Throughout my teaching career I have worked with children who struggle to learn these pesky words that generally cannot be sounded out- so must be learned by heart.

That presents a problem as kids these days HATE rote learning and will do all they can to avoid it.

When I wrote this product I was determined to come up with interesting ways to get kids excited about these essential words.

Without being able to read and write these words, kids have NO chance of reaching full literacy.

I have made this product FREE so just join TEACHERS PAY TEACHERS, (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/,) find my store-Victoria Carlton Programs and follow me. The free TRICKY WORDS package is my featured product and as mentioned, it is FREE!

Don’t forget to follow for more great freebies coming over the next few months.

This very full – 9 part learning package is designed to help children learn to read and spell the 72 TRICKY words taught in the first two years of school. It follows the same sequence as that used by the JOLLY PHONICS program.

However, the learning activities would suit the needs of any young literacy learners.

The suggested learning activities can also be used to help older children to close the gap and achieve better literacy outcomes.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE AND HOW CAN IT BE USED?

1. Suggestions for multi-sensory teaching of the TRICKY WORDS.

2. Strips of TRICKY WORDS to read and trace.

These can be stapled into paper chains to decorate literacy centers and classrooms.

The TRICKY WORDS can also be glued into children’s writing books for reference and practice.

3. Sentences for the reading practice of tricky words.

These can be copied, cut up and used as flashcards. Children can read these words and also be directed to copy them for spelling practice. The TRICKY words are underlined.

4, Sentences for tracing whole sentences that use tricky words.

These can be copied and traced by students to reinforce the spelling of TRICKY WORDS. They can trace with bright colours to aid memory.

5. Sentences for children to read and insert the missing TRICKY WORDS.

6. A TRICKY WORDS sort

7. A PowerPoint of all the 72 TRICKY WORDS

8. A recording form for you to mark off when children have mastered the words. This form can also be used for flashcards.

I suggest you make a copy for each child.

9. Certificate for children who have mastered the TRICKY WORDS.

I have also made a certificate for children who are trying hard but haven’t yet mastered the words.

ENJOY AND REMEMBER TO FOLLOW FOR MORE GREAT LITERACY PRODUCTS!

We are all familiar with the 2 year old temper tantrums and feel sorry for parents as they try to coax angry (and often very cute) children to calm down.

We feel less sorry for parents of older children who “lose it” in public. These kids are often ridiculed and teased by their peers and in fact goaded as they provide ready entertainment in the classroom.

 

We tend to label parents of these children as laissez-faire, ineffective and uncaring and yet the reverse is often the course.

Some kids have huge problems coping with big emotions and need help to handle their anger. They don’t want to be out of control and desperately need intervention.  It is as if they have more triggers than other kids and need to desensitise them.

We help students with anger management problems within our individual and group learning sessions and employ a range of very practical measures to help children self-regulate.

Please email me on victoria@vcprograms.com for specific advice and recommendations, or call Victoria Carlton programs on 92777596 or 0409911135.

We also have our EQ4KIDZ and ART FROM THE HEART programs to help children understand their feelings and develop a more positive mindset and higher levels of resilience. We help these children grow an extra “skin” so they can lengthen the time from stimulus to response.

They CAN all be helped but it takes time, patience and persistence. Their parents need support, empathy and encouragement- not unhelpful criticism.

These links have some helpful ideas:

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/behaviour/crying-tantrums/tantrums

https://childmind.org/article/why-do-kids-have-tantrums-and-meltdowns/

 

We are 3 weeks into term and kids have been excited about getting back to school, seeing their friends, meeting their new teachers and so on.

They have been bringing their brand new text books and reading books along to show us and even excitedly showing us homework programs and exam dates. There is ALWAYS some excitement about the start of the school year- they are filled with hope and optimism and the scent of new beginnings.

I love this time- each year it feels like the regeneration of the earth after the Autumn summer rains!

However, sadly any inherent problems start to emerge again.

Some of our children are already feeling dejected as they face the disappointing results from beginning of the year testing, realise the homework HAS to be done and that they still experience problems.

A number of young children have told me, “I am dumb, Vicky. I’ll never be good at school work,” and similar statements.

We are weaving lots of positive mind-set activities into our teaching sessions in an effort to build resilience and positive, I CAN attitudes.

To sum up, there IS magic in these early school days but let’s be well aware of the hurt and disappointment starting to emerge from low-performing students. Let’s make sure they get the support and empathy they need rather than the negativity and blame that unfortunately often comes their way.

Any readers who would like to discuss problems with their children, please email me on victoria@vcprograms.com so I can offer you some helpful ideas and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many of our students HATE maths and cannot see the relevance to the real world. They can’t join the dots from what they learn in the classroom to how real maths is essential to our world!

We have set out with our MAKING MATHS MEANINGFUL program to remedy this. We want our students to join the dots and see how relevant maths is to EVERYTHING!

We noticed many of our students have been experiencing difficulties with money problems.

We often use the shopping catalogues from our mailboxes and ask friends to collect for us. Then we utilise these catalogues to help students problem solve using undertanding of our money system.

This week we managed to get some K-Mart catalogues and we have written some maths problems designed to utilise the mathematical opportunities offered by K-Mart this week!

Kids LOVE this very relevant, “hands-on” approach!