AIBU to get upset about spelling bee for reception

[Jaynenotjane]

Local school has a spelling bee competition coming up. My gripe is it is across school including reception. Up to this point Ds has been learning phonics and does not know the letter names only the sounds and diagraphs and the like. Suddenly they are expected to spell verbally with single letters words such as 'into' 'children' to name a few. I asked Ds how to spell children he said 'ch' 'ill' 'd' ren' phonetically correct and as he has been taught to this point. I am so cross and upset that this is happening, for the September born children who were are streaks ahead I'm sure can spell these words but not for summer born. Why can't they just go and play. Why put the class through this.

Is it compulsory?

I have one of those September born ones. She still spells cake as cayc. And that's fine. The aim of early phonics is to get them writing phonically plausible spellings. So a spelling bee asking for correct spellings would be a waste of time for pretty much every reception child if they have been doing phonics the way it is taught at DD's school. And I'm very happy with the way they are taught.

Are you sure that's right? are those actual examples of spellings for reception children?

Surely the reception kids will get words like
this, that, her, was - that's my son's spellings. He's summer born, youngest in year and can spell basics

It is absolutely the right words, others include 'all' 'they' 'come' 'them' 'have'

Rubblebubble can he spell the words to write or to verbally say individual letters? Very different exercise. If they had to write the words I don't think I would be so upset.

Is it a public competition? If so, they need to have a bit of a think about how they're going to deal with children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

DD is summer born reception, can spell those words (although may spell some of them in other phonetically plausible ways, but can certainly manage children which I can't think of an alternative plausible one), I'm failing to see the problem in them playing at spelling.

Sounds like high frequency words. In a in spelling bee set up, "why put children through this is a total over reaction" 🙄

I really find it tedious when parents object to something just because they think their little darling won't win eg spelling bee, sports day blah blah. I am sure in reception it will have a fun slant , be a short activity and they will still have plenty of time to play. Don't sweat the small stuff.

I object a lot more against learning phonics instead of learning to write properly from the start!

Oh god yes I hate phonics. Waste of time. Here, children, spend a few years learning loads of complicated rules that you will later have to totally unlearn because if you don't unlearn them you will spell everything wrong for the rest of your life.

Phonics if you're Spanish? Cracking. Phonics if you're English? Or French? A very long, inevitable, government sanctioned garden parth imo.

Sorry, totally derailed there.

Hahaha, "parth" in a rant against spelling

Whatever sort of competition a school arranges, immediately there is a flood of parents claiming exemption for their child: summer born, dyslexic, late starter, whatever.Just give it a go; you may well be surprised.

scamp I abhor phonics. I am dreading DD starting it next September. What are the chances of the NC changing by 2017?

I really find it tedious when parents object to something just because they think their little darling won't win eg spelling bee, sports day blah blah

This with bells on!!!!

scampi scary shark
My guess is you haven't had a child at a school that does phonics properly ...

Exactly what mouldy said.

My guess is you haven't had a child at a school that does phonics properly ...

having had experience of different systems, I stand by my opinion that phonics is an absolute waste of times. I am glad that it worked for your own children TeenAndTween, you are the very first person I meet who is happy with it!

I am so cross and upset that this is happening, for the September born children who were are streaks ahead I'm sure can spell these words but not for summer born

I have an academic summer born who could have done this no problem and a non-academic summer born who couldn't. I think your completely overreacting.

I worked for an education company that made phonics products. When it's done "properly" (like that ghastly Jolly Phonics eye-acid) it's still a confusing waste of time. What's the benefit of writing cake as "cayc"?

Phonics is why you see so much 'rediculous' 'could of' loose/lose' etc here and everywhere else. It has failed generations of children. I don't even know which idiot government introduced it but you can always tell the children who were first experimented upon. It's a bloody national disgrace.

??? Phonics has been the main way to learn to read for decades except for a brief period when other methods such as 'look and say' were fashionable.

Bad spelling is not the fault of phonics. It may be a result of poor teaching though! I don't know of any phonics system that would encourage children to purposely misspell words. They are taught there are different ways to make the same sound, and to then choose the correct option.

I'm with you Shark

Fonicks dusent werk.

Fonicks dusent werk.

Agreed. I'm not sure I would have EVER learnt to spell if fonikx had bean uszed