What do you write in your child's reading record book?

[lucy5]

This is the first time dd [year 1} has had a reading record as they did guided reading last year. I'll save my thoughts on that for another thread . Anyway, as much as I hate to say it dd is an extremely lazy reader and just guesses at words, she doesn't try to sound them out etc. Infact she just tries to memorise them. I know this is a strategy but she managed to bluff her way through last year and I'm keen that she doesn't do the same this year. Although I am sure she won't be able to as her present teacher takes a more traditional approach.

My dilemma is, should I be frank in her reading record? I don't realy want to start off of a negative footing. So , what would you do? Thanks.

[Tawny75]

I usaully write if she enjoyed the book, or any words she had difficulty with. I also note what page she is up to.

[homemama]

In the infants, it is vital to hear children read regularly. Good infant teachers and TAs will do this and keep comments up to date. IMO, initials are sufficient from parents unless there is something specific they want/need to say. Seems silly to waste time thinking up comments. As a teacher, I always initial any comments from parents just to let them know I've read them.

Having said all this, when children reach the juniors, the sad fact is that there just isn't the time or the help to hear children read regularly. Any spare time to hear a few readers is usually used for those children who are struggling.

I think if you're having to repeat the same comment over and over and your child never seems to get their book changed then it's time to go in. Please remember though that the teaching of reading through SP had led to many children being physically able to read words/books that are well above their comprehension. So if your child has read the book one night then returns with it the following night, use the opportunity to question them on the story. Ask about the characters and why they think things happened etc.

[3catstoo]

I have the same problem. Although DD can read quite well she is really lazy and guesses at words if she thinks she can get away with it. She has the dadded problem of having her head in the clouds and drifts off into dreamland. To an outsider it looks like she is struggling to read the next page but actually she hasn't even looked at it, she has other things to think about!

I did write in her record on day 1, last week. I just wanted to point out that she can be lazy and needs the occaisional nudge to wake her up.

During the hols she read some harder but more adventurous story lines. They seemed to hold her interest and she didn't seem to daydream as much.
It's ashame the easier text books are so dull and boring. I don't want her to move up through the levels quickly but I would like her to be able to read something that will make her want to read on and find out what happens.

It's difficult to point things out to teachers without coming across as a pushy parent.

I know DDs teacher already as she taught DS last year. She is lovely and will understand just what I was intending to say.

DDs teacher had not heard her read, it was the teaching assistant. She had the same TA last year. Good in some ways but it would have been nice to have a different approach and someone with no pre formed opinions of DD.

Hope you get on OK.

[alison222]

I think they all do this sometimes Lucy5.
My DS has just started year one - they had a book last year and I had things in it like "he just memorises it and isn't reading" etc etc, She then gve him more difficult books so that he had to sound them out or he couldn't read them. He found it initally very hard work, but then suddenly had a breakthrough and his reading improved rapidly. He still guesses lots and has to be reminded to spell out words. Its just one of those things he will eventually get the hang of soon I hope. Otherwise he reads around the word he doesn't know and tries to fill in the gap. I'm told that this is also a valid way of learning to read, however there are only so many words you can remember the shape of so in the end they have to learn how to sound them out more quickly -don't they ??

[Blu]

I didn't know I was supposed to writie in it!
I thought it was for the teacher to let us know how he was doing!

[Marina]

ROFL batters and Blu . Blu, really? I used to have to restrain dh from doing some really major deconstruction of Astrosaurs on Mars in the one-inch column for "parents' remarks"...

[loopybear]

3cats as a teacher I welcome comments from parents, it's not always easy to listen in the morning as everyone wants your attention and you've got to settle children, parents tell me they've writtern a concern in the book or ask to see me at the end of the day. If she's finding the books boring and the school haven't got anything interesting at her level share library books together.

In some schools the TA listens to children read there individual books and the teacher hears children during guided reading so don't worry. I just wish more of my parents would listen to their children read.

Thanks Hallgerda but I've done my stint of London teaching.

[wakeupandsmellthecoffee]

every night 20 mins. I helped out in yr 3 for 3 years . It is so sad when kids dont get helped at home . 30 kids 1 teacher dosnt add up that she can hear them all read in one week .

[crazydazy]

Well I picked up DS's brand new book bag and brought it home and all that was in it was his name, mind you he only started last Thursday.

Tbh I am dreading trying to read with him he just isn't interested in reading, he loves counting and looking at pictures but isn't interested in the words.

[loopybear]

Crazy don't worry talk about the pictures get him to tell you a story using pictures, then ask him to point to the words whilst you read them it's all part of the process of learning to read. Playing I spy the word .... and asking children to find it is something some children enjoy.

[crazydazy]

Thanks Loopybear will do that with him, he loves me reading to him at night before he goes to sleep and now he will listen to the whole story whereas 6 months ago he wasn't interested in hearing the story just looking at the pictures and he turned the pages too quick for me to read it to him.

Am concerned also because he cannot even hold a pen properly let alone attempt to write his name. Would you say this is normal?

[julienetmum]

Dd (reception) brought home her first book and comments book tonight. After being very tempted to just ignore the whole thing along with the flashcards (what am I supposed to do with them, is she supposed to memorise them as there are words in them which are way beyond her phonics understanding) I wrote

DD read all the words she can work out phonetically. She does not yet know the magic e rule so could not read "spaceman". Also couldn't read "who" and "no". She read "no it's" as not.

What I really wanted to say was I think ORT is pants, please help dd to understand the rules of synthetic phonics that I have started with her in order to help her to read.

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

I generally don't...I'm sure his teacher last year must have thought i never did any reading with him/practiced his bookmarks because I always forget to write in it.

[zdl]

DS is in year 2... I have never been asked to write anything in his reading record, I had no idea I was supposed to.

I did ask what it was for. Got the idea that I could write a note in there like ("he didn't sleep much last night") if necessary, but that would be the limit of what the expected. (Also the occasional grovelling note when we couldn't find a library book to return). DD just started reception, just go her reading book, and that also came with no instructions. Think I had to be told several times (or maybe not, I only remember the once!) that I could change DS's reading book whenever we liked. Why write a note if you can just do it yourself?

They gave us flashcards and never told us what to do with them, either. Later I asked and they suggested bingo and other games, but it's so hard to fit in the time for homework and getting DS to read a bit from a book each night, I have completely ignored the flash cards .

All DS wants to do when he comes home is play play play. He spent an hour watching the trctor plowing this evening. I think he's working so hard at school, it feels mean to ask him to do more than the assigned homework and a bit of reading.

[MrsSpoon]

Loopybear, it never occured to me that no comment in the book would mean that DS1's teacher would think we hadn't read the book! I am afraid I am a parent who doesn't really know what to write, although I have now noted down some of singersgirl's suggestions. I don't know why but I always thought teachers were looking for some sort of blinding/insightful comment rather than a 'teacherish' comment such as 'good reading'.

Why don't teachers tell parents these things? Just a simple note in the book would have done, I would at least have scribbled my initials, we have never missed reading the book that is sent home (no matter how tiresome it is at times ).

[julienetmum]

Dd's reading record actually has a page of suggestions of the type of thing you might like to write. It does include phrases like X was tired tonight so we only did so and so.

We also havea another notebook which according to the slip stuck inside it is for us to communicate anything we want to the teacher.

Tonight there is a note in reminding us it is school photo tomorrow.

[fussymummy]

The reading cards our school put out with the books have to be signed every night.

Have to do 5-10mins reading each child.

I always put what words they struggled with and how easy or hard i felt the book was.

I'm always honest, as you're not helping your child, if you say they were brilliant, when maybe they found it really hard.

Teachers are there to help.

I used to get a bit fed up when my daughter was in reception last year, as to start with we'd have same book for a week at a time.

First books contain no words, so child has to describe what they see in the pictures.

My daughter did that for the first time, then said that was easy, can i do another one?

As she progressed she had simple words, shes now in year 1 and fairly confident at reading now.

I used to go into reception class to change all the books 2-3 times a week and do reading with some of the pupils.

It's amazing how much that helps the teacher.

They're always grateful of help, however much you can do.

[silverbirch]

In reception and Yr1 I encouraged dd to draw a
picture of her favourite story from her books each week in her reading book. It seemed to help
to give her a sense of pride in what she had read. I never had much to say myself.

[fennel]

i have a tendency to write whole essays in their books - over-educated mother alert.

I tend to write things like "dd1 didn't want to do any reading this week" or "dd2 is still complaining the books are too easy" or "they still won't sound out letters but insist on guessing" or "we're enjoying the Magic key stories"

you can write any old crap really, I think. it just gives an impression you're an Involved Parent who Supports the Teacher.

[Blu]

Yes, I am deeply hopeless at this school thing!
I was afraid of being a pushy mother.
Also, not sure what to write about Biff and Chip 'we read this book'? 'ds can spell out words, just as he did with you this morning'?

[Gobbledigook]

Er, not much because ds1 is quite a fluent reader so it's always 'ds1 read this book with no help' and it might say 'sounding out unfamiliar words' or something like that. If he struggled on a couple of words I write which particular words he found hard, then the next person to read with him could look out for those again.

Way back I did write that the books he was on were way too easy and that prompted the teacher to sit and read with him and she jumped him right forward onto some much more appropriate books.

I think you just have to be honest. I would certainly point out if he was struggling or else what is the point of the book?

[singersgirl]

Fennel, exactly the same. I'm an overeducated mother who is trying to write useful things. I was of course joking about trying to say something new every night .

With DS1 (now in Y4) I write about once a month - a general comment about what he has been enjoying recently.

For DS2 (now in Y1), who was fluent before school, most of my comments (and the teacher's) last year focused on trying to find the right balance of reading difficulty and subject matter.

[Earlybird]

DD's teacher has instructed parents to write something (or initial the book) every night. If you write nothing, they assume the reading wasn't done. I was "reminded" a few times last year when I neglected to write anything.

[gpz]

just printed off singersgirl comments to write and im going to hand them out tomorrow after school!!!!
at least theyll keep me going for a few more weeks.went into see the teacher to check if hed had my a4 letter regarding reading and he just looked baffled. will stick to the initials. stroppy 7 year old prefers to read in her head anyway.but at least i now know im not on my own!