Articles written by Jane Kelly

Reading and writing development often "takes off" when children start school, so this is a really good time to give them all the support they need.

Sep 16, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Literacy is often associated with starting school. However, early writing skills begin to develop before this, enabling schools to build on children's prior learning.

Sep 12, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Homework is a contentious issue and opinion is often divided between those who favour it and those who do not.

Sep 2, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Starting school is a major event - not only can it be stressful for children, but families may also be anxious about how well their little ones will settle-in.

Aug 31, 2009 - Jane Kelly

By the age of four or five years, most children have started to show an interest in mark-making and are ready to learn conventional writing (letters, sounds and words).

Aug 30, 2009 - Jane Kelly

A play-based curriculum is now widely considered to be the most appropriate approach for facilitating young children's learning and development.

Aug 27, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Early years practitioners will have their own views about how children should be taught to write, and schools, in particular, may have a policy dedicated to handwriting.

Aug 25, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Stories can inspire many emotions in children - wonder, excitement, trepidation, joy, to name but a few. Story-telling can be rewarding to both the listener and narrator.

Aug 23, 2009 - Jane Kelly

There has been a gradual shift in early years and this has culminated in the revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum in England (DfES, 2007).

Aug 23, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Early years theorists and practitioners have long advocated a play-based approach to learning, which puts the child at the heart of all provision.

Aug 21, 2009 - Jane Kelly

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum in England (DfEs, 2007) supports a child-centred approach to learning. This means that children can learn through play.

Aug 20, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Going to school for the very first time is an important event in a child's life and can be daunting for children and families alike.

Aug 19, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Starting school is a significant milestone for young children and their families, but helpful preparation can reduce the associated emotional stress.

Aug 18, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Phonics is a highly effective reading and spelling strategy for phonetically regular words, but others will need to taught using a "whole-word" approach.

Aug 11, 2009 - Jane Kelly

The main approach to reading and spelling in English schools is systematic phonics, which teaches children to recognise the sound and spelling patterns within words.

Aug 4, 2009 - Jane Kelly

The current approach to teaching reading and spelling in English schools, is that of high quality systematic phonics using multi-sensory techniques.

Aug 2, 2009 - Jane Kelly

The main approach to the teaching of reading and spelling in English schools is that of systematic or synthetic phonics.

Aug 2, 2009 - Jane Kelly

"The Secret Garden" was first published in 1911 and is now considered to be a children's classic with an enduring charm which has stood the test of time.

Jul 30, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Learning to read is an important process and can be daunting for concerned families keen to support their children's first steps and provide suitable reading materials.

Jul 26, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Most children love experimenting with drawing and writing. Mark-making is an important aspect of creativity and early literacy development.

Jul 10, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Mark-making is a key aspect of early literacy development and is a precursor to more formal writing and spelling.

Jul 9, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Language skills are a common area of difficulty in people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including Asperger's Syndrome, so plain speaking is extremely important.

Jul 8, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Although autistic children have specific difficulties related to their autism, they also have strengths and talents which should be encouraged and developed.

May 16, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are comforted by certainty and routine. A scale of "one to ten" is an effective way of communicating how they are feeling.

May 13, 2009 - Jane Kelly

A key skill for beginner readers is "reading for meaning" - the ability to glean meaning from picture cues and predict what the text might be about.

Apr 28, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have difficulty interpreting facial expressions and body language correctly.

Apr 24, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Visual timetables are a highly effective tool for supporting children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who need clearly defined structure and routine.

Apr 20, 2009 - Jane Kelly

Social Stories are a highly effective tool for helping Autistic children understand social situations and behaviour.

Apr 18, 2009 - Jane Kelly