free reading in reception age child

[racmac]

DS is 5 and has just finished the reading bands in school. Teachers have suggested he brings in his own books to read.

He has just started horrid henry - any other suggestions that dont have too much in the way of older topics?

Spy dog

max flash

jack starwart

Very very odd ... do they not have other books in school?

That rings alarm bells for me as a Reception teacher.....they should have a range of books for children that have appropriate content for younger ages but that stretch free readers...books are banded all the way through to Y6.

Mr Majeika

Flat Stanley

The Magic Treehouse series (these are American but my son absolutely LOVED these when he was a reception free reader)

If he likes football, then one of the many series by Rob Childs or the Football Academy series by Tom Palmer.

Littlenose

Any books by Dick King-Smith

If he likes history, the Sir Gadabout series is fun.

Would agree with the recommendation of Jack Stalwart

Mr Majeika, Beast Quest , the Orchard Books adaptations of Shakespeare and also classical myths,.

Cross posted with others. My son finished the ORT levels (his school at the time did not use bands) all the way up through level 14 / 15 in the middle of reception. His progress through the later levels was somewhat accelerated by the fact that some of the books were not appropriate for him in terms of subject matter, though his ability to decode, comprehend, predict, appreciate, describe the features of those levels he did read meant that it was entirely appropriate for him to progress thorugh and out of the levels. The books I have suggested were ones he enjoyed reading at that age - obviously he could read at a higher level than many of them but those were the ones that he really enjoyed reading and were always appropriate to him. Banded books from higher up the school were not always appropriate for him in terms of subject matter.

In year 1, he read mainly non-fiction books intended for adults or much older children e.g. encyclopedias of football, Wisden Cricket Almanac, the detailed DK books about space etc.

im told the books are a little thin on the ground.
and that he has got to the stage where if there are books he is enjoying at home he should bring them in.

Thanks for the suggestions i will have a look at those

My dd loves the Oliver Moon books (which I imagine are probably more aimed at boys) - she's yr 1 and has just gone off reading scheme books.

i was told that no other reception child had reached that stage so early - although i find that hard to believe tbh

Also the Mr Gum books - though he would find them funnier when he is a little bit older.

I second mr majeika, just reading through them now, they are cheap on book people website at present.

what was the last book band level he read before becoming a free reader?

I would suggest you keep a close eye on things as it seems no further teaching is going to take place.

In ds school it is common to reach a free reader by the end of reception and yes some book content is not suitable but there are plenty that are.

I would have expected them to have shelves full of appropriate books at school. I would use you local library.

I would be amazed if a 5 year old could understand the humour in a Mr Gum book. My DS, pretty bright, tried them just before he was 7 and he didn't really get them. He now thinks they are hilarious - but he's 7 1/2 now.

I would be very alarmed at schools who have free readers aged 5! there is so much to learn even for the most able readers
can 5 year olds for example ...
evaluate writers' purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect of the text on the reader

explain and comment on writers' use of language, including vocabulary, grammatical and literary features.

identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts

Across a range of reading
comments identify similarities and differences between texts, or versions, with some explanation, e.g. narrative conventions in traditional tales or stories from
different cultures, ballads, newspaper reports
some explanation of how the contexts in which texts are written and read contribute to meaning, e.g. how historical context influenced adverts or war reports from different times/places; or how a novel relates to main purpose clearly identified, often through general overview, e.g. ?the writer is strongly against war and wants to persuade the reader to agree?
viewpoint in texts clearly identified, with some, often limited, explanation,
e.g. ?at the end he knows he?s done wrong and makes the snake sound
attractive and mysterious? general awareness of effect on the
reader, with some, often limited, explanation, e.g. ?you?d be persuaded
to sign up because 25p a week
doesn?t seem that various features of writer?s use of language identified, with
some explanation, e.g. ?when it gets to the climax they speak in short sentences and quickly which makes it more tense? comments show some
awareness of the effect of writer?s language choices, e.g. ??inked up? is a good way of describing how the blackberries go a bluey black colour as they ripen?
comments on structural choices show some general awareness of author?s craft, e.g. ?it tells you all things burglars can do to your house and then the last section explains how the alarm protects you?
various features relating to organisation at text level, including form, are clearly identified, with some explanation, e.g. ?each section starts with a question as if he?s answering the crowd? comments develop explanation of inferred meanings drawing on evidence across the text, e.g. ?you know her dad was lying because earlier she saw him take the letter?
comments make inferences and deductions based on textual evidence, e.g. in
drawing conclusions about a character?s feelings on the basis of their speech and actions
most relevant points clearly identified, including those selected from different places in the text comments generally supported by relevant textual reference or quotation, even when points made are not always accurate
which are my expectations from a free reader

We had 2 or 3 free readers in the class when dd1 was in Reception - interestingly, all boys. Lots of suggestions for books already, would just add to keep an eye on understanding - I read with dd's class, and two of the three boys in question tended to rattle through words without engaging with them much. They would only admit to not understanding some of the vocabulary when I asked them specific questions.

I'm sure you know what your ds understands, and enjoys, but thought I'd mention in case helpful l

But mrz, a child doesn't need to be reading a scheme book to be developing their reading skills. DS2 was a 'free reader' in Reception and also, after discussion with the teacher, we decided that it was better for him to bring in books that interested him. But all the teaching of higher order reading skills went on - some in guided reading sessions, where he read from a scheme book with a group of other children, some in individual reading sessions where he read his choice of book but all the things you've listed were discussed.

I didn't say they needed reading scheme books only books selected by the teacher in order to promote necessary skills which won't happen by chance especially if the child is reading the same genre every time from choice.

and is it likely the school has books to promote the higher order skills if they are relying on children bringing books from home because "books are thin on the ground" to quote the OP.

DS's 'free reader' books were approved by the teacher. The way it worked - and the way I have always seen free reading work - is that he had access to a 'free reading' box of books at school OR could bring in books from home as long as they were approved by the teacher. He was read with, at home and at school, exactly as every other child was, and asked appropriate questions for his level (I got a crib sheet for reading at home with him). The only differenece was that he could choose a book that he wanted to read - sometimes easier ones, sometimes harder ones - rather than having to choose a particular book 'because it was of the right level'. In his current school, where he has been a free reader since his arrival at the end of year 1, he has weekly group reading as well.

The free reader bookcase, and our bookshelves at home, had poetry, fiction, non-fiction, information books, plays, children's newspapers, picture books intended to be read to younger children, chapter books meant for older children but with suitable subjects etc. DS has also read the sports section of a well-known quality newspaper from a very young age and the main news when it is not too distressing....but also loves Wisden Cricketer monthly and occasionally a sneaky Match magazine.

For me, free reading is about freedom to read what you want to read, to develop reading skills and appreciation without the 'carefully strained' colourless nature of scheme books, to develop taste and viewpoint and to stop viewing reading as an endless process of 'reaching the next level' but simply a way of life, a way of enjoying oneself, a way of obtaining information from paper or screen,

So they aren't "free reader" they are choosing from a range offering appropriate challenge.

We are slightly in this boat too. DS1 is reading round about the lime level and we're now (school and us) struggling to find suitable books for him, as he's quite picky about what he will and won't engage with. Some of the typical "boy" choices that people assume will be a winner just aren't with him (e.g. Horrid Henry) and he loathes animal stories of all kinds so it's a challenge.

We're currently finding the higher levels of the Usborne First Reading a godsend, and also Ladybird adaptations of classics. They still have highly coloured illustrations (which DS1 likes) but the text is challenging enough - plus the stories, being abridged classics are great.

Mrz, I suspect that we are splitting hairs here - but for me the characteristics that mattered in the 'free reader' scheme for DS were

• He could select books from school, home or the library, as long as his teacher was happy with his choice. In practice, the teacher only intervened to indicate if a book had age-inappropraite content (e.g. Billy the Kid, which is ostensibly about football but has sections about the holcaust and about alcoholism), to suggest other books that DS might enjoy, and to sometimes suggest a change to e.g. plays or poetry if he hadn't read any for a while.
• he was free to select books without any thought about whether they were challenging, at his level or too easy. As he is a boy of fierce enthusiasms, who when in 'dinosaur' mode would read every book on dinosaurs be it 'Dinosaur Roar' with 2 words on each page or an adult reference book on paleontology (sp?) this was a godsend and a true change from any reading scheme.
• He did not have to finish every book, but was able to use non-fiction reference books as they are intended - as source for specific information but not to be read end to end.

I am not certain whether you would describe the whole of a good children's library in a medium-sized town, a home containing more books /magazines / newspapers / comics / comic books than is wise and a big and varied bookcase at school as 'a range offering appropriate challenge' - I do see it as 'free reading', ie reading as an adult does, without thought as to 'does this book improve my reading?' but instead 'am i interested in this book and do I want to read it?'

BTW I'm not a great fan of scheme or banded books for any ability of children though I acknowledge for most kids they are a 'useful evil'. I have a child with very low reading ability in my class. In her 4 years at school, she has never progressed beyond the very early stages of the reading scheme and is bored absolutely witless by all the books available to her and the fact that they are all a bit battered from the hands of the many reception children who have read them and moved on from them. My TA and I have created her very own 'free reading' box. In it we have put a couple of series of 'nearly new' books that our own daughters have enjoyed. They are ludicrously above her reading level, but guess what? She is straining every sinew to read them in a way she has never tried with reading before, and is making enormous progress. Every time she finishes a book, she spreads all the other books out in front of her and in the manner of someone choosing a piece of fine jewellery, fingers each, leaves through a few to see the pictures, puckers her brow to decode the titles, and carries off her booty to her tray with sparkling eyes, because she has chosen a book that she is interested in and that she genuinely wants to read, a feeling she has never had in 4 years of Biff, Songbirds and the like. Rather than worrying about 'banding books all the way to year 6' in order to offer 'appropriate challenge', is giving as many children as possible some books they REALLY want to read perhaps quite a good way to move forward? After all, the NC / APP reading levels make no mention of 'read books from x coloured band', they refer to skills and capabilities that can be applied to any book as long as the child has access to a variety of genres.

The characteristics for a "free reader" for me is a child who has nothing more to learn ... unlikely in primary so I dislike the idea of conning parents that their child is able to read anything when in fact that is untrue.

I say to my class "pick a book from that book case/box" but don't consider they are "free readers" as they are choosing within pre defined limits determined by the teacher. Whether the books are scheme books/ Horrid Henry /Shakespeare doesn't really matter because they are grouped to teach a new skill not just a random selection brought from home.