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Literacy Links
Foundation Stage Diary

This diary has been written to illustrate ways of using "Sebastian Swan's Story" within literacy sessions in the Foundation Stage classroom. The ideas have been presented within the different elements of the Literacy Hour although they may be covered across the day rather than in a single unit of time ( Guidance on the organisation of the National Literacy Strategy in Reception classes DfEE 09/00).

Initial Session Introduce Sebastian Swan's Story to the whole class. (This works effectively if the class can sit facing the computer, preferably looking at a large monitor.) Compare this book to a real book. Discuss the differences between turning the pages of a real book and ask children to suggest how we could turn the pages of this computer book.

Ask the children what animal they can see on the cover of the book and then what sound or phoneme the word "swan" begins with. Tell the children that this swan is called Sebastian, elicit what sound "Sebastian" begins with. Read the whole title to the children and let them mimic the sound s. Ask whether anyone could show the class using the mouse and arrow on screen to point to the letter s. Tell the children that they have got to listen carefully to the story and say the sounds or phonemes most words on each page begin with. Demonstrate how to click on the cover of the book to turn to the first page.

Ask the children to first listen as you read the sentence and then echo the sound they can hear as the beginning of most of the words in the sentence. Introduce the question mark to the children as a type of punctuation that ends a question. Sebastian is asking us to tell him "Which Sound?" Demonstrate what happens when we click on the question mark and then read the sentence "Did you hear the phoneme s?" If the children are not yet familiar with the term phoneme discuss how it is another word for the sound a letter makes. Show the children what happens when you hover the arrow over the large phoneme, ( it turns into a capital form of the letter.) Congratulate the children for hearing and saying the correct phoneme!

Subsequent Sessions Continue reading through the book in a similar way as in the initial session. Once children are more familiar with how to navigate then encourage them to participate by using "imaginary air mice!" Children pretend to hold a mouse with their index finger extended, this works particularly well when a child is demonstrating using the real mouse and the rest of the class can use their imaginary mice to show which direction to move and also to say "click" or " hover" when they are on the appropriate icon or button.

Extension Activities Once children are confident at hearing the initial phonemes in the sentences introduce "Phoneme counting". Read the sentence at the very bottom of the page and at the same time move the arrow over the words. The most frequent initial phoneme will change colour. Ask children to hold up their fingers and count how many of this phoneme they can hear. Check together to see if they are correct.

Read the last part of the story to the children, where Sebastian asks children to choose a phoneme and think of as many words as possible beginning with that sound. Scribe a list of words as children suggest them. These could them be sent as an e-mail to Sebastian Swan.

Ideas for

Phoneme fans
Resources: Phoneme fans ( Click here to download Microsoft Word File to make fans.)

Print out and make up sets of these phoneme fans and give out one to each pair of children. Use pictures from the story as well as other objects from the classroom and place these into a bag.

Take turns to reveal an object or picture from the bag and encourage children to show you the correct initial phoneme from their fans.

Also: Try these activities that have been taken from Progression in Phonics and can be adapted to use resources linked to " Sebastian Swan's Story."

Tray Game, Match Me, Jump in the hoop; Using pictures from the story as well as other objects from the classroom.

Ideas for

Textease 2000 phoneme sorting screen (c,s,b)
Ask children to work in pairs or in small groups to take turns to sort the objects to their initial sounds.

Clicker 4 grid (h)
Ask children to click on the pictures that begin with the phoneme h.

RM Colour Magic/Paint tracing screen (t)
Ask children to trace over the letter t by using the paint tool. Encourage children to create rainbow letters by repeating this with as many different colours as possible!

Phoneme Stickers (h)
Use these stickers as target rewards when children have learnt a new phoneme.

Ideas for
Use the pictures from the story. Ask children to say the phoneme that the animal begins with in each picture. See if they can air trace the letter or draw it on some-ones back.

Early Learning Goals:
To explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts.
Hear and say initial and final sounds in words, and short vowel sounds within words.
Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.
Read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently.

Initial Session Introduce Sebastian Swan's Story to the whole class. (This works effectively if the class can sit facing the computer, preferably looking at a large monitor.) Compare this book to a real book. Discuss the differences between turning the pages of a real book and ask children to suggest how we could turn the pages of this computer book. Ask the children what animal they can see on the cover of the book and then what sound or phoneme the word "swan" begins with. Tell the children that this swan is called Sebastian, elicit what sound "Sebastian" begins with. Read the whole title to the children and let them mimic the sound s. Ask whether anyone could show the class using the mouse and arrow on screen to point to the letter s. Tell the children that they have got to listen carefully to the story and say the sounds or phonemes most words on each page begin with. Demonstrate how to click on the cover of the book to turn to the first page. Ask the children to first listen as you read the sentence and then echo the sound they can hear as the beginning of most of the words in the sentence. Introduce the question mark to the children as a type of punctuation that ends a question. Sebastian is asking us to tell him "Which Sound?" Demonstrate what happens when we click on the question mark and then read the sentence "Did you hear the phoneme s?" If the children are not yet familiar with the term phoneme discuss how it is another word for the sound a letter makes. Show the children what happens when you hover the arrow over the large phoneme, ( it turns into a capital form of the letter.) Congratulate the children for hearing and saying the correct phoneme! Subsequent Sessions Continue reading through the book in a similar way as in the initial session. Once children are more familiar with how to navigate then encourage them to participate by using "imaginary air mice!" Children pretend to hold a mouse with their index finger extended, this works particularly well when a child is demonstrating using the real mouse and the rest of the class can use their imaginary mice to show which direction to move and also to say "click" or " hover" when they are on the appropriate icon or button. Extension Activities Once children are confident at hearing the initial phonemes in the sentences introduce "Phoneme counting". Read the sentence at the very bottom of the page and at the same time move the arrow over the words. The most frequent initial phoneme will change colour. Ask children to hold up their fingers and count how many of this phoneme they can hear. Check together to see if they are correct. Read the last part of the story to the children, where Sebastian asks children to choose a phoneme and think of as many words as possible beginning with that sound. Scribe a list of words as children suggest them. These could them be sent as an e-mail to Sebastian Swan.
Ideas for Phoneme fans Resources: Phoneme fans ( Click here to download Microsoft Word File to make fans.)
	Print out and make up sets of these phoneme fans and give out one to each pair of children. Use pictures from the story as well as other objects from the classroom and place these into a bag. Take turns to reveal an object or picture from the bag and encourage children to show you the correct initial phoneme from their fans.
Also: Try these activities that have been taken from Progression in Phonics and can be adapted to use resources linked to " Sebastian Swan's Story." Tray Game, Match Me, Jump in the hoop; Using pictures from the story as well as other objects from the classroom.
Ideas for
Textease 2000 phoneme sorting screen (c,s,b) Ask children to work in pairs or in small groups to take turns to sort the objects to their initial sounds.
Clicker 4 grid (h) Ask children to click on the pictures that begin with the phoneme h.
RM Colour Magic/Paint tracing screen (t) Ask children to trace over the letter t by using the paint tool. Encourage children to create rainbow letters by repeating this with as many different colours as possible!
Phoneme Stickers (h) Use these stickers as target rewards when children have learnt a new phoneme.
Ideas for Use the pictures from the story. Ask children to say the phoneme that the animal begins with in each picture. See if they can air trace the letter or draw it on some-ones back.
Early Learning Goals: To explore and experiment with sounds, words and texts. Hear and say initial and final sounds in words, and short vowel sounds within words. Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet. Read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences independently.