Reception reading books- how often?

[onebadbaby]

Please could any reception class teachers tell me how often they change children's reading books and what criteria they base this on.

When I taught reception I used to change books around 3 times a week for those that were around average and read at home regularly- I based this on the child reading the book once initially, with lots of discussion and adult support, and then again the second night as a reinforcement and with more independence. If the child had struggled slightly or not read at home I might have asked them to keep it for longer, but as most children are on the correct level for ability then they can pretty much memorize it after reading a couple of times. I thought most teachers would do similar things.

My dds teacher seems to expect her to have a book for a week- she hardly ever reads at school and the teacher has started adding in activites with the books- ie worksheets or picture cards to order. DD is reading level 2 Oxford Reading Tree. I don't really want to go in and complain as I feel as a fellow teacher I might be treading on her toes a bit, but I always thought that regular book changes kept interest up for children, and can't really see any benefit of reading the same text numerous times.

What do other teacher's do- am I right to worry, or am I just behind the times with latest initiatives?

[MiaWallace]

I'm not a teacher but dd is listened to at least twice a week. Once by her teacher and once by the TA.

She brings home a new book every night which gets changed as long as I make a comment in her reading journal.

She is in reception.

[siblingrivalryisrelative]

DS is in reception and rarely gets listened to by anyone. Since September he's been listened to twice as far as I can see from his reading diary.

He does bring home a new book every day though. Although, if we don't get around to reading it for whatever reason, then I just write in his diary that we need to keep it a bit longer.

[onebadbaby]

Thanks- I used to listen to each child once a week, and TA once a week- also TA or parent helper tried to listen to those who had no support from home every day. My dd has read to her teacher twice since September- and a TA a handful of times.

[sylar]

DS is in reception and is listened to every day. It sounds like there is a wide spectrum of practices.

If you're concerned can you move her on yourself by reading other stuff?

[onebadbaby]

We already read and share lots of books together at home, both reading type books and 'real' books. I just wondered what went on in other schools, I am just surprised at the lack of regular reading in school, and can't really see a good reason for it.

[Michaelah]

Our school changes them daily unless not read at home. I am a parent reader for reception, one of three, and from looking in their books, they are expected to read nightly at home and with a teacher 1/2 a week, and a parent reader 1/2 times a week. Hope helpful

[onebadbaby]

Thank you for the replies- it is looking like most schools still do similar to how I did it- might have to mention it to dds teacher...

[lilmissmummy]

Our school does it every Monday and Friday but she does get 2 books each time. She also reads to either the teacher or the teaching assistant every Monday or Friday. We read every night together and try and read things other that The Oxford Reading Tree (also level 2).

[ShoshanaBlue]

We have guided reading in school twice a week and individual reading once a week. We are also Reception.

I'm very happy with that. I do know of a school locally where they read every single day individually, but they have a very very strict scheme (every child must read every single book of the scheme and every child must bring home a book that is quite far below their actual reading ability so that they never get it wrong!)

Our school seem to mix and match schemes and orders (we've done Ginn and Oxford Reading Tree level 5).

We are expected to read daily at home, but I would say that we read a mixture of real books and her reading book from school gets read about 4 or 5 times.

[ChocHobNob]

My 4 yr old who is in reception gets a new reading book every week and his "reading day" is a Tuesday. I'm not sure if he reads with anyone on any other days. He has memorised most of the words in the book by the time he comes home on the day of getting the book, so having it for a week is a bit pointless in my opinion and I'm quite surprised how many people get books every day or more frequently.

We read with him every day at home, either his school book or one of his own.

He's moving schools next week though so will wait and see what their reading schedule is like.

[princessparty]

MY DD is heard once a week 'guided reading and once on her own.There is a box of reading books for each coloured book band on the table in the classroom and the child or parent/child can take up to 2 boooks as often as they like - every day if they want.
In the box are several schemes Ginn, ORT and one or 2 others
But I have subscribed to a website called 'reading chest' which loan out reading books.Our school aren't so good for phonic books, so I have been getting them from here.

[shushpenfold]

Perhaps a daft answer, but when the book is finished. My daughter reads daily (keen) and has a new book every day because of that.

[katylou25]

My ds has 2 books at a time and they're changed twice a week so 4 a week - that seems to work quite well as he reads each 2 or 3 times. Is on yellow level books which often have new words (to him) in them so needs the repetition to reinforce this. Reads 2 times a week on average in school. 1 x group reading, 1 with teacher/ta/parent.

[LadyG]

2/week but we read other things most nights eg he reads to baby sister or we read alternate pages of his bedtime book. He seems to be stuck on level 2 ORT (for the last term!) and can read them straight off but am not really bothered as long as he reads something to me every night.

[peroni]

I can understand that teachers are under time pressures and might only be able to hear children read every day but I don't really see why school reading books can't be changed more often - either by parents or helpers or teachers. I got a bit frustrated at the amount of books my dd was bringing home each week and so like princesparty joined www.readingchest.co.uk aswell. Now not so bothered when books don't come home from school so often as I've got extras.

[MiaWallace]

Another fan of reading chest here.

Dd's school only read ORT so it's nice to have some variety. Dd does read 'normal' books too but I like reading chest because I know they are at the right level for her

[fabhead]

Ours change daily apart from the odd day when they don't do reading at school the following day to get a new one - swimming gala, sports day etc. I actually sometimes wonder if this is too much as the books seem to change every day irrespective of how well he read them or whether or not he mastered new words. All ORT too.

[debs227]

I'm slightly worried as according to DD's reading diary (reception) she has only been listened to at school once every two weeks!! either by a TA or the teacher. we read with her every night but i am worried that she should be doing more in school!! or maybe they concentrate on the children that aren't listened to at home

[debs227]

she has a new reading book everyday

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

Ds gets 2 new books, twice a week.

[zippy539]

Bit shocked by how many folk have new books evey day!

In these parts children in reception have one book a week - they read it (2 days) then have activities based on it (another two days).

Had no idea that this was unusual.

[Shaz10]

My class (year 2) changed them whenever they wanted. Some would change them every day, some once a week, some never. They would be heard by the TA once a week usually, and I would hear them in a guided read once a week at least. The guided reading book has nothing to do with the books they take home, so maybe she is being heard without using the home books.

[gleegeekgleek]

Shaz, would the guided reading book normally be at vaguely the same level as the ones sent home?

Ds has orange books home but was reading a red book in his guided reading group the other day which made me

[Shaz10]

Oh, now there was a thread about that a few weeks ago. Something to do with practising comprehension? It's not something I've ever done but I can see how it might help with those who "read" beautifully but don't actually take any of it in. I assume it's not a regular thing.
Myself, the guided reading book is one colour harder than the take-home. But I'm a traditionalist.

[gleegeekgleek]

That makes sense. I have no idea what level the other books they've done in guided reading are but yes, maybe if some in the group's comprehension hasn't kept up it might make sense to do that.