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Original poster

calling all parents with child in Year 1re: Oxford reading books

48 replies

marinda · 13/09/2006 21:11

My DS is in Year i - they read these Oxford reading tree books and he has been given stage 4. I find them awful as the pictures give the words away and encourage him to guess rather than work out a work. Also they seem to contain a lot of difficult word (like suddenly) which are then not repeated in the next book. Do any parents find this and what stage is your child on ????

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Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:12

Soory can't spell - mean working out the words !!

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spangles · 13/09/2006 21:15

DS1 is in yr1 and is reading oxford reading tree stage 4. I cant say as I have noticed this, but DS seems to enjoy reading them

Pollyanna · 13/09/2006 21:17

I think that the children are encouraged to look at the pictures to work out what the words are - it is not seen as a bad thing, and I was told that when reading at home, you should encourage your child to look at the pictures to work out the words.

I think stage 4 is pretty good for year 1 btw , my dds class range from stage 1 to 6.

CrocodileKate · 13/09/2006 21:17

My ds is in year 1 and is still on level 1.

spangles · 13/09/2006 21:18

How often do the teachers change your DSs book... my DSgets 2 books a week

spangles · 13/09/2006 21:19

The reason I ask is because my friend has DD who only got her reading book changed every 2 wks

CrocodileKate · 13/09/2006 21:20

Ours is once a week, but this week he has actually enjoyed trying to read his books so I requested a couple of extra ones.

Sobernow · 13/09/2006 21:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:21

They seem the change them weekly and you are supposed to read it at home as well- the problem I see is that if you give them a normal book which seems to be about the same level - they can't read it as athe oxford tree only uses certain words - May be it is just my son. He also has word lists to learn - does anyone elase have these ??? (seems a lot to learn when they are only 5!)

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Pollyanna · 13/09/2006 21:22

We changed schools over the summer and at dd1s previous school she changed the books once a week, at her new school she changes them when she finishes one (so probably 2 a week)

spangles · 13/09/2006 21:24

DS had a list of key words to learn to read and spell in reception class... just got a list of 5 words to learn to spell this week.

Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:26

Yes - DS had spelling test words to learn - at, fat, mat, rat and bat I think. Anyone else had this ?? Also do you practise with them at home i don't but feel I should be.

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MegaLegs · 13/09/2006 21:27

The best thing about ORT is that many of them are written by Roderick Hunt - try saying it! Sorry - v.childish but I have to keep myself sane. Ds1 and ds2 bring the darn things home every night!!

bilbo1 · 13/09/2006 21:27

As Sobernow says...the pictures are there to help your child make a guess.
He can look at the beginning sound of the word and then use the picture to help work it out.

You should be encouraging this - it's a good thing!

The words that he has been given to learn will probably be key words - the really important ones that he'll come across every day.
If he learns these then it will help him to read those other books that you say he is struggling with at the moment.

He's only little........try and relax and get him to enjoy what he can do/work out.

LIZS · 13/09/2006 21:29

The pictures are designed to act as visual prompts and the hard words are "context" or commonly used words in stories but they are not expetced to recognise them yet. dd did Stage 4 at the end of Reception but is now (Year 1) reading books of the same level from other series atm which expand her vocabulary, reinforce the basic letter sounds and ideas. ORT does get more interesting at Stage 5 with the Magic Key stories, honest !

Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:34

The name get me - Biff and Kipper for Gods sake - as if !!!! Also some of the stories are wierd - like the one about Gran nicking a motorbike. Does anyone else know what there kids do in Year 1 - my DS won't tell me or says he can't remember.

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bilbo1 · 13/09/2006 21:38

Biff, Kipper and Chip are all easy words to sound out and remember.
Much better than alot of the names that are phonetic at all and very confusing.

I agree that some of the stories are a bit boring but how interesting can you make a story with not too many words?

Do you have any opportunity to go and speak to the teacher to ask what your ds is learning?

bilbo1 · 13/09/2006 21:38

Sorry - I meant to say aren't phonetic.
That didn't make sense!

Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:40

Yes for 10 mis in the morning you are allowed in the classroom - but the teacher is unsmiling and very stroppy looking so I don't feel I can.

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SpaceCadet · 13/09/2006 21:41

my 2 eldest read the oxford reading tree and progressed well.
ds's school, read lighthouse books though, not oxford reading tree.

bilbo1 · 13/09/2006 21:42

Oh dear - not good!
Do you have consultation evenings or just one big parents evening a year?

We always send out a list of topics and skills that we are planning to teach in the coming term so that parents are well informed.

Sobernow · 13/09/2006 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:45

one parents evening where you only get 10 mins and a quick look at their wok books - I am still none the wiser !!

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Original poster
marinda · 13/09/2006 21:45

one parents evening where you only get 10 mins and a quick look at their wok books - I am still none the wiser !!

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Jennypog · 13/09/2006 21:46

Wait till you get a bit higher up the Tree, it is really good. I remember reading them with my two children and we really enjoyed the magic key stories. The pictures were lovely and really helped them. Biff, Chip, Kipper, Floppy - gosh - I had forgotten all about them. The pictures are there to help the children to guess the word, otherwise they wouldn't really have a clue!

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