Letter Land

Heidibaba

Dear Rainemom,

I have received your pm and noted that you have interest in the difference between Jolly Phonics and Letterland and would like to know more about Jolly Phonics.  

Dear Marie,

I can see that many moms here are now having interest to know more about the difference between Jolly Phonics and Letterland.  I will take time to re-organise my past collected information and open a new topic later about Jolly Phonics & Letterland.  I hope it will make benefit to other moms who want to find a suitable phonic system for their children.

Although I did not choose Letterland for my daughter, I do not against it and do think it is a good phonic system.  Actually I have helped many moms here by sending the Letterland centre list to them so that they can call the nearby centre and let their children to study there.  I will make my information as neutral as possible so that all moms here can make their own decisions in choosing Letterland and Jolly Phoincs for their children.

Heidibaba

firstmom

Hi Heidibaba

I look forward to see your new topic on Jolly Phonics.  I believe other moms are very interested as well.  Thank you so much.

2002

Anyone has ABC cassette for sale?  It is out of stock at the showroom!

hangkeelong

Dear Heidibaba,
I'm also want to know more about Jolly Phonics. How can I buy all the materials? Any guideline or course for parents? I searched in yahoo, and only found some talks to teachers. Is it difficult to teach the baby if English is not good?
Thank you

marieyuen

以下係有賣JollypPhonics的香港書店：
Hong Kong   

Transglobal Publishers Service   
Tel: (852) 2413 5322   
Email: [email protected]   
   
Hong Kong Book Centre   
Tel: (852) 2522 3669   
   
Swindon Book Co   
Tel: (852) 2366 8001   
Email: [email protected]   
   
Wise Kids   
Tel: (852) 2827 0882   
Email: [email protected]   
   
Skywalker Children's Books   
Tel: (852) 2521 5222   
Email: [email protected]

Informationfrom Jolly Phonics' Website

http://www.jollylearning.co.uk/

By the way, I thinks it's better to open another new topic about Jolly Phonics in a hurry, and leave this topic for discuss about Letterland.

ACmama

2002 寫道:
Anyone has ABC cassette for sale?  It is out of stock at the showroom!

You may order from YesAsia.com, I've just order the new version of the ABC Book with the ABC cassette last week, it cost around $114.

2002

ACmama

Thank you for your reply, I am looking for the old version because I got the ABC book already.

I don't mind 2nd hand, anyone want to sell it?

ChunMaMa

Hi! Heidibaba

I am impressed with your analysis. Actually, before I saw your essay, I could not decide which one to choose. But now, I choose Jolly Phonics.

Do you teach your daughter by yourself or join class?
Would you please tell me why you choose one to the other?

Do you know where I can find the class for Jolly Phonics?

Heidibaba 寫道:
My daughter is learning Jolly Phonics and I am delighted she can blend simple words (eg cat, jet) after 2 months study in Jolly Phonics.

Before I choose Jolly Phonics, I have made a very detail research between Jolly Phoincs & Letterland in the web.  Personally, I do think both phonic systems are very good and difficult to choose between.  

In BK, I do notice most moms prefer Letterland than Jolly Phonics.  Therefore, I started to look and find more details about Letterland in the web first.  I found Letterland is really an excellent phonic system with many many interested Letterland characters.  I was almost decided to choose Letterland and I have got a teaching centre list in Hong Kong so that I can arrange my daugher to study in the centre nearby my home.

For my own interesting, I decided to know more between Jolly Phonics and the difference between Letterland.  From the web information, I noted that Jolly Phonics is a very simple phonic system.  They do not have many lovely characters like Letterland.  They have only 4 (Inky mouse, Snake, Bee and "honic" the computer).  Although Jolly Phonics has a few characters, they have many simple actions that can really arise the interest of the children and let them very easy to remember the sound.  But in my opinion at that time, I think Letterland is more interesting to me than Jolly Phonics because of the attactive characters.

I decided to search more information in the web and from many forums I start to realise that many kindergartens in UK have turned to Jolly Phonics from Letterland.  The reason, interestingly, was that Letterland has complicated character names that will confuse the children in blending.  The kindergarten teachers in UK (switched from Letterland to Jolly Phonics) claimed that the kids are so fond of the Letterland characters that they remember clever cat, annie apple, ...(sorry that I forgot the character for letter T) and when they blend the words "CAT", they will blend Clever Cat Annie Apple ...T with six sounds instead of "C" "A" "T' three sounds.  In Jolly Phonics, each letter has only one sound, therefore, the children will never mix up in these cases and this is the reason why they are going to change from Letterland to Jolly Phonics.

I then have a chance to attend a seminar conducted by Jolly Phonics trainers from Australia and I was really amazed by their teaching method.  They use their hands, their bodies, their facial expression to teach the sound and the children (who come with their parents, I was regret that I did not take my girl to the seminar at the time) can learn and remember the sounds immediately without any difficulty and show great interest in the teaching method.  

From then on, I had re-consider a lot between Jolly Phonics and Letterland.  And I have finally made a perosnal conclusion:
Letterland is excellent for elderly child, I believe that any child older than six  will not have the difficulties in mixing the characters in blending and then provide a wrong blending sound.  Jolly phonics is more appropriate for the younger child aged between 3 to 4.  I do not say that Letterland is not fit for the younger child but I do think Letterland can raise more interest to older child because they have many many funny characters and Jolly Phonics is not resticted to the age of 3 to 4 (I saw many 7-8 years old children in the seminar do show great interest in learning the Jolly Phonics).  For my daughter's interest (she is 3 1/2 years old at that time), I have decided to choose Jolly Phonics for her and she learnt with great interest from that phonic system.

One point that I think we need to consider is that UK children is different from Asia.  They have the problem in blending due to mixing the Letterland characters' names and this may not apply to our Hong Kong children.  Actually, I cannot find any information in the web to support such cases in Hong Kong.  May be there are not many kindergartens in Hong Kong that use a very systematic phonic system (what a pity!!!).  And this is also why we are here to find out what a situable phonic system for our child by ourselves.

Do more research before you choose between both systems that fits your child.  But I would say it would be no good to your children to switch from one phonic system to another unless he/she has problems in blending the words (but you really need to find the way to know the problem of your child why he/she has difficulties in blending instead of changing the phonic system).  This is the attitude to help your child.

Heidibaba

Jenny

marieyuen 寫道:

By the way, I thinks it's better to open another new topic about Jolly Phonics in a hurry, and leave this topic for discuss about Letterland.

Agree.  

bb517

請問邊度可買到letter land的教材?如vcd......
Thx!

Monita

You may check with  ETC (Educational Technology Connection Ltd.) at  26532789.

Jokey2828

Brought up for those parents who are interested in Letterland.

It would be a pity if Marieyuen's detailed analysis goes into archive.

Jokey2828

BBMMUMMY

My son is crazy about letterland.  He is just 3 years old in late April.  He learns the sound of the 26 letters within a month by himself through the alpbet song CD.  I do let him attend phonic course once a week but they are rather slow.  Only 1 letter a leasson.  After discussing with the teacher, they have added more in the course, such as simply blending, like "di, on, off".  The course also teach written letter.  It's better to say drawing.  Unlike copybook, their writting are very big and no limitation.  He now can draw nearly 10-20 letters.  Of course I tell him once or twice how to write those letters.  Last Sunday he write "caT" and tell that that is "c..cat".  He really write "caT' not "cat" becasue he still when should write small letter and when to write captial letter.  Anyway, I'm very very happy.  He can write at his 3 years old.

In fact, he push me to teach him.  He always asked for more that push to to learn more.  He now can manage the 26 letters + "sh" as begining sound and "s" and "t" as ending sound.  That the reasons why I've bought the expensive "rogramme 1 - Teachers' guide" at $390, very expensive.

In fact, I also struggle between Jolly and Letterland a month before becasue some people here said that Jolly is better.  I do have thinking of changing immediately while he hasn't learn much.  But I think now the situation is that my son already make the decision.  He seems cannot stop learning Letterland.

Jokey2828

Hi bbmmummy,

Glad to hear your successful story.

Jokey2828

BBMMUMMY

Jokey2828,

Thank you!
I just want to share what I have come aross with other mummy here.  

After noting different comments on Letterland and Jolly, I did seek advise from others.

One of my friend, a famous girl school english teacher, advise me that any system would do the same as normally children would forget when they  grow up.  Then, I ask my son's teacher, an English, she prefers Jolly becasue it is funny and children can learn very fast.  I also seek comment from my son's playgroup's teacher, she prefers Letterland becasue it's more fun and children learning Letterland would not forget becasue they are all storys.  That's the comment that I received.  Still in the cross road junction.

But their advice reminded me that children would forget phonic if they seldom practice it .  So, I decide to learn phonic by myself so that I can teach/remind my son when needed.  I've go thro. both Jolly's handbook and Letterland's teacher's guide.

I note that Letterland's teachers guide is very detail.  The teacher's guide not only tell you what to teach but also what to say and what to do in the lesson.  I believe that anyone by using of the guide book can delivery a very good lesson to children.  So, I 'm very confidence to let my son to attend Letterland phonic course.  In fact, there is no Jolly phonic course around my home.

Funny thing happened when I read the teachers guide.  My son think that I'm reading a story book because there are some pictures.  He urge me to read for him.   That fine.  I just read it loud while I'm reading.  Now, the teacher's guide become one of his story books.

I don't know if any one would interest my story but hope it may help others.

bb2001

Hello BBMMUMMY,

Can you share where to find the teacher's guide?

Thanks,
Jackie

BBMMUMMY

bb2001,

I bought it from ETC (Educational Technology Connection Ltd.).  As they only open on Wed. and Sat. from 10:00 to 16:00, I use their order form and pay by direct bank-in.  I received the "rogramme 1 - Teacher's Guide" 3 days after fax all details.  You may check with ETC at 26532789 before ordering.

bb2001

Thanks!

請問有冇人知道東區邊處有Letterland Phonics學呢？
或者有冇小組可以加入？

hinhin.mami

bb2001

you can ask ETC to fax you the list for the learning center.

hinhin.mami

bb2001 寫道:
Thanks!

請問有冇人知道東區邊處有Letterland Phonics學呢？
或者有冇小組可以加入？

christyltl888

ACmama,

what is the publisher and the actual name? pls let me know the details.  Thanks.

Christy