Homework, Spellings and Reading
Homework
Each Friday, your child will be set their homework on their Google classroom class page. The homework consists of 12 calculations which focus on the four operations, an English writing task which focuses on a different aspect of grammar each week and a timestable race.
Calculations: The children have a choice of 3 columns to choose from - A, B and C. Each column gets progressively harder. If your child finds that they are completeing the column they are working on with ease, and scoring 12/12 each week, we would suggest they try the next column. Similarly, if they are struggling and not achieving in their scores, it would be more beneficial for your child to complete the previous column to practise and secure their understanding. If your child is struggling with any aspect of the calculations, please encourage them to speak to their class teacher for help.
Writing: Each week the children will be asked to write three sentences which include a certain grammar aspect e.g. fronted adverbial phrases. We ask that you prompt your child to push themselves with their sentences by thinking about their vocabulary choice and sentence structure, be sure to use the correct punctuation and maintain their very best handwriting.
Times tables: At the bottom of the homework you will find a timestable race square. Your child is in a race with themselves to see if they can beat their own time to complete the square each week. *This activity has now been replaced with the online Emile app.
Rainbow Homework: For those children who are unable to access the class homework, they are able to complete our 'Rainbow' homework. This homework is set out similarly to our class homework but at a level they can access. To help them build not only their skills, but confidence also.
Spellings
Each Monday, your child will be tested on their spellings. Please ensure that they have practised their spellings throughout the week before as it really makes all the difference both in their test and in their daily work. Ideas for practising include writing the spellings out in different colours/fonts/media, races (how many times can they write the word in a minute for instance), mnemonics, reciting on car journeys etc.
Just 5 minutes each day really does have a positive impact.
Reading
Reading is the cornerstone of education and it is imperative that your child read each night. This could either be silently to themselves or to you or other family members; shared reading with another person where you each read a page, or listening to an adult read, so they are able to enjoy the story whilst listening to well modelled expression and rhythm. When listening to your child please be sure to ask them questions about what they have read. These could be retrieval questions where they are able to pick the answer straight out of the text e.g. 'What colour was her hat?', inference questions where they have to read between the lines e.g. 'How do we know he was upset?', Language questions such as, 'Can you think of an other word the author could have used instead of...?' and opinion questions, 'What do you think of...?
Each day, we take in the children's reading records to monitor the reading they are completeing at home. Therefore please be sure to sign the reading record each time your child reads, even if it is just to themselves. Children who are free readers will be able to change their books themselves from our class library, the school library and our KS2 communal book area (which includes dyslexia friendly books) whenever they finish their books. If we believe a book may not be the most suitable for your child, we shall be on hand to help them choose a more appropriate text. For children who are still on the reading scheme, their books will be changed on Mondays and Thursdays.