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No reading books until after christmas

13 replies

MummyPig24 · 14/10/2012 07:39

Ds started Foundation Stage 2 this year (attended FS1 last year) and he is really enjoying it. We had parents evening last week and all went well, he is keen to learn, popular and apparently "gets" numbers (did not inherit that from me!) But when I asked about reading books the teacher said they will get them after Christmas. Ds school adopts a "creative curriculum" learning approach, with very little homework. This is great that it let's each child be individual in their work. But when I speak to friends with children at different schools, their children have had reading books since week 1 and various homework assignments (mostly creative). I don't want to push ds but he is 5 in a few weeks and keen to start reading. Are there any books I can get from the library or buy that are good first readers, he would really love to give it a go. Is anyone else's fs2 child in a school where this approach to learning is taken and how do you feel about it? Ds and I both adore the school and the teachers and I love the relaxed feel but I don't want him to be missing something that he wants to do. Also, I think smeone else asked about a leapfrog tag reader, any good? I've got him a leappad2 for his bday, is it worth having both?

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JasperStreet · 14/10/2012 07:55

DD is a keen reader and actually started by reading her old picture books to us at bedtime rather than the other way round. You can get hold of Oxford Reading Tree etc but I think it's more fun just to start with the books they already enjoy. Not convinced the tag reader is worth the money!

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RiversideMum · 14/10/2012 07:56

Just because your DS won't have a reading book until after Christmas does not mean that his teacher is not teaching him to read.

Ask your friends if their children are reading the books that they are being given. I mean properly reading, independently. If the answer is no - what is the point of them? I'd guess the adults are telling them what the words are and the children are repeating the words afterwards. I'd also guess that these are probably "look and say" type books with lots of repeated text and picture clues. Just a guess, but I think a teacher who is secure in teaching phonics properly would not give out books to a whole class unless they all knew all their letter-sound correspondences and how to blend for reading from day 1.

So back to your DS. He should be learning letter-sound correspondences in class. Even at the rate of learning 5 a day, the simple code will only just be covered by Christmas. Then your child needs to be secure in the skill of blending. So After Christmas sounds like a good bet to me for getting a book.

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mrz · 14/10/2012 08:13

I wouldn't worry about him not getting books as long as he is being taught how to read in school. Has the school explained how they teach reading? If he is being taught phonics as RiversideMum suggests then he is being given a better start than if they gave him books he can't read yet.
Many schools send books home from week one to "keep parents happy" rather than because it is best for the child.

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MegBusset · 14/10/2012 08:14

DS1's school don't send home reading books til Y1. He has learned to read just fine and enjoyed the 'proper' books he brought home, much more than boring Biff Chip & Kipper! I was a bit unsure about the policy but he is easily as fluent a reader as friends' DC from other schools who went through all the more basic levels.

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PastSellByDate · 14/10/2012 08:17

Hi MummyPig24

I think you have to go with the teacher on this - this is what she/he wants to do with the class and you have to give them the benefit of the doubt that there is good reasons for doing so.

My advice is that there is no reason why you can't be reading nightly with your child. Join a library and go to story times as well - if you really want to encourage this. Your reading to him is a real benefit. He's learning about books and how they work (so chose a range of things, fiction and non-fiction, poetry (which can be in fiction - i.e. The Gruffalo is in fact a poem). Talk about authors, illustrators, meaning of words and rhymes. All that is good and useful learning work at this stage.

If you want reading to be progressing and don't want to wait until January - try the jolly phonics workbooks. You shouldn't just hand these to him and leave him to it. But work through them with him and practice what he's learning when you read with him.

Some good e-book websites:

OXFORD OWL: www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Reading/
also lots of information about how to support early reading skills at home: www.oxfordowl.co.uk/GetReading and tips of phonics www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Question/Index/3

Mumsnet has links to free Pearson e-books:
www.mumsnet.com/learning/ebooks

HTH

HTH

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mrz · 14/10/2012 09:05

Personally I don't see that books need to be delayed until after Christmas if the school has good phonic reading books.
Once a child has been taught only a few sounds they are quite capable of reading simple texts independently.

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MummyPig24 · 14/10/2012 09:12

Thanks for the responses everyone. I definitely trust the teacher, I mean, she knows what she is doing, I don't! I just want ds to be able to read what he wants to read as he is eager but I guess it will come. Yes, they are taught phonics and are working on blending sounds to form words. They do "Read, Write inc". Although I need to research that as I don't really know what it includes. Does anyone use this?

We read every night and have been members of the library for a long time and ds enjoys choosing books, especially non fiction, but enjoys the many fictional books at home too. They get a "story sack" each week which has books and games to do with your child which is such a lovely idea.

I was just wondering why some achools give out reading/homework straight away and some dont and which is better?

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mrz · 14/10/2012 09:50
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simpson · 14/10/2012 10:27

DS did not get reading books in reception until feb IIRC (he is now in yr3).

DD is in reception and already has reading books (jolly phonics ones that they can sound out the words they do not know).

She gets loads of homework (more than DS ATM which is a whole different story!!). I would rather she did not get it, but she seems to enjoy doing it...

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allchildrenreading · 14/10/2012 10:48

Perhaps take a look at 4.10 month old Soren in this 7 minute video:



If little children want to read there are a number of carefully structured decodable readers.The important thing is to give them books that match their skills' level and also make reading fun for little ones.
It goes without sayint that the most important thing is to read them lots of stories, and also to check that when they start their reading journey at school that the books are appropriate - ie the original Biff and Chip books aren't decodable, Floppy's Phonics are.
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lljkk · 14/10/2012 10:56

DS is 4 & on RWI scheme: we get worksheets sent home for him to sound out, write the letters, try to blend simple words (okay, I do the blending, he's not mastered that yet for himself). So far we've had individual sheets for m a s d t i n p (the first 2 sheets), and one blending sheet for masd letters. Your school should explain their phonics system to you, how to make each sound in the way RWI does, to help you fully support.

We also get reading books with 2-5 words on each page, but they're pointless, I try to get him to pick out a few letters and occasionally there is a word he can sound out & I can blend for him. Otherwise it's just a story book like any other. I suppose he's getting to recognise the Chip+Biff characters which will help later. I would rather have wordless books, but guess this is okay.

I have a very abnormal 4yo who likes doing homework, it feels like he's doing tonnes to me just doing worksheets & picking out letters in everyday life. Oh, and very simple math (1+1=?, 3-2=?) stuff. Some abstract/mental & some practical.

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Tgger · 14/10/2012 19:53

Hi there,
DS didn't get books until January in Reception, he is now reading Horrid Henry very well in Y1, so I don't think it mattered...however we did do lots with him throughout the year as well as the school books, but not until after Christmas too.

If you are keen to make a start I would definitely recommend the Songbirds books by Julia Donaldson- actually we bought these in the Summer before Reception as DS had learnt a little blending in nursery and was keen to start reading. He could read the first 2 or 3 levels really before he started Reception- his nursery had taught him all the phonics he needed for this. They go up to level 6 but DS just read the first 3 levles then moved onto other things. We then left reading for the autumn term as he seemed flat out with settling into Reception etc and when he started in January he revisited the level 3 books before moving on and it wasn't long before he started to fly.

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kennythekangaroo · 14/10/2012 21:56

DD didn't get any books until January of reception last year - it drove me nuts! I was desperate for her to have one but her teacher said she wanted to wait till the children were confident with phase 2 letters and sounds.

However once she started having books the system must have worked for her as she leapt through the levels and was on purple by July (though many of the class were still on pink/red).

I did use ipad apps like pocket phonics with her and did lots of stuff with magnetic letters .

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