Five Reasons to Try The Five Minute Literacy Box

Five Minute Literacy Box is a multi-sensory literacy intervention providing early support or confidence boost in English, while highlighting potential signs of Dyslexia and specific learning differences. It can also be used for older students with gaps in their phonic knowledge. For over 15 years Five Minute Boxes have been raising attainment in schools across the world. Here’s why…

1. Strengthens Foundations of Literacy

The Five Minute Literacy Box is a multi-sensory phonics programme which not only provides resources to develop key skills for reading, spelling, and writing but also to enable the early identification of potential specific learning needs. The resources specifically focus on learning single sounds, early key words, and writing, through regular sessions. The structured programme leaves no gaps in learning, so a solid foundation of literacy skills is created. Suitable from school entry onwards, Five Minute Literacy Box gives targeted support for children at risk of educational disadvantage for any reason.

2.  Catch-Up on Confidence

Children using the Five Minute Literacy Box make real progress with their grapheme/ phoneme correspondence, keyword reading and spelling. A built-in initial and follow-up assessment clearly measures success and can be used alongside assessments already in place in school. As an example, monitoring the lowest performing 20% of learners in one school, 100% made progress in reading, while 95% improved spelling accuracy by a year or more. All learners improved self-esteem and confidence in learning, which was evident across the curriculum (Neilston & Madras Campus Pupil Equity Fund Report, 2018-19).

3. Personalised intervention

Self-help strategies are built into every session so children develop the tools for confident, independent learning which they can take into any situation. The child controls the pace of the session so has a sense of taking charge of their own learning and has a chance to overlearn elements they find more challenging. This way, skills are cemented and gaps in learning are avoided. The multi-sensory teaching approach means that support is adaptable to each child’s needs, also providing dynamic assessment of how a child learns best. Crucially, children build self-esteem by growing their skills and feeling empowered by their progress.

4. Manageable support

Five Minute Literacy Box can be used inclusively at reception (P1) and Key Stage 1 and sits well alongside other reading or spelling programmes that may be used in school. Targeting support in 5-minute sessions means reluctant learners are not overwhelmed and find the sessions manageable. The resources are created to maximise valuable teaching time with minimal preparation required. The box contains everything that is needed for each session including sound boards, keyword boards, plastic letters and keyword cards, a whiteboard and dry marker for writing. Progress trackers and assessment sheets help you to measure learning. With teaching professionals in mind, the resources are portable, reusable, and easy to manage in a school environment. There is an introductory video to get staff started with the intervention, and further training is available at an additional cost.

5. What the professionals say

“We have had this resource in school for some time but have recently rediscovered how good it really is. In these current times of stretched time and budgets, it is great to use something that is quick and low-cost but high impact. We have trained up new staff in how to use it and it really is a little gem! It’s easy to use, the kids love the little suitcase and familiar structure, and it is a great intervention to support sound acquisition, blending/segmenting and reading/writing Common Exception Words through distributed practice. I thoroughly recommend it!”

DB, SENCO, Holt Farm Infant School

 “What a wonderful resource the Five Minute Box has been in my current role. I have introduced the boxes to 4 of my schools who have taken them on board and launched them with huge success in their establishments. It has been refreshing to find a concise and highly useful resource to benefit our children.”
A.M. Specialist Support Teacher, South Lanarkshire

“We use them daily in KS1 as an early intervention tool and they’ve made a real impact on pupil progress. The children love the ‘special’ cases and the resources inside!”
M.S. Head of Learning Support, Highfield Prep School

Find more testimonials on our website.

Read the Teach Primary Magazine’s review here.

Start a FREE TRIAL in your school today. Visit our website for details or email info@fiveminutebox.co.uk

This blog was sponsored by Five Minute Box, they have chosen to support SENCOs through our network. Fiona and the team have done a great job in supporting our SEN pupils for many years, so take a look at what they offer.