About Us
Teach Kit is a toolkit for educators who are looking to use a hands-on, play-based approach to learning.
National Curriculum Links
Year 1
Reading – word reading
- read common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word
Writing – transcription
- spell common exception words
In Year 2 and beyond, pupils continue to learn to read and spell common exception words, with the curriculum focus in these year groups stated as:
- Read further common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word
Handy resources
- Something to write the words on e.g. chalkboard log slices, chopped card or a tuff tray
- Drilled chalkboard log slices to hang up around the learning environment (or card that has been hole punched and threaded)
- Water pistol or spray bottle
- A sand tray filled with sand/glitter/salt/shaving foam
- Pre-writing pencil to write in the sand (or children can just use their fingers)
- Chalk
- Fly swatter or beanbags
- Bingo grids and corresponding word cards/balls
- Timer
Activities
Train your brain!
A key element of learning to read and spell common exception words (tricky words) is to train your brain to recognise the ‘tricky’ part of the word. For this activity, write a range of common exception words on chalkboard log slices (or pieces of card). Ask the children to start by reading the word and circling the ‘tricky’ part – this will be the part that is not phonetically decodable e.g. in the word ‘their’, the children would circle ‘eir’. To help the children understand this concept, you could ask them which part of the word does not look the way we expect it to. Which part can we not decode? Once children have identified and circled the tricky part of the word, teach them the sound that the tricky part makes. Children should then say each sound in the word again, looking at the graphemes as they say them. The children should then blend the sounds together to read the full word. Repeat this process until you have trained your brain to read the word.
Play a game of pairs!
For this activity you will need to write a range of common exception words on chalkboard log slices (or thick card). Make sure you write each of the words twice so that you have matching pairs. Turn all of the log slices over so that the children cannot see what is written on them. The children can then play a game of pairs, taking it in turns to turn two log slices over, reading the words aloud as they go, trying to find matching pairs. If they find a matching pair, they can keep those log slices until the end of the game. The player with the most log slices at the end of the game is the winner!
Hit the target!
Write a range of common exception words on drilled chalkboard log slices (or pieces of card that have been hole punched and threaded with string). Hang the words up around the learning environment. Read a common exception word aloud to the children and they have to find the word and use a water pistol or spray bottle to hit the target!
Sand tray!
Put some sand (or glitter, salt or shaving foam) into a tray. Write a word in the sand using your finger or a pre-writing pencil and challenge the children to read the word you have written. You can also say a word and challenge the children to spell it by writing it in the sand. Alternatively, you can have a pile of word cards (or log slices) for the children to choose from – they must read the word and then try to spell it in the sand. This activity also works well with a paintbrush and water outside, or a piece of chalk and a brick wall.
Hopscotch!
Use chalk to write a range of common exception words in a hopscotch-style grid outside. The children must read the words as they hop along the hopscotch grid.
Word hunt!
Write a range of common exception words on chalkboard log slices (or chopped card) and hide them around the learning environment. Say a word aloud and challenge the children to race to find the given word. Once they have found the word, they can read it aloud and write in on a whiteboard.
Find your partner!
For this activity you will need to write a range of common exception words on chalkboard log slices (or card). Make sure you write each of the words twice so that you have matching pairs. Hand out the word log slices to the children and ask them to read the word they have been given. Next, challenge the children to travel around the learning environment, saying their word aloud. The aim is for them to find their partner with the matching word! Once all the children have found their partners, encourage them to swap their word log slices with someone different and repeat the activity.
Splat the word!
Write a range of common exception words on to chalkboard log slices (or on card or in a tuff tray). If you have written the words on to log slices or cards, lay them out on the floor. Say a word aloud and challenge the children to ‘splat’ the word, either by hitting it with their hand, splatting it with a fly swatter or throwing something on to it e.g. a beanbag. If you want the children to be able to complete this activity without an adult, have another set of the words written out and piled up for them to choose from.
Bingo!
Create your own bingo game by writing a range of common exception words onto bingo style grids. You will also need a pile of corresponding word cards (or you could write the words on balls if you want to go for the full bingo effect!) Once you have your resources ready, enjoy a game of bingo! Read out a word from your pile of cards and the children must read the words on their bingo grids and check to see if they have the given word. If they do have the word, they can cover it with a counter. The first one to cover all of their words is the winner!
Countdown!
Write a range of common exception words on chalkboard log slices (or card). Set a timer with however long you think the children will need to read all of the words. Sit the children in a circle and give out the word log slices. Once the timer starts, the children must take it in turns to read their word(s) aloud. How many can they get through in the given time? Record their score, and then repeat the activity to see if they can beat their score. You can add an extra challenge by reducing the amount of time they have to read the words.
