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Primary education

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Original poster

Extra literacy support in Year 1

31 replies

LittleBlossom · 14/11/2010 12:44

Hi, we got a note in DS' bookbag last week asking for permission for him to participate in extra literacy support sessions, run daily and in a group. It is signed from the SENCO, however as far as I know he's got no special needs and the recent parents evening was positive. We did have a short meeting with the teacher a few weeks into yr 1 as he was struggling a bit with reading and they changed the books to simpler ones, he now reads well at stage 2 ORT and seems a lot more confident. If anyone else is similar, with experience of this or possibly a teacher, could you advise please. Id be happy for a little boost for him, however am a little concerned about him having stigma of being in 'slow learners' or somesuch (it's quite an academic kind of school) or missing out on things like music or art, or playtime!

OP posts:
IndigoBell · 14/11/2010 13:01

'stigma'????? At 6??? Who's going to notice???

Are music, art or playtime more important to you than him learning to read????

I can promise you if he doesn't learn to read then he will be stigmatized for the rest of his life.

It doesn't matter how academic the school is. Does not guarantee your child will do well.

Original poster
LittleBlossom · 14/11/2010 13:11

Hi IndigoBell- ok stigma was too strong a word. The other children will notice. The national curriculum is such that music, art, PE etc are not given much time and therefore that is precious. I want him to be happy and not spend all his time on the three 'R's.

OP posts:
IndigoBell · 14/11/2010 13:18

He won't be happy if he doesn't learn to read.

Absolutely no two ways about it.

I honestly can't even believe you're thinking about turning down the offer of extra help for a child who clearly needs it.

IndigoBell · 14/11/2010 13:19

My experience is that my DD didn't learn to read in Y1 or Y2 and it has been truly truly awful.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/11/2010 13:21

My son is 5, in year one and goes off in a group for extra help.
He has glue ear on and off and as a result is behind with learning sounds etc as he can't hear them.

It's just one to one reading. An opportunity for him to have a little extra one to one time.

No biggie and certainly no stigma at 5! Hmm

Teacher401 · 14/11/2010 13:22

I'm surprised that the school has asked for your permission to be honest. They don't have to. We will tell parents about intervention groups but don't usually ask permission.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/11/2010 13:23

My son has no problem with going. I have asked him if the other kids have said anything and one asked him where he went in case he was missing something and DS replied 'to do reading'. The other boy was fine with this answer.

He is not teased if that is what you are concerned about - would kids of 5 really tease each other? Would they really understand the concept of 'learning support' or whatever it's called?

Original poster
LittleBlossom · 14/11/2010 13:25

Hi again, sorry am writing with a toddler and maybe didn't make it clear, I'm glad to have support for him, I just wanted experiences of what this is about. The school has not discussed it with us, just sent this note. I think I need to chat with them. Thanks for your replies, so far. Indigo, I'm sorry for your experience with reading. Hope things a bit better now. I guess I should be lucky the school are offering it shouldn't I?

OP posts:
pozzled · 14/11/2010 13:27

I would have a chat with the teacher about what the group involves, and why he has been put forward for it. However, I would not be too concerned. My experience as a teacher is that children often love attending these kind of groups. There is rarely any kind of stigma and they usually seen as fun because they play phonics games and so on. Also, children love working in a small group with an adult as they get more attention than in a whole class.

(I often have more able children saying 'Oh, why can't I go out with Miss x this week?')

The question about where the time is coming from is a good one though. SOme schools do take children out of more 'fun' activities like art etc. I think this can be a bad thing if it happens often. The children that need extra help in maths and literacy sometimes find that their main chance to shine (and boost self-esteem) is in subjects like PE and Art, so if they don't get this they can get quite a negative self-view. Hopefully the teacher can put your mind at rest about this. In my school we often use a rotating timetable so the children miss a different subject each week.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/11/2010 13:27

Sorry for my mass posting :o meant to add, he started going near the end of reception year as he wasn't doing very well and he has come on leaps and bounds. His teacher assured us at our parents evening he is on exactly the same par as the other kids.

His confidence has improved ten-fold which has in turn improved his writing 100%.
He can now write short sentences and produces 'quality rather than quanitity' to quote his teacher which she is very happy with. :)

Am quite proud of the little chap!

IndigoBell · 14/11/2010 13:27

:)

Exactly. You are very lucky.

The school sounds pro-active and great, so work with them as much as you can.

Original poster
LittleBlossom · 14/11/2010 13:28

and should explain, my partner was in 'slow learners' at school many years ago and he hated it and is now upset our son might have the same thing. He was bright but very young for his year, and felt it was the wrong thing. I'm trying to tell him things have changed a lot over the years but he's cross!

OP posts:
LadyOfTheFlowers · 14/11/2010 13:31

TBH - we were concerned when we first discovered he was attending, purely because at junior and secondary school the kids who went out for extra help used to get it ripped out of them, but we decided it's better he gets the support early on and maybe he won't need it as the kids get older and start to realise what it's all about?

hocuspontas · 14/11/2010 13:31

When the teacher asks the children in my group to get ready she calls them 'Hocus's group' not the 'slow learners group'. Shock at the thought! No one else in the classroom bats an eyelid. If anything they are envious about the group leaving the classroom to do something special. And we don't ask permission first either.

Original poster
LittleBlossom · 14/11/2010 13:36

Pozzled- yes that's exactly what I meant. Good if it's fun but not if have to miss that little bit of special time to make something to go and read their book. I did a teaching course a few years back and have seen that kind of thing going on, and the sad wee face that results!

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 14/11/2010 13:43

At DD's school anyone who struggles with literacy or maths gets extra help, regardless of what year they are in. There is no stigma attached to it and none of the children who need the help get teased or stigmatised.

I can't see how this can be anything other than positive.

As an example: DD has often had little parties at home - birthday or Halloween. I usually do some kind of treasure hunt for them. One of DD's best friends struggled with her reading in her early years at school and found the first treasure hunt a bit of a trial (I had never given it a thought or I wouldn't have done it). It wasn't very nice for her, especially as younger children were reading the clues and running off to find the next one.

So the moral of the story is don't make a fuss and accept all the help you can get. You are very lucky that your son's school are so proactive.

mrz · 14/11/2010 13:53

I have to say in our school the children who get extra support are envied as it is seen as a treat

Feenie · 14/11/2010 13:57

Early Literacy Support is a brilliant intervention when delivered properly - it's designed for children who are struggling just a tiny bit (as the teacher described at your parents' evening) and gives them the little boost that they need. It is not designed for children who really struggling or have lots of difficulties.

R.e. the 'stigma' - our children love to work in groups which they see as extra-special, and are thrilled if they are the ones who are 'chosen'. Smile

Feenie · 14/11/2010 13:58

Cross posts, mrz Smile

coppertop · 14/11/2010 17:45

My ds was chosen for the ELS group in Yr1 and the outcome was excellent. It gave him a real confidence boost. Not only did he zoom through the reading levels afterwards but more importantly he developed a real love of reading.

The other children were a little envious - especially when it came to the activities where the group had to make (and eat) food by following written instructions. :o

I would make the most of the opportunity, OP.

Lydwatt · 14/11/2010 18:31

I would also add that you want to sort any issues out now whilst he is at this age and before he gets any older.

Literacy issues at secondary school are a real hinderance when accessing the cuuriculum across all subjects and there isn't as much time to try to address them either.

This really is the time to take any support on offer and make sure he can progress as well as possible.

SocialButterfly · 14/11/2010 18:54

My daughter did ELS in yr 1, they used to come in to school early and work for 20 mins before registration but they all thought it was a great treat being in school early and having the TA all to themselves.

MrsDinky · 14/11/2010 20:15

My DS did this last year, he really benefitted from it. About a quarter of his class did it. I help in the classroom and see little groups of them going off for 10 minutes here and there for all sorts of reasons, no one bats an eyelid (they are moving about fairly freely most of the day anyway at this age, doing work for 10 minute bursts and then moving on), and the children always seem to enjoy themselves. I am definitely in the camp of taking any help that is offered, you might regret it later if you don't.

forehead · 14/11/2010 20:25

Please be grateful that your child is getting help at this tender age. He's going to be fine.
Just continue to do as much as you can with him at home.

sims2fan · 15/11/2010 06:31

ELS is not designed for the lowest attainers, it is for children who just need a little extra input to keep up with their peers. When I taught Year 1 I was in a school with quite a long lunch break, and the TA would collect the group 20 minutes before the end of lunch, bring them into the classroom, and work with them until afternoon lessons. Most days they would be waiting in the playground by the door for her, as they were so keen on the sessions. It did really help the children in the group, and they made good progress through the year. I like to think that a lot of it was also down to my teaching, but I do think the ELS sessions played a big part. It went back to basics such as constructing really simple sentences, but in a fairly fast paced manner.