Newsletter for parents

I hope the new academic year has kicked off positively for everyone. As promised at the beginning of the term, I’ve compiled some suggestions to assist your child in learning their times tables. This message also includes ideas to support handwriting, spelling, reading, and vocabulary development.

• *Times Tables** - Please print and review the attached document, which contains resources and strategies to help your child build confidence in their multiplication skills. Mastering times tables is crucial during primary school, and the suggestions provided can benefit children of all ages. For those in Year 4 and above, I will be assessing their knowledge this week and selecting students for a new six-week times tables learning program I’ve been developing. I will be in touch separately regarding this. (The attached document is also stored in Tutorbird/Online Resources/Maths resouces/Times tables).
• *Handwriting** - I recently spoke with a Year 5 student who has beautiful handwriting, and he shared how he developed this skill. He recommended this website: https://magiclinkhandwriting.com/. He really enjoyed learning through it, making it a great option for practice at home.
• *Spelling & Reading** - I came across an app that offers practice in reading, spelling, and phonics. While I haven’t used it personally, I believe many children who struggle with spelling or aren’t yet reading fluently could greatly benefit. Although it’s marketed for children diagnosed with dyslexia, it would be useful for a broader audience. If you try it, I’d love to hear your thoughts: https://golexic.com/dyslexia-reading-app/.
• *Book Loving!** - Toppsta is a fantastic website for children where they can write their own book reviews and read others' to uncover new titles. If you’re seeking book gift ideas for Christmas (can you believe it?), this site is perfect for browsing. When your child sets up an account and submits reviews, the website learns their preferences and offers tailored recommendations for future reads: https://toppsta.com/.
• *Vocabulary** - This one’s for the adults. I’ve been enjoying the podcast ‘Something Rhymes with Purple,’ which explores new words and their origins in a light-hearted way. Many of the words discussed are suitable for sharing with your children to enhance their vocabulary (though some may not be appropriate, so listen carefully!). I’ll try to remember to include a new word at the bottom of the lesson notes each week. Today’s favourite is ‘scurryfunge’ – to hurriedly tidy up before guests arrive! You can listen here (or on your usual podcast platform) https://www.bestpodcasts.co.uk/podcast/something-rhymes-with-purple/.

I hope you find these resources helpful as you support your child at home. Please let me know how it goes if you try any of the mentioned websites. I would also love to hear about any other topics you’d like me to cover, if possible.

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