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Supporting Children With Reading - online
Step into the exciting world of early reading and unlock the magic of phonics!
This hands-on, confidence‑boosting course is packed with ideas, games, and practical activities that make learning to read fun for both you and your child. You’ll discover how phonics is taught in nurseries and schools, understand the journey children take as they learn to read, and explore simple ways to support them every day.

From turning household items into playful learning tools to spotting sounds and words while you’re out and about, you’ll gather a treasure trove of strategies to spark your child’s curiosity and build strong early literacy skills.

What You’ll Explore Each Week
Week 1: Pure Sounds
Dive into the essential sounds children learn first. Get to grips with key terminology like phoneme and grapheme, understand why listening skills matter, and choose fun listening games to try at home.

Week 2: Decoding the World
Discover the power of environmental print — from shop signs to cereal boxes — and learn how children connect sounds to letters. Pick practical activities to support decoding and early handwriting.

Week 3: Segmenting & Blending
Unpack more phonics terminology and learn how to use sound buttons to help children break words apart and blend them back together. Expect lots of playful, hands‑on practice.

Week 4: Tricky Words
Some words just don’t play by the rules! Learn how to help children read and write tricky words with confidence, and design creative games to make them stick.

Week 5: Alien Words
Explore Phase 5 Phonics and get familiar with the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check. You’ll learn how “alien words” help children apply their phonics knowledge in new ways.

Weeks 6–10: Mark Making & Early Writing Skills
Support your child as they move from early mark making to forming letters and writing with purpose. You’ll gather ideas to nurture creativity, confidence, and fine motor skills.
Prosp User 3
This course is perfect for Parents, grandparents, and carers of children in nursery, reception, or the early years of school.

Anyone interested in volunteering or working in an early years or primary school setting.

Anyone who wants to feel more confident supporting a child’s reading journey.
Family Learning is for anyone who wants to understand children’s development and support their learning—parents, grandparents, carers, and any adult with an interest in helping children thrive. We work closely with schools across the city, building confidence at home and celebrating the progress children make.

Our free courses and workshops give adults practical skills, fresh ideas and the confidence to support children through their Early Years and Primary School. Sessions are friendly, creative and hands‑on, with plenty of space to ask questions and share challenges.

Learners can also work towards Functional Skills qualifications in Maths or English and access personalised guidance on future learning, new career pathways and routes into employment.
Prosp User 4
This is a free course and all materials will be provided. A pen and notepad will be useful.
Prosp User 5
There are two follow on courses to this one: Supporting Children with Communication' and Supporting Children with Number'.
Prosp User 6

In order to support keeping York moving, consider travelling to your course by bus or bike. Click here to check out the bus routes closest to the venue for this course using the iTravel website, or discover York's cycle routes by clicking here.
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Alongside gaining course-specific skills, you will develop and showcase transferable skills that boost your confidence, employability, and ability to engage in further learning or volunteering.
Alongside gaining course-specific skills, you will develop and showcase transferable skills that boost your confidence, employability, and ability to engage in further learning or volunteering.
Employers highly value these transferable skills because they equip employees to excel beyond their basic job roles.
Employers highly value these transferable skills because they equip employees to excel beyond their basic job roles.
On your Family Learning course you will be developing transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, interpersonal skills, creativity, resilience, problem solving and critical thinking.
Prosp User 8

Learners who live in devolved authorities

Learners who live in devolved authorities
York Learning receives government funding which allows us to offer courses at a lower cost. The guidelines relating to devolution means that we cannot apply this funding to learners who live in devolved areas such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
York Learning receives government funding which allows us to offer courses at a lower cost. The guidelines relating to devolution means that we cannot apply this funding to learners who live in devolved areas such as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
If you live outside of this area, we recommend that, before committing to a course with York Learning, you explore options to study the course in your local area.
If you live outside of this area, we recommend that, before committing to a course with York Learning, you explore options to study the course in your local area.
If you would prefer to continue your learning with York Learning please note that the price of the course could be double the advertised cost.
If you would prefer to continue your learning with York Learning please note that the price of the course could be double the advertised cost.
In this case, please contact us on 01904 554277 to complete your enrolment.
In this case, please contact us on 01904 554277 to complete your enrolment.

Learners under the age of 19

Learners under the age of 19
Please note that Adult Education funding is for individuals who are over the age of 19 on the 31st of August prior to the start date of their course.
Please note that Adult Education funding is for individuals who are over the age of 19 on the 31st of August prior to the start date of their course.
This means that there will be an additional cost for learners who are under 19 who wish to access funded courses.
This means that there will be an additional cost for learners who are under 19 who wish to access funded courses.
For safeguarding reasons, we cannot accept learners who are under 18 on courses except by prior arrangement. This does not apply to programmes which are designed for 16-18s.
For safeguarding reasons, we cannot accept learners who are under 18 on courses except by prior arrangement. This does not apply to programmes which are designed for 16-18s.
If you are under the age of 19, please contact us on 01904 554277 before booking.
If you are under the age of 19, please contact us on 01904 554277 before booking.
FT1/TG7
28/09/2026
07/12/2026
20:00 - 21:00
Monday
1.00 hrs per wk
10 weeks
Jennifer Wilkinson
0.00
Free