Foundation Year Home Learning with PLD

Pre-Primary (WA), Kindergarten (NSW, ACT), Preparatory (QLD, VIC, TAS), Reception (SA), Transition (NT)

In preparation for the likely closure of schools, we have created downloadable plans that are easy to implement at-home or in-school. These resources draw upon PLD titles that are likely already in schools. If schools do not have the recommended titles, then the below easy-to-follow three-week plan includes parent information videos and downloads.

These guides can be used in full or the relevant tasks can be selected from and collated. If you have any questions read our post ‘Unsure where to start?’ HERE.

Key skills for parents to work on at home:

Literacy Activities

Oral Language Activities

  • Activity 1 – Picture discussions with a focus on vocabulary. Download the scene and question resource pack. These activities should take 5 – 10 minutes per day.
  • Activity 2 – Read the suggested picture books out loud together while asking age-appropriate comprehension questions. Use the downloadable questions cards, this should take 10 – 15 minutes per day.
  • Activity 3 – Do some cooking together and then talk about what was made. The cooking component of these activities should take 30 minutes per day. The activity retells should take about 5 minutes, twice a week.

Movement & Motor Activities

  • Activity 1 – Develop cutting skills. The cutting skills activities should be scheduled twice a week. They will take between 15 – 20 minutes.
  • Activity 2 – Letter formation activities should be scheduled daily, they will take between 10 – 15 minutes, per day.
  • Activity 3 – Gross Motor activities – These activities range between 20 – 30 minutes, per day. You can download the guides HERE.

These activities have been compiled into a downloadable summary of allocated time. Click here to download the summary of allocated time for Foundation.

Early Literacy Activities

Activity 1 – Teach the alphabet sounds

Early in the Foundation year, students transition from pre-literacy skills into early reading and spelling. Some students still require further alphabet sound instruction, before presenting Activity 2 (Introducing literacy skills through phonic, decoding and spelling tasks). Parents and caregivers should watch these videos HERE and HERE to help understand the PLD process. This 32-page pack covers Group 1 sounds s, a, t, p, i, n. Click HERE or on the images below to download the 32-page resource. For children who have progressed beyond s, a, t, p, i, n, PLD recommends the introduction of the next group of sounds m, r, h, e, d, c. You can download the 30-page resource HERE. Beyond this, we recommend purchasing the following text Alphabet Letter Sounds eBook.

Activity 2: Introducing literacy skills through phonic, decoding and spelling tasks

Please watch parents and caregivers videos HERE and HERE to help understand the PLD process. Once you have watched the above videos, PLD suggests you download the following 9-page of activities HERE which contain CVC Words/Pictures – S, A, T, P, I, N, Alien Race Board Game, SAT, SIT, NAP, TIN, TAP, PAN, PAT, PIN – Flash cards or boards games, SAP, SIP, NIP, PIP, TIP, TAN, NAP, PIT – Flash cards or boards games and CVC Words Incorporating S, A, T, P, I, N – Bingo games. For further CVC decoding & spelling tasks and to extend the program beyond 3 weeks take a look at Decoding & Spelling Games – Stage 1 eBook.

Oral Language Activities

Activity 1 –  Picture discussions with a focus on vocabulary

Parents and caregivers should watch this video to find out more about what semantics and how you to discuss the various scenes in below downloads. The downloadable oral language resources contain a Home Scene and a Food Scene along with the age-appropriate questions and adequate/inadequate answers. Click HERE or on the image(s) below to download the poster and activity cards. For further pictures with scripted questions for discussions and to extend the program beyond these tasks are available in Semantic Scenes and Questioning – Set 2 eBook.

Activity 2 – Read the suggested picture books out loud together while asking age-appropriate comprehension questions

Please watch the parents and caregivers oral language video to help understand the process. PLD recommends the following titles, which you may already have, if not we suggest using the these links: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, Possum Magic by Mem Fox and Who sank the boat? by Pamela Allen.

Children learn best when picture books are read and re-read. Read one of the above picture books to your child every day over a week and include a different set of questions with each reading. PLD recommends that you download the below oral language activities that provide 4 days of questions along with adequate and inadequate responses to accompany each book. For further picture book comprehension question cards and to extend the program beyond 3 weeks take a look at Comprehension Questions for 5 Year Olds eBook.

Activity 3 – Do some cooking together and then talk about what was made

These resources provide simple activity examples and visual cues that are designed to be incorporated into home environments. For more information on how parents can model questions watch this video then complete the following activities. The resources include an activity retell at home guide for parents and cooking activities: Iced Biscuits, Pikelets and Cut Out Biscuits. Click HERE or on the images below to download. For further cooking/craft activities and to extend retells beyond 3 weeks, take a look at Activity Retells for 3 to 5 Year Olds eBook. For more on your child’s developmental milestones, watch this video or download this Guide.

Movement & Motor Activities

Activity 1 – Developing cutting skills

Download the PLD Developing Cutting Skills Milestone Guide. Then complete the following at-home activities. The activities include: cutting out squares, circles and triangles – Left and right-handed (Child’s cutting line should not be wider than 1cm). Click HERE to download the templates or click on the images below. For further cutting tasks and to extend the program beyond 3 weeks take a look at Developing Cutting Skills – Stage 4 eBook.

Activity 2 – Letter formation activities

Download the PLD Development of Appropriate Pencil Grip and Drawing Skills Guide. Then complete the following at-home pre-writing activities, which include: big body movements, movement instructions and pre-writing pattern worksheets. Click HERE to download the resources or click on the images below. This pack includes the following activities: a reference guide containing verbal cues for S, A, T, P, I, N. Forming and recalling the correct letter formations, a reference guide containing verbal cues for M, R, H, E, D, C. Forming and recalling the correct letter formations and 12 additional pages as a starting point for rainbow letters along with opportunities for repeated practice. For further prewriting tasks and to extend the program beyond 3 weeks, take a look at Letter formation for little people – Step 2 eBook.

Activity 3 – Gross motor activities

Watch the parent and caregivers education video HERE. Then complete the following at-home gross motor activities, which include: ball skills, jumping and landing, balance along with an overview and checklist. Click HERE to download the 5-pages of resources or click on the images below. For further prewriting tasks and to extend the program beyond 3 weeks, take a look at Preparing Children for Handwriting – Step 1 eBook.

Additional At Home Resources

The PLD eBooks and apps are great additional support for parents. The eBooks contain high-quality activities to use with your children. The Apps are self-guided practice for use independently in the home.

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