In Kindergarten, children embark on the journey of learning to communicate clearly through written words. Their literacy lessons become more structured and desk-based as they work on key skills like handwriting and spelling, transitioning from the play-based learning of earlier years. Here’s what to expect

Phonics and an Introduction to Reading

Phonics is a method of teaching reading and spelling by breaking words down into their smallest sounds (phonemes) and matching each sound to a letter or group of letters. Children will learn these basics to help them decode words. However, since English often breaks its own rules, children will also learn ‘sight words’—common words that don’t follow typical phonetic patterns, such as ‘and’, ‘of’, and ‘the’. These are memorised through repetition.

Handwriting

Kindergarten students begin to shape their mark-making skills into fully formed letters. They will learn how to hold a pencil properly and position their paper correctly. Each letter has a specific formation with a defined start and end point, essential for developing efficient and legible handwriting as they progress.

Sentences

Children learn to combine words to form sentences. They are taught that sentences must contain a verb and make sense. Additionally, they learn about spacing between words to make it clear where each word begins and ends.

Punctuation

Kindergarten students are introduced to basic punctuation. They learn that sentences start with a capital letter and end with a full stop, exclamation mark, or question mark.

Plurals

Children learn the concept of plurals, which indicates more than one of something. For example, they learn that we say ‘two ducks’ instead of ‘two duck’. More unusual plurals, like ‘child’ and ‘children’, are taught in later years.

Suffixes

Students learn to add suffixes to the end of words to change their meaning or function without altering the root word. For example, they will learn to form words like ‘helping’, ‘helper’, and ‘helped’.

The Prefix ‘un’

Kindergarten introduces prefixes with ‘un’, a powerful prefix that negates the meaning of the original word. For example, ‘happy’ becomes ‘unhappy’ and ‘kind’ becomes ‘unkind’.

Using ‘and’

As children become more confident in constructing simple phrases, they begin to use the word ‘and’ to link them. This introduction to conjunctions allows them to build more complex and detailed sentences.

These foundational skills set the stage for more advanced literacy learning in the following years.

Take Action!

Ensure your child is set up for success by supporting their Kindergarten literacy journey. Engage with their reading, practice handwriting at home, and play fun games to reinforce phonics and sight words.

Don’t let your child fall behind! Visit our centre and speak to our experts today to ensure your child masters these crucial literacy skills. Set them up for a lifetime of success— ACT NOW!