UK Government's plans for learning to read

But isn't knowing how to work out how to say/read a word you've never encountered an important part of learning to read?

ETA: Using a made up word should ensure it's not a word they've encountered before, so checks their ability with new words rather than ones they may have memorised.

When you're 6, any word you don't know looks daunting, made up or not (besides which, plenty of kids books include made up words - On the ning nang nong where all the cows go bong and the monkeys all say boo, there's nong nang ning where the trees go ping and the teapots jibber jabber joo)

My kids learnt early on at school to 'sound out' a new word. That is, break it down into sounds, then put them back together. K-ooo-b.

By putting unknown words into it, the teachers can make sure they are learning to do that rather than just parroting a word they know. Seems fair to me. I'd rather my kid learnt to read independently than learnt to parrot and then can't figure out a new word.

It's just a way of ensuring they are learning it, rather than parroting it.

IdiotsRUs said:

On the ning nang nong where all the cows go bong

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I thought that was a topical reference to Brighton.

Priene said:

I thought that was a topical reference to Brighton.

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I think perhaps Mr Wells was referencing the original poem? I have to say I never took Mr Milligan for a hippie, really. Just a loon, and a lovable one at that.

Whichever, the point is - it's an extremely popular kids poem - with made up words in it.

IdiotsRUs said:

I think perhaps Mr Wells was referencing the original poem? I have to say I never took Mr Milligan for a hippie, really. Just a loon, and a lovable one at that.

Whichever, the point is - it's an extremely popular kids poem - with made up words in it.

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You're probably right. But in my mind Brighton and Ning Nang Nongers have become inseparable.

Priene said:

You're probably right. But in my mind Brighton and Ning Nang Nongers have become inseparable.

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I only live down the road, and I go out there a fair bit but I must say I'd never heard the term with reference to Brighton.

I reckon it's just me and the dead dude.

I think made up words are important to kids.

My daughter makes up words and names all the time, then she likes to ask me to write them down or spell them for her.

I think it's a very important part of learning how language works, it makes you really understand the sounds and letters rather than memorizing a set of words.