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Original poster

When do you stop listening to your child read?

54 replies

emkana · 25/06/2007 22:33

Dd1 is just six and in year one. She is a free reader now, so has finished with ORT at her school. I must admit that I don't listen to her read that much anymore, because she races through books by herself all the time, and from her talking to me about them I know that she understands them. But I still feel a bit guilty about it.

So when do you stop listening to them read?

OP posts:
Balls · 27/06/2007 14:24

My y4 boy is still encouraged to read a bit to me at home as often as possible. It is good for encouraging expression etc. and naturally he still encountesr new vocabulary and needs it explained, or colloquialisms.

MrsWho · 27/06/2007 14:28

dd1 (7) occaisionally does butmore cos she wants to share something than the school books!

Issy · 27/06/2007 14:46

DD1 is in Yr 1 but I wouldn't say she's quite a "free reader" yet (she's on Ginn 360 level 7 - the bright pink ones!). She reads to our nanny every night and to us once during the weekend.

I think there are only three or four children in her class who are 'free readers' but perhaps it's a particularly remedial class!

ViciousSquirrelSpotter · 27/06/2007 14:48

I've almost stopped with DS (8) just because he hates hates hates reading his school books aloud. (And I dread making him, so quite often I just sign his reading card and pretend he's done it when he's only done a few pages.)

He's quite happy to read out large chunks of Jeremy Strong though, and I'll listen to him then.

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 15:01

nah issy, that sounds about right! Think when dd was in yr1, there were only about 2 or 3 free readers in a class of 30 (by the end of the year). And similarly, around 5-10 children for whom reading hadn't 'clicked' yet (towards the end of yr1).

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 15:04

I mean not clicked as in, still on the very early stages of the reading scheme iyswim. By the end of yr 2, the picture looks quite different.

elliott · 27/06/2007 15:13

Crumbs, ds1 is 5.5 and I thought he was doing quite well at his reading - but I cannot imagine him being 'free reading' in only 6 months time! He can decode most regular words but is quite slow and systematic - he doesn't recognise many words by sight yet. He will often look at a book by himself but I don't know to what extent he is actually trying to read the words. How long is it likely to take him to be 'free reading'?

Issy · 27/06/2007 15:21

Thanks FoxInSocks. That's reassuring. In fact I don't think that DD1 is that far off free-reading. She reads very nicely but she hasn't quite got to the point where it's easy enough for her to do it for pleasure. Once she has reached that point, I think she'll take off.

Interestingly one of the teachers at her school said that in a class of 10 year old girls (at a very precious although not academically selective private prep school) she would expect there to be only two or three 'avid readers'.

Issy · 27/06/2007 15:23

elliott: DD1 was 6 at the end of February and the difference between her reading at the end of Reception and now is remarkable.

elliott · 27/06/2007 15:26

Oh, ok - I won't panic yet then! He does seem to be making steady progress and I keep thinking 'oh yes, he's really starting to get it now'. Then he will go and shatter my illusions by having to sound out something like b-u-t !

Dottydot · 27/06/2007 15:27

Elliot - i'm glad you said that - was just thinking the same thing myself! Ds1 is 5 and the concept of 'free reading' (never heard that phrase before) is completely alien - no chance of that happening in the months (years?!) to come!

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 15:52

oh lordy, don't think most of the class free reads for AGES

one of dd's friends started yr 2 on level 3 of the ORT, really struggled and struggled (her mum was v worried!) then suddenly, in the last couple of months, has 'got' it and is going full pace now!

It's a funny thing reading - some get it early, some get it late!

singersgirl · 27/06/2007 15:57

It depends on the school a lot, too. Some schools chuck them off the reading scheme early, others make them read each book in a stage before they let them progress. I would say there are 7 absolutely fluent readers in DS2's Y1 class of 30 (books like Roald Dahl, Charlotte's Web etc), though they don't all read at that level for pleasure. There are another 8 on the highest level of the reading scheme.

I think the class is particularly good at reading, TBH.

Blueblob · 27/06/2007 15:59

Elliot my nearly 6 year old seems to be a very long way off also. His school tell me they're pleased with his reading but he doesn't seem to enjoy it at all. Really easy words at home and he won't even attempt to decode quite often. It doesn't tie in with what his teachers say at all I don't think he'll get the point of reading or particuarly want to do it until he can do it without thinking.

Sorry emkana that doesn't answer your question

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 16:08

I think your class must be very extraordinary singersgirl. Not sure if there are 7 proper 'free' readers in the whole of dd's yr 2 (90 children)!

Issy · 27/06/2007 16:18

One of the most helpful thing said to me by DD1's teachers was not to get too hung up about reading. Of course it is key and a child needs to be able to read in order to access all the other parts of the curriculum. But particularly at the Reception level, other areas of the curriculum are just as important but those aren't represented in the daily reading record.

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 16:33

yes, and like you say, they change so fast at this age. I always think the teachers are the best judge really - if they think your child's progressing fine then they probably are!

katelyle · 27/06/2007 18:02

I would be amazed if there are any children in ds's year one class whou could read Charlottes' Web and understand it. Some children and some Roald Dahl's, yes, and my ds can read Zac Power! But "proper" old fashioned children's classics like Charlotte's Web are surely beyond any but the most exceptional 6 year old?

Balls · 27/06/2007 21:37

katelyle - actually I think lots of 6 year olds could enjoy Charlotte's Web. I read it to mine aged 5. I read the original PEter Pan to my eldest when he was 4. They don't necessarily understand 100% of some of the subtler notions but still derive a great deal - especially in terms of introducing new cultures and accents and ideas, not to mention expansion of their vocabulary. I might add that I was also reading Thomas the Tank Engine to my 4 year old - a bit of mix it up and see what sticks.

Gig · 27/06/2007 21:42

Wearing my teacher's hat, I'd say keep listening to them right up to the last year of primary- year 6. Books are fun - or should be- and if they can be shared, so much the better. Reading is not just about decoding the words, but it is also about analysing characters, plot and so on- and discussing these.

If children are not reading aloud to an adult they tend to skip words they can't read- and never learn them- or not so fast anyway. Or, they miss vocabulary for the same reason- they need someone to ask if they know that word, and explain it to them.

There is no better way to help your child than to listen to them read, or share a book with them reading a page in turn.

IMO year 1 is when you start listening- not stop!

singersgirl · 27/06/2007 21:56

I agree both that it is an extraordinary class and that I, personally, would not suggest my young 6 year old read "Charlotte's Web". It is a very hard book and TBH the child who was reading it clearly didn't understand quite a lot of it. But it would be OK to read to a child, because I think it is easier to understand if someone else is putting in all the right expression etc. In fact, we were listening to it on CD in the car and DS1 (8) was much more able to understand the subtleties than DS2 (5), even though they both enjoyed it.

And absolutely agree that reading is only one part of the many things they learn in school.

MrsWho · 27/06/2007 22:21

dd1 was reading Roald Dahl in the holidays between recpetion and Yr1 but dd2 (who is slightly older -spet birthday rather than Dec) si still on 'The cat sat on the mat ' type reading (and very reluctantly) so there is no way you can compare children from diferent background to each other.

katelyle · 27/06/2007 22:37

Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about 6 year olds reading the original Charlotte's Web independently. Yes, of course lots of 6 year olds - probably the majority - could understand it if it was read to them. I understand now - and stopped worrying that my child and his class are chronic underachievers

singersgirl · 27/06/2007 23:09

Well, there are 6 year olds reading it independently in DS2's class - but I was agreeing that I thought it was a very hard book for a child of that age.

flutterfree · 27/06/2007 23:22

I agree whole hearted with GIG, reading and understanding what they have read are two completely different things. The latter is often overlooked. Can i also add that reading is for enjoyment and for a child can be a very tiring experience, lots of encouragement and discussion gives a well earned breather.