Primary 3 is an important transitional stage in the school. It is at a time when children begin to reach a new level of mental and physical development. Their concentration span is lengthening and they can get more out of class activities and pursue individual tasks for longer periods of time.
This is an appropriate time to see a more formal element in schooling and we can consider the achievements already made by the pupils in reading, writing and mathematical skills as a basis on which we intend to build.
At this stage children are becoming more independent, and self-aware. As they grow in confidence and independence, it sometimes happens that children begin to regard school as their own private world and be reluctant to discuss it at home. This can make parents feel excluded from the educational process. However the school recognises that the individual praise and attention of adults is still a very important factor in motivating children at this age and parents have a distinct role in supporting their child’s growing self-awareness.
There will remain substantial differences between pupils within this stage as these development changes in maturity are reached gradually and at different times for different children. We can now expect that reading, phonics, spelling, writing and number skills will develop in a substantial way
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To build upon the early language and mathematical experiences of the first two infant years. |
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To extend all the pupils appropriately in their basic language and mathematical skills and provide width and variety in the curriculum to prepare the pupils with a good basis for later work in primary 4 & 5. |
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Please label all clothing and possessions |
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Provide gym shoes or trainers for use in hall and class |
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Help with homework and home reading |
The school uses the term ‘Language Development’ to describe the complex processes whereby children learn to understand the spoken word, to express themselves orally and to read and write effectively.
The school seeks to offer a range of ‘language experiences’ - stories, poems, songs, centres of interest, classroom discussion to involve the pupils in interesting ideas, topics and activities which engage them in listening, reading, discussion and writing.
Parents have a natural role in complementing this process by talking and listening to their children, by reading stories to them and by explaining things of interest to them .
A reading programme is organised for the pupils, according to their abilities and progress. It is important at this stage to broaden the reading experience and while continuing with the "core" reading scheme, the pupils will be introduced to new reading materials and schemes .
Children come together in their reading groups usually two or three times a week . At this time the teacher hears them read, encourages the children to discuss the story and then sets new reading for practice at home. Pupils, will, of course, be using their reading skills in many other activities each day.
Regular times will now be allocated for the pupils to choose and read their own books from the class library ( or from home). Children are encouraged to take home library books and it is very important for their future success in reading that they learn to gain enjoyment from books.
Parents are encouraged to participate in helping with reading. They can listen to homework reading, prompting when required and discuss the pictures and story . The word lists are useful for introducing and reinforcing word recognition.
Children will still enjoy listening to stories read by parents and sharing the reading of the child’s library books will encourage the formation of reading habits. Choose a regular time for reading for enjoyment, perhaps just before lights out.
A comprehensive phonics course is used to revise the sounds of letters and letter combinations. Practise is given in letter formation and in joining letters. The teacher will focus on words with similar letter patterns for both handwriting and spelling practice. This work will improve the flow and rhythm of the child’s writing and most pupils will continue to develop a joined writing style. The letters now are :
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Pupils are also encouraged to keep their own word book in which they collect the spellings of words which they wish to use in their own writing.
The class receive introductory lessons and exercises on the alphabet, vowels, consonants, alphabetical order, writing in sentences, capital letters and full stops.
Parents should help their child by encouraging the correct formation of the letters at home when the child is writing.
The Look Cover Write Check method is used for learning spellings. The parent shows the correct spelling to the child, the child LOOKS at this. The spelling is COVERed and the child then tries to WRITE it . The child CHECKS the spelling.
Children are now beginning to write more freely and confidently. Although
attention should be given to emphasise good handwriting, this should not be at the expense of frustrating the child in what he/she wishes to say.A personal writing jotter or folder is used for the children’s stories, news and poems. The class information books and encyclopedia are used for some writing of a factual nature.
The class are taught and encouraged to use capital letters, full stops and good sentences in their writing. The pupils use personal word books for collecting the spellings of new words to use in their writing.
At this stage, writing should be fun and plenty praise given for well-articulated sentences and stories.
Parents can help children in their writing by discussing their child’s sentences and offering the spellings of new words (see above Look, Cover ,Write ,Check)
The school uses the Scottish Primary Mathematics Group material published by Heinemann - Stage 3. This material is supplemented by material from other mathematics schemes and computer software.
The accent is on strong conceptual development of mathematical ideas through the use by the children of practical materials - counters, cubes, toy money, shapes etc.
The course is covered by the use of the teacher’s guide which provides introductory activities for new concepts and ideas. The children go on to use worksheets, cards and a set of pupil workbooks. The course covers :
Graph work - collecting, organising, displaying and interpreting information by
pictures, simple diagrams and bar charts.
Work with numbers up to 100; add and subtract to 100;
fractions - halves and quarters; addition and subtraction sums
the 2,3,4,5 and 10 times tables; multiply and divide two digit numbers;
Measurement
Length - metres and centimetres; Weight - kilogram;
Time
Hours, half hours, quarter to/past.
Patterns and Sequences
Simple patterns and sequences of numbers and shapes
Recognition of shapes with 2 or 3 dimensions; describe and work with shapes;
right angles & 4 compass points, lines of symmetry in shapes
Regular mathematics homework will be given at this stage and will move on to the learning and consolidation of simple number facts, additions, subtractions and multiplication tables. Parents are encouraged to help children with learning the number facts, sums, and multiplication tables. Supervision of written work is important to ensure neat presentation and the correct formation of numbers. Construction toys, lego, etc are good for developing spacial awareness.
A wide range of learning activities are available in the classroom for the children to choose from e.g. jigsaws, construction toys, listening centre, computer, library corner etc. These offer additional activities to reinforce hand-eye co-ordination, visual, auditory and tactile perception, language and mathematical development, and also encourage children to work co-operatively and independently.
Almost every day the children will get some kind of learning experience through a centre of interest. This may be introduced by a story, a television or radio programme, a visit or visitor, a picture etc. The aim is to provide an interesting context for children’s language experience to be broadened.
Topic studies in Environmental Studies usually last several weeks and provide the vehicle for introducing concepts in Health, Science, Nature Study, History and Geography - at an appropriate level for these children.
Some examples of topics are : "People who Help us", "Winter"
Religious and Moral Education is approached in a similar way, often by the sharing of a story or discussion of a poster. The weekly infant assemblies
complement the classroom work when the infants come together to sing, listen to and reflect upon a story or topic with a Christian or moral theme.
The natural discussion of a child’s interests at home with parents will contribute to their understanding of their place in the world and the concepts and beliefs which are important to their family.
The children are regularly encouraged to sing and play percussion in the classroom using recorded radio programmes and cassettes. Singing is an important feature of the school assemblies. The visiting music specialist and the class teachers also provide opportunities for singing.
A time is given each week for P.E. during which the pupils learn game and gymnastic skills. The radio programme "Time to Move" is used for expressive movement to music.
Children receive opportunities in their classroom for a wide variety of art & craft activities e.g. drawing, painting, plasticene, collage, printing ....
Home reading should be ideally supported by parents each weekday night. A little written homework on phonics, letter formation and/or mathematics will be given weekly. It is useful to establish a simple homework routine to achieve concentration and neat, well presented work in pencil. Parents are encouraged to support their child within the guidance offered in this pamphlet.