Reading in reception - too much pressure?

[Daydreaming]

I am concerned about my DD's school's expectations about her reading.

At nursery school she did letters of the alphabet and I also tried to reinforce some of it at home. I was feeling quite pleased with her progress - being able to recognise most lettes and write some of them.

Since starting reception she has been given books to read and also words on small cards. She has been "reading" the books, but I know she is not actually reading them -she just has an excellent memory. I am not at all concerned about when she starts reading. She was very late talking - she only said 2 or 3 works until she was 2.5, and then she just progressed reall quickly, and now at 4.5 she has an excellen vocabulary and her favourite thing is to be read to. But I just don't think she is ready to be reading and that one day soon it will just "click". But I am concerned that the school has different expectations, and that it's all driven by the desire to meet targets, etc.

They have a system where the parent signs a reading book to say they the child has read the book at home, and once you sign, they get a new book. I don't see the point in her getting a new book every day, given that she is not actually "reading" them, but I got a note from the teacher chasing me up to "sign" and my DD seems very anxious about it too.

I don't really understand it. I thought she would spend at least the first six months learning letters and sounds, and how to put them together.

I think they will be happy that you are sharing the book together not expecting her to acutally read it.

I think it's too much pressure for many children. they all progress differently and it's really unfair to expect them all to learn so fast. I was a very early reader, and although I reckon my own DD (3.3) is quite smart (admittedly I'm biased!) I can imagine her being quite 'slow' with it in the future as she has trouble with some sounds. I really hope the school doesn't label her a failure.

Hi vegasmum - well, she seems to enjoy saying "mummy, I am going to read this book to you" in a very bossy voice, so I guess she gets some enjoyment out of it !!!

I first learned to read in a different language (a very phonetic language), and it was all about putting sounds together, so this is a very different approach I guess...

Give her a few weeks and talk it over with the teacher at parents evening. They aren't (hopefully) pressuring children to go faster than they can, but they do need to record what they ARE doing hence the signing off.

You don't have use this system to endorse something your DD isn't understanding. If she can't "read" the book, write a comment to say you've tried but she's having problems with (XYZ). Raise your concerns with the teacher at a parents' evening or a meeting by appointment, and find out more about why she is being set these reading tasks (how it fits with what she can do in the classroom), and whether an alternate approach might be more beneficial for her at this stage.

What are the books like that she is bringing home? Did she bring home 'sounds' to learn at first, or has she been thrown straight into books?

It was very sensible of you to expect that she would learn some letter/sound correspondences before she started reading books and if it hasn't been done like that the alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear! The way that you were taught is the way that children learn to read most successfully; don't think that there is 'another way' that is just as effective, because there isn't!

It is absolutely not true that memorising words is part of reading, it is very dangerous as it can lead to children not learning to sound out and blend properly and not learning the relationship between sounds and letters. They can memorise enough words in the first two or three years, when texts have a tightly controlled vocabulary, but it often goes pearshaped when texts become less 'controlled' and words become more complex.
Many of the children I work with have been let down by getting the impression early on that reading is about memorising words

The essential skill is memorising the letter/sound correspondences and using that knowledge to sound out and blend words. It is lovely that your dd enjoys pretend 'reading' now but she will get frustrated and switched off if she doesn't master the phonics.

DS also reception has done 4 letter sounds and shapes so far SATP they seem to be doing about 2 a week. No homework (until Jan) no reading books (though 3 story books a week from library chosen by child).

Slow pace just about right for DS - and this is a school with an offsted grade 1 and way above the national average SATs so I guess they must be doing something right!

ah, but we thought fo ages that ds was simply memorising the books and 'reciting' them. turns out, he was actually learning to read.

we only started to believe he was doing it properly towards the end of reception when the books got too long to memorise...

if the children enjoy it, and if she can get through the book identifying all the words, then sign the diary and send it in.

i used to go back through the book and pick words out of context for ds to read - helped to convince me he knew what he was doing...

Thanks for all the comments - I am rather confused now !! DD's school has an outstanding rating for the foundation stage, so you would think they must be doing something right - but perhaps not... I will see what happens in the next few weeks.