'this' is a tricky word and can't be sounded out ...

[rushofbloodtothefeet]

So goes the teachers comment in DDs reading book.

Aaargh!

I hereby give up all hope of her school teaching any child to read effectively. I shall continue teaching my daughter to read at home - where she is happily reading the Songbirds books. (And she was able to work out 'this' by herself before she even started reception)

tough = though. Sigh.

mrz - but surely they wuld fail if they couldn't read the nonsense, as it constitutes 50% of the test? Unless the pass mark is below 50%?

As far as I can see, a child could get 100% on the 'real' words, but still fail the test. Which sees unfair.

STUPID KEYBOARD *&$!!

I'd keep your child well away from this, then, BB

^'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.^

If a child can't read a nonsense word, then they won't be able to read a word they haven't seen before.

Therefore they can't read.

Therefore they'd be a perfect candidate for a reading intervention.

From my understanding the 72% failure includes failure to read "real" words

The real words will include between 40% and 60% less common words, which pupils are unlikely to have read previously. Less common words are included so that the majority of pupils will need to decode using phonics rather than rely on sight memory of words they have seen before.

:) maizie - as I said on the other thread, my DD likes the made-up words. They're fun. As children's authors know.