Collins Easy Learning Phonics Catch-up Ages 6+

Goes over the core programme taught in schools

Just help me verify, my child is at the level of comprehension for his age in his grade.a good way of checking the education materials being taught in school are up to standard.

‘Easy learning’? As what seems to be an attempt to categorise the entire English language (it can’t be done), the content of this book strikes me as hard work, tremendous hard work, for a six-year-old.Are we really asking six-year-olds (or children a little older than that who have some catching-up to do) to know a digraph, a grapheme and a schwa when they see one? (And don’t forget about ‘split digraphs’!)Set up as a PowerPoint presentation and run through quickly, the material could be a worthwhile exercise for interested adults – but it is linguistics, mostly irrelevant to learning to recognise a succession of words on a page and make sense of them, sometimes relying ultimately on context to be sure of what meaning is intended (e.g. ‘rose’ and ‘rose’).Homophones that are spelled differently are mentioned in this book, those spelled the same are not.Oh, and how to pronounce, plough, trough, slough, tough and some other ‘ough’ words? (Not covered in this book.) Some words just have to be learned, and my own brain at six years old would, I am sure, have been much better at learning more words and less of the essentially artificial classification of words and sounds.As with the Collins ‘Phonics 4-5’ book that I have also reviewed, the word most readily conjured by some of the pictures is not necessarily the one intended, although that seems to matter less in this volume. The ‘Mansion’ may look like a country rail halt, and the smoothie could equally well be a milk shake (later, a similar drink becomes ‘squash’), but the intended word is usually printed not far away, so the necessary deduction is soon made.Are British six-year-olds generally familiar with bagels, and does a unicorn necessarily have a long horn? Concepts such as ‘rehearsal’ (picture of a violin) may also be over-ambitious.For adults, there is some fun to be had from the surreal flash fiction on page 7:I go to sleep in the rain.‘Are you sure?’ he said.Her hair was short.but I wouldn’t impose this book on a child (or myself) unless knowledge of all the strange and unnecessary concepts was considered vital to achieving a satisfactory performance in a SATS test.

The Phonics Catch-up Activity Book Ages 6+ from Collins Easy Learning has exceeded my expectations in every way. As a parent actively involved in my child's education, I've been on the lookout for effective tools to support their learning journey, especially in the crucial area of phonics. This book has truly been a game-changer.The content of this activity book is incredibly well-designed, catering to children aged 6 and above. The activities are engaging, interactive, and thoughtfully structured to reinforce phonics skills in a fun and practical manner. Whether it's blending sounds, identifying letter patterns, or building vocabulary, each exercise is carefully crafted to promote understanding and retention.One of the standout features is the clear progression throughout the book. The difficulty level increases gradually, ensuring that my child is constantly challenged and motivated to learn. The instructions are easy to follow, making it a fantastic resource for independent learning sessions or parent-child study time.What sets this book apart is its adaptability to home learning. The activities are concise yet comprehensive, making them perfect for short practice sessions that fit easily into our daily routine. This has been particularly useful during times when school-based learning is disrupted.The book's quality is impressive as well. The pages are durable and well-organized, and the colorful illustrations add a vibrant touch that keeps my child engaged. The layout strikes a balance between visual appeal and educational content, enhancing the overall learning experience.As a parent, I appreciate the convenience this book offers. It's an all-in-one solution that covers a wide range of phonics concepts, saving me the time and effort of searching for supplementary materials. This is especially valuable for busy parents like me who want to ensure their child's academic progress.In conclusion, the Phonics Catch-up Activity Book's well-structured content, gradual progression, adaptability to home learning, and overall quality make it an indispensable tool for parents and educators alike.

Good and nice book for your kids.

This is a great book to use with your child to further develop early reading skills and it contains specific exercises to compliment reading with your child that you do as a matter of course every day. The answers are provided in the back of the book and there is a progress chart in the front. At the start of the book there is a “How to use this book” page, together with a QR code that can be scanned to access free audio content that includes a correct pronunciation guide.This book revises adjacent consonants and split digraphs, plus much more. The illustrations are colourful but muted, rather than brash. Every other page has clear instructions for parents, explaining how the phonic on that and its facing page work. A great back-up to school work and perfect for the holidays. Some of the exercises may be challenging for the age group, but that’s a Good Thing. A good book to refresh learning during the school holidays.It is important to repeat the exercises to embed learning, so it would be better if the pages were shiny so that they could be written on using a whiteboard pen that can be wiped off, but you can use a soft pencil and an eraser instead.