Oxford Reading Tree - books with no words?

[Boredofthinkingofnewnames]

Can anyone enlighten me to the point of these please?!!

DTs are in Reception and on the books with no words. They tell us the story every day so we can fill in the journal. They have the same book all week adn are bored with them.

They are trying to sound out words when they see them in their story books / on cereal packets / adverts etc when we are out and about and they know some of the high frequency words (not sure if they recognise them or they're actually reading them if that makes a difference).

They're also writing simple words when they are playing so definitley recognise the letters etc.

We have parents evening next week - would it be unreasonable to ask them to give them books with words in?!

oh floppy, no floppy Oh Floppy!

'What a bad dog!'

I have taught children with this reading scheme. The point of the wordless books is to engage the children in looking for clues about what the story could be about without needing the words. Some early readers will use picture clues to help them remember the type of words they should be looking for eventually. For example if Floppy is on the page they might be looking for the word ‘Floppy’ or ‘barked’. To understand terms like beginning/start, middle and end. To sequence events properly and with confidence. To help children answer who, what, where, when and why questions without there being a right and wrong answer because of what the words say. To build ‘relationships' with the main characters. To encourage children to be enthused by the fact that they can pick up a book and instantly ‘tell a story’.

Additionally, ORT books are not a phonetic based learning scheme so even if your child is sounding out words that will be because of the ‘two-pronged’ approach that many schools take which is to teach phonics and also teach ORT books where most words are learned off by heart as not all of them can be sounded out phonetically. This aims to give different types of learners the best chances to become confident little readers

They are a brilliant start to learning to read - please persevere with them however dull they may seem to you

kate the original ORT books aren't phonetic based, but there are a couple of newer branches which are.

And isn't it a drunken horse (in Rotten Apples), or is that a different book?

Ah sorry CrohnicallyAspie I must be living in the dark ages

Yes, it's a drunken horse in Rotten Apples!

Ds2 was confused by it and had to ask what 'drunk' meant (does that mean I've succeeded as a parent? )

Oh sorry nag not ass

Whereas I am unfortunately painfully, repetitively up to date.

We just read lots of extra books at home. My boy is furious if he accidentally picks up a book with no words!

They exist because they provide a way for publishing companies to fleece a bit more money from schools.

Read them once if you need to. Then put them to one side and share some other books together. They are a much more interesting way to develop the same skills.

There's no harm in checking with the teacher whether she thinks they might be ready for books with words. Or asking what they need to be able to do before that happens.

Boredof, there won't be any complicated theory behind it, which you could subvert by having your own books.

not all of them can be sounded out phonetically
So true!

I remember mine having those - for about a week in reception, not the best part of a term though..

I would definitely be asking for word books.

My DS thought they were boring too. After trying them out for a couple of weeks I lost the will to live and ended up buying the next level up with words. Why can't teachers realise that they don't suit every child? I should add that nothing was ever said to parents as to how they should be used at home.

Thing is, we've been reading at home since DD came home from hospital. We don't limit books to those that the school supply - we've lots of second-hand ones for ages 5-8, and we read all sorts of things from the library as well as what the school send home.
DD is well aware of how stories flow/narrative construction and could talk the hind leg off a donkey make up a story from pictures with no trouble.

We regularly work on blending sounds, and 'tricky' words, and recognising words that sound different to how they look.

Thankfully we get a change of books twice a week.

Well, they both came home yesterday with word books so that's sorted:)