Literacy in Foundation

Exploration of phonemes (sounds) in Foundation

This term in Foundation, students have been exploring the phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters) of the English Australian alphabet. At BEPS we use a program called ‘Sound Waves’ which allows teachers to guide students through the different phonemes that graphemes make when on their own and blended together. 

In the program, there is a song with chants and actions which the Foundation students are becoming very familiar with, and they're enjoying learning the new actions every day. 

We have been able to connect these phonemes with our school community and had a very special visitor into the classroom when learning about the phoneme /t/. Our school turtles visited the classroom to inspire children to discuss other animals, places and things they know that begin with the same phoneme. 

The students showed respect and confidence when meeting and greeting the turtle, with each student having the opportunity to pat our wonderful, calm turtle.

‘I liked chanting ‘tiptoe turtle with Georgia’ -Hayley 

‘I love the turtle’ -Izac

‘It was exciting to pat the turtle’ -Ava 

‘I like the turtle’- Ashmit