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Original poster

dd reading books-she is being held back

24 replies

notasheep · 09/01/2006 14:44

dd comes home from school every Friday with reading book-I am aghast at the level she is on at school-approx 2 or 3 lines a page,when the level she is on at home are approx 12 lines a page,and obviously what she should be reading.I am not a pushy parent OK BUT should i insist with school that
dd is put on correct level of books?

I have spoken to 2 other Mums outside school this morning.They seemed to think that the school were not meeting dds needs.

Feel very disappointed as up till now i was very impressed with school

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fastasleep · 09/01/2006 14:46

I would definately bring it up with her teachers, when I was little one of my teachers kept me reading very simplistic books and all of a sudden I decided I couldn't read anything more complicated even though I had been previously... I don't remember but my mum still rants about these things!

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 09/01/2006 14:49

How old is she??

Original poster
notasheep · 09/01/2006 14:51

This afternoon i really want to show dds teacher the book we are reading at home-just plucking up the courage to do so ( how weak that sounds)
Then maybe they can put dd on right set of books.

dp is concerned as dd is Year 1 and she is prob on Year 3 books

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Hallgerda · 09/01/2006 14:55

I think it would be entirely reasonable for you to raise the matter with the school. However, I doubt that the excessively easy school books will have too much effect if your daughter is reading more appropriate books at home. If you don't want to go for a confrontation, just ignore the school books and write up the home books in the school's reading-at-home book.

Original poster
notasheep · 09/01/2006 15:00

dd was 6yrs on 1st January,started year1 September,
a little bookworm!

Right I WILL speak to her teacher this afternoon!

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Dinosaur · 09/01/2006 15:05

notasheep - DS1 (also six) was coming home with reading books that were too easy for him - however it turned out that they were not being given to him, he was choosing them himself! We discussed it with his class teacher and asked if he could be given some help with choosing more suitable books. He now comes home with four quite challenging and long books every week - which is slightly too much of a good thing!

AuntyQuated · 09/01/2006 15:10

what about content other than quantity? reading scheme books are written in a very different way to 'ordinary' fiction books.

which scheme is it?

oxford reading tree have very few lines per page, even on the highest level. this does not reflect the 'level' of the book

jalopy · 09/01/2006 18:10

Notasheep, you should have a chat with the teacher. My little one in yr 1 and reads well. Her teacher is fantastic and gives her appropriate books for her level. I haven't had to say a word.

roisin · 09/01/2006 18:26

I'm really not sure this is as crucial as some people think, especially if you have books at home and time to spend with them. I have two boys, and both are superb readers. But they had very different experiences in yr1.

DS1's book was usually changed twice a week, and was far too easy for him. (We had far more pressing issues to discuss with the teacher so never raised the issue of books with him.) So twice a week ds1 spent 5 mins reading a school book; during the remainder of the time he read whatever we had at home, often quite challenging material - for example during yr1 he read Narnia books and the Hobbit. When he moved up to yr2 his new teacher immediately moved him up to a much much higher level 'cream free readers' and from then on he has basically been able to read anything, and was very happy to tackle long books with dense text.

DS2's yr1 teacher always ensured his book was changed on a daily basis, and it has generally been at a suitable level for his ability - but usually quite short books (48-96 pages). And he would always insist on reading his school book, rather than anything else at home. He is now in yr2 and has also recently been promoted up to the 'cream free readers', but he is much more reluctant than ds1 at this age to read 'quality literature', and has never read anything like Narnia or The Hobbit and I can't imagine him doing so in the near future. The 'cream free readers' is a huge section of books, and ds2 always chooses the smaller, shorter books.

I'm not bothered about his reading, and I'm sure he'll come through in the end. He does love books and reading, and spends a lot of time with nf books. But just atm hasn't really broken through with the longer fiction books.

singersgirl · 09/01/2006 19:43

I worried a lot about this sort of thing when DS1 was in Y1 and Y2 (though to be fair DS1's teacher in Y1 was pretty on top of his reading level). But now in Y3 I've become much more chilled about the school reading material (though sadly still think far too much about what DS1 is or, more usually, is not reading at home).

I suppose it depends whether you think anything else in school will be affected by your DD's school reading book. For example, is she not on the literacy table she should be on? Is she not getting the spellings/writing tasks she should be? If you're pretty happy with how she's being challenged in everything else, then I tend to agree with other posters that it's not that important.

There may also be a specific reason that the teacher is keeping her on a particular level. Perhaps, for example, she wants to encourage clear reading out loud or expression (just suggestions - neither of those may apply, but DS1's Y1 teacher held him on a particular level for quite a while until he slowed down and read clearly).

But it can't hurt to have a chat to the teacher about what she's reading at home. DS2's Reception teacher has ordered new books to try to find something that will hold his interest and be at the right text level for him - most teachers are keen to encourage good readers.

Good luck and I hope your DD carries on enjoying her reading!

Original poster
notasheep · 09/01/2006 20:03

Goodness! just came back to check thread,thankyou ALL for your advice,guidance etc etc etc.

RIGHT-I went to school pick up and spoke with dds teacher.I said:Can dd be put on another set of books?
Teacher said: dd will not read all the titles before
going on to next level.

Well to be honest.this hasnt really helped me.
The content of the school books she brings home is very: look at the cat with the book(and thats it on 1 page!)

When at home she is reading stories-and knowing all the words without me telling her (and thats not because we repeat story)

The reading books we have came via my sister,via a primary school library who were having a clearout!
So i have borrowed the whole lot,and we do one a week just like school.

It would appear that i shouldnt be getting bothered about this but i am!!!
At the end of it-dd is being given useless books!

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Original poster
notasheep · 09/01/2006 20:05

I think I may have to wait until parents evening(at the beginning of March) to sort this out.

dd is streamed on top table,so they have at least recognised that

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jane313 · 09/01/2006 20:10

Are the other books she is reading with you just reading scheme type books or "real books"? If they are reading scheme type ones I would change to real story books so at least she is getting a broad range whilst you wait to change the teachers mind. (I used to teach reception and would take concerns like yours seriously and see if I had made a mistake)

cazzybabs · 09/01/2006 20:12

TBH I hate reading scheme books - I find them dull dull dull..how I can expected a child to write a good story if all they know are reading scheme books. Notasheep why bother with school reading books at all - your child could read her school reading book one night and read other books from the library the other nights! There are some fantastic early reading books out there! Having said that where Iteach there is a child in Yr 2 reading the latest Harry potte - OK she can read it but has no comprehenion of the plot - is she going to want to come back to it?

Also talk to her about punctation, predictation what is going to happen next, features of a book, how many words end in ... etc etc - lots of games!

drosophila · 09/01/2006 20:14

when ds started school he could read little books and I waited to see what would happen. I waited a couple of months and was not given a book for ds to read. I am impatient so I explained to teacher what level he had been on at nursery trying not to sound like a pushy parent and he was then assessed and put on books appropriate to his level.

Now in yr 1 his teacher is much more on the ball but it is clearly down to mw when we move him up a level. They always assess him first though. I was afraid of upsetting teachers but I think they are more than happy for my input. I just wish the stories were a little more interesting for me.

Ask them to assess your child's reading.

Original poster
notasheep · 09/01/2006 20:19

We do a mixture of reading scheme and library books.
Tonight we did a Kipper story and we have also started The Lion,The Witch and the wardrobe.

We get 6 books each week from the library!

She is very aware of punctuation and grammer,and was questioning;
The policeman was and The policemen were(she got it right)

YES,Must get her assessed

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drosophila · 09/01/2006 20:24

'There are some fantastic early reading books out there' Crazybabs can you suggest some for my DS. He loves factual books but I am at a loss as to what fiction books I should try him on. He has a reading age of about 8 I believe.

Thanks

roisin · 09/01/2006 20:57

drosophila - this thread has some suggestions of good books your ds might like.

Original poster
notasheep · 15/01/2006 22:05

dd had school book to read at weekend-well,i asked her to read it and she said she wasnt interested,so we carry on reading everything BUT what comes home from school.

A Mum at school(who is also a teacher) feels the school are not looking after dds needs

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corblimeymadam · 16/01/2006 11:46

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Original poster
notasheep · 16/01/2006 14:33

No luck with teacher,will have to see Head.

On parents evening i am planning to show dds teacher the books she SHOULD be reading

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silverbirch · 17/01/2006 10:48

How does your dd get on with her teacher?
If she genuinely dislikes the school reading books could she take in her own books in her reading bag and explain to the teacher herself that she would prefer to read her own books?
My dd?s preschool teacher advised us when she started school that teachers are more likely to listen to the child than the parent and when my dd found the reading books too easy in reception she just took her own in and explained that they were more interesting. She still takes her own books in in yr 1, and doesn?t mind occasionally reading easier books in group reading
(I might be breeding a rebel of course but at least she will be a literate rebel!)

edam · 17/01/2006 10:57

Oooh I have vivid memories of being forced to read pathetic reading scheme books and hating every minute of it. Grrrr. Every term of infant and middle school had to plough through this tedious rubbish before being allowed free rein of the library. Didn't take me long but I just couldn't stand being forced to read rubbish.

Sorry, not much use to you, except to say do challenge this - I'm 36 so obviously it still rankles!

Original poster
notasheep · 17/01/2006 14:34

dd gets on really well with teacher,but dont think taking in her own books would work(the entire class might get the idea too!)

In the meantime before parents evening arrives i will just do by best to carry on reading books with dd which she enjoys and are on her level

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