Trying to see the positives in Biff Chip etal

[Ohgoonthenpouranother]

My DD school is teaching jolly phonics. She knows all her sounds now.
The school also uses these ORT books. They are ink stamped with the school logo which also has the date on and they are clearly over 20 years old. They do not use any other scheme.
We have now had all the purple books (there's a list on the back) and seem to be doing a second round. Yawn.
Also they are doing a word book of 45 high frequency words. They have not started with easy words, 'this' & 'away' being within first group learnt. I have found this list via mumsnet and I am bewildered to say the least. DD does not seem to be 'getting it' what ever it is! She is a bright girl, but I see no progression and this second round of kipper has finished her off!

Is it a good reading scheme? Should I trust school or do something myself to encourage her.

Although I don't like the look-and-say aspect of it, the magic key plot has been thoroughly enjoyed by my children. DS1 really liked magic key stories (but I have to say, they didn't start getting good until orange/turquoise level IMO). DS2 is on the green magic key stories - he likes them even if I don't.

However, we used Floppy's phonics for the first six levels.

As you say the books were purchased by the school twenty years ago and they have remained faithful to them even though they are teaching children to read using a method that isn't supported/reinforced by the scheme ... unfortunately a very common situation. You would imagine that after such a long time they could afford some of the new books at least for beginner readers Sounds and Letters by ORT are a great introduction to reading if they want to remain faithful

Most schools teach synthetic phonics, as government suggestion. This means sounds that are not linked to real words, but use the same phonemes like blim and cran. Phonics has always been a style of reading, but before the Labour initiative, it was one of four strategies: phonics, sight words, picture clues and context.

ORT old series use all four strategies, whereas the newest ones do seem to be synthetic phonic friendly. Phonics for reading is not a new idea, and so the old schemes are just as valid (if not better, IMO, as they allow children to use a range of strategies).

juniper904 where on earth did you get that idea?

phonics is a style of reading? am I pissed or did you say that? phonics are sounds no more no less

This means sounds that are not linked to real words

Oh God, I hear you OP. DS started school in August and I am sick of the books already. They are very good at teaching children to memorise and recite - they are useless for teaching them to read IMO. DS's school gets loads of money from a community benefit fund, yet they reckon they can't afford a new set of books.

No Floppy
Oh Floppy
no Floppy

What else is out there then?
Will put some effort in myself, although if I learnt this way will she get there eventually?

I even started a blog about I was so blooming sick of the books after only a few weeks - funnily enough this post was inspired by that very book TheCrackFox!. Haven't done any more on it since, although I keep meaning to (in all my Mumsnetting non-existent spare time).

because Floppy is a really useful word and it is essential that everyone memorises it

chill, they're not for the adults

Yes, but they don't do much for the children either so far as I can tell. I was talking about this with our local librarian (was in there trying to find other readers for DS) and she said they were awful as well.

www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Library/Index/?AgeGroup=2&BookType=Phonics

To clarify, the librarian said Biff et al were awful, not the other books in the library (athough I hadn't heard of most of the schemes). I like what I've seen of Rigby Star.

Wow mrz - thanks for the link!

I know but if you read lots of enriching books at home I don't honestly think it matters too much. Let's face it no reading scheme book is going to have unfettered creative license. A mixed diet - some reading scheme (roughage) and a whole lot of cake! I grew up on Peter helping Dad with the car etc while Jane cooked - Biff n Chiff seem positive ravers in comparison - and I am a voracious reader ....

I lurrve floppy. Oh floppy. You are so lovely floppy. I will read your stories floppy.

a range is good ....? (pats floppy)

My DS's problem is he's really impatient to be able to read books himself, and he gets really frustrated when he can't pick up a book and read it. He knows as well as I do that he's reciting the ORT books and not reading them. I feel they are delaying him learning to decode words.

But I am definitely going to try out some of the ebooks that mrz pointed us to. That looks great! I did sign up to the Reading Chest but I signed off again as £9.95 a month is expensive and ORT has successfully put DS off from wanting to read "reading books".

We do read loads and loads of books at home btw. We're just finishing the first Famous Five book and he loves me reading Beast Quest to him. He's starting to learn to sound out words, but it's slow going.

Don't worry, relax, it all evens out in the end, they all end up reading & writing!

great, hope it goes well! sounds like your ds is v self aware
could you make stories together also, chat with him and then write it down fairly informally? imo it's all about keeping the enthusiasm at this stage
good luck!

I wish that was true orienteerer

The only positive I could find with the books is coming to the end of them and knowing i will never need to see another one again!!!!