Reading & Writing in reception class?

[Emperorsnewclothesshow]

Well, that really: are kids meant to learn to read and write in reception class. I have so far heard different takes on that, so does it depend on the school as well? Or on the child?

Thanks

[rrbrigi]

In my son's class everybody started to learn read and write, they are probably in different level, but all of them practice reading and writing in the Reception.

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

DS is in Reception. He is learning to read and write through a phonics programme. He brings home a work sheet to show me every day for the letter or sound they have been working on. He learns to read the letters and sounds and to write them correctly in the same session. He is better at reading than writing at the moment!

[freetrait]

Yes they do, but it is slowly slowly catchy monkey and depends on the child on how far they get. DS learnt to read in Reception, learnt to write the letters and could write a sentence by the end of the year R. His spelling was phonetic and often "wrong". Now in Y1 he can write a story and his spelling is often but not always "right". I would say he learnt to write more in Y1 than YR.

[simpson]

DD does a lot of writing in reception (but then she loves it).

They write shopping lists, descriptions of animals (some kids can just manage a couple of letters), labelling basic diagrams (ie a picture of a flower and the child writes leaf, petal, stem etc)...

Reading wise the children have daily phonics lessons "sound time" and are listened to at least once a week 121 sometimes more.

[Periwinkle007]

in my daughter's reception class

daily phonics session, think they have done 44 different? This term they have tested them and will be revising different ones with different groups depending on what they need to work on. they do some group reading as a whole class on the interactive white board and 1to1 reading twice a week and can have up to 3 reading book changes a week.

writing wise they do some every day now I think, didn't initially though. Some children will write very little, others will write a lot, depends on the child and their ability. I think it is introduced and encouraged in reception and then in yr1 it is more a case of it is expected and they will work on expanding it and accuracy.

[givemeaclue]

Yes they do a lot of phonics, reading, writing, numeric. Its amazing how quick they learn to read.

[HorryIsUpduffed]

In DC1's class most of them have at least started now, seven months in.

They are shown what avenues it opens up for them - reading for pleasure and exploration, writing for creation and self-expression and communication, rather than as a chore or academic exercise. Lots of emphasis on effort, hardly any on accuracy.

I'm actually amazed how far along they've come in a very short time, especially given how much playing and painting and getting muddy they seem to do!

[TimothyClaypoleLover]

OP, do you mean learn in reception as opposed to later than reception or earlier?

My DD is pre school age and where I live a lot of the pre schools are teaching kids to read and write before reception.

[freetrait]

define "to read and write". Copying is not writing. Jolly phonics is not reading. Grump.

[TimothyClaypoleLover]

freetrait - well, I have visited several pre schools recently and most of them have demonstrated to me that they are getting the kids to write their names and other simple words without copying and reading words from a book. Obviously some kids are better than others but I was pretty gobsmacked to be honest as I didn't think kids learnt to read and write until starting school.

[freetrait]

Well, actually, I shouldn't react too strongly should I, as my DD is that age, she's almost 4.5 and can write her name and simple words without copying and can read simple words . Some of this she's done in her school nursery class and we've done a fair bit at home too as she enjoys it.

However....drum roll.... she has an Autumn birthday and she was interested and able. Somehow, when you mentioned pre-school I think of 2 and 3 year olds as pre-schools in this area are that age, then they go to school nursery.

[TimothyClaypoleLover]

In my area pre schools start from 2 years 6 months but most are 3 and 4 year olds.

[givemeaclue]

Mine couldn't read at all before school but reading very well after two terms and filling whole pages of writing, not copying, spelling is hit and miss though. Dd by herself wrote a list of 20. Birds this week but penguin and flamingos not spelt right, the rest were though. Could only write her name before starting school.

[learnandsay]

I think they make a start if they haven't done any before. If they've done a lot before then it probably depends on the individual school and Reception teacher. I don't think technically my daughter has learned anything about reading and writing in school that she didn't already know but I do think her confidence has gained greatly.

I'm hoping in Y1 she'll start coming home able to do things that I didn't teach her myself. If not then no harm done, I suppose.