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!

jollydiane/gaelicsheep- is there any reason why you cannot just read normal books with your children at home? Do you have access to a library at all? (you sound fairly rural gs judging by school size)

I have never understood the obsession on MN (and at the school gate tbh) with 'reading' books- surely reading books is more important? Books such as Dr Seuss' have fun pictures, silly rhymes, and 99% of the words seem to work with decoding phonetically, making them great to use with early readers. The Julia Donaldson books are great for learning rhyming words, again mostly with simply-spelled words- your DC don't have to read every word to you- maybe alternate sentences? Other good ones are Lynley Dodd's Hairy McClary/Slinky Malinki, Ahlberg's Each Peach Pear Plum, Peepo, etc. I found Maisy very useful when my DD was younger, the language is simple though I realise that is too young for your children now.

Thanks handsomeharry, I might have to do that - I will not be a very popular parent I fear. Not that I would go in and accuse his teacher of being lazy of course . I think the thing that grates most of all is them having no money for books while copious amounts are being spent on other things, but I know his teacher has no control over that.

I thought I might get a report at the end of his first term to get an idea how he's, but we didn't.

Yes I agree, but the point seems to be that gaelic's DS was enjoying books but has been 'turned off' by the way reading is being taught at his school.

CaptainNancy - when DS has come home from school and we've done his core reading he simply doesn't want to read anything else. And I know I mustn't push him as he'll run twice as fast in the opposite direction. He will often pick odd words out when I'm reading to him (he's well into Beast Quest just now and I read to him every night without fail) but he will not sit and read a book WITH me. I think the school should be giving other books for reading practice and not just one reading method. We do have a library but again DS wants books for me to read TO him.

I hope you do ask for a meeting gaelic. I would be horrified if I thought a parent of a pupil in my class was worried and concerned and did not feel they could approach me.

Oh and yes, perhaps don't mention the 'lazy' thing.

What would happen if you didn't do his core reading, but read something he chose to read? (i.e. would you like to read 'Biff Cooks Cabbage' or 'Cat in the Hat'?) Are you supposed to do core reading every night? I do feel for you if he's being turned off it by the methods used. I would struggle to make my children sit down and do something they hated every single night at age 5.

Yes we're expected to do core reading every weekday night. The scheme is actually set up so you have the same book for 4 whole nights:

1. read the story to your child
2. share and discuss the book together
3. read together or share the reading
4. child reads book to you

Thank God the teacher saw sense and didn't make us go through this painful process for Level 1 readers.

I have occasionally forgotten to do it with him and not signed his diary and the police didn't come to the door, so I'm guessing not much will happen. We are essentially repeating at home what they do in school. Problem is that DS has usually recited the book to me in the car on the way home on the very first day and he doesn't want to go through it again, and then again.

Now, however, we're onto a bit longer books and he can't remember the whole book straight off so now he's getting frustrated, especially when he's tired. DS and frustration are not a good combination and it usually results in arguments. I haven't been pushing it at all as he's doing it in school anyway, but I'm just saddened by the whole thing.

And no, he wouldn't sit and read anything else with me. At least the core reading involves conforming to the teacher's expectations which seems to be some kind of motivation.

Hmm- I see why he's put off by it! Good luck with meeting with his teacher.