Is it normal for teachers not to read much to children in reception?

[MissGruffalo]

My little girl is in reception.
Every term they have a different book topic (hungry caterpillar, 3 little pigs etc)

Instead of reading the stories to them, they put it on the tv for them to watch.
I don’t mind tv for little ones but is this normal for reception age?

Maybe it’s animated and has the words displayed so the children can see it more clearly on a big screen? I wouldn’t think it’s a problem, I’m sure they are doing plenty of reading in addition to these shared texts.

If you think they aren’t, or you are concerned, arrange a short appointment and ask.

Oh it’s not a problem, I was just surprised I guess!
She has come on loads with her reading since starting so they’re definitely doing something right I read to her lots at home so it’s not like she’s missing out.
The tv was only wheeled out for special occasions when I was at school but she tells me they watch it everyday...

Have you only just realised? Surely she’s been in reception for nearly to and a half terms now?

Also, if you’re in the UK, it’ll be a smartboard. I don’t know any schools that still use TVs.

I'd like to know more about this if it was me.

No, it's not OK to plonk the DC in front of the TV instead of storytelling, of course not.

But is this what's actually happening? I'd make some enquiries before going in all guns blazing. eg do they read the stories to them also? If not, do they have a justifiable reason for watching it not reading it?

But I'd want to know as it's a pretty rubbish on the surface of it .

My kids were read to every day in reception

Ah ok, I didn’t realise you were envisioning an actual tv. Have you been invited into the classroom to see the technology for yourself? There are lots of amazing resources now, used daily throughout primary school.

Your title suggests you think your child’s teacher is not reading to the children, which would indeed be unusual. Very unlikely to be the case. Pop into school the next time they have an open evening and see for yourself.

I'm sure they are still read to daily but displaying the stories visually they're learning about helps their imaginations.

Ah no, I know classrooms are different compared to when I was at school.
In the classroom they have a big screen which is kind of like a big computer I guess. They’re not actually wheeling in a crusty old tv.
I always knew they watched tv, it was only this evening when I asked if she enjoyed the teacher reading this terms story, she told me the teacher has never read it to them... and that the teacher doesn’t read them stories anymore 🤷‍♀️

But, she’s 5. I know I can’t take it as gospel.

Not sure how I could approach this with her teacher without sounding accusatory.

I don't think I would believe her. I would at least check it out with the teacher because it would be pretty unusual for them not to be reading.

Honestly, kids talk all sorts of crap at that age (or maybe they just don't remember being read to) she will be getting read to each day possibly by the TA if not the teacher. I wouldn't say anything - it would be quite embarrassing if you took the word of a 5 year old as gospel and turned out to be wrong.

Watching stuff on the smart board can be a completely different experience to watching stuff on the tv. Think of the smart board as more like a giant iPad! I imagine that they are watching the story with the words on the screen and there are some interactive activities. We used to read books on the iPad in reception using the bug club ap. maybe it is something like that?

If they are focusing on one story a term I would imagine that they experience that story in lots of different ways, at least that’s what they do in our school. So they will have the books out for the kids to look at, read it to the whole class or in little groups, watch it come to life on tv and through role play/ dress up etc. I would imagine that is what has happened, your dd’s Reading hasn’t come on loads because she is watching stories on tv I am sure.

I'm a teacher of reception age children. Sometimes we do lots of 'build up' work without reading the story. So, we might do a couple of weeks talking about the pictures, learning new vocabulary, painting characters etc so the children are very familiar with all other aspects before reading the actual story. We would still be reading other stories to the children.

I think people get all judgey about TV... We went to the library every week to watch BBC schools and I started school in 1975.

We have story time at the end of each day - usually by a TA while the other staff do focused work one to one or in smaller groups. If we are looking in depth at a text, we will read it but we will also access it in lots of different ways as mentioned above.

We use the interactive whiteboard every day for games and activities to support the children's learning but it isn't just passively 'watching tv' although there may be short video clips or songs as part of it.

I have a daughter in reception. Staff read actual books to them daily, although there's a lot of IT too; iPads, smartboard etc. I don't think my daughter has ever mentioned watching stories though...just random videos about stuff and parts of The Greatest Showman 🙄

DD1 has an animated story on the smart board (with key words coming up) while they have their morning snack / milk. The teacher reads to them mid afternoon, they work their way through a chapter book now she's in Y1.

I'd be very disappointed- but not surprised, sadly- if it was true. There's no replacement for a known, familiar adult who can gauge the children's interest, ask questions and 'act out' the story.

Former reception teacher here.

I agree with @grumpypug

You never know the bigger picture. If your child hasn't already actually had the book read to her then I'm pretty sure her teacher will have it planned for lessons to come.

Have some faith that your child's teacher is trying to do the best job possible.