Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

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

Original poster

Free Reading

12 replies

Lucy88 · 14/01/2012 22:32

I popped into my sons class after chool on Friday with him, as he had forgotten his jumper, amongst other things and his teacher (just in passing) said that he had asked if he could go onto free reading. I have to admit, I didn't have time to ask her any more about it, as were needed to get to swimming lessons.

Anyway, I asked my DS about it when we got home and he wants to go onto free reading because his best friend is. MY DS does read very well (he is 6, yr2) and is on level 13 and has currently been assessed as 2B.

He is really keen to do this, but I'm not sure if I should be speaking to his teacher to support his request or not. If his teacher says no, then he will be really upset, so I need to know more so that I can help him through, if his teacher says no at the moment.

So, if someone can help and let me know if there is a specific book level that children have to surpass to go onto free reading? Once a child goes onto free reading, how does this work. I am assuming they get to choose the books they read, but will they get guidance from their teacher when they choose. I just know that if my DS goes on free reading, he will choose the easiest books he can find (despite being good at reading, he doesn't like doing it) and also choose books that have anything to do with football or sport.

Sorry for waffling - just need a bit of advice before I get to see his teacher again next Thursday.

Cheers

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
exoticfruits · 14/01/2012 22:51

I think that you are worrying unnecessarily. The teacher will put him onto free reading when she feels he is ready and she will explain it. In the meantime use the library and let him choose his own books.

Loopymumsy · 15/01/2012 07:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PastSellByDate · 15/01/2012 09:04

Hi Lucy88:

Mumsnet learning (Under Education tab then click learning) has a bit about book bands and reading: www.mumsnet.com/learning/reading/what-are-reading-schemes

Basically IME most schools decide when to move a child on to 'free reading' rathen than the parent requesting it or the child deciding they want to free read.

It sounds like your DS is close, but not quite there. So perhaps the better conversation to have with the school is to approach them about your son wanting to be 'a free reader' like his friend, but that you aren't sure what that is and how close he is to being a free reader himself. Do they have ideas to help raise his reading level and what you can do at home to help them with this?

Best of luck

treas · 15/01/2012 10:51

At dd's school they let the children become free readers when they feel the child is confident in their reading and have good comprehension of stories as well as an ability to try and predict what could happen next.

In my dd's case this was the Spring Term of Reception - reading was something that came naturally to her and she loved it.

That said dd's free reading was restricted to a tray of books selected from the library by the teacher / TA just so dd could have age appropriate stories. Just because dd had the ability to read Jacqueline Wilson books didn't mean she should.

EdithWeston · 15/01/2012 10:55

Free reading is a term with o settled definition and it means different things in different schools. So there is no central criteria that a child meets to go on to a particular next stage.

The best thing you can do is to stop comparing his rate of learning to anyone else, and to encourage him to read and enjoy reading.

For the definition of free reading in your school, ask the teacher.

Iamnotminterested · 15/01/2012 17:17

Go ahead and ask his teacher.

If you want to look like a numpty.

Gumby · 15/01/2012 17:21

I thought free reading meant you coukd read what you like

But no, all the free reading books are banded at our school

So despite reading Harry potter at home ds isn't allowed to choose the next HP book at school Hmm

It is truly baffling to me

Sandalwood · 15/01/2012 18:10

Can you take him to the library and let him free-read around that?

Original poster
Lucy88 · 18/01/2012 19:45

Thanks to those who gave useful advice.

He has lots of books at home and he does read those - stuff like Horrid Henry, Mr Glum and Roald Dahl.

He hasn't mentioned free reading for the last couple of days and he has been moved up to stage 13, so I think I will just wait until he mentions it again before I speak to his teacher.

OP posts:
generous · 19/01/2012 11:14

In our children's school, being a free reader means that you've got to the end of the reading scheme...

For some children it's in year 1 and others it could be year 6.

It then means choosing a book (any book - the child's choice) from the school library or from home. Our dd (now in year 3) reads a mixture of home and school books and we just sign her log book.

She reads in her head now, so it's a bit of a paper exercise but every so often we listen to her reading aloud.

witchwithallthetrimmings · 19/01/2012 11:21

My ds was on ORT stage 13 but was so bored by the books i asked if he could alternate between his own books from home and the reading scheme ones. His teacher said that as he is capable of reading more or less anything then he could read what he liked, we just had to make sure that he read a mixture of things (inc poetry non fiction etc). As your ds seems more or less at the same level as mine was it might be worth asking

ilovesprouts · 19/01/2012 11:25

in my dds old school, being a free reader means that you've got to the end of the reading scheme

New posts on this thread. Refresh page