask for volunteers to show their Christingles and explain what the parts mean
  if possible attend a candlelit service in the local community, or alternatively turn the lights off and recite the above prayer, making sure the children are first aware of the rules with regard lighted candles and the behaviour you expect during a service

Guy Fawkes Night is always great fun, but it can be dangerous tpp.  Every year there are injuries and sometimes even deaths.  Therefore take a moment to think about safety.

Children aged 2 to about 6 are notorious for disagreeing over anything from toys to drinks. At this age their social skills are still developing and they often need ideas on how to settle disputes fairly. The rhyme Eeni, Meenie, Minee, Mo is one such way. Because the original rhyme is now politically incorrect, I have included below my own version:

Eeni, Meeni, Miny, Mo

Find a camel in the snow

If it skids duck down low

Eeni, Meeni, Miny, Mo

Do you have an alternative Eeni, Meeni, Miny, Mo rhyme?

Teddy bear, teddy bear, dance on your toes
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your nose
Teddy bear, teddy bear, stand on your head
Teddy bear, teddy bear, go to bed
(Shhh! with finger to lips)

This nursery rhyme should be sang whilst moving a teddy bear through the actions.
It helps children:
- associate sounds with actions
- learn action words
- listen and concentrate

Variations include substituting teddy for say, Katie Doll.