Were the "Dick and Jane" readers used in England?

31 replies

LadyTrieste · 30/04/2021 12:01

OH remembers growing up in the 1960s in the Midlands and learning to read at school using the "Dick and Jane" books. I think those books were only used in North America and so he must be remembering it wrong.
Does anyone know?

OP posts:

MrsMoastyToasty · 30/04/2021 13:11

I remember Peter and Jane books. They were numbered 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b etc depending on level of difficulty.
Does anyone remember Alpha and Beta maths books?

passthepoutine · 30/04/2021 12:42

Before Peter and Jane it was Janet and John. There were a few left over books in the classroom when I started school.

Totallydefeated · 30/04/2021 12:16

I remember Peter and Jane, and also there was a boy called Dick in some of my reading books.

Also a dog, who I think might have been called called Spot: ‘Run, Spot, run!

I could have conflated the dog’s name with the Spot books.

The ‘action’ I remember centred mainly on chasing balls and playing catch.

This was late 70s/1980 in London.

They were SO boring. I thought reading was the most boring activity on earth until I was a little older and the books improved. The reading books my five year old has now are quite an improvement, even given the limitations of needing to use simple vocabulary.

Seventrees · 30/04/2021 12:10

I read some Peter and Jane books with my daughter in the noughties - they were still being printed. I prefer that type of book (based on word recognition through repetition) to the phonics that are in favour now.

TaraR2020 · 30/04/2021 12:08

I think my mum had ones about Peter and Janet (?)

chrisrobin · 30/04/2021 12:04

My brothers and I learned to read with the Peter and Jane ladybird books (mid 70s, early 80s) perhaps that's what your OH is thinking of

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