Guided reading - what is best

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

My daughter is in a great primary school in inner city London. Really mix of children and high amounts of FSM and ESOL. I have a huge amount of respect for the staff and quality of teaching. She is in reception and is old for the year as well as being quite bright. She has done very well in her reading and has is on green ( though frankly she needs to be moved up). The school started moving her up twice a week to year 1 but this has stopped in preparation for daily 'guided reading' groups which was introduced with much fan fare in a letter to parents and kids all excited. She came home this week upset that everyone is going to groups but not her.The problem is she's the only one on green so she there is no-one to 'group' with. The TA said they have to keep it ' in class' so she couldn't go to year 1 so they are doing reading with her on 121 on a regular basis. She told me today that she ran round the gym (supervised) while the others they did reading. I do not want to be 'one of those parents' and it is only reception but equally can't work out whether they should be really finding a way to support her. We do loads of reading at home so could up that .

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

Sorry, should add I appreciate they are supporting her by 121 but she doesn't equate it as what her peers are doing

[Iliketeaagain]

My dd is reading (and understands) above average level - she's now at the top of the reading tree in year1, and I felt the books she's getting are boring her.
BUT, I think the teacher does the reading with whatever resources she has and how dd reads at school, so we just read other stuff at home.
We've read a few Roald Dahl books, some Enid blyton and recently started one of David Walliams book.

And I push her to read whatever book she brings home from school so we can write it's completed in her reading record.

I figure they are assessing what she does at school and maybe she's at that right level, maybe she isn't but I really just want her to have a love of reading irrespective of what level she's assessed at school.

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

I would ask for her to be included with the most able group. Ds was a free reader early in reception but for guided reading he still went in with top group. They don't just read, they look at comprehension, expression etc. He was probably reading stage 5/6 ort (sorry can't remember colours) in the group and chapter books for his reading book.

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

That's what I thought they would do shouldwe. But they seem to be opposed to this. I'm keen that she learns expression and has a group experience... But I don't want to be precious ...

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

PS her really good friend is in the 'top group' she's probably 2 levels below but surely there must be a year 1 group on her level. She loved going to year 1 before

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

Two levels isn't much and it can change quickly if her friend for example hasn't been assessed for a while, or develops her expression more....

I would just go in and say that she is really upset that she isn't in a group and could she go into the top yr R group. The trouble with going across year groups is that they might do guided reading at different times so she might miss out on something in reception and then still not have anything to do when reception do guided reading - it wasn't at such a fixed time as phonics was when lots of children moved. They might think she is happy running around the hall. It is also a good lesson in turn taking and learning from others. Ds said the books were a bit more boring (for him there was a huge gap) but they sometimes read through plays etc which he enjoyed and he enjoyed sharing books with his friends and reaffirming for himself he was the best reader, we moved schools and he's not as exceptional now!!

[user789653241]

My ds started orange in September, moved to purple two weeks later, and again to lime in spring and became free reader summer term of reception. He was still included in top group through out KS1, even other children was below his levels. They sent him to other year group for letter and sounds, but kept him in class for guided reading. I don't think it done any damage to him, since the teacher/ TA can ask different sort of question to him. And reading books together with other children seemed fun for him. He didn't care about the level of books he was reading for guided reading, because it was more about understanding text and inferring etc, rather than just for decoding.

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

Thanks for views. Really really helpful. I think I will go in and talk about her joining the top group. She is a good reader but if I am absolutely honest, this is because of her amazing memory and less about phonics so some additional decoding support would be good. I am not worried about individual support as she gets that at home - we can't stimulate the group though

[MrsKCastle]

Definitely let them know that she's unhappy. If they make a big deal out of the whole group thing, they can't just leave one child out. As for the running around the gym, that's just bizarre and completely unnecessary. If it's reading time in class, she should be reading, not doing something completely different. Assuming that she doesn't have a special needs that makes running particularly beneficial? (I'm guessing not.)

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

Mrscastle- no special needs at all. Angelic at school (not the same at home)

[CodyKing]

Guided reading is about questioning what they read -

What is inferred by the text - rather than them being able to read

There maybe a reason she's not in the top group - you need to ask

But it shouldn't be down to reading "levels"

There will be a list usually AF number / ask for a copy of what your DD needs to be doing

[CodyKing]

www.fcceprimary.co.uk/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/reading_objectives.pdf



This type of thing

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

Thanks for this, from the conversation with the TA she's top of the class and there is no one else to 'group with' rather that lack of comprehension etc which is excellent. My view is potentially is this gap is going to exist for some time and possibly well into year 1 and they need to come up with a longer term solution

[MrsKCastle]

I think it's ridiculous for the school to say 'There's no one else to group with.' No matter how bright and far ahead at reading your DD is, IME she could still benefit from reading and discussing books with other children. They could put her in a group based around comprehension rather than decoding, even have the teacher read a story aloud and then the group discusses it. I often find that some of the children who are less secure at decoding can make really perceptive and insightful comments during discussion of a text. I'm a firm believer in discussion as a good way of developing understanding of texts.

Ask the school two questions:

1. How do they plan to provide the teaching and practice she needs to develop her reading skills?
   
2. How will they ensure that she continues to feel part of the class and doesn't start seeing herself as different to/better than/isolated from the others?

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

I think I will get DH to make an appointment to see the teacher after school. It won't be possibly for me to see them until Friday by which time this will have been going on for nearly two weeks. I will show him this thread

[Toomanywheeliebinsagain]

Just to say update on this. My DH met with the class teacher today. The literacy lead was also there apparently having been asked by the class teacher to assess my daughter earlier in the day. There is no other child in the three form entry that is close enough to pair her with but they are going to group her with some children from year 1. They also stuck her up another level after assessment. I think this is a good response so thank you for reassuring me. At parents evening i think I could ask what they plan to do next year but we don't need to worry about that yet

[MrsKCastle]

Glad you've got an outcome you're happy with. By next year, you may well find that some other pupils have caught up- they're at the age when reading can just 'click' and they leap ahead.