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Hi, wondered if anyone could help.
My friends DD is in Reception and is an August baby. They are using the RML scheme, so far she is being sent home some sounds, a few tricky words and a sharing libary book, but no actual 'reading' book as yet. My son is doing oxford reading tree and has had a reading book for him to read since September so she is a little concerned, (her daughter does seem to have some learning problems). I don't know much about RML at all, her MIL who is a TA at a different school said that their children don't get reading books till end of Reception/beg of Y1 using RML. Could someone in the know tell me if this is the norm? I'm aware that this is a highly phonic scheme, do children have a be able to blend/ know so many sounds before they get a reading book for them to read themselves? She's going into school after half term to chat to the teacher but wondered if anyone who has experience of this scheme could tell me how the progression works.
Thanks

DD (May born) also attends a school which teaches reading using Read Write Inc. DD started bringing reading books home from the first week she started school in September - sometimes ORT ones, sometimes Ruth Miskin ones - all with very simple words. We read them together at first, and then she started reading them herself after a few weeks.
Though our school teaches using Read Write Inc., they seem to give a mix of reading books to the children, which are changed 3 times a week. Have never been sent home with sounds or tricky words to learn though.

At my DS's school they only send reading books home once they are ready, this varies from the first week of YR through to the Spring term usually, not necessarily dependant on age but on ability. I have no experience of this particular scheme but until the children know the phonics really well there doesn't seem much point in sending reading books home as I would imagine its better for them to actually be able to read words properly by building the sounds rather than guessing them/learning them parrot fashion. A lot of parents complain though as they see other children getting reading books - there is always so much competition it seems.

I think it varies so much from child to child, my DS1 knew all his phonics at 2 and was able to read any phonetically built words at 3 so could build his vocabularly knowledge from there and had a reading age of 6-7 before starting school, my DS2 is nearly 4 and knows very few phonics at the moment as really isn't interested so will probably be one of the children getting reading books later in the term but at the end of the day they shouold all be reading by the end of Year R.

I don't understand why the children haven't had books yet. They should, surely, have learned at least one way to represent each of the 44 'sounds' and that offers the potential for an awful lot of words on which to practice decoding and blending in the context of reading simple stories (though don't expect exquisite prose!).

Most of the Phonics reading instruction programmes (including RWI) have 'books' which children can start quite early on. I am not an expert on EY, but I would have thought that even the children who are slow to learn could have coped with some very simple decodable books by now (even if only of the 'cat in a hat, dog on a log' variety). I could understand that one or two who struggle to blend might not be able to cope with a 'book' but the rest?

I suspect that this is the sort of practice which gives 'phonics' a bad name and leads to accusations of 'withholding books from children'

On the other hand, a 'book' isn't the only source of text to read...

But far better 'no books' than get ruddy ORT to struggle through

Maizie - I thought RWI books are normally read in class (over a week) and not sent home to parents.

That's why schools send home ORT older books......

And RWI starts with 'ditty's not books.....

Indigo it's been a few years since I had anything to do with RML but I think you're spot on there.

Thank you, I'll pass on whats been said. Think she does definately need to speak to the school as it seems that there is variation even with schools using this scheme.

DDs school is on Read, Write Inc. We get sent home:

Sounds folder - A4 sheets with the phonics letters being covered that week, latest one had oa, ee and er

My Sound Cards - 'Please help me to make sounds using these cards' individual cards with the letters on that get dropped all over the floor for the dog to walk over

My Words - A4 sheets with ten words on, 'please draw smiley faces next to the words I can read'we're three sheets in on this one, latest one had back, and, get....

NO books yet but plenty of encouragement by the school to read cereal packets, books at home, road signs, etc. at home.
Older DS, at a different school, had Jolly Phonics so this is certainly different but every week that goes by without Biff and Chip is a good week

IB, I stand corrected (but the 'ditties' are in 'books' aren't they?) Told you I wasn't an EY expert

TakeYourScaffolding.. has said what I was trying to say, though.

I said: On the other hand, a 'book' isn't the only source of text to read...

TYSWY says:

NO books yet but plenty of encouragement by the school to read cereal packets, books at home, road signs, etc. at home.

I said: But far better 'no books' than get ruddy ORT to struggle through..

TYSWY: but every week that goes by without Biff and Chip is a good week

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-Write-Inc-Phonics-Storybooks/dp/0198462530/ref=pd_sim_b_7

Here you are, if you've got £10. This is what my son has sent home now, or this series and can manage very well. If you want even easier, then http://www.amazon.co.uk/Read-Write-Inc-Phonics-Book/dp/0198386656/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328874497&sr=1-1- this series overlaps with the one I've mentioned.

They are great for my son who is very good on the phonics they have learnt so far.

I know of schools that have been massively criticised by inspectors in the past by sending home lots of reading work- the implication being that the parents are doing the teaching not the teachers. I also know many, many parents who do not welcome the glut of homework that often greets them. If you aren't sure, talk to the class teacher, as for more or visit the library.

DS's school use RWI and he is in YR - they have a tin of sounds with short words being added every so often. They also get a book each week (ORT 1, 1+ at the moment) but they have told us this is purely for home reading, they are not being heard at school yet as the other literacy work they are doing is taking priority at the moment.