“Working towards” in writing

[Writingquest]

DD (Y2) is “expected” in everything apart from writing, which is “working towards” in her school report. How can I help her during the school holidays? I’m spoiled by her sibling who’s older and has always been “exceeding” in every area of learning according to school reports with no help at home whatsoever. DD’s teacher never mentioned she’s struggling (I’m quite cross about it), although I can see that spellings is not easy for her. She doesn’t have a problem with putting her ideas on paper and her fine motor skills are great (handwriting neat) but she’s not motivated enough for the correct spellings. If her writing can be read by others, it’s good enough in her world. Is anyone in the same situation? She did pass all the phonics screenings ok and her reading is average.

I have taught year 2 for 15 years and these writing expectations are the highest and they do have to achieve all of all of them and have repeated evidence of this. If a child struggles with handwriting or spelling there has to be evidence of interventions over time to achieve an exemption.

Just emphasise the reading and writing for fun and the rest will happen. As a teacher it was soul destroying explaining to a parent of a child who was amazingly creative in their writing that they were working towards. Unfortunately that is the current system.

The best way to help with correct spellings is to get her reading and writing.

Ways to do this:

Read to her every single night from a story book she loves. Get her to read a page out loud to you and then carry on, or you start, then stop at an exciting moment, get her to read the next bit. I used loads of tricks like: my throat is dry or I'm too excited to read on - you do it, so they didn't suss it was homework.

Let her see you reading. Buy Sunday papers and buy her a magazine, comic or children's newspaper. Make lovely cool drinks of juice and soda or chocolate milk or whatebver, find a cool and shady place and read side by side for 15-20 mins.

If she seems interested in something - animals or science or ballet – anything – buy her some simple books on the subject, with some illustrations but plenty of text too.

Always pick up a copy of the Metro for her on train journeys and have a contest to see who can find the silliest or cutest story.

Make a special dinner and ask her type up a "Menu' on yoru laptop, and then help her correct the spellings. Never cirticise poor spelling just say, Ah, great, sketi! Did you know it's actually spelled spaghetti? So many letters but that's how they spell it on menus and this is a menu!

Get her to read labels on things when you go out shopping or read the aisle signs to find where things are.

I wouldn't bother. If there was a serious problem then of course do something.
My daughter is not a good speller and it was flagged up in reception (!!). At 17 she's still not great at it but got 9s in both English GCSEs.
Do read together though.

As a mum of three children with EHCPs 'working towards'could mean anything froma few months behind to years behind. If your two years behind the report will be working towards.

I'd ask for clarification on how short she was from expected.

I just did a tribunal and my daughter at 'working towards'was indeed two years behind in year two.

@IncessantNameChanger
thank you for your advice!
I would be furious if my child was 2 years behind and I wasn’t informed during the parents evening. That being said, I hope it’s not the case. They have also “below” which described as child is not working within the year group expectations. So hopefully it’s not too bad. I’ll try to request some more information.

@stayingaliveisawayoflife Thank you!! I actually completely understand that DD may be a bit behind and I can see a rationale for it in the report. The report doesn’t say what’s wrong with writing, only positive things really and that she worked hard in her writing. It’s a bit weird though, at the end of the year her teacher moved her to the highest set for spellings (we have different levels for a difficulty) and she managed to do well in tests every week, even though I had to work with her every day so she doesn’t slip back into previous “easy” way of spelling difficult words. I do understand though that these tests do not translate into better spellings in spontaneous practice. I can see how she can write a long story that is absolutely full of mistakes, even though everything is perfectly readable and “phonetically plausible”, but I guess it’s not enough in the Year 2.

@goldfinchonthelawn
thank for taking time commenting and a great advice. She’s more into graphic/illustrated books at the moment; we’ll try to dive into something like wimpy kid or similar. She loves when I’m reading to her and loves to take turns with me, her reading fluency improved dramatically over the year. Unfortunately she’s not motivated to continue, as to pick up the same book and finish it so it has to be always pushed by me every day and it’s exhausting sometimes. It’s like she can’t maintain interest to follow the same storyline.

@Writingquest have you looked at the phoenix comics? You can usually try them quite cheaply and then decide if you want a subscription. They are aimed at encouraging reading for enjoyment.

Graphic novels are fine, as long as you get her to read the words too. I used to teach reluctant readers and always encouraged parents to buy them graphic novels. I still use the Shakespeare ones for GCSE candidates. Anything that stops her thinking reading is boring. Doesn;t have to be a long novel - magazines, newspapers, blogs, comics, graphic novels, labels on food, instruction leaflets - anything counts.

I wouldn't buy boring exercise books but those summer activity books the supermarkets sell have lots of (fun) reading and writing in them. Does she get a magazine? The Beano is a great way to encourage extra reading, there's lots of jokes and it feels a bit naughty so kids love it but it's terribly middle class really. The website has lots of fun age appropriate games as well. Summer Special linky.