How does the ORT work? Reception/primary teacher responces would be appreciated too, thanks :-)

[Alambil]

When do the kids move up - is it when they've read all the books in one level or when they are deemed not challenging enough?

I am just wondering - DS is being given 1+ and level 2 at the moment and seems to be coping really well (too well almost) with them...

I am just wondering if he should be further along and how his teachers will be sorting it out.

Anyone know?

It depends on the school/ teacher to a certain extent. Some move children on when they've finished all the books, others move them when they are ready - i.e. can read at a certain level of fluency & comprehension.

I would ask the teacher how she manages this.

Also have a look at their website

If the child can rad 90%+ of the book it is too easy. But the school often send 'easier' books home to consolidate what they have done in class. I would speak to the teacher if you think he is ready to move up

Depends on the school. My kids were moved up when they were ready for the next level. Dd was moved faster than the average, Ds slower

It's also not just about being able to read them but comprehending the story as well.

If you're worried they're too easy check understanding with questions such as;

1. who/what is the story about
2. what happens in the story 3)Book specific questions such as,'where did Kipper go next?' or 'what did Chip do when it started to rain?'

If your DC is fine with these then approach teacher and say you think they're too easy. When he/she tells you it's more about comprehension then explain that you've checked this and your child does understand what he/she is reading.

He does appear to comprehend it all well onesock; for example we just read the "Nobody wanted to play" one where Wilf goes to the park alone and ends up being loads of different characters - DS knew why (because his friends didn't want to play) and knew what happened at the end (he fell off the climbing frame because he thought he was Spiderman).

I think I might write a note to the teacher soon if DS isn't moved up soon (I'll give her a couple weeks grace because she's just had the January intake and is assessing them...)

Do you have a reading record to write in ?

We have a record book to keep a note of the books ds has been given and parents are supposed to write comments as to how they get on with each book. Anyone who reads with ds at school teacher/TA or parent helper also writes in it too.

We didn't have to work our way through all the ORT books without words as I was a bit blunt and wrote that he had lost interest in these. We've also just been jumped up 3 stages (missing out 2 stages) because I commented several times in the record book that it was taking him only a minute or so to read the ones he was getting. Presumably this prompted his teacher to check his reading ability and decide that it would be counterproductive to make him work his way through the intermediate 2 stages.

We read a lot of other books at home too as it is part of the bedtime routine and ds won't let me miss out the story reading bit no matter how tired mummy he is.

If there is a reading record, just be honest in it and let the teacher know if you are supplementing with other books because your ds finds the school books so easy.