Does your year 1 child read to themselves at home?

[Showerscreen]

DD is year 1 but summer born so still 5.

We have read to her all her life.

She reads her school books at home (they have to read 5 per week). She reads the Oxford Reading Tree books (Biff, Chip Kipper etc) and is on level 6 (orange label). She seems to find these ok, probably one or two “new” or tricky words for her in each book.

She is so reluctant to read the school books it is painful. I have come to hate it but obviously try to be jolly & encouraging.

She is totally reluctant to read anything else for herself out of school. She likes being read to. she has a book shelf of beautiful books.

If we are out and about, she will say “what does that sign say” and refuses to read it herself.

The other year one parents say their kids are reading Roald Dahl, David Walliams, Worst Witch etc which is so far ahead of DD’s level

Should I be worried?

They are pretty dull books though. Might she be more interested in non-fiction? Some DC are - your local library should have something suitable - mine enjoyed children's encyclopedias at that age. Ask the teacher as I think that there are some non-fiction books that go alongside the Biff and CHip ones.

my daughter is year 1 and pretty much refuses to read
we read to her every night
but she doesn’t like to read to us.

we’ve had the same book for a week, they have to read it 3 times before they can change and she’s read it once.

She just finds reading and phonics a little harder than most
and hates it when she doesn’t know a word

some of the kids in the top reading group don’t know their left from right or wipe their own bums

but she’s not that sussed

so i’m not too worried
she will get it soon enough

I read a lot when I was young and still do now, though there was a period when I didn't, I just went off it for some reason. I don't know why. DH doesn't read at all, his parents just used to let him listen to music and didnt have any books. So he listens to music, plays computer games and likes taking things to bits and putting them back together again in his spare time. None of which I'm interested in. Doesn't matter at all as an adult as long as you can read (he got a first class maths degree and works in IT but still doesnt read apart from work or when the kids were small ). Our house has plenty of books and both DH and I read to both boys every night - we took turns and read different books to them.

DS1 is super intelligent, brilliant at maths and science but reading was always a struggle. He couldn't get his head around nonsense words and phonics generally. Scraped his phonics check in Y1 by getting the pass mark. But maxed out maths tests. Couldn't spell though he learnt his spellings and did ok in tests. Got through SPAG by knowing grammar rules. He was very anxious and beat himself up over it but it was all internal pressure. He was eventually diagnosed with moderate to severe dyslexia at 16 just a couple of months before GCSEs. Then with Autism and ADHD at 18. Makes complete sense now he struggled with phonics and didnt like to read . He can actually read well, but cant spell (words like much he puts a t in) and his handwriting is illegible so he uses a laptop.

Hes just about to sit Alevels in maths and sciences which he's great at. Also ended getting grade 9s at GCSE for both Maths and English. But he still will not read unless he has to. Hasn't stopped him achieving.

DS2 has learning difficulties and took a long time to learn to read . He can read ok now he's in specialist sixth form provision but hates maths. Can't understand money or place value whilst his brother is off to uni to do maths.

They are all different! Don't compare them to others, just do what you can and that will make a difference in itself. Just enjoy the time you have with them as it doesn't last long. And celebrate their own unique achievements!

I doubt the kids in year 1 really are reading Roald Dahl, David Walliams and Worst Witch. Suspect the parents mean THEY are reading them to children as bedtime stories. My daughter was always well above average for reading but never read those types of books at age 5 or 6.

“I doubt the kids in year 1 really are reading Roald Dahl, David Walliams and Worst Witch. Suspect the parents mean THEY are reading them to children as bedtime stories. My daughter was always well above average for reading but never read those types of books at age 5 or 6.”

Look I don’t know how many more posters you need to say, yes my child is/was at that age. Mine absolutely was. It doesn’t mean it’s an issue if yours is not. They are all different and all learn at their own pace. If I tell you I have a degree in engineering will you tell me I’m lying because you would find it difficult?

You can't speak for every child. My child is in year 1 and can read all the books you have mentioned. She reads to me at bedtime.

The whole phonics scheme is aimed at the various abilities, so surely you understand that kids in year 1 who have finished phonics/nearly finished can therefore read chapter books?

I have been lucky because all of my boys have loved reading right from the start, but I would say those ORT books are painful - there’s nothing to get excited about in them. My boys used to reluctantly do their reading homework in reception but then would happily read their own books before bed (beast quest, Roald Dahl, Michael morpurgo etc). I think you just have to persevere for now until she’s onto more interesting books. How is she with non-fiction? My son’s friend hated fiction but once he found non-fiction books on topics that interested him, he was reading much more happily.

To answer your original question, no I wouldn’t be worried. My children were early readers, plenty are the opposite but it doesn’t mean they won’t love reading in the future and it’s no indicator of intelligence or ability in other subjects either. I would encourage reading while out and about as much as possible as it’s a good way to show a use for reading if she isn’t loving it for its own intrinsic value at the moment.

My son only started to do this in term two of year two so he was 6.5. It also happened in a week when we had no television. I was delighted. I think you should relax, it will come to your daughter

Completely ignore them! Only listen to what the teachers are telling you and they'll be saying orange is fantastic for a year 1. My little girl is in year one and I think stage 9 or 10 but she's right at the top of her class and is very very academic (to the point I don't think it's healthy and try and focus her on other things). She will occasionally read to herself, sometimes it's the type of books you said BUT never for very long, she still much prefers being read to or reading easier books and she still struggles reading in her head.

It's worth googling the Oxford reading tree levels, they show what stage they should be on at the end of each year and your child is definitely doing great. My son was on orange at this age, he is now in yr 3 and a free reader and above expectations in his report for reading. It comes in peaks and troughs and they all have different interests and talents but it sounds like your child is a fantastic reader and I'd focus on loving books not where they are at.

My year one is still on red level - he hates reading, he know his phonics but he's very frustrated that there are so many exceptions to the rules, he really fights us on every one - the latest is trying to read 'toss' and 'top' as too-ss and too-p, because to is pronounced too.
From experience with my older child who's a really good reader and loves to read to himself, a lot of it is just finding the right book for the child - and it constantly changes as their abilities grow. We've done a lot of googling 'books like' or 'Age X books for boys funny'.
If your kid is doing well I wouldn't worry, it will come.

We moved back to UK when dd2 was just over 5 so she started school in year 1 (summer born). She hated the books and had no interest in the reading books at all. It was a real struggle especially as she seemed bright. She found the books boring and uninspiring. Anyway that Christmas I decided to teach her to read and by May she was reading Harry Potter! She's 30 now and still loves to read.

I used to do something similar with dd3 - she used to read all the 'easy' words and I'd read the difficult ones.

Biff and Chip are incredibly dull.

My year 5 child doesn't even read. I work in a school & majority of year 3 children read

My year 1 is a very confident reader and doing well. However

she gets 2 per week from school. We don’t always do them. She gets tired and often refuses

I read roald dahl and worst witch to her. She doesn’t read them alone

Your kid sounds normal

In this thread tho there is basically just you and maybe one other that said their kids are at that level
there are a handful (not many) more saying they could do it but wouldn't fully enjoy or understand or that they had the skill but not the will
I think that's the material point here that the kids independently reading those sorts of books are definitely outliers and either naturally gifted with reading, hyper focused on reading and struggle with other things (something one poster has specifically said of their own child) or have had a higher than normal parental input (starting phonics at school level at home at nursery age etc) (and no nothing wrong with doing that if the child is interested and you have the time, will and skill as a parent - good for you) but it's definitely not the norm for that age group and I highly doubt the op goes to some school that has 99% of year 1 kids reading at this level - it's so high above the attainment level / expectation of this year group that I suspect there is some element of boastfulness and exaggeration here too in her school peer group - that doesn't mean there are zero kids doing this there may well be and maybe their parents should be looking for Mensa membership or something

School stuff is hard. Especially at this age where they can fall behind and be totally lost!

every kid is different. ours wanted to know what was next, so we read chapter books. I read a chapter or page, and then they do, which earns them another. BUT NEVER GIVE IN. You’ve lost if you do it even once! And they are always sandwiched - ie I read first and last. If they don’t want to read them they don’t get another chapter. And they delightfully use it as a way to extend bed time - no problem! Just keep reading!

we also don’t push it hard, because they are curious enough they get enough in. So some nights I read a chapter and then they say goodnight, and that’s that. Others we’ve read the whole book (it’s like magic tree house, 90 pages, but heck yes!) and started another. I’m not lying I let them drag out bed time as long as they like! Rarely do they do more than two chapters, so five total. It’s 30 mins. No bigs.

kid is six.

Oh please, bloody David Williams at 5, maybe 1 is, take no notice. What they read at 5 and what sticker colour they are on, does not go on their CV.
don’t stress, summer born, will catch up

My child is in year 2 and your child seems more advanced with reading.

I’ve been told the following…reading to your child is just as important so if this works best sometimes, go with it. Alls you can do is encourage them. Mine shuts down when things get too hard. When it comes to homework, (although reading is important) don’t ruin your relationship with your child over homework.

All children are different, some simply love to have stories read to them and I certainly don’t think most year 1 children will read to themselves at home.
My youngest child was very bright but took a year longer to learn to read than her older siblings. She later got into a selective school without extra tuition and won a national maths medal. Don’t worry or try to measure her against others.

My daughter could read at 5 but never ever for pleasure
She started that at 10 lol
I was pleasantly surprised to see her actually reading

My oldest was still on red books at the end of year 1 and now she’s “exceeding expectations” or whatever they call it. Just focus on the love of learning and getting them to enjoy it. It clicked when I read non-fiction to her.

Or…

Perhaps not the best parenting but I got my middle one to love reading by cuddling up with her baby sister and reading to her instead. 🫣😳 I would say it was to show how fun reading was but it’s bollocks. It was so she would get jealous and insist on joining in and it worked. Now I won’t let her play Minecraft until she’s read so we’re in Reception and on green. 🤷🏽‍♀️

^That should say end of year 2.

To read each week day okay
To read 5 books p.w. no... counterproductive

2 suggestions you read a page they read a page
Or and my preference
Get a book they like you reading and say you'll read some after they read some

If it drones on past 30 mins I'd try the next day.

PS I'd not be concerned.

The other parents are lying. And if their children do just happen to be reading books aimed at much older children, you can bet your bottom dollar they do not comprehend them. From a teacher, and mother of a reluctant year one little fucking wandle reader.