Word Box Progression

[mr87]

My DD is in Reception this year. They are given a "word box" which is basically just a list of words to practice reading at home. My daughter always learns them quickly, within a week at least. Even so she gets sent home new ones fairly infrequently. She's on the 5th list after the conclusion of the term. I just figured they go slowly, but then another parent just mentioned that her son is on word box 10. I'm confused and feel like they're not progressing her through fast enough, but I guess maybe they know what they're doing? I don't want to sound like an idiot but have considered asking her teachers about it. What do you think?

[Lifeoverhaul]

Just ask them.

[Bowerbird5]

They probably have about 30 children to check as well as all the other lessons and assessments to check.

Give it a week or two when she goes back and just say that she learns them quickly. Is she able to recognise them in other areas? Some children rote learn words so make sure she isn’t doing this by writing them in different sizes and styles.You could make a treasure hunt game and check she can read each one. Make reading fun. Get her to write a shopping list by copying a few items. My daughter loved doing this and then finding them on the shelves. Chose small words like tuna to start with then extend as her writing improves.

And, yes, they know what they are doing!

[MrsKCastle]

And, yes, they know what they are doing!

Not necessarily. Sending home words in this way is a bit of a red flag. mr87 what kind of words are they? Are they 'tricky' words,so your daughter doesn't yet know the phonics to sound them out? And what message is being given about why and how to learn them? Are you being told to get the children to learn them by sight because they 'can't be sounded out'?

Personally, I would not worry too much about the word boxes. I would instead focus on your daughter's phonics and ensure that she is using the sounds she knows confidently to decode new words. That is what the school should be doing, but it sounds as though they may not be doing this as well as they should.

[Norestformrz]

"And, yes, they know what they are doing!" Not if they're sending home boxes of words to memorise as wholes they don't