Building the Right Foundations for KS1
Children are active learners.
They need to be able to ‘have a go’ – to explore and practise so the things they learn are meaningful and have lasting significance.
They need opportunities to consolidate their learning, to be shown new things in interesting and appealing ways – so they’re actively engaged in the way they learn.
Acquiring literacy skills early on is crucial (you can read our blog to learn why!). It enables children to communicate effectively with the spoken and the written word. It enables them to access other areas of the curriculum.
What a challenge!
How can we do this? What does this say about:
- The kind of foundations we need to put in place?
- the learning environment we need to create?
Several things are essential to make learning fun and accessible…so that it:
- inspires confidence in children
- makes new learning possible
- instils self belief.
I’ve always found this with any age group I’ve taught. Children love to be excited about their learning. They love to be involved. They love to be challenged – and at the same time believe they can do it.
How can Mighty Writer Help?
Mighty Writer allows children of all abilities to access the process of learning to write. It does this well because it:
- supports all types of learners
- is highly visual
- encourages children to talk and listen
- uses images, words and symbols (developing memory)
- allows children to actively create and re-tell stories
Mighty Writer develops an understanding of ‘being a writer’ from a young age and provides a consistent approach. Children develop confidence in creating and editing ideas and using different parts of speech effectively to write competently and with enjoyment.
In later years they can continue to draw on the skills they have developed to visualise sentences and stories and access new learning.