Year 2 Parents....Children reading - How Often Is Your Child Heard To Read?Help!

[whooosh]

I won't bore you with the ridiculous detail but I would be really,really grateful if you could give me a simple answer to the question "how often each week is your yr 2 child heard to read by an adult in school time"?

It would be helpful but by no means essential if you could add whether state or private.

You may have guessed-I have an issue with my DD. She was declared (loudly-ish and in front of other parents and children) as "clearly behind in her reading" and just wanted a straw poll prior to my fight meeting with the teacher tomorrow....

Thank you in adance.

Once a week either by a TA, class teacher or a volunteer mum. My dc are at a state primary. My feeling is that it is more important to be read with daily at home though, as at school it is just a couple of pages and changing books if necessary.
I think they also do guided reading in ability groups, but i don't know how often.

I think it was once a week at school in year 2 and I don't know how for how long. The main thing is always to try as best you can to listen to your dc read every day at home. I am sure you are already trying to do this but the school reading is always going to be minimal

I do hear DD read every almost every night and tbh,she is doing ok.Other than being told "she is clearly behind" though,I have no benchmark of a)where she is within her peer group b)where she should be (re teacher comment) or c) whether the teacher refusing my request for more time to hear dd read is ridiculous/unfeasible/justified etc....I am not a teacher and DD is an only child so I have no measure whatsoever...

Thing is, if she's behind, it's not extra 'hearing her read' she needs, it's extra 'reading tuition'.

So if I were you I'd concentrate on finding out exactly how much reading tuition she gets, and of what type.

She should be getting a daily phonics lesson. Of at least 20 minutes, although some schools use a whole hour for phonics.... And it should either be with kids who are at the same phonics ability as her, or very well differentiated.

So I'd concentrate on finding out all that, rather than how many times she was heard read.

And if she's not getting adequate phonics tuition, than that is something that is really easy for you to do with her at home. So again I wouldn't fight school about it, I'd just get on and teach her myself.

If she is getting a high quality daily phonics lesson, and is still not making progress, then you're in a far worse position...... But again extra reading practise won't be the missing link.

whoosh - if you know what colour book band she is on, then we can tell you exactly whether she's on track or not.

Oh Indigo,if you only knew how much sense your initial post meant and has guided me in the right direction.Thank you so much.
DD is at an independent school (due to my Mother dying just before she was born and my sister dying 2yrs ago) which I chose,admittedly,not for it's academic "success" but because she could make camps in the woods and get muddy and have space - a childhood I cannot give her as a single parent in suburbia but I had as a child (growing up in the New Forest).
I genuinely,just want DD to be emotionally stable (she has had a lot of change/bereavement in her life already) and confident within her peer group.
She likes her (very strict but good) teacher (despite her very passive/aggressive attitude with me) and whilst I struggle to pay the fees,it has NEVER occurred to me that in a class of 18,with a Teacher and TA,that there may be greater flexibility.
I don't know how long I will be able to keep her there but it has dawned on me that actually,I want DD to receive all the help possible before she moves.
Apologies for the ramble and I will check her books when we get home.Is it bad I can't just tell you which level she is at? I would like to think not (am slightly ashamed) as it has never meant anything to me as am not a helicopter parent or pushy or academically driven.
There are a few other issues which I will be addressing at the meeting but I wonder (having heard her read daily) if she needs a sight test combined with tracking as she frequently exhibits odd patterns in addition to always reading "saw" as "was" etc.......Something I was only made aware of as an option yesterday by another Mum at another school....

She reads every day or nearly every day.She is free reader reading 'Matilda' so probably ahead of average It is a state school but only 15 in the class.

My DD was heard to read by an adult every day in year 2 in an independent school. She is now in year 3, last year I was given the impression that her reading was behind though this year's reading independent reading assessment gave her a reading age considerably ahead of her actual age.
What I wish I had done last year was:
a) ask what her actual reading ability was
b) ask what specific things I could do to help
It turns out that DD is in a group of particularly able children and yes she was not advanced as the others and it was the comparison that was being made not her being judged as an individual. Though this only came to light through a casual remark by this year's teacher.

As a private school I'm not sure if they have to follow the phonics that the govt is pushing?

It's very possible that she's getting badly taught.

Which is good news - because this is the easiest problem to fix.

So find out if they teach via phonics, and which scheme they use (jolly phonics; Read, write, inc)? And also find out if as well as teaching phonics they also teach 'whole' words. (Look and say or mixed methods)

They should only be teaching via phonics, but most schools still use mixed methods.

It is also very possible she has a sight problem, but very hard to get it diagnosed. A high street optician won't test for tracking issues :(

In yr 2, my dd was heard a few times a week, plus given extra phonics sessions, as she was behind. She still is (in yr 4), but her reading is much improved. She had tracking issues and also read some words backwards. It's not so bad now, but we think she may be dyslexic as she also has very poor handwriting and spelling. How is your dd's writing?

As Indigo says, the best bet is likely to be extra phonics sessions. These really helped dd with her reading - it took a while, but we're getting there now. Just hope the writing and spelling follow suit....

My dd1 is in year 2 and is heard once a week in group reading by a teacher/TA. She reads to either me or herself every night. She is on brown level and in a state school with a class of 30.

I would expect more teacher attention from an independent school with smaller class sizes, especially when your dd seems to be finding it difficult.

DC1 is in year 2 and is heard once a week. In year 1 he was heard every single day and DC2 in year 1 is heard every day. I'm not sure if other dc are heard more often in year 2 as dc1 really doesn't need to read at school every day as he reads very well and the teacher knows he reads a lot at home.

Thanks so much for this,it has given me not only some guidance /questions to ask of the teacher but most importanly,advice for me and how to help DD going forward.
As a single parent,trying to juggle like the rest of us,I know where my priorities lie on an instinctive level.What I don't like is my child being labelled,with no point of reference or even advice,let alone support.
She is taught phonics although having looked at her timetable it looks like 15 mins(ish) per day.
It is interesting you mention phonics as I have noticed that DD doesn't sound out phonically in the same way as she did last year.She doesn't alsways start with the typical phonic sound so may say "ee" instead of "eh" if that makes sense?
Lizcat,you are saying exatly what I am thinking.....

As an aside,her spelling ,if left to write her own things is 50% "phonically led" (often very cute by default) and 50% spot on.In her spelling lists she has each week,if she doesn't score 10/10 it is 9/10....
This is part of the puzzle.I am not a teacher and I only have one child and whilst I used to work with children,they were pre-schoolers so I have no guage.
She can read,no question and I know her teacher may expect more of her due to the environment but....with no sense of her true reading age,then versus her peers,combined with being told she is "clearly behind" but my request for assistance being brushed away I am at a loss which is why I turn to the wisdom of MN yet again....thank you all

In answer to your original question my DD in Y2 never gets read to individually.

They have guided reading sessions once a week and everyone gets to change their own books from a specific colour band on set days. We don't have a reading diary between parents/teachers either.

They stopped reading with the children individually in Spring last year.

PS She is in a state school.

As a teacher who has taught year 2 I heard children once a week if possible - tends to be TA unless I can free myself (class of 30). Plus guided reading, so in that sense I heard each child once a week. 15 minutes of phonics is ok, if they reinforce it in Literacy, reading etc.

Independent school makes it more difficult in that in the state sector you have programs such as every child a reader which is an intensive support 1-1 program, or other catch up groups which are not always offered in independent schools.

Tracking wise, she can be tested for scotopic sensitivity - when I worked in a junior school all children were tested on entry. It is to help children who find words 'move about' on a page - coloured overlays can help - support4dyslexia.co.uk/scotopicsensitivity.aspx

(although the link is related to dyslexia they do not necessarily go together - didn't in the children I taught).

This is a bit muddled, I am thinking and typing at the same time!

Best bet is to ask them what they think the issue is - is it her phonics knowledge etc, and if so, how is she taught at school. Have they any ways you can support her at home? What level is she reading at?

Will have a think. Feel free to message me if I can help.

Grr, support4dyslexia.co.uk/scotopicsensitivity.aspx

I should think that in a state primary school, Y2 children would probably be heard once a week by a teacher during guided reading. They might also be heard at other times by a TA or a volunteer depending on how many staff/volunteers are available and the child's level of need.

That is why it is so important that parents read with their child every night.

I would have expected that a private school with that number of children and level of support would be able to hear children more frequently as necessary.

Thank you so much for all this info.The scotopic stuff Sugarand...... is REALLY interesting.She exhibits many of the suggested indicators but I am sure most children do and if necessary,will get her checked via the GP.
So tomorrow I will be asking (and please feel free to add to my list)
1.How would teacher describe DD in half a dozen words?
2.Does her reading age match her chronological age?
3.Does her spelling age match her reading age and her chronological age?
4.What is the average reading age of the class of 18?
5.What does she think DD's underlying ability is?
6.Other than telling me DD is "clearly behind" wrt reading,are there any other learning specific issues eg is it phonics perhaps that needs greater attention etc
7.Does she think it could be a tracking issue with DD's eyes? If she says it might be or yes or gives any indication of this I may have to be physically restrained.All you lovely people may hear me shout "then why didn't you frikkin' tell me"???
8.What learning support is available?

Does this sound reasonable?

You could also ask -
what phonics scheme the school follows?
what progress did she make in y1, is she maintaining and progressing this year?

I guess if she says she is behind -
what support is there - ie sound discovery, early literacy support, catch up, every child a reader (if she says any of these I am happy to go through and explain)
does she require an IEP (individual education plan) - which would place her on school SEN (at least it does in state schools, not sure about independents and SEN) register and provide specific targets and ideas to help at home.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on!

Thank you SASMW. They do follow the EYFS scheme pretty rigidly.She did progress last year and her teacher last year,when I mentioned reading to her,immediately offered to make sure DD was hear every day and I not only received great feedback in the record book but was able to talk with her any time.
This year is a whole new ball game!

Thank you all for your help.Once I have sorted DD,cleared up and poured a glass,I will write my notes for tomorrow.

Incidentally SASWM,have you heard of the "toe by toe" system? Not sure I fully understand it or if it is something DD would benefit from but am investigating anything that I,as her Mother can do and not have to rely on the school.

I'm not sure about the first question, if you want to find out how well the teacher knows your DD, it might be worth deducing that by asking questions such as, 'How does DD behave at school?' 'What are her relationships with her peers like?' etc which will give you a clear impression of the teacher's understanding of your DD without it seeming like a test. Although you are feeling really upset, as we all would, at the end of the day the best outcome would be for the teacher to help your DD in every way possible and she'll do that much more unreservedly and passionately if she doesn't feel that you're trying to catch her out. Not the intention I'm sure but it could sound like that! Good luch.

Haven't heard of toe by toe. I have seen every child a reader and sound discovery work successfully. ECAR hears children read 1-1 for 10 weeks, about 3 x a week 30 mins. They read together and write sentences together (there is more to it, that is the jist that I picked up). Sound discovery is similar timing etc but focuses on phonics - my junior school used it to pick up phonics that children lacked from key stage 1.

I take it she has a home school reading log? Could you make yours very specific - ie find out what they are doing in phonics (if they follow the phonics from state schools and she tells you what phases they are doing I can tell you what they prob are working on) and then follow this up by focusing on these in her home reading etc. Does teacher write specific comments or is it 'read very well' etc.

Would be interesting to know what level she is at - in my year 2 class I went from children at pre reading stage up to level 3 - more y3 level work. Is the class academic? They won't tell you where the other children are but should tell you roughly where she works at - near top, struggling or in middle of class for example.

HTH