Moving on to harder books

[luciemule]

DD (7.10)was 'labelled' as G & T in July for reading and writing and her teacher said her targets should be to practice writing some book reviews and to enter the local literature festival next year. I wasn't sure about the whole G & T thing really because although she's ahead of her peers for quite a few subjects, she says she hates school and it's always an effort to do anything outside of school. Tbh I'm a fan of primary aged kids (up to 9) not doing much homework but I do want her to concentrate on her reading. She loves Beast Quest books and chapter books with some oomph to them. Lately though, her school reading books coming home in her book bag have been extremley simple, always about cats and dogs (she chooses them and they're not checked)and she reads the whole book without a single mistake.
She asked to move onto the next level (free reading books highest level in school) but her teacher said she couldn't go onto them as they were only for yr 4 children. This I find very strange because as long as they're suitable for her emotional age, then I have no problem with her reading longer, more interesting books. Basically, I need to know how to approach her teacher this week at parents evening (she already thinks I'm bonkers and neurotic). Shall I take in some books she reads at home to show the sort of thing she likes or will that annoy the teacher? I'm just upset that the school won't help to take on her reading; I know it's important to read across the curriculum but the type of books in the silver section she's on, have been done to death. Sorry long rant.

dd is the same (year 3 tho)

I spoke to the librarian at the school and asked if she could show dd suitable books in the library that were challenging but suitable content for an 8 year old.

dd is also allowed to bring in her own reading books from home

it's a bit silly that books are restricted to a certain year group. It won't hurt to bring in the kind of books your dd likes to read, also ask if she can bring in her own it she's unable to access the next level at school. seems reasonable

Good idea-thanks HH. DD is also in Yr 3. She's 8 in January. For a school with double year intakes for every yr, the library consists of a tiny area in the corridor! They don't have many imaginitive reading books from what I hear from DD.

has she read harry potter? dd read last spring and loved them

ds is yr 3 and just 8 ~ his teacher thought it was great he took in his own book to read and that we read it to each other[as it is very long] also she showed him the shelf of paperbacks and said when he has read them to go up to yr 4's books.

She is a lovely teacher though.

Not yet - my sister has the whole set to give her but I think only the first 2 are age appropriate at the moment. She loves Michael Morpugu (they had a few at her old school, where she was allowed to choose from the A-z yr 4 books) and Famous Five. She'll be getting lots more books for xmas and her birthday in January so hopefully if the school don't mind, I'll take in books from home. They don't even read to an adult very regularly. She started at the school in April and there are 2 signatures from reading to an adult. She reads to me most days and the teacher signs off my signature but her previous school listened to almost every child, each day and often less capable children read twice a day. How on earth can this school know how she's improving?

Think I might take her to Waterstones on Saturday, spend an hour or two just looking at the different sorts of books (she still loves unicorn/fairy books too and they drive me nutty) and get some good reading material that she can take to school.

ds reads fluently but still reads in class in english at least twice a week[was every day last year]~they like to check reading expression and comprehension etc.

If I knew her comprehension wasn't great, I wouldn't mind her staying the same level but her understanding and expression is amazing for a 7 yr old and the imganiation she has is fab. That's why, when I was listening to her read a bit of a nonny book about some cat and her kittens climbing up trees and getting stuck, I just thought I had beter try and chat to the teacher. The cat book even said on the back that it was a easy reader for children just starting to read alone so the teacher obviously hadn't checked that out.

ds teacher very nice,helpful and experienced ~ when he was off she told me to tell him she was missing him terribly lol.

I think your opinion is quite right ~ask if she can take a book in ~I sent a book in ds file the other week and she was pleased[2nd HP]~it's what he currently wants to read so why not?

My DS is also in year 3. They are encouraged to bring in a book from home to read silently whilst the teacher does guided reading with those who still need it. DS is is in the top reading group and they do not read with the teacher. His group has a reading book which they read on their own. They then get together and discuss it with the teacher. Although DS doesn't have a set book to bring home, I am expected to listen to him read and make a record of what he is reading at home in his reading record book.

If your DDs books are too simple and her teacher isn't able/ willing to provide her with something more challenging, perhaps you could do some supplementary reading with her?

Yes - I do do supp.reading with her. She's reading things like mrs pepperpot/ famous five/ my old books like heidi and the secret garden etc. Have just been looking at more M. Morpurgo books but some seem a bit dark for a 7 yr old. The ones she read before were about animals I think but the ones for her age now are about war etc.

Yes. I have avoided M. Morpurgo for the same reason. Have you tried "The Little House on the Prairie" series (Laura Ingalls Wilder) with her? If she finds these too easy and likes "The Secret Garden", do you think she would like "Anne of Green Gables"? My DS likes the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series as well as Roddy Doyle's books for children. He also enjoys reading the "My Naughty Little Sister" series. If she liked M. Morpurgo's animal stories, do you think she would like Dick King Smith's books? For what it's worth, I hear mums of DDs regularly moan about the dearth of good books for girls which don't involve shopping or fairies!

Dd is 6.3 and in Y2 (Aug birthday). She isn't to my knowledge G&T (not even sure if they do it tbh), but I did feel she wasn't being stretched by the school books. I had a quick word with her teacher, who when I said 'she's on lime level' said instantly 'oh no, she's way more able than that' and moved her on to free reading. She's brought home some lovely books - mostly chapter books - that she's really enjoyed.

Books she enjoys reading at home are Princess Mirrorbelle (though that might be a bit young for your dd, she read them when she was 5), and she is absorbed in Ballet Shoes atm (Noel Streatfeild). She also likes Enid Blyton, and anything like that.

Think we'll perhaps get the anne of green gables series this w/e. I loved them. Think I'm a bit worried about asking the teacher about it all because I'm dealing with another issue the moment regarding the school trip. I'll just go in with some book examples then and say I'd like her to be a bit more stretched.

There are a lot of chapter books in our local library ~much better to try a few out and not have to buy them .

Take her to your own library by yourself - it's madness to buy books when they race through them in a day.

Went into school where the reading books are this morning and managed to find quite a few that are fine and quite challenging. I think she was just choosing the fairy/pet type ones because she loves that sort of thing and because the teacher wasn't checking the books she chose and they weren't listening to her read, her ability is probably being overlooked. Will bring it up with teacher tomorrow night though. They're not doing a lot to encourage her to progress.