Is the comments section in DC's reading log for parents or teachers?

[JustAJokeLikeOnTopGear]

DC has started in reception and has a reading record in her book bag.

The teacher writes the date and title in the first box and the instructions say to sign and date when you've read to your child. So I signed in the comments box.

But am I supposed to write more in that box about how we got on, or is it for the teacher?

It’s for you to write in…just a little comment a few times a week.

It’s for the parents. You just need to record the date and sign, or put a comment in the box, every time you read it. I just tend to write a comment if they found it easy or if they struggled on any words in particular.

Thank you. I thought so, but had nothing to write for the first one and the teacher has written in there.

I didn't want to be blathering on in the teacher's section!

It’s your choice. You can double check with the teacher if you’re not sure.

From school’s point of view it’s helpful to know how easy or hard your child found it, any particularly tricky words. It’s also very useful if you record how much of the book was read.

read all/finished and initial as a minimum is very helpful.

Is that because he read it at school with the teacher? He is supposed to read it at home too and you write in the row below.

Yes it's for you but sometimes they will comment too

For both - mostly you but they will comment too if an adult heard him read 😁

You can use it to communicate such as 'read confidently' or you can note down anything he found tricky or did well. EG 'sounded out p-a-t' or 'could not read 'the'.'

Jotting something down shows your child that you are interested in his reading which is a good thing.

It's for you. Our DS is in year one now and we're running out of ways to write that he read the flipping book tbh

It’s for you or anyone who listens to him read at school.

It can be helpful if you record that you read the whole book, or which pages if you just read a couple.

I used to write words they struggled with or of the book seemed too easy etc

Sounds like it will get easier to know what to put when there's actually some words in the book.

Oh DS teacher must hate me 🤣

DS is severely dyslexic though and I just try and encourage and praise, he's 8 so lots of "great try" "working hard" and sticky foil stars go in there 😳

I've been lazy and bought an " I read with Mum today" stamp. If i haven't got anything constructive to write. I use the stamp.

We have the same book. The TA who listens to him read writes a brief comment "great reading" or "some tricky words". We then ask him to read the book at home and write a sentence along the lines of "DS read well" or "DS really enjoyed the story".

I've been writing the pages read (e.g. p1 - 10) followed by "DD read well" for the last couple of years.

This year we got an "example of a really good reading diary" sent home in book bags to show us how to do it properly. The parents WhatsApp group has agreed that we have no intention of doing it properly because none of us have the time to write gushing paragraphs of dramatic and literary criticism of our children's limp and reluctant efforts in a reading diary. However, it turns out that this is the parent equivalent of claiming not to have revised for a test, because all of us have upped our game slightly, if not to quite the extent of the "really good" example.

I now write "DD read well, we discussed (something about it), she was able to manage (hard words) but struggled with (also hard words)" or a variation on the theme.

It's for anyone who has read with your child to comment in. So when you read with them at home, you write a comment. If the books don't have words in them, say how your child reacted or what they thought would happen next or if they could make up their own story from the pictures etc.

I write stuff like “DD liked the ginger cat on page 5, we named him Sinbad”. I’ve obviously been doing it wrong! 😂

I disagree, it shows engagement of the story 😉

Hard to comment on reading when there are no words.
DS held the book correctly and turned the pages over.
He used the pictures to tell a story.
He asked why there were no words...

Year 3 here and completely agree! Running out of comments!

We parents also got shown an examplary reading record at the start of term 😊

Ex teacher here: any comment shows you have sat down and read with your child. If it is just a picture book or there is only one word per page, just write something like 'X talked about the cat' or 'X could tell the story from the pictures'.

Read confidently
Read fluently
About 5 tricky words per page
Needed help with stupendous, otherwise good
This was far too hard please send easier book
Read very confidently and said it was easy
Appeared to read fluently but couldn't read words out of context
Still struggling with str but fine with sh
Trying to use the pictures to guess words instead of sounding
Can sound out tricky words but not blend them
Enjoyed the story
Good expression
Suggested alternative ending
Read the words but no clue as to what was going on
Asking for another magic key book

Where was this thread for the past few year. I always just write DS enjoyed this book.

Year 3 here and completely agree! Running out of comments!

I listen to children read in school, it is fine to say read pages 4-6 etc, read well, enjoyed this story, found it hilarious, understood why John was sad, learned a new word "disaster" or whatever. I like the Read With Mum stamp idea too. When they are very little it is just a good talking point to have with your child, ie wasn't Susie kind when Martha fell over? That sort of thing. It isn't just about listening to them read but engaging them with the story, even if it is 4 words on a page, the picture gives a lot of clues as to what is going on. Have some fun with it if you can.

I tend to work in KS2 though so there is usually a lot more meat to the story book by then but I love it when children master words and their little faces light up.