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Original poster

Anyone elses child done the Early Literacy Support scheme at school?

44 replies

stellar · 13/01/2004 16:25

My DD2 who is 5 yrs and in Year 1 has been put under this scheme by her new school. She had her first session today.

When I picked her up today she had a folder with some homework in it. The homework was "these are the words we are learning today" and it was her first name, the initial of her first name, her surname and the initial of her surname.

I was really shocked when I saw it as there has been no mention of her having any learning problems etc before now. To me this is all stuff she should have done when she started in reception - she shouldn't be having to do this half way through year 1.

I went and spoke to her teacher and showed myself up by getting upset and crying (I'm 31wks pg with no4 and DS 3yrs didn't sleep very well last night). She tried to reassure me but am still very upset - I feel like she's been put in a "thick class" (sorry for the non PC term).

Can someone whos child has been through this please reassure me as its really got to me (well no-one wants to think of there being anything wrong with there child do they?)

thanks

Stella xx

OP posts:
hellbell · 13/01/2004 16:36

Stella. Sounds like it was a bit of a shock to you. Please be assured that ELS is not intended for those who are not making progress. It was designed for children of a certain level who are more likely to make more progress with a bit of extra support.
So, if your child had special needs she wouldn't be on ELS, she would be on a SEN plan. There is nothing wrong with your child, not all children make the same progress all of the time, or the same progress as their peers.
We all need extra support sometimes, your dd2 just needs some support now.
The homework may well be for confidence building. Give it time and see how it progresses, if you are not sure, go and see her teacher again. She will understand. Teachers really don't mind talking to parents who have real concernsfor their children. She won't mind.

hellbell · 13/01/2004 16:40

I meant to write that not all children make the same rate of progress as their peers at the same time. Some gallop ahed, then plateau; some the other way around. Does that make more sense?

hellbell · 13/01/2004 16:40

Grr. Ahead not ahed.

Original poster
stellar · 13/01/2004 16:41

thank you for that! It was just what I needed to hear

I will see what happens with the homework thing. It just wasn't what I was expecting a year 1 pupil to bring home iykwim. My DD1 is in year 2 and is doing really well so I wasn't expecting any problems with DD2 either.

If anything I'm more annoyed with their old school that they didn't do more for her while she was in reception class. They only started at this new school last September and tbh it is the best thing I ever did.

thanks again

Stella xx

OP posts:
hellbell · 13/01/2004 16:44

Glad to help. It sounds like a great school, then. I'm sorry I spelled your name incorrectly.

Carla · 13/01/2004 16:44

Stellar,

DD1's teacher broached this subject with me yesterday. Initially I had the same reaction as you. She started off by saying something to the effect of 'have I mentioned this to you yet?' She then went on to explain that although the ultimate decision was up to me, there are only six children in year 1 who are offered this 'opportunity' and that she wouldn't offer it to children who - and this is my paraphrasing and hope it doesn't cause offence - wouldn't benefit as they were bottom of their reading ability.

So, my initial reaction was the same as yours, then I came round to her way of thinking. She questioned my reticence and I explained that I was worried that Anna would feel ostracised. She then explained that it would only be ten minuites out of her literacy hour, 4 days a week.

So, IMO I think your teacher didn't do a very good job of explaining it to you in the first place, selling it to you, and trying to explain what a valuable thing it could be.

Hope this helps. I'm sure it must have been a real shock as it wasn't explained to you properly in the first place (in fact, not at all it seems!) but now I feel very positive about it.

kmg1 · 13/01/2004 18:22

These groups can do wonders for kids - really boost their confidence, (which is probably why they are starting with low expectations Stella - to give the group chance to succeed), and get them back on track with their literacy.

Also just another point of view - do not worry about how the children or their peers may think: schools do play these things very carefully nowadays, and make sure the children are not 'labelled'. My ds1 has always been top of the class, but he is always very envious of these groups. They go off and do special things, play with puppets and stuff, sometimes do baking and have special rewards. They are called things like 'The Friday Club' or 'the Monty Group'. DS1 is very bright, now 6.5, and has absolutely no idea that these groups are designed to boost literacy skills for those who are struggling a bit. He comes back from school talking about things they have done, or an assembly they have presented. In fact it took me almost a year of hearing these reports to work out what the nature of this group actually was!

My ds1 would LOVE to be in such a group

popsycal · 13/01/2004 18:45

I agree with kmg...
am a teacher (dare I say it)and know a little more about this and could guide you where to find more info....
Please email me via mumsnet if you want more details..
dare not post anyomre for fear of being struck down...

Lara2 · 19/01/2004 18:59

Stella, don't fret honey, (appreciate the tearful pregnant bit ); I'm teaching year 1 at the moment and ELS is definately NOT suitable for SN children. It's really for children who, with a bit of extra very small group work, will just fly in their confidence to tackle their reading and writing by themselves. The children who do it in my class are the group who are my top average group. My bottom average group will do it next round. Each course is 6 weeks and they do it every morning for half an hour with a specially trained classroom assistant. They love doing it, feel special and they positively bloom!

popsycal · 19/01/2004 19:12

did you get my email stellar - did you look at the link that i posted?

Sonnet · 20/01/2004 13:30

Popsycal - please could you post the link on here - I now think it presumptious of me to have contacted you - sorry about that. I would appreciate the link if you have time to post it.

Batters · 20/01/2004 15:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kayleigh · 20/01/2004 16:00

Stellar, am really pleased you posted this. My ds1 has just joined this scheme and I was a bit concerned as to why he'd been put in it, but reading the replies I feel much better about it.

Popsycal, could you post the link. I'd like to have a look too, thanks

popsycal · 20/01/2004 20:28

Sorry - I thought I had emailed stella...didn't you get it?
I wrote a long email to you....
anyway - the link i am going to post is really for teachers but it may be of some interest to see what sort of things your little ones will be doing
here
not sure how much use it will be
stella - if you didnt get the email, please let me know and i can post it again here......
no problems

KathG · 16/01/2007 10:45

WE got an ELS last night, at which point I wondered how her reading could have got THAT bad in a term, and then was reassured by mumsnet (thanks popsycal and lara2) - talking furtively to another parent today I think they have picked a top middle group, but the letter could have given us a clue... how do I e-mail you popsycal?

Bugsy2 · 16/01/2007 13:13

My ds had this & I was thrilled to bits. He was performing below average & his teacher wanted to help him come up to speed. It really boosted his confidence & helped him revise some of the basics.

maverick · 17/01/2007 19:38

I'm really surprised that schools are still using ELS as all the DfES-produced 'catch-up' (ELS, ALS) and literacy programmes (PiPs, Playing with Sounds) have been withdrawn.

The government finally acknowledged that they produced poor results due to their strong, whole-language bias and are now hastily changing them to put them into line with the Rose Report i.e. - put in synthetic phonic principles

singersgirl · 17/01/2007 19:44

In DS2's class it is the 'top middle' of the class who have been doing ELS since last half-term.

jellyhead · 17/01/2007 19:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KathG · 17/01/2007 21:20

Maverick what awkward questions should I be asking at the meeting they have called the parents in for?
have you got a link of it being withdrawn?
Thanks

miljee · 18/01/2007 10:10

My DS1 did 'Pips Club' in Year 1. JUST like many of you, I was somewhat taken aback- it wasn't well explained to us exactly why, and I guess assumptions were made; however, it was the best thing he did! It took him from very average to above average in reading (he's in yr 3 now). The school handled it sensitively to the point the other kids were a bit jealous of the Pip clubbers! Personally, I think picking it up and doing something about it is entirely appropriate in year 1. I expect the year R teacher will have been keeping a note of those children whose literacy hadn't yet 'taken off' by the end of the year and these are the ones at whom Pip club is aimed. DS2 has just started Pips, too in his yr 1 (we're at the pasta photo frame stage!). An explanatory leaflet came with his folder on day 1 this time! Personally I'm delighted that the school are as 'on the ball' to have spotted potential problems and are effectively wheeling out the big guns to zap it now. The kids have a lot of fun and really DO learn without realising it. You really must do the 'exercises' but they soon become part of every day and are actually fun to do together. Good luck!

Bozza · 18/01/2007 10:15

My DS is in year one and my friend's DS (in the same class) is doing this - Pip's club as they call it. He is a late July birthday and started in January and just hasn't really caught up with the others. She was pleased that he is getting the boost because atm he tends to get frustrated at his inability to do certain things.

maverick · 18/01/2007 10:38

KathG;

Paul Wagstaff, director of the primary strategy, said the following on the 'Guardian education talk' website:
(educationtalk.guardian.co.uk/[email protected]@.775e5a39/12)

''The NLS intervention programmes of ELS and ALS are being rewritten to reflect the significant policy developments in relation to phonics and will be available through the renewed Framework.''

Beware of any new programmes that the DfES bring out -you need to ask if they have been properly trialled (i.e. NOT action research)

KathG · 18/01/2007 11:06

thanks maverick, that is really helpful - we have been doing kumon English for a month and it has boosted her confidence and hence ability, don't want another backward step!

maverick · 18/01/2007 11:22

KathG,
I'm really sorry to have to tell that Kumon English is also a poorly designed programme -it is 'mixed methods' with a strong bias towards whole-word.

Here's an up-to-date description from their literature(the mention of synthetic phonics is just 'jumping on the band-wagon' as you can't mix methods and then call it synthetic phonics )

Quote:
'Kumon?s English programme has a strong emphasis on phonics in the early levels, with an initial focus on the?synthetic? learning of individual letter sounds and then the sounds of combinations of letters to make words. But Kumon doesn?t do this in isolation, successfully combiningthat approach with what is basically pretty close to ananalytic element, together with a range of other strategies.The students move on from letter sounds to looking atcommon letter combinations and using rhyming skills to readand spell by analogy.Critics of phonics say the synthetic approach may stoppupils from acquiring a love of reading. However, Kumonensures that phonics are taught in tandem with encouragingyoung children to start developing the ability to read andunderstand a wide variety of texts and to develop anenjoyment of reading at an early stage. Indeed, these are keyaims of the English programme.'