Growing number of children 'don't know their own name' when starting school

[mrz]

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8668117/Growing-number-of-children-dont-know-their-own-name-when-starting-school.html

Interesting article, although I'm afraid it doesn't come as a huge surprise. I particularly like the comment about crayons in the last paragraph though

It's a shame they didn't expand the point about 'the problem being most acute in deprived areas' in terms of the other side of the coin ie that there are kids from very affluent backgrounds with all the resources in the world at home who have speech and language difficulties as a result of being ferried from one hectic activity to from a very early age and being plugged into the internet to 'learn' and no-one ever taking the time to walk to the post office with them and muse over the leaves floating in the puddles or the like.

I used to take my kids to a music class in a very posh part of London and it was quite jaw dropping when the nappy was away and mum took their child to the class as so many had absolutely no knowledge of nursery rhymes or the like and some were seemingly clueless as to how to relate to their children.

Interesting point yellowsubmarine. Ds had speech therapy due to mixing up pronouns (esp his/her) probably due to lots of time at nursery from early age and lack of 1-2-1.

Did know his name though!

Bet you know the word to 'Twinkle, twinkle' too.

Mixing up pronouns is a very common developmental blip that most kids get the hang of either with or without specialist help.

Not knowing your name, unless the child has a significant SEN, is neglectful care-taking/parenting for whatever reason.

It is utterly jaw-dropping. My 10 month old DD clearly knows her own name - responds to her name and our family nickname in the way she doesn't respond to other things like sweetheart or poppet or when she hears other names. So she couldn't tell anyone her name yet, of course, but she very definitely knows her name already. So how any NT child can get to school age without knowing their own name is terrifying and sad.

That surely can't be true??!! My 6 month old DS3 responds to his own name, and turns to look when you call him??!! My DS2 was SN, and was unable to talk at all (even with SALT) until he was 3.7. But by the time he started school, he bloody well knew his own name when he was called. My DS1 was responding to his name when called by 6/7 months old. My DD is partially deaf, and she could still respond to her name (if the person saying it was facing her) by the time she started school. Admittedly she mostly lip-read it, but she still knew it.

This has to be rubbish, surely?

I taught twins who only knew they were "the twins" because that is what everyone called them ... mum said she didn't know which was which so she found "twins" easier. I also taught a little boy who was always addressed as "boy" and a little girl who thought her name was "princess" because no one ever used her name.

I know why some children don't know their own name in reception. They have been called a diminutive since birth but when their proper names are called out on the school register they have no idea who the teacher is talking about! E.g. Amy/Amelia, Katie/Katherine Billy/William

The article does not point to the evidence of communication difficulties = parent's fault. I know a few children with communication difficulties and their siblings are perfectly articulate. One of my children (I have 4) has speech/communication difficulties and all the other 3 speak extremely well. I love the way families and parents are always blamed for everything, it makes my blood boil.

hocuspontas you're post really hit a chord! I have a Katie/Katherine and she knows (and did before school) that her everyday name is Katie and her posh name is Katherine :). School was an issue at first - they kept calling her Katherine (which she will respond to) and she was upset until I pointed out we call her Katie!

Well it's usually teachers who get the blame. Amazingly they are completely innocent in this case!

Even sadder than the children who don't know their own name - had a little girl who arrived in Reception not knowing how to give or recieve a hug.

Harp - they do mention some children have genuine language issues that is not down to parenting.

DS2 has speech and language delay, he responds to his name but if you asked him his name you would get a blank look. He doesn't have severe SN but I don't think that makes me a shit parent who's failed to teach her child his name either.

my dog knows her name.

now i bet the govt have a brain fart and do this

get teachers to teach kids their names and make it a compulsory part of the curriculum and make it the lesson after telling kids what broccoli is and what an orange is and that chocolate is not a meal. then the teachers can get the kids to run about and do more exercise cos the parents dont do that either.

i think that all children should be released into the care of teachers - as they are bringing up our children anyway.

what the govt wont do is invest in any meaningful cultural change like parenting classes upon reciept of certain benefits

I don't think anyone is suggesting that children with speech and language problems are the issue.

I've had a child who called all fruit nanas custard

I think it is hard, if you haven't experienced it, to realise just how bad and neglectful some parents can be. This doesn't surprise me at all.

My mum gave up primary school teaching 20 years ago, because even then she was spending time on just basic parenting stuff, like how to put your coat on, that parents had not, for whatever reason, bothered to teach their five year old.

Their first name?

Unbelievable.

I find that unbelievable