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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

What exactly does 'listening to your child read' involve?

16 replies

trifling · 23/03/2011 09:39

.. when the child can't read much yet? Mine is 5.3 and brings home simple readers, but is very reluctant to try reading them, tho he can manage most cvc words. Mostly I end up reading them to him with him joining in a bit. Is that ok? When he does do it, he depends heavily on guessing with the pictures - I somehow thought that was not right with phonics, but is it?

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ragged · 23/03/2011 09:41

It sounds exactly right what you're doing, although maybe he should be trying to do more phonics. I'd talk to his teacher about that? You could break it down to individual letters and then show him how you slur the sounds together?

some phonics schemes are better than others, I suspect.

Original poster

trifling · 23/03/2011 10:02

Oh good. Actually I think he has the phonics in place - he can blend - but he doesn't want to practice it [with me]. It's hard not to push him & turn it all into a grim chore.

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ragged · 23/03/2011 10:22

Oh tell me about it, I have a DS who is supposed to be Free Reader now (recent) -- I am astonished because he WILL NOT read to me, or deliberately reads badly when I ask him to read something. I will be the only parent asking "Are you SURE about FR status???" at parent's evening.

Don't make it a chore whatever you do, though.

OliPolly · 23/03/2011 10:35

I think you are doing the right thing too. Pictures actually help !

What does free reader mean and when does this happen?

ragged · 23/03/2011 10:41

FR is when they go off the reading scheme, not every school even calls it that, just means they've have mastered the top stage of whatever reading scheme the school uses. After that they can select whatever reading material they like from the school library (no longer so restricted to a particular sticker colour).

Depends on the child & the school, but (I think) very commonly the pupils get FR status (or equivalent) in Y2-Y3, so 6-8yo.

OliPolly · 23/03/2011 10:42

Oh I see - does that mean the teachers will stop listening to them read?

Malaleuca · 23/03/2011 10:45

Yes, cvc words are just about right for a beginner, and as long as he or she knows the letter/sound correspondences it's fair to expect child to have a go, but dc may need some modelling if not sure. What you don't need to do is to encourage guessing. Better to spit out the words yourself than let that happen. I hope your little darling is being given deocdable books or words to have a go at.

ragged · 23/03/2011 10:47

I presume so, but they still work on literacy skills in other ways, obviously.
Some kids don't get FR status until y5-6, in our school they seem to work in smaller groups away from their peers on reading, makes it less obvious that they are a bit behind.

ragged · 23/03/2011 10:49

DS1 is at a private school and they do group aloud reading in Y6, which has some drawbacks in terms of making it too easy to compare.

OliPolly · 23/03/2011 10:51

Thanks ragged- my DCs are at prep too and they all get listened to by a teacher or an assistant on a daily basis regardless of what book/level - even thick novels!

Original poster

trifling · 23/03/2011 13:04

This is inner city state and afaik no reading is heard at school, but that may just be because he isn't ready - he's in reception and most of them only started in Jan for some reason. Malaleuca it sounds like you are saying I should prevent him guessing - is that correct? If it wasn't a chore, he wouldn't do it - not that he hates it just he is reluctant to do it, perfectionist and obstinate. Maybe this is just a problem between me and him. They don't have a reading scheme, at least not at this stage, a few random readers come home. Am very aware this sounds miles off what most of you are getting!

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Malaleuca · 23/03/2011 13:47

It's probably not that he isn't 'ready' (he's ready if he can speak in sentences) but that the instruction he is receiving sucks, so he doesn't know what to do to get it right.

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trifling · 23/03/2011 21:57

Malaleuca, He does get it right. He just doesnt want to do it. I think your assumptions about the teaching are unreasonable!

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Malaleuca · 23/03/2011 22:15

OK ..Sorry

MammyT · 23/03/2011 23:02

It's early days if some of the class started in Jan. My dd has been getting home books since mid Jan and is quite keen as long as we time it well - not too late if possible (though we work so it's unavoidable sometimes) and lots of positive vibes - high fives for the first sentence/page with no mistakes etc. My dd has moved on quite a bit but there are others who are on the first level. None of it matters as it's early days for reading.

I would ask the teacher who is hearing them read at school.

ragged · 24/03/2011 07:39

I agree with Mammy, it's very early days. If he only started in January and he can already make a bit of a stab with phonics he's doing pretty good, I dare say.

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