To think my son is not being challenged enough

[BeautifulBlondePineapple]

DS (6) has just started P2 (Scotland). He got a reading book on Monday and could read the entire book without error on his first go. He could also answer all my questions on the book. Today (Thursday) he still has the same book in his bag for homework.

I think he can read at a higher level than this book (he does at home) and I also think he should be getting more than 1 book a week esp if he can read it all without making mistakes.

AIBU to think that he is not being challenged enough at school? And if so what do I do about it? I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with his new teacher or look like a pushy parent - just want him to be working to his ability.

Advice welcome...

The child needs to know all the names and sounds of letters. The sounds help the child spell the word and decode words in reading.

BeautifulBlondePineapple I am a teacher and I aim to change the children's books at least Mon, Weds and Fri and more often if I have parents hearing reading too. Could you ask the teacher whether your DD could change the book herself? I have had parents who have asked if their child can hold onto a book for 2 days and parents who have wanted them changed everyday and I just tell the child to go and swap the book themself - if the 4 yr olds in my class can do then your DS definately can. Hopefully the teacher will have no problem with it.

As for the wordless books, people complain about them every year.

I think the point of them is meant to be (and I am probably getting the technical terms wrong) that children have to learn mechanical reading skills of decoding words but they also need to understand narrative, making sense of the story etc. So in my experience, children are often held back and kept on the books with no words or simple words because the teacher thinks they need to work on narrative and understanding skills.

I disagree with this because everyone needs mechanical reading skills but not everyone has to be really good at understanding narrative. If my son had to wait until he had the social understanding of narrative and the lack of shyness to tell the teacher the story without words to read from, he would still be reading that Floppy book with no words at 11.

So we got him plenty of books to read at home so that he could read at the right pace for his decoding skills. The narrative skills appeared of their own accord at 12, and he reads all the time for pleasure now.

NormanTebbit All depends on DOB...I was a school beginner at 5.5, DH at 4.6. I was oldest in class, DH youngest in his. Cut off point sometime in late February I believe?

tabulahrasa Agree! and that's why I'm not a Teacher by profession

MillyR As for the wordless books, people complain about them every year Glad it's not just me then! Just a bit surprised, that's all. DC1 is LOVING school so all good.

Gym day in a P1/2 class is a unique experience, lol

losing clothes I expected, but I didn't realize that they'd put on trousers two sizes too big and not notice even though they were falling down and the boy next to them had none on, that they could put on two jumpers and not notice and that someone could lose a pair of knickers and that they'd still be unclaimed 3 weeks later

and that's before you even start on what they manage to do with shies...

Shoes, obviously, lol

tabulahrasa Velcro is the favoured religion of Primary School teachers these days ...I had an elasticated red tie to go with my pink shirt (was the school dress code?!) - now it's all hoodies and sweaters.

I blame 'elf 'n' safety so I do.

My second boy had lots of the wordless books. Fairly pointless, I think, if you read books at home with them anyway, they know how books work.

Boy 1 can easily read the books that come home, but is a bit slack about changing them, it took me until half term last year to figure out the "system" and he often forgets. So can have the same book for ages. Doesn't matter, as we have books at home which he reads.

We had a letter home from school asking that children do at least read the books before changing them, I think there is a certain competitive element who like to race through the levels to give them bragging rights in the playground (and I'm not talking about the children here....)

afaik the wordless books are so that children get the idea of turning pages, which way up the book goes etc as well as telling a story visually.

Believe it or not, away from mumsnet world there are MANY children who start school who have NEVER even held a book, let alone had one read to them

AfternoonDelight : "Well all the children are going to be taught the same."

That's how we ended up in the private system. Grr.

earlyriser MANY children who start school who have NEVER even held a book, let alone had one read to them. I CAN believe it...that's not a surprise to me.

Thankyou for expanding my knowledge on the uses of the 'wordless' books, I could think of encouraging free narrative and expression etc...but was failing to see other reasons.

Ay Bee See vs Ah Beh Cuh

I heard a good explanation for this that I like. We teach and learn that a sheep is called a sheep and makes the sound baa, a cow makes the sound moo etc. You wouldn't dream of saying "oh, look at the baas in that field" (well, I wouldn't). Learning the name and sound of the letter is appropriate, but the letters' sounds are far more important than their names, and should be taught first as they are much more useful for reading.

The wordless books are also to get their imagination working, so that they make the story up, by discussing what they see, and what they think bloody Biff, Chip et al are thinking and feeling. Then when they start with books with words, they can sometimes use the pictures as a cue as to what might be happening so can clue into the words on the page earlier. It does work, and help in the end.

There really is no need to push children so hard. The thing to encourage is a genuine enjoyment and pleasure from reading books IMO

oh bloody hell can you please post in primary education so I can ignore this tedious dross you can get specialised help.

Thank you

A primary school teacher