To expect Year 1s to be taught to read and write?

[ilovehens]

ds2 is in Year 1 and, from what I can tell, they're doing hardly any reading/writing! He's sent home without a reading book - have to go into school and search around for one.

He's writing his letter 'e' and 'f' from the bottom up and didn't know what I was talking about when I demonstrated how to write them properly yesterday.

Have written a letter to his teacher.

ds1 was being taught to read and write at this age.

The only homework they seem to send home is colouring in and he brings sheets and sheets of colouring in that he's been doing whilst in school as well!

Is this some sort of government dumbing down strategy designed to render the population even more illiterate than they already are?

sorry for the rant. I'm trying to teach him to write myself, but am not sure if I'm doing it properly because he's left handed.

demonstrate using YOUR left hand if you want to show letter formation. This is certainly not my experience of school. I think no homework is absolutely fine. Do you read with him at home?

seems a bit strange to me. I would ask to have a meeting with the teacher to have her side of things (maybe colouring in is done during 1wet play' for example and not actually as part of the lesson) It is worth investigating though.

in year one they should be taught to read and copy basic letters. why dont you ask to come and watch the class for the day and if you are not happy with what you see complain.

My son is in reception and they write their names and take 2 new reading books home every day.

www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/kentict/content/games/starwriter.html might help a bit showing the formation on-screen (it's more designed for IWBs but I've used it on a netbook before as long as you don't mind fingermarks all over the screen).

And I've learnt how to do linkys now - I am clever :D

Where are you? If you're based in Wales then I think the school could be following the learning by play NC for Wales.

No, I'm in the northeast.

We do reading with him at home every day, but I was leaving the writing part to the school as they teach cursive script style and, although I know what this is, I'm not sure how to teach a left hander how to do it.

thank you for that link emptyshell, I have added it to my favourites.

In year 1 - my ds (after October break) - got a letter a day - how to sound out and then had to write it 3 or 4 times. Seems a bit odd yours dont (we are in Scotland). What age is your ds? Our year 1's were 5 yo ish.

Mine is also left handed - although the school don't do cursive script - thank god - what's the point of that?

My son is in reception (age 4) and has had reading and writing homework since Sept. His writing before school was not very good but he has really improved in a short space of time with just repeating the individual letters. I would be very concerned if a Year 1 child did not have some writing skills by now. I would definitely complain - first of all to the headteacher and secondly to the LEA.

Mind you, you could argue that many cultures do not start reading/writing until age 7 and none of them suffer. Playing is work for children too. It depends what you believe to be best for your child really. Personally, I was happy for my son to be drilled in writing (he can already read) as I knew he was ready for it.

You can also play lots of phonics games at home to bring him on too.

Meant to add that the National Curriculum does expect reading and writing to be taught at their age. Look it up online so you can see the level descriptors for what your child is expected to be able to attain by the end of KS1.

ds has just turned 6.

he tries to write stories at home, but can't due to lack of knowledge. He just writes phonetically and his letters are all over the place.

I think there is a problem if a child is being asked to write, but not taught how to do so properly. I'm all for play-based most of the time, but if, like my five year old, they also like writing, then having two or three years of misforming the letters is very bad and gets them into bad habits (this has already happened to her).

By Y1, there should be more emphasis on correct letter formation, he should certain be reading a reading book every night (school should send one), even if only for you to read together or for him to tell the story from the pictures. If he's already reading, then of course they should.

This doesn't sound like the standard practice to me, and I think you are right to ask about it.

My son is in Year 1 and also in Wales, so under the Foundation Phase, and he has reading books home and words to learn weekly and also has spelling tests weekly.

Did you have a parents evening last half term? I'd be worried too tbh.

Dd is in reception and us going through jolly phonics. They've done all the single letter sounds and are now on diagraphs. She gets 3books a week to read plus all sorts if reading and writing tasks.

I help out in class once a week so get to see what they do. Can you help at all?

Have you asked his teacher about where he sits. My son is left handed, however, often he was on the right side of another pupil which led to much clashing of elbows and he struggled. I was amazed how many times teachers didn't think of this (he is now year 10) and I had to ask if they could swap sides.

Hope he masters his writing - DS has had awful problems (he can write "neatly" but takes him ages so he can't do all his work) so now he is using laptop so his work doesn't suffer.

www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/letter_formations.html

try this for letter formation

My ds is in reception and is doing letter formations and writing as well as reading everyday - he comes home with new book most days.

I would be having meeting with the teacher - he certainly shouldnt just be doing colouring in