Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

GPC is short for ‘grapheme-phoneme correspondence,’ meaning the relationship between a phoneme and its graphemes. Learning grapheme-phonemes correspondences helps children decode and blend words more easily, making them more fluent readers.

What is a GPC in phonics?

So, to start with, what is a GPC in phonics? This term can be a tricky one to get to grips with, so let’s try to break it down a bit:

• A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in language. There are 44 different phonemes in the English language, and they can be put together to form words.
• A grapheme is a symbol, letter, or group of letters used to represent a phoneme in written form. They can consist of up to four letters, and one phoneme can be represented by more than one grapheme. Some examples of graphemes include ‘ow,’ ‘ai,’ and ‘ough.’

Now that we understand these two terms let’s get back to the question of ‘what is a GPC in phonics?’. When we talk about a grapheme-phoneme ‘correspondence,’ we mean the correspondence between spoken sounds and the symbols representing them!

What is an example of grapheme-phoneme correspondence?

Now that we’ve answered the question of ‘what is a GPC in phonics?’, let’s look at a few examples. In the English language, there are 44 phonemes but many more graphemes to represent them. That’s why it’s not uncommon to see phonemes that can be represented using two, three, or even four different written symbols!

Let’s take the /ai/, or long ‘a’, sound. This phoneme can be represented using several different graphemes. For instance, we might use ‘ay’ as in ‘pay’ and ‘ai’ as in ‘paid.’ However, there are lots of other graphemes that say this sound, including some we might not expect:

• a_e (as in ‘fade’)
• eigh (as in ‘sleigh’)
• ey (as in ‘they’)
• ei (as in ‘reign’)

While these graphemes might not resemble the ‘ai’ sound at first, they sound the same. Therefore, by learning the grapheme-phoneme correspondences for the /ai/ phoneme, children can recognize and decode words with these graphemes more easily!

Another handy example is the long ‘o’ sound, which can be represented using several different graphemes:

• o (as in ‘bonus’)
• oa (as in ‘boat’)
• ow (as in ‘row’)
• oe (as in ‘toe’)
• o_e (as in ‘whole’)

Why are grapheme-phoneme correspondences essential?

We’ve answered the all-essential question of ‘what is a GPC in phonics?’ but let’s explore why mapping phonemes to graphemes is a crucial skill for kids to develop.

GPCs fit into the phonics framework and allow children to blend written and oral words. This process involves merging phonemes to make a word, which develops their communication skills and pronunciation. In addition, having a good knowledge of the different grapheme-phoneme correspondences will help to make blending more complex words easier.

Grapheme-phoneme correspondence also assists in segmenting words into sounds or the phonemes that make up that particular word; this gives children a spelling procedure, especially when they’re unable to spell words out orally.

In addition, learning about ‘what is a GPC in phonics?’ will help children to make sense of graphemes that correspond to multiple phonemes. For instance, the words ‘near’ and ‘bear’ both contain the ‘ear’ grapheme, but it represents a different sound in each word. Kids might be able to identify the grapheme, but without a good knowledge of ‘what is a GPC in phonics?’, they’ll struggle to tell which sounds are being represented.

A cylinder is a 3D shape with the following:

• two identical, circular faces at each end
• one curved side
• no edges or vertices

How many edges and vertices does a 3D cylinder have?

A cylinder has three faces – two circular and a rectangular.

While it may seem curved, if you flatten a cylinder’s middle section, you would be left with a rectangle.

Calculating the volume of a cylinder

When calculating the volume of a 3D shape, we generally use the equation length x height = volume.

To find the volume of a cylinder, you must start by finding the radius of one of the circles at either end of the shape. Both circles will be the same size, so you only must do this once.

If you already know the radius, that’s excellent! If you don’t, divide the circle’s diameter by two.

If you don’t know the diameter, measure the widest part of the circle with a ruler and divide it by two.

Area

Next, calculate the area of the circular base.

To do this, use the formula A =

What are the benefits of scavenger hunts?

As you’ll find out when you take the kids on an outdoor scavenger hunt, there are many benefits to this type of activity.

1. Scavenger hunts are easily adaptable. For example, if your child’s into numbers, you can ask them to hunt for seven leaves or 2×3 rocks. For a literacy-focused search, for example, you could ask them to find different objects containing the letter ‘l.’
2. It’s excellent for teamwork. Your child can divvy up the work with their siblings, or they could do the hunt with a friend.
3. It builds up kids’ problem-solving skills. Watch as your child tries to work out where to find the objects from the list. Your child will probably design a system to organize the hunt.
4. It’s a brilliant way to exercise your child’s mind and body as they try to solve the hunt and run around to find the objects from the list.
5. Scavenger hunts are educational. We’ve talked about the adaptability of the game as your child counts or spells, all leading to them learning new things or practicing a range of skills.
6. Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is excellent for encouraging your child to explore nature while walking. How many items can they find? 1

2. Birds Scavenger Hunt

Your child will love to learn to identify the most common British birds with this scavenger hunt.

3. Texture Adventure

It puts a twist on the traditional scavenger hunt as it focuses on sensory experiences rather than objects; your child must find something rough or smooth, for example.

4. Local History Trail

This one’s probably for your older child, but younger kids can certainly come along to help find churches, milestones, and other local features. You could get your child to take pictures of their finds.

5. What Am I? Treasure Hunt Activity

Your child will love this different take on an outdoor scavenger hunt as they’ll have to solve ten rhyming treasure hunt riddles about things they can spot outside.

6. Beach Scavenger Hunt

The seaside is excellent for an outdoor scavenger hunt, whatever the weather!

7. Beach Nature Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is more accessible and aimed at your younger child.

8. Outdoor Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt

It is such an enjoyable activity! Your child is encouraged to look for things that make them happy or have their favorite color.

9. Colors Scavenger Hunt

Speaking of favorite colors, this scavenger hunt activity encourages your child to look for things with specific colors on them.

10. London Scavenger Hunt

Of course, you may not have thought about London when we said outdoors. But urban areas are excellent for scavenger hunts outside too! Your child can tick off all the prominent landmarks on a trip to London.

What are road signs?

The first modern road signs were designed for riders of bicycles in the 1870s and 1880s. The current British road signage system was created by a pair of London designers named Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert. It was launched on January 1st, 1965, and now it’s used on all British roads!

What different road signs are there?

There are hundreds of different roads signs in the UK, and they all fall into these three main types:

• Circular signs which give orders (usually a direction or speed limit)
• Triangular signs which give warnings (such as sharp bends or traffic ahead)
• Rectangular signs which provide information (e.g., the direction of tourist attractions)

Here are some examples of each type of road sign:

Circular

Triangular

Rectangular

Facts about road signs for children

• Road signs use both uppercase and lowercase letters to help people recognize words faster
• Kinneir and Calvert (the designer of UK road signs) used a combination of coordinating letters, colors, shapes, and symbols to create a system of characters that is easy to understand
• British road signs inspired many modern road signs across the world
• The girl in the Children Crossing sign is based on an image of Margaret Calvert as a child
• Road signs are usually blue, red, green, brown, or white

Mass is the amount of matter an object contains. The more matter something has, the more it will weigh. For example, an elephant has more matter than a mouse, so its mass is heavier.

The size of something does not determine how much matter an object has. For example, a golf ball and a ping-pong ball are the same size. However, a golf ball is solid, while a ping-pong ball is hollow because the golf ball has more matter inside, resulting in an excellent mass.

How to Calculate Mass

Typically, mass is measured in kilograms by using a variety of different methods. Here is a brief rundown of how to calculate mass using some of the most popular methods:

• Inertial mass

When calculating inertial mass, you measure how much a given object resists acceleration when applied force. You do this by using a force on your chosen object and measuring the acceleration resulting from that. A general rule to go by is that an object with a small inertial mass will accelerate more than an object with a large inertial mass when the same force is applied.

• Gravitational mass

Gravitational mass is a method of calculating mass that involves measuring how much gravity an object applies to other things. Gravitational mass can also measure how much gravity an object experiences from another object. To calculate the gravitational field of an object, you can allow it to fall freely and then measure its free-falling acceleration. An object free-falling in a smaller gravitational field will accelerate slower than one falling in a larger gravitational field. It is because the gravitational field will be smaller near objects with less active gravitational mass.

• Passive gravitational mass

Passive gravitational mass measures the strength of an object’s interaction with a gravitational field. On the whole, an object’s passive gravitational mass can be calculated by dividing the weight of the object by its acceleration when free-falling. If two objects are located within the same gravitational field, they will experience the same acceleration. Although, whichever object has the smaller passive gravitational mass will experience a smaller force than the object with the larger passive gravitational mass.

How to Calculate Mass in the Classroom

The above methods of measuring an object’s mass are excellent but not handy for use in the classroom. So have a go at these methods of calculating mass, which you can easily do at home or school.

Calculating Mass Using Density and Volume

Step 1: The first step is to get your measurements together. You can start by finding the density of the object. Density measures how closely packed together the matter within an object is. You can quickly look up the density of the material you are working with.

In terms of the units of measurement, the density is typically measured in kilograms per cubic meter, i.e., kg/m³. However, it can be changed to grams per cubic centimeter, i.e., g/cm³ for smaller objects. If you work with liquids, density will be measured in kilograms per liter, e.g., kg/L, or grams per milliliter, i.e., g/mL for smaller objects.

Step 2: Next up, collect your other measurement: volume. Volume is essentially just the amount of space that an object takes up. In terms of units, volume is measured in cubic meters, i.e., m​​³ for larger solids, and in cubic centimeters, i.e., cm³ for smaller objects. For liquids, the volume of larger liquids is measured in either liters or milliliters, depending on their size. Several formulas for finding an object’s volume vary depending on the object’s shape.

Step 3: Now that you have both the density and the volume of your object, you can start calculating the mass of your object. The formula for how to calculate the mass is:

Mass = Density x Volume

It is essential to keep your units of measurement the same throughout your calculations.

Is Mass the Same as Size?

The simple answer is no. Mass is not the same as size. Mass is determined by the type of atoms within an object and their density. Therefore, mass is entirely independent of size. It means that two objects of the same size can have widely different masses.

What is the Difference Between Mass and Weight?

People tend to confuse mass and weight. Mass and weight are different, as weight is a force created by gravitational attraction to the Earth’s center.

Weight is the force acting on an object weight can change depending on the gravitational force; for example, you would weigh less on the moon as the gravity is weaker there. However, your mass remains the same.

How Many Grams are in a Kilogram?

As you and your class know, mass and weight are two different things. Therefore, when it comes to measuring mass, we need a unit to do so.

The units we use to measure mass are grams and kilograms. Later on, you’ll see just how extensive this list of mass-weighing units is, but the ones your class will use most often are these two. This is because you will be able

So how many grams are in a kilogram? Kilo is a decimal unit representing one thousand, so a kilogram is one thousand grams. Let’s look at an example to see how to work out how many grams are in a kilogram:

How many grams are in 6.2 kg?

Figuring out this answer is far simpler than it may appear. All we have to do is multiply our kilograms by 1000 to get the number of grams. By doing that:

6.2 kg x 1000 = 6200

And there we have it! Working out how many kilograms in several grams is just as easy. We flip this formula around, which would look something like this:

How many kilograms are in 6200 g?

6200 / 1000 = 6.2 kg

How is Mass Measured in Units?

Using the unit of grams, we can get the rest of the metric units using the standard metric prefixes.

Milligram(mg)	0.001 gram or 1/1000 gram
Centigram(cg)	0.01 or 1/100 gram
Decigram (dg)	0.1 gram or 1/10 gram
Gram(g)	1,000
Dekagram (dag)	10 grams
Hectogram (hg)	100 grams
Kilogram (kg)	1,000 grams
Metric ton(t)	1,000 kilograms

Kids must understand the different units of measurement to be able to convert between them.

Fun Facts about Mass and Weight

• The word ‘mass’ derives from the Greek word ‘maza,’ which translates to ‘lump of dough.’
• Scientists believe the universe’s total mass is between 1052 kg and 1053 kg.
• The gravity of the Earth is not constant but is subject to change. The Earth’s gravity can vary as much as 0.5% depending on your whereabouts on the Earth you are.
• People would weigh different amounts on different planets. For instance, if you weighed 70 kg here on Earth, you would weigh just 26.48 kg on Mars!

What are orchid mantises?

The orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus), also known as “pink orchid mantis” or “walking flower mantis,” is an elusive species of praying mantis that uses mimesis or aggressive cryptic mimicry to attract prey.

Because it targets pollinators, the insect camouflages itself as a pink and white blossom. It is the only animal on record to do so – and do so effectively.

Like other animals that use mimesis, they can change their color to match their surroundings. But in the case of the orchid mantis, the color change happens a lot slower.

Because it’s a poorly studied creature, not much is known about the orchid mantis natural habitat.

Orchid mantis habitat in the wild: Where do orchid mantises come from?

Even now, the orchid mantis remains somewhat of an enigma. There isn’t even a specific date that can be described as its date of discovery.

There was an orchid mantis specimen collected in 1972 in Ambon, Indonesia.

The earliest written sighting was probably in 1879, when the travel writer James Hingston gave himself a garden tour in West Java.

Despite the shortage of information, we know that the insects are spread across the Asian countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Southern China. However, the finer details of their natural habitat or population distribution cannot be verified.

We know the orchid mantis from pet owners, hobbyist insect breeders, and collectors. They’re trendy because they’re easy to maintain – the fact that they look like mobile flowers don’t help either.

Because we don’t know much about their population in the wild, we don’t know whether the hobbyist industry poses a risk to the orchid mantis natural population.

Orchid mantis habitat in your home: What habitat do praying mantis live in?

As mentioned before, we don’t know much about the orchid mantis natural habitat. But we can keep them alive as pets, so we know their conditions to thrive.

Housing

An orchid mantis must be kept in a glass terrarium to thrive as a pet. While other materials may work well enough (wooden vivaria are available, for example), glass is best because it allows heat to escape. In other words, the temperature remains constant – not too hot or too cold.

Height-wise, the orchid mantis’ terrarium should be at least 200mmx300mmx200mm to give the insect space. While it prefers to stay still and wait for prey, it does have wings and needs room to use them.

Heating

As mentioned, the orchid mantis’ require a near-constant air temperature of 70-75F (21-24C). It doesn’t do well with temperature fluctuations.

The best way to ensure this is to stick a thermostat-regulated heat mat on one side of the glass terrarium.

Because the glass is only heated on one side, the glass terrarium creates a slight temperature gradient within the enclosure. In other words, the orchid mantis can warm itself up or cool itself down by moving from one area to another.

Surroundings

While we don’t know much about the microhabitat of the orchid mantis, we do know that it’s a tropical species (it does live in Southeast Asia, after all) and, therefore, needs a fair amount of humidity.

To facilitate this, you must use a soil mix (at least 2 inches) that retains moisture after a morning spray.

It’s also best to allow the orchid mantis to exercise mimesis, so add artificial or natural plants to your glass terrarium. Natural wood ornaments look beautiful and provide perches for the mantis to use. After all, they’re not entirely stationary creatures.

Finally, you might want to add trailing plants to the mix. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also catch water and provide an easy-to-reach water source for your pet.

Diet and Water

The orchid mantis is often described as beautiful and deadly because they’re carnivorous creatures that prefer to eat live insects (though they’ve been known to attack bigger prey, like frogs, as well).

If you’re keeping an orchid mantis as a pet, you must provide them with a diet high in protein and relatively easy to digest.

Brown crickets are available in most pet stores and are also readily accepted. Ensure you feed your orchid mantis one or two brown crickets every other day. Remember that these are live insects, so ensure you don’t leave one in the terrarium for long periods, as brown crickets could try to attack your orchid mantis.

Fun facts about the Orchid Mantis (for Children):

Looking for something super fun about the lovely and mysterious orchid mantis? Check out our list below:

1. Where does the orchid mantis live?

In the wild, the elusive orchid mantis is native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia and Indonesia.

2. Can you keep an orchid mantis as a pet?

Yes! They’re not particularly common, but they’re also not too difficult to look after – as long as you meet the conditions they need, your orchid mantis will thrive as a pet. Look back at the previous section.

3. How long does an orchid mantis live?

A female orchid mantis may grow to about two and a half inches long and can live up to about eight months. On the other hand, the male orchid mantis extends only to about an inch. Because of its smaller size, it matures much more quickly than the female, so its life expectancy is shorter at only five or six months.

4. What animal eats mantis?

An orchid mantis (and other species of praying mantis) has the following natural enemies who would gladly eat them:

• Tarantula
• Giant hornet
• Birds
• Bats
• Lizards
• Snakes
• Scorpions
• Frogs

6. Do the orchid praying mantis needs water?

Like all living things, an orchid mantis needs water. But your pet won’t need much of it because they drink water droplets from plant leaves or the side of the enclosure. So instead of putting a water bowl inside, you lightly mist the entire enclosure using a spray bottle.

3. Why do orchid mantises look like flowers?

Orchid mantises looking like flowers are camouflaged in action. Not only does it help hide them from predators, but it also allows them to catch their prey.

4. What other insects mimic plants?

Orchid mantises are related to other mantises that mimic plants to attract prey and avoid predators. Google the spiny flower mantis and the devil’s mantis to see what they’re like.

5. Is the orchid mantis the same as a pink praying mantis?

Often, when people talk about a pink praying mantis, they refer to the orchid mantis.

6. How giant is an orchid mantis?

Orchid mantises exhibit sexual dimorphism in that the females are more significant than the males. For example, a female orchid mantis may grow to about two and a half inches long, while the male orchid mantis grows to about an inch.

7. How heavy is an orchid mantis?

There’s no recorded weight for orchid mantises, but they’re smaller than the praying mantis, which could grow up to 10 inches and reach four to five grams. Because of this, the orchid mantis is likely lighter than the praying mantis.

8. Can orchid mantises climb?

Yes.

16. Can orchid mantises fly?

Yes. Although males are better at flying than females. They’re smaller and more agile, while the females are more patient and tend to limit only when necessary.

17. Why do orchid mantises have a double set of wings?

The upper layer protects the fragile lower layer, the part of the orchid mantis wings that fly.

18. Are orchid mantises aggressive?

Yes, they can kill and eat animals that are bigger than themselves. Females also engage in cannibalism. When they’re hungry, they sometimes eat their mate.

19. Do orchid mantises bite humans?

Not always, but yes, sometimes they do. Fortunately, they don’t have any venom or stingers.

20. Do orchid mantises have teeth?

Yes, they have sharp teeth that help them eat bigger prey.

21. Are orchid mantises dangerous?

Not to humans. As mentioned, they bite but don’t have any venom or stingers that could harm someone.

Realistic fiction is a genre of stories where events are made up, but they could quickly happen in real life. These stories take place in familiar, everyday settings and have ordinary characters. They aim to represent real life.

Unlike fantasy or science fiction, realistic fiction features ordinary people and ordinary places – no fire-breathing dragons or adventures alongside aliens in outer space.

Instead, realistic fiction focuses on conflicts and problems that any person might face. For example, it might be about losing old friends and making new ones, moving to a new and unfamiliar place, or winning a sports competition. Whatever the story’s about, it shows our world and our society.

What are the characteristics of realistic fiction?

Specific characteristics of a story tell us what genre it is – so there are characteristics that tell us whether a story fits in the realistic fiction genre.

Setting	The story takes place in the present or the recent past (if it’s set further in the past, then it’s historical fiction). The characters live in places that could be or are genuine.
Characters	The characters seem like real people. They behave and speak in a way that makes them appear authentic.
Events	The events that unfold are events that might happen in real life.
Problem	The characters’ problems are realistic, something people struggle with in real life. For example, moving to a new place, growing up, and making friends.
Solution	The solution to fix the characters’ problems is believable and rooted in the characters’ actions. They don’t just have a magic spell to wish it all away.
Themes	The themes make the reader think about things that they face in everyday life.

If the story you’re reading (or writing!) has these characteristics, it’s most likely realistic fiction.

Examples of realistic fiction for kids

‘Wonder’ by R J Palacio

‘Wonder’ tells the story of a young boy named August Pullman (‘Auggie’) who goes to school for the first time. His facial difference prevented him from attending a mainstream school, but now he can. He wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary child.

The story features realistic characters with real issues that people might face in the real world. It’s also set in the natural setting of a school in America.

‘Bridge to Terabithia’ by Katherine Paterson

This children’s novel is about two lonely children who create a magical forest together – but it’s all in their imagination. The story explores the realistic themes of friendship, loss, and loneliness.

Fitting with the realistic fiction genre, the characters are realistic and face real problems. The setting is also natural – a town in America.

Further Realistic Fiction Examples

• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Don’t Forget Me, Nana Phoebe by Twinkl Originals
• Dipal’s Diwali by Twinkl Originals

What makes good realistic fiction?

A good realistic fiction story is believable. The characters should be authentic and relatable, perhaps having just as many weaknesses as they do strengths.

The problems the characters face should also be ordinary and realistic – issues that anyone could encounter during their life. The way that these problems are dealt with should also be realistic, not exaggerated or blown out of proportion.

Just like other fiction genres, themes are also essential for realistic fiction. Some of the most common themes of realistic fiction are friendship, love, school, growing up, and family. These should be woven into the story’s plot and characters.

How do you teach realistic fiction?

Here are some tips for teaching realistic fiction to your class:

1. Explore the characteristics

First, you should explore how characters, settings, plots, and themes work in realistic fiction. What are the characters like? What should the setting be? What themes are usually written about in this genre?

It will help to give an overview of the genre and show your class what to expect when reading a realistic fiction book.

2. Analyse short realistic fiction

Once your pupils are familiar with the genre, it’s time to start reading! You could start with an extract or short story that fits within the genre. Ask your pupils about the characters, setting, plot, and themes. What makes it real? Do they think the events could happen in real life?

3. Write realistic fiction

An excellent way for your pupils to consolidate their learning is to have a go at writing realistic fiction. After learning about the different elements of the genre and taking a closer look at them in an extract or short story, they should be ready to use what they’ve learned to write their realistic fiction.

There are so many words worldwide, so what should we concentrate on when teaching new vocabulary to kindergarten children? Let’s find out.

There is something quite delicious about words. For all the logophiles out there, we know that having a massive basket of words at our disposal only makes life sweeter. We’ve got all the resources and tips to help your children build a love of words and a bursting vocabulary from an early age.

Vocabulary for kindergarten – How many words should your child know?

12-18 months, 20 words

4 years 1,500-1,600 words

5 years 2,100-2,200 words

6 years 2,600 words expressive vocabulary 20,000-24,000 words receptive vocabulary

12 years 50,000 words receptive vocabulary

So, what are children learning when it comes to early vocabulary?

Here’s a short list of the types of vocabulary for kindergarten that EYLF children will be learning as they enter the realms of preschool:

Practice words

Learning categories by sounds such as animals, vegetables, and colors.

Sight words

Words are learned by sight and not by sound (phonics).

Compound words

Understanding common compound words (e.g., hair + cut = haircut).

Synonyms and antonyms

Learning synonyms: different words with the same meaning, and antonyms: the opposite definition of words.

Plural words

Children start to understand words meaning more than one.

Common homonyms

These words sound the same but have different meanings, such as ‘board’ and ‘bored.’

Question words

Children will practice using ‘Who,’ ‘What,’ ‘How,’ and ‘Why.’

List of vocabulary for kindergarten

Kindergarten Sight Words

a	can	Has	I	like	said	the
am	do	Have	in	look	see	to
an	for	He	is	me	she	up
and	go	Here	it	my	so	we
are				no
at				play

High Utility Words

age appear artist autumn Bay beak bloom bumpy burst buzz care check chilly chore comfort community country covered cradle dangle decision delicious dentist dew disappear drawer dusty edge farmer fear firefly fix flipper fluffy follow gallop gentle giggle glance glossy glow goal gust

half healthy herd hoof include invitation knight laundry lazy leaf leak library market melt miserable month muddy museum note pace pair patient peaceful peck pilot plan pointy polite pond president protect proud race reach relax rotten round row

sail scene scrub shade shaky ship shore silky sink slide slip sniff soapy sparkle spotted spring stare summer supplies tangled tent tomorrow trade trunk warm wave week wiggle winter wish yesterday

Minimal pairs are very similar words and vary by a single sound. For example, when we say the words seat and sheet out loud, we make identical sounds; the only difference is the /s/ and /sh/sounds at the start of words.

Minimal pairs are usually introduced to children in EYLF or having speech therapy and will be expanded upon as they learn more about phonemes and digraphs in their phonics lessons.

In the classroom, minimal pairs can be used to highlight different sounds in a meaningful context and can also be used to help children understand why pronunciation is essential. Playing games with minimal pairs can help accentuate this to children and give them a chance to practice saying words out loud.

Minimal pairs can be tricky for some speakers, and this can also impact their written work. When they struggle to differentiate the sound or pronunciation, it is much more likely that this will translate to misconceptions in spelling. It isn’t to say that children who make misconceptions about speech will then automatically struggle with spelling or vice versa, and it is essential to note for some, it will be a speech issue that may indicate a need for speech therapy. But, again, you can speak to a speech pathologist to get advice on how to help the child.

How do minimal pairs activities help learners?

Minimal pairs activities are essential for developing speakers – whether young children or those learning a new language – as they help the student differentiate sounds and words. Of course, many children will learn differences as they learn new words. But it is easy to pick up misconceptions this way. It is also common for children learning English as an additional language to get confused by certain words or minimal pairs. But don’t worry; there are many ways to help correct any issues!

Isolating essential sounds that pupils are struggling with can mitigate this. However, there are many minimal pairs in the English language. While many will be taught in the course of primary school, once misconceptions are in place for individuals, it can often need focused attention to ensure these misconceptions are corrected.

Where the minimal pairs differ in pronunciation can come in any part of the word. Sheep and cheap are minimal pair words, but so are sheep and ship. Other examples include:

• Sheep and sheet
• Slip and ship
• Seat and beat

Minimal pairs and English as an Additional Language

Some sounds are pronounced differently across languages. One essential part of helping a student learn English pronunciation is picking up the misconceptions that can occur when sounds from a native language differ from English. Many new English learners will also learn from listening to English speakers, but this can cause issues. Native English speakers are likely to sputter, with accents and their errors or dialects. New English speakers may fill in the blanks from what they have learned and come away with slight errors.

Equally, vowel sounds can be different in other languages. In Spanish, for example, there are five vowel sounds, one for each vowel. On the other hand, there are around 20 distinct vowel phonemes in English – and that is before we tackle accents!

 

Picking up these misconceptions and doing simple activities can be hugely beneficial. It is essential to remember that while older learners may struggle with similar sound issues as young EYLF learners with their phonics, they are much further along in their development. With focused attention to misconceptions, explanation, and visualization, they can quickly pick up the issues and understand how to use their learning across the language.

Are minimal pairs essential?

Yes! Simple as they may sound, they are essential to spoken and written language. They are most noticed when spoken but may also cause repeated spelling errors.

Some students cannot hear the difference between words, some will have learned incorrectly, and their misconception will have become ‘fact’ for them.

While it’s not quite as obvious a difference between a ‘boo’ and ‘Boo-urns,’ there are prominent examples where minor mistakes lead to a world of difference. For example:

“The crowd cheered the speaker.”
“The crowd jeered the speaker.”

In this example, the words ‘cheer’ and ‘jeer’ are a minimal pair, yet the simple difference makes the antonyms of the word (words that mean the opposite of each other).

By getting minimal pairs mixed up, you can change the entire meaning of a sentence, which can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication.

How can I teach minimal pairs in the classroom?

Looking for some tips and tricks for teaching minimal pairs? Twinkl’s got your back! Here are some interesting and helpful ideas and activities you can try:

• Dictation. Not as helpful for showing the children and leading by example, but an excellent way to pick up misconceptions. Read their work, look for errors, use this in your next session and find the sounds causing struggles.
• Reverse dictation. Instead of you dictating and the student/s writing down your words, switch the roles. As they speak, you will write their words on the board, giving them a perfect example of how they should be spelled and the letter combinations that make up their words.
• Tongue twisters! A fun and silly way to look at language and notice the patterns and sounds of words. An excellent example of/s/ and /sh/ sounds are when she sells seashells on the seashore. The shells that she sells are seashells, I’m sure!’
• Reading aloud, together. It can be done in pairs, as a class, 1-2-1 with the teacher. It can be led by them, by a teacher, or as a group, with peers reading alongside each other.
• Repetition. It’s simple and boring, but finding the misconception and being almost relentless in helping them practice the correct pronunciation can still work. It’s no fun for anyone involved, though

The four mathematics operations are mathematical functions that take input values (numbers) and convert them into output values (again, that’s another number). They are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

The four operations are considered the cornerstone of mathematics, and as such, they’re an essential part of maths lessons at school. Children might also be introduced to basic maths operations in learning environments at the EYFS level.

Children must become confident using the four operations to build on those basic real-life skills and future maths lessons.

Here’s some more information about what the four operations are and how they’re introduced to children at school:

Four Operations: Addition

In maths, adding two numbers results in the sum of those numbers. Addition is represented by the ‘+’ (plus) symbol, and it’s usually the first of the four operations that children learn about in school.

In Essential Stage 1, children are introduced to addition in the form of counting. For example, teachers might use number lines, basic visual aids, or concrete materials like blocks to support children with addition.

It’s expected that they can make the connection between counting and addition and use counting to work out simple addition problems, like 5 + 4 = 9, for instance.

They’re also expected to be able to recognize number bonds to 10 and 20 in several forms, like 6 + 4 = 10 and 16 + 4 = 20, for example.

Four Operations: Subtraction

Subtraction is taking the value of 1 number away from another. It’s represented by the ‘-’ (minus) symbol.

Subtraction is usually the second mathematical operation that children learn about at school, after addition. And, like addition, it’s often explained in terms of counting. However, subtraction is like counting backward. Children can use number lines and concrete materials to visualize and understand subtraction.

Some teachers find it helpful to use real-life examples to make subtraction easier to understand. Some teachers also like to explain subtraction using easy-to-follow synonyms like ‘take away’ or ‘how much less is…?’.

Four Operations: Multiplication

Multiplication is most often represented by the symbol ‘x’ (times), particularly in primary school. However, as a mathematical operation, multiplication can be thought of as repeated addition, especially when children first start to learn about multiplication.

Teachers can also use a number line to introduce this concept, similar to skip counting. Children will see that adding numbers to each other in equal ‘jumps’ takes them to the correct answer for multiplication problems.

For example, 3 x 9 is the same as adding three together 9 times, which is 27. The resulting number of a multiplication operation is referred to as a product.

Children are introduced to multiplication in the form of word problems at school. For example, an Essential Stage 1 student might be given the following problem in one of their maths lessons:

If Adam’s rabbit eats 5 carrots a day for 3 days in a row, how many carrots has his rabbit eaten?

To work this out, the student would have to perform the sum 5 + 5 + 5 = 15, which is the same as 5 x 3.

Teachers often say that getting the language right is essential to unlocking multiplication. That’s why explaining the different vocabulary when introducing children to multiplication is vital. It is also crucial for them to recognize the different ways word problems might be phrased so they always know what to do when faced with questions.

Four Operations: Division

Division is often described as the reverse of multiplication. It involves dividing or splitting one number into equal parts and is most often represented in primary school by the ‘÷’ symbol.

Like multiplication, children are often introduced to division through word problems. After this, they’ll move on to simple division problems, typically ones that involve halving. By the end of essential stage 1, children should be comfortable solving problems involving division, including those in context.