to think that if ds only gets to read with someone at school once a week or less....

[mychatnickname]

that he should get to read more than three pages of his book.
He doesn't sound out and is very fluent (reads a bit too quickly and needs to slow down) so that must take about 3 mins max.

I asked him if the person he read with asked any questions about the story and he said no (he's usually fairly reliable so I imagine that's true).

[curlymama]

I expect the school is doing the best they can. I wouldn't worry as long as you are reading at home.

Have you offered to go into school and listen to children read?

[mychatnickname]

Yes we go into read once a week in reception (ds in year 1).

[ChippingIn]

I don't think once a week is enough, irrespective of how long it is for. I wish schools would focus more on reading/maths/writing and a lot less on the 'topic' of the time. IMO too much time is spent on art/nativity/harvest festival etc etc

However, if you are listening to him at home, then it's not really a problem is it, it's the children who don't get listened to/read to at home that will really suffer from this lack of reading time at school. Mind you, maybe those children get more time at school if they are struggling.

Are you concerned about his comprehension or are you happy with that?

[emy72]

ChippingIn, I agree, I wish they did more reading at school. We have the same as the OP.

People always think "well families can do this at home every night" - sadly, this is not always possible because families do have their own circumstances too. And it's not just the deprived families either.

We read loads with DD1 last year, but this year, especially in the last couple of months we've had lots of circumstances, which meant we have not read much with DD1. I haven't seen any evidence whatsoever that this has been done at school either.

The point about reading helpers I believe is a bit of a red herring one:
1 - because a lot of schools don't allow it;
2 - because a lot of parents work, so can't do it
3 - I have been told repeatedly by teachers that they are specifically trained to hear children read so can pick/unpick lots of things. I am not trained, nor English is my first language (I am hopeless at expression, intonation and DD is picking up mine, which sounds quite funny actually).

[amateurmum]

I rarely hear children in my class read individually - we do guided reading instead which is a much more efficient way of teaching reading and comprehension skills.

[mychatnickname]

Yes but how often do you do that Amateur?

Ds has done guided once this term and I'm not convinced about the group he's in (another thread entirely).

I am not especially worried about ds' reading as he is very good but it's the principle of it. I fully buy into the idea we should support school and read with him but it should be a joint effort not 95% us 5% school!

[SingySongy]

In reception, my son used to read to somebody once every three weeks. Generally that somebody was a very lovely parent helper, who none the less had not so good English as a second language. He read to the teacher or LSA about once a term I reckon.

My son was a fluent reader at that point, and we read lots at home, so I'm sure there were other children who the school saw as greater priorities, and who hopefully got to read more often.

I thought it was appalling though. And it was one of the reasons why we moved him.

[SingySongy]

In his new school, btw, all the children read to a member of staff every day. Just a page or so. Great.

[amateurmum]

With my Y3 class, I hear the most able children read once a week in a group. The least able 3 times (but can be twice on busy weeks). This would be a 20 minute session each time.

With the most able children I often hear them read on an ad hoc basis e.g. reading work instructions to the class, reading part of a shared story in the literacy session.

In an ideal world, I would hear them read much more often but in a busy classroom it is very difficult to find the time and opportunity.

[mumto2andnomore]

YABU.At my school the children dont read individually to adults at all, its a horrible waste of time. Instead they have daily phonics sessions and guided reading at least once a week.

[JamieLeeCurtis]

At my sons' school they do Supported Reading in year 1, during the first term. Every day for 30 mins a teacher/TA/ parent volunteers goes through a book systematically with small groups - following a "script" which focusses on different things, depending on the ability level of the group - sounding out, picture cues, comprehension, rearranging words into a sentence or letters into a word, sometimes writing.

Then they move to Guided Reading in term 2.

It's quite an intensive system, designed to get them up to speed quickly

[Caboodle]

I really wouldn't like DS to not have the chance to do the art/topic/harvest stuff - it's just as important IMO. Of course, we could all pay more tax and then we could have smaller class sizes and teachers would have the time to listen to every child read regularly.

[muddleduck]

Ds1 is in yr 1 and has read with his teacher once in the last month.

I'm not that bothered tbh. He is a fluent reader and I think there are more important ways for her to spend her time. If he was struggling it would be different.

[ChippingIn]

Caboodle - I didn't say they shouldn't spend any time on those things, I said I would prefer they didn't spend as much time. It has nothing to do with how much tax we pay - it is how it is spent.

Mumto2 - listening to children read is a horrible waste of time?????

[huddspur]

YANBU but I'm not surprised, my brother is 11 but has a reading age of 8 and yet his school have made no effort to help him.

[greenbananas]

Well, I don't think you are being unreasonable - but I seem to be in the minority.

The group stuff that other posters have described is no doubt great for the majority of children, but will always fail to deal wth the few who do not share the same learning style as the rest. As somebody who has spent time 'picking up the pieces', working with children who differ from the others in various ways, it makes me rather sad.

Children are all individuals and there is nothing quite like individual attention. But schools do have limited resources

mychat, judging by what you've written today, you seem like a parent who makes sure your DS gets the input he needs. I wonder if the school are concentrating their reading efforts on the children who do not get to read aloud at home... not 'fair', but understandable in a way...

[mychatnickname]

Yes ds is lucky as we have the time and ability to read with him at home and it's the kids who don't get that who I feel sorry for.

Some of the weaker readers get read with daily from what I know so the contrast is stark.

I just timed him (covertly!) doing the next three pages in the same book which are a similar length and it took all of about 70 seconds. And those were a first time read too so it's not any different.
I asked him if he discussed what the book was about before he started or after and he is sure they didn't. So that's 70 seconds a week

[vanitypear]

Guided reading sounds a bit rubbish for those who are either ahead of the pack or behind, no?

[mumtoabeautifulbabyboy]

Teachers teach children the skills to be able to read. Practising these skills (reading aloud) is important but anyone can hear them do it. That is why parental support is invaluable.
I think you will find that children who need a lot of support will have been identified by the school and time will be spent teaching them the skills needed in order to be able to read.
Individual reading (as opposed to guided reading which is useful) with the class teacher is, for most children,a waste of the teacher's time - time which would be better spent teaching the children.

[yellowkiwi]

Your ds will be doing lots of reading in class even if he is not reading his reading book to his teacher. He'll probably do guided reading every week and phonics every day. On top of that he will be doing literacy every day and that will involve a number of reading actvities that will teach him how to read. For many schools the reading book is mainly for practising those skills at home.

[mumtoabeautifulbabyboy]

teachers don't just give a 20 min input at the start of the lesson then sit at their desk while the children get on with it! They then move to teaching guided groups/managing behaviour tc. What would the rest of the class be doing while the teacher is hearing 30 children read for 5-10 mins each?
I would be less impressed with this as a parent.

[mumtoabeautifulbabyboy]

vanitypear
Guided reading is an excellent way in which to challeng and extend the more able as well as supporting the less able.
My class love the discussions and learning they can do in a small group with the teacher where they feel confident amongst others of similar ability.

[greenbananas]

mumtoabeautifulboy - do you have support staff / volunteers who could be helping with the reading? How do you ensure that those who are struggling get the input they need? How do you make sure that every child gets some individual attention?

[mumtoabeautifulbabyboy]

greenbananas
I have a fantastic TA who spends her mornings teaching phonic and comprehension knowledge to 3 seperate groups of children who are all working at different phases. She will hear them read key texts that she has created to support the particular objective.

She then provides wave 3 maths support to chidren who have difficulty understanding key objectives. Long gone are the days TAs were there for photocopying/clearing up etc! It would be lovely if we could spend the day listening to children read their reading scheme books but it would also be a waste of teaching time when they should be practising their reading at home.Actually most do in our school, we are lucky to have mainly fab parents).

I obviously hear the children read at many points during the week in different situations across the curriculum but the individual reading scheme reading the OP is referring to - I just don't have time to do.

In the afternoon, individual and groups of children are taken out of the class for various intervention strategies according to their needs - ranging from literacy/numeracy to SEAL/anger management/self esteem programmes.

I believe we are doing a great job at supporting the needs of all children in our school but if parents were to judge us (which they don't!) on the teacher comments in the reading records sent home, then they may not think so.

[greenbananas]

" Long gone are the days TAs were there for photocopying/clearing up etc!"

• so very true (I have worked as a TA fairly recently and do understand this) and I'm sure you and your TA do a wonderful job of supporting children as well as you can.
  

"...we could spend the day listening to children read their reading scheme books but it would also be a waste of teaching time when they should be practising their reading at home" - I know you are right and that children "should" be practising their reading at home - but not all children get the opportunity.

About 3 years ago, I spent a whole term just hearing children read (as part of a school literacy drive). With that one-to-one attention, some of the children went up 3-4 levels on their reading scheme (within about 3 weeks!) - and their self-esteem was boosted enormously. I'm not criticising their teachers, who were lovely if a bit overworked, but I do feel very strongly that nothing beats that individual attention.