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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Reading in their head

11 replies

beingarebel · 04/12/2011 13:14

Is it ok to let a new free reader and only in yr1 as well just read their books in their head? I have listened to dd read nearly every day for 2 years but just recently she's insisting on reading in her head. Its quite hard to check comprehension of a chapter book if you've not read it with them. I don't worry about her reading the actual words, I just worry that she's not comprehending at the level she could be and that continuing to share books and her read out loud to me would enable us to carry on working on that. She has different ideas. I don't want a battle though because reading is her thing that she lives for and enjoys and I would never want to change that through a battle of wills (which this could become if I wasn't careful).

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mrz · 04/12/2011 13:32

I would let her read silently for pleasure and read the chapter yourself so you can discuss the book (and check understanding) but I would also make time for her reading aloud to you and you reading aloud to her.

PrettyCandles · 04/12/2011 13:41

Get her to read a bit to you "because I really enjoy the sound of your voice and the way you give expression to the characters" (or similar). Shared reading at bedtime cane be really nice.

Explain that you have to hear her read so you can sign her reading record. It doesn't need to be the book she is silent-reading.

Read her books and discuss them with her.

WowOoo · 04/12/2011 13:43

Do alternate chapters.
That way she has to tell you what's happened. You can ask Q's too.
Doesn't matter if she didn't understand 100% at all times.
If she's getting and being able to tell you the gist and also answer Q's that's superb.

Original poster

beingarebel · 04/12/2011 15:56

I like the suggestion of having to hear her read so I can sign her reading record. The school have really dropped that now but its still in her bag going backwards and forwards so that will work for a bit.

At bedtimes I always read to her, we both love it. Its a different book to her school one and her downstairs one. Maybe the fact we share a book everyday is enough although its not her reading it?

I would love to be able to sit down and read the chapters of all her books but I don't have time. I could with one though I guess. Do school check comprehension of the book now she's a free reader? I really don't know. They don't comment in her reading diary now but then I really don't expect them to spend time reading with her when there will be others in the class still on pink level and need that time more than her.

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mrz · 04/12/2011 16:04

I dislike the whole "free reader" idea especially for children this age

Original poster

beingarebel · 04/12/2011 16:18

TBH mrz so do I but I can see why its happened. She's finished the scheme books but it seems to be 'right so you can read all the scheme books so you don't need to carry on working on your reading' attitude, like a tick that one of now for that child. I think it's wrong because she really does need to work on comprehension I think but I'm not a teacher I'm a mum so I could have totally the wrong end of the stick. Maybe I'm not right because the school has never commented on her comprehension all the way through the schemes. Comments have always been based on the actual reading of the words iykwim.

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mrz · 04/12/2011 16:21

I think 5/6 year olds still need reading instruction no matter how well they decode reading scheme books

Original poster

beingarebel · 04/12/2011 17:01

Thats the impression I've got from having one but as I said I'm a mum, not a teacher, and its my gut feeling on it based on my dd not on anything else. But I'm not about to go saying anything to the school, I can help at home as long as I can persuade her to read aloud to me.

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5ofus · 04/12/2011 20:46

What's reading instruction?

Joyn · 04/12/2011 23:48

Rebel, ds was a free reader at start of yr1, school werent worried about him reading to me anymore, but I, like you was worried about his understanding of individual words & that the content was suitable for his age. I decided I needed to listen to him read aloud at least 2x a week, be on hand to be asked word meanings & regularly discuss what he's read & we still do this (hes yr3 now). Because I'm always around, he also often shares bits he's enjoyed with me & this works well for us. I always record in his reading record book, whatever he's read & whether he's read aloud.

muffinflop · 05/12/2011 07:59

You say 'she can read all the scheme books' but has she actually read them all? What level do they go up to at your school? Ours go up to 16 I think.

However, DD (reception) is free reading FOR NOW because she was struggling with comprehension once she reached level 11/12. We've agreed with school that she can choose one book from the library which she tends to read in her head and they send books home from level 10 for us to check her comprehension and ensure she's reading school books still. Then once she's 'ready' for the scheme books again she can progress through them at her own pace.

Perhaps your school could send home a scheme book every now and again to check her comprehension?

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