Help - Every Child A Reader - Who gets help?

[RavenVonChaos]

My dd is in year 1. She is my 3rd child and to be honest I have relaxed more and enjoyed her early hears more than I did with my first two. So, the upshot is I have been less focussed on her reading and pushing her and have been quite happy for her to evolve. At the start of the year there were children being taken out for extra support for reading. I was told that my dd would get this but later in the year as her birthday is in May. So older children were getting the help first. So we waited until after Easter and was told - "she wont be getting the extra help as she is just out of the range". Okay fine - accepted.

Got dd report this week and was dismayed to find "below age expectation" in literacy, reading, writing, phonics - although making progress. I went to the teacher and said I was really upset as I felt that she could really have done with the ECAR support - I got upset and had to leave.

What should I do? What does this mean for year 2 and should i be asking for anything else? Also dont want the progress to slip over the Summer. Just wondered if anyone had similar experience with ECAR?

thanks for reading...

Do you read with her at home? Seriously this is the best way to improve her reading. Sit down with her for 10-15 minutes a day. I did this with my ds in yr 2 when he was dropping reading levels at school because he was being given boring ginn books as opposed to the magic key ones which he preferred. I also helped with reading in yr 1 and 2 and there is a huge difference between the children whose parents read with them, at whatever level. Do the library challenge with her (get rewarded with stickers for reading books over the summer.)Reading during the summer makes a huge difference.

She's only in Y1, and it doesn't sound like she's far behind - just a smidgen, and she's a May birthday.

Go back to relaxing and enjoying her early years. You know really she will be fine in Y2.........

DS (Y1) was and is a reluctant reader, although the teacher said he is reading fine in school, at home he refused from day 1 - it's too hard, I can't do it he said. I left him alone until the middle of Y1, we didn't even read the school book. Then then I felt he was falling behind (still on book band blue at Easter), and at age 6 I felt he was old enough to sit down and read with me for 10-15 min each morning, so I insisted and his reading became a lot more fluent and he moved from book band blue to orange, which I think is average for the end of Y1.

At the school where I teach it HAD to be the very poorest - the teacher who did ECAR was not allowed to choose the children because it was government funded, so children who it would not help because they were so poor had to be taken, and some were missed who I think need it. is it the same at your daughter's school? By the way my year 2s were being taken out, and there are other schemes like catch up, sound discovery and early literacy support. I really wouldn't worry though if she is making progess.

best thing you can do is let her read to you for 15 mins a day every day. set a timer and give a reward if needed.

We do this scheme and have secured funding for another three years. Unfortunately a lesson takes 30-40 minutes a day and because funding is tight, this means that staff have to 'pick and choose' which children to teach during the programme as many only have enough time to do teach 4 children (factor in planning and setting up time).

I had about 4 children in my class who were 'suitable' for it. But there was also another Year One class to consider. We chose the children who were the least able and unlikely to make satisfactory progress without extra 1:1. There were some children who were 'below age-related expectations' but had the ability to 'catch up' with extra SEN work within the classroom.

It could be that your DD isn't as far down the expectation ladder as you are led to believe. Do you know what her levels are? You are entitled to know! if she's working within a level 1, I tend to say to parents 'don't panic'. Also the fact that she's a summer born may factor into this. I tend to think it is okay for summer borns to be working at level 1c as during Primary School most will catch up as long as they have support from home.

When she begins Year Two, make an appointment with the class teacher and don't be afraid totell her your concerns and that you would like some help from school to support her. I usually give extra reading material and flash cards to parents who want them. I used to give them to all children and them found most of my parents binned them!

I think it would be fair for the school to give the help to those children who are unlikely to get any help from home. Whereas I feel the best support you can give you child is to read with them and maybe ask the teacher for tips and techniques to do that.

There are a lot of parents who have very low levels of education themselves, who feel threathened by the whole system and may be unable to help their children.

OP - you don't sound as if you were one of those.

Thanks for all your replies and advice.

I do already read to/hear her read every day. We do trips to the library and make books together. However I am stressed and very busy - my 17 year old had a terrible time in years 10 and 11 and I am still supporting her with maths and english retakes. My middle dd is in year 3 - above age expectation in everything and g&T musically - but is anxious and having peer group problems.

I just feel worn out by all the parenting tbh. I know it is my responsibility and i take that very seriously. I just want some help at the moment - not forever - just now - to support me to support my children. I think that as she missed out on the ECAR because of her age - then that makes me a little miffed. I will leave it for now, but will definitely meet with her new teacher in September to discuss best way forward.

Anyway - roll on summer holidays - I have decided to do reward charts for reading/book making for little one and keyboard practice for middle one over the summer - to keep them and me motivated. They seems up for it. Now just got to get 17 year old a summer job and plug away at ratios and probability!!

thanks.

ECAR is for 6-7 year olds and uses the Reading Recovery programme (long term benefits open to debate - cost enormous)

OP, sorry to hear that you're finding things a struggle at the moment. I do know exactly how you feel.

Why don't you do something like Dancing Bears with DD over the summer holidays. It's very easy to use, and will teach your DD to read using synthetic phonics.

You only need to do it for 10mins a day, and it's designed to be done by parents.

I would advise you to work with your dd during the summer holidays, concentrate on sounds , high frequency words etc.
My year 1 son is Summer born and i have found that i have had to work very hard with his reading. It has been relentless tbh. However, he now reads well and it's all down to hard work on MY part. Don't rely on schools.