Do other parents listen to your child read each week, one to one?

[Millionprammiles]

Dd's school has invited parents to become reading volunteers, working with (the same) one or two pupils, weekly over the course of the school year.
I'd always assumed children in primary schools were taught by staff (whether teachers, TAs or student teachers or similar), not other parents, so am a bit surprised.

There are already various reading/craft activity mornings that parents are invited to help out at (nothing unusual about that) but those don't apply to helping a specific child, just helping in the class generally. Most parents tend to help out their own child and other children who's parents they know relatively well.

Would the school need a parents permission before another parent could become this involved in their child's schooling? Would the volunteer parent be involved in writing feedback, eg in the child's reading diary or parents evening report?

It seems a bit odd.

[smellyboot]

At our office staff go in and do this in a nearby school to help out.

[WhisperingLoudly]

I think it's more odd to allow parents to come and volunteer for the class and then focus on their own child and their child's friends.

[coffeetasteslikeshit]

We have parents as reading volunteers at my son's school. Not sure if they stick to same children every week or not though.

[SavoyCabbage]

Yes. I remember parents listening to us read when I was at school and it's always been the norm as far as I'm concerned.

[Procrastinationismybitch]

I help out as a Parent Reader at my son's school and there it is only used as an extra opportunity for the children selected to get more time reading aloud and sharing/discussing books.

Sometimes the children selected are struggling with their reading, sometimes they are able readers but need a confidence boost, sometimes there are home situations which mean shared reading time at home isn't viable.

When I started I was advised that we certainly weren't expected to do any teaching, we were there primarily to get their confidence and enthusiasm up and to feedback any concerns or issues to the staff.

Obviously every school approaches things differently but I hope that helps a bit

[ThornyBird]

I used to be a parent volunteer one morning a week. I didn't to go into any of my own dc's classes though and worked mostly with children I didn't 'know'.

Some weeks I would be involved with craft stuff, some weeks listening to readers. I would write a comment in the diary just saying what we'd read together. I was given a copy of the register to work through so that over 2 weeks I would hear each child in the class. I worked with that particular teacher for 2 years before a change in the school's daily structure meant that I could only help in the afternoons (which I couldn't do).

That said, I am a qualified teacher who gave up to be a sahm so was technically more qualified than some of the paid TA staff and well aware of the need for professional behaviour/confidentiality/safeguarding etc.

[G1raffePicnic]

I do this at a junior school (yr 3-6). V quick "training" and off to listen to the children. There's several parents each morning in the library and either set children or classes.

It tends to be those who aren't listened to at home to be honest, and the children seem to like it.

[EskSmith]

My dd is in your and struggles with reading. She is heard at school every day. At least 3 of these days are by parent volunteers, to whom I am incredibly grateful. They write in her reading record, provide feedback to the teacher and are positive and encouraging to dd2.

[DustyMaiden]

It was the norm when my DS was that age. Every DC read to someone, every day. All of the pupils had very good reading skills.

[imsorryiasked]

DH does this - he goes in for half hour a week and hears 3 or 4 children read. They are all from DS' s class, teacher allocates them from a list. He has to write a brief note as a record of hearing them read.
He has been DBS checked for this and usually sits just outside the classroom in a corridor seating area as the classroom is too noisy / it would disturb the other children depending on lesson.

[EskSmith]

Sorry auto correct, is in year 3.

[smilingsarahb]

Hearing a reader isn't teaching. The teachers /TA etc will still do the teaching of all the skills that lead to a child learning to read, but there is a lot of evidence that practicing those skills very regularly helps. Most parents will hear their child read but some don't have time or skills or think it's important. I volunteer at a school to hear readers and basically I get the children whose parents can't or won't read with them at home. I tend to see the same children each week but it isn't formalised as the invitation your school has sent. The benefit of seeing the same ones is you develop a rapport with them. I don't do any feedback other than write in the reading record to say they were heard by an adult, and if I think they are finding the books the teacher gives to easy I just say to the teacher who might then benchmark them.

[MeetTheMartian]

Yes it is common to have parents coming over to volunteer and listen to children read on a 1-1 basis.
What would be more surprising is if the parent is concentrating on their child. The children who normally get the 1-1 are in priority the ones who are struggling with reading. Even though all of them should have some time with an adult.

[Millionprammiles]

Whispering - I think its more because parents don't want to terrify some poor 4 yr old who doesn't know them by demanding they sit down and be read to... The kids choose who they go to for help and tend to go to parents or teaching staff they know. If they were older kids they might behave differently.

It feels odd but reassuring to know its the norm. I suppose the school has some way of ensuring confidentiality though not sure how.

Bean - they'll be 'charting progress' though not sure what that really involves.

[spanieleyes]

The huge majority of children, of all ages, LOVE reading to visitors-for many it is the highlight of the week and they can't wait!

[MuppetsChristmasCarol]

This was normal 20yrs ago when I started primary and when I worked in a school more recently. The parents just sit and do 10mins of one to one reading with the pupils. They're not teaching, just giving children the opportunity to read aloud to an adult (and you'd be surprised how many parents don't bother to do this with their kids). A teacher doesn't have the time to do this every day.

[WhoKn0wsWhereTheMistletoes]

I did this for several years and always wrote in reading diaries, something like "pages 5 to 7, lovely clear reading" or similar. There should be a policy that the volunteers have to read and abide by regarding
confidentiality etc.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

Yep, this is common. Was common in the late 80s/ early 90s when I went to school though too as my mum used to do it.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

As for the craft days etc I think it is normal to help out your child but I've noticed I'll often end up helping other children too as do other parents if the teacher ends up with less than half the parents in the class turning up.

[PigletWasPoohsFriend]

This sort of thing has been going on for donkeys years.

[Chilver]

I am a parent volunteer in my DC's. class. I have a group of 11 children every week (those who need extra help) who I do phonics, tricky words with and listen to reading with. Sometimes I will do other skills with them too. I am there for a few hours although I understand this is unusual even in our school. I'm happy to help and enjoy it.

[catkind]

I help but not in my child's class; it is often but not always with the same children - generally the ones that need extra help. It's not instead of the teacher teaching or hearing them read, it's an extra. They want them to read to an adult as much as possible - they say they aim for 3x a week, once with TA, once with teacher and once with a volunteer.

[Witchend]

yes, very usual. I've done it myself. We weren't meant to write anything that wasn't positive in the reading record though. If there was an issue (either with struggling with the task or behaviourally) you spoke to the teacher and they'd take them through again and make appropriate comments if they agreed. (and didn't tell you if they agreed or not)

I've also helped in class with groups. I request in general not to have my dc unless I'm going through the whole class as I find it a tricky balance to go through. I did enjoy that, and it was nice particularly when I had a group I followed through all year-even got named in an end of year essay as one child's favourite teacher once apparently. Luckily his actual teacher thought it was funny. You do get fond of your group though-they're hulking great 16yos now and will call across the road to me (or bounce up behind and make me jump!)