The new ELS has now been put up on the web, it's only on download at the moment and is at the following addy:

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Thanx Star-9
I am running the old ELS programme at the minute.We have amended the phonics to run along side the letters and sounds programme which we are using in class.
I have had a quick look at the revised programme and got quite a shock when i read it is going to run for 16 weeks instead of 12!!!!!!!!!!
Time to tell my colleagues in Yr 1 the happy news.

lol Superwoman x

WE are waiting for the hard copy which you can now order, so I will be starting soon (I know its a bit behind but its better late than never!)

Hi,
Let me know how things are going with it. Don't know what it is but the children who I am working with at the moment can't seem to transfer their skills back to the classroom. Must be me!!!!!!!!!!!
lol Superwoman x

I am doing some catch up with Year 1's - they seem to struggle to remember sooo many phonemes and graphemes! As for the diagraphs and vowel diagraphs!!?!!
It will be interesting to see how the new ELS works when I get going.

I am going into year 1 in september having never worked in KS1 and i am going to be doing the ELS. I only work 2 hours a day, which will probably be 9.15 - 11.15am. The CT has told me she wants me to do the ELS at 9.15 - 9.40am!!! I was shocked to say the least as i have heard it takes at least 30mins for a start and how does she expect me to start the ELS at 9.15 when thats when i start work!!! It will take me at least 5 mins to set up and 5 mins to gather the children and get them settled so i dont see i the children being back in the class till 9.55 at the earliest!!

Then she has me timetabled from 9.40 - 10.10am to do General Classroom Support then im allowed 20 mins prep time during their assembly, then i have to go in the playground to cover breaktime every day, then she wants me to do GCS again till 11.15am in which she wants me to help assess the children and do some catch up with 1-2 children with handwriting etc!!!! Talk about expect a lot!!!!!!!!!!!! Im not superwoman!!!!

She also said she wants to run the ELS twice in one school year!!!!

Im beginning to wish i hadnt said yes to this!!! ;o(

You get prep time? I wish I did
Yes, ELS can take longer than 20 mins - it does depend on the group. My group at the moment are terrible (have run ELS several times before in a prevous school and these are the worst behaved group). As a result I am shattered after it and it takes forever sometimes! Make sure you don't have any conflicting personalities within the group if you can help it! When I talked to their teacher about it they comment was that the place place to sit them was in different classrooms!?!
Still, they love certain aspects of it - the Jam sandwich was a great hit - still talking about it now
I know of some schools who run ELS almost continously.
Enjoy your new post!

You should get prep time! If you are going to deliver a good programme within the hours you work, you should be given prep time! I dont think its too much to expect.

I think the problem is, too much is expected of teachers and TA's and not enough time is given to them to do everything that is needed. And if everyone keeps doing all the little extras that we all do, nothing will ever change and no one will ever know how much work goes into the education of the next generation growing up!! We will all be completely knackered and resentful. How can that be a good thing? Were all in this because we care about children but we also need to live, so we all need to be together and make sure we dont do all those little extras without pointing out to the right people that more hours are needed for the job or that more staff are needed!!! OK, ive said my piece, i feel a lot better now, lol x

Totally agree with you! However hours are getting cut not more!