Listening to children reading is not a good use of a teacher's time.

[seeker]

Honestly.

The children learn to read through all sorts of classroom activities. Reading aloud to an adult is only one small part of it, and one which can perfectly well be done by anyone who can read. So if you hear your child read every day, don't worry if he doesn't read to the teacher very often- he will be having lessons in all aspects of reading which he then practices at home with you, and in some schools on parent helpers, other volunteers, year 6s- anyone who will sit don with them for 5 minutes.

The teacher meanwhile is doing loads of other things- things which you need to be a trained teacher to do!

Budgets.

gaelicsheep I teach them to sound out words during our whole class phonics sessions. Then we develop comprehension during our whole class reading - piece of text - children take turns reading (I differentiate by choosing which passage I ask each child to read by ability and support) then the children independently answer questions on the text ... the text can have a focus to different curriculum subjects
I don't teach them to use picture clues because that isn't reading and while memorising text is a skill it isn't reading

My "Budgets" was in response to why no TA, in case I was confusing.

I bought a full range of the Biff Kipper books (pack of 25 I think) and that really helped I just found the books were too easy but didn't want to challenge the teacher or come across as annoying push mummy. I would be useful to have a list of books that teachers find helpful in teaching children. Any ideas or recommended websites.

I change the books and I hear readers

Children change their books (yes, it does work), I do guided reading and hear some target readers. TA does very targeted SEN interventions included specific reading interventions.... (over half my class on SEN register so she's a very busy lady)

I signed up to the Reading Chest a while back and got a good range of books in the post, but I've signed off again as DS didn't want to read them. I fear the rot has set in already, which appalls me. He does enjoy being read to, but he doesn't want to read any more. Not since those blardy ORT books started.

My DS learned to read with Ginn Reading 360. They were so old but seemed to do the job.

TBH the ORT books seemed unbelievably exciting in comparison!

I don't mind the Biff, Kipper books, but its those Firefly books. What child wants to learn about the subject they cover e.g. Public Buildings Art, I mean really.

I think some variety would not go amiss. One after another after another, which DS has already memorised by the time they come home the first day. And I know he is not recognising words from one book to another. He's doing well with the 12 sight words (I presume that's why we have a list of 12 to learn) but as for the others, once the book's gone the words have gone out of his head again. I don't see him being equipped with the skills to decode words and I'm unsure what to do with him myself, as I'm not a teacher. Which kind of goes back to the beginning of my argument.

What would be useful is understand the background to some teaching methods. For example I was taught units and tens, but that seems to have been replaced with number lines. If teachers could invest some time with us parents many of us are very willing to help and support.

gaelic, apologies if you have already posted this. Is your DS in P1?

Oh! What memories. Ginn Reading 360. It was the only scheme in the school I started in as an NQT. I still remember then.
"Look"
"Look"
"Look in here"
So exciting

Yes that's exactly what I remember DS reading! We talked about the pictures a lot!

I suppose they were better than the Janet and John I had at school (showing my age there!)

handsomeharry - yes he's in P1. Is this where you're going to tell me that P1 is really a transitional step from nursery, and it's still all about play, and all that jazz? Because I do get that it's different from England, and I have trained myself not to be concerned that he's more than a year behind his English peers because I know Scottish kids catch up (at least I thought they did). But it really worries me that he was turned off reading within weeks, having been very keen at the start.

He also had a 'word tin'. And that was just 4 years ago.

To be fair to the school it was successful for DS so I just went along with it. But it did bring back memories of my own school days.

Wow I'd forgotten my word tin. An old tobacco tin. I do remember how miffed I was when I moved school and the new school had Peter and Jane instead of Janet and John books.

No, I would absolutely not be saying that gaelicsheep and am taking your concerns seriously.

As I said upthread I have two nieces in English schools and DS is a better reader than both of them but I am quite sure that there are a number of other factors at play in my own situation.

Is the school doing any phonics? Have there been any parents' meetings to explain the reading or phonics being put in place?

A big part of the problem is that parents just arent confident that they are helping their child in the right way when they are hearing them read at home. And that's why they want to know they've read with the teacher so that if anything is wrong it's picked up on. My dcs school ran some phonics sessions for parents when they started school, just to get you up to speed on pronunciation & confirm things like 'th' 'kicking k' 'magic e' etc. I think if more school did that parents would be confident about helping teachers to teach their kids to read.

Yes I had an old tobacco tin too. It was quite comforting watching DS going through a similar process to me but also somewhat alarming!

I agree with you joyn, communication is key between the school and parents.

That's interesting, because that's basically what the school has said to me

The teacher did hold a meeting with the P1 parents after a number of comments went back in the reading diaries about the level of the books and how darned long we had them for. It was explained that they are doing Jolly Phonics at school and some other scheme whose name escapes me. And DS does seem to be learning letters in the phonics-type order.

But I see no connection between what they seem to do at school and this "core reading" business. And I see no benefit in him bringing home books to effectively memorise and then move onto the next one. I also understand it is the TA who is listening to much of the reading at school and changing the books as a group, and I'm afraid that does worry me as I don't feel the children are being treated as individuals despite the small class.

We run a meeting every year about how we teach reading and how parents can help their children. Variable turn out, but I send handouts home to parents that express an interest but can't come.

In your situation gaelic I would be arranging a meeting with the teacher to share your concerns exactly as you are doing on here. It makes absolute sense to me.

Of course P1 is a time of transition from nursery and play is important but I would not patronise you by repeating it ad nauseum.