Reading in Yr 1 - WWYD?

[EvilTwins]

DTDs are in the same Yr 1 class. They both went into Yr 1 on blue level books but then in mid September, the teacher did an assessment and moved DTD1 to turquoise and DTD2 to orange. No idea why DTD1 was higher - the teacher commented on the curriculum evening held by the school that both girls made almost exactly the same errors in the assessment... Anyway, that's fairly irrelevent.

Until a couple of weeks ago, neither twin had moved band. I wrote in DTD2's reading diary that she was finding the books easy, and asked for her to move to a more challenging level. No response from school, so DTD2 just started reading DTD1's books, and writing these in her diary. She has now been moved to turquoise. However, DTD1 is still on the same band as she was put onto in September. At home, she reads other things - read a chapter of Kate the sodding Royal Wedding Fairy (rainbow fairies) to us this afternoon.

Do I need to make a fuss? I am less concerned with the colour of her book band and more concerned that she has seemingly made "no progress" in three terms. I've asked a friend with child in the same class, and her DS has progressed through two book bands so far this year.

WWYD?

I would ask the teacher for his/her thoughts as to why DTD1 has made no progress and go from there.

I think you're right that it's the lack of progress from Sept that doesn't seem to make sense.

Just go and tell her - as a year 1 teacher I rely on the parents to let me know when a home book is too easy. I don't get why parents on here have to debate over telling the teacher the home books are too easy! I check the whole class once a term on their home books, other than that I let the parents tell me when they are ready for the next level.
In class we read guided reading books in class from a different scheme so I often don't think about the home books (not that a lot of the parents read them anyway). I tell parents at parents evening to write me a note if the books are too easy.
If they don't change the level, go to the library, DTs are obviously good readers so don't worry.

Also - forgot to say, how often do they get a new book? We would have run out of turquiose books by now if a child had been on them since september!!!
(my chn get books changed 3 times a week)

Thanks both. I'll raise it then. Never know how best to handle these things- don't want to be seen as pushy! They seem to have an inordinate number if turquoise books- they change 3x per week. Lots of different reading schemes, which is nice for variety. DH and I joke that they must have an entire room of the bloody things

hehe!! We only have one medium sized box of turquoise - I think once children are up to turquoise then they progress through the bands quite quickly. They can read!!

Hope you get it sorted!

Orchid DS1 has been on orange for about 3 months now - he can read the books easily and is getting though 4 a week of them. I asked his teacher if he can move up a stage (as you have said you like parents to do) and got an essay back from his teacher in his diary as to why he couldn't Something to do with lack of comprehension/expression skills (apparently, the next stage up require the children to do comprehension exercises??)

Anyway, there is no challenge in the books DS1 is reading and it is becoming quite boring but clearly there is nothing I can do about it!

Ah but MrJelly there is . Get him to read expressively- role model and then ask him questions about the story he's just read. Enjoy!

Personally I think parents (on here and real life) place far too much on what level book their child is bringing home. If they are reading plenty at home and doing well with their reading then that's great surely. If you are reading with them plenty then you don't need a color sticker around a book to be the ultimate answer to how well your child is reading.

This is coming from a mother with a good reader son who is on a very low book level (from what I can tell based on comments on here) but I know he is a good reader with loads of enthusiasm for reading. He can read his Beast Quest at home and his school books for school.

I would have thought that being on a book band too high would do more harm than being on a book band too low (assuming they are getting appropriate reading material at home).

That's just my view anyway.

I don't think its about the book level but regular progression, my DS is 5 and is on white level (one below the last structured reading band I believe) but has been stuck on it for ages. It doesn't challenge his reading skills and the books are boring but he cannot move up until he is able to answer questions about the books, grammar etc so again a comprehension issue. I was promised additional worksheets home so I can ask him questions but they haven't done that yet (about 4 months ago this was said) and I feel like I am keeping on if I ask.

I am not entirely sure if it really is a comprehension issue or if its a lack of engaing him issue at school as if I discuss books with him at home he doesn't seem to lack understanding (I may not be asking the right questions)! He loves reading but he finds his lack of progression frustrating. He has a reading age of over 10 and a comprehension age of around 7/8 so he is doing well but I do wonder if because he is above the level he should be that no real effort is being put in to progress him further!

BTW he reads using all the punctuation and expression but seems unwilling to discuss what he has read?! Laziness or lack of engagement with teacher????? Probably laziness ;o)

Exactly the same case as Oggy and exactly the same remedy!! Thankfully the Y1 teacher valued our comments and has moved our son AND a few other boys 3 bands higher so far than last year and they can finally do guided reading together!! All this time we have been getting much more interesting books from the library mainly because the reception teacher hadn't moved him for two terms.

In my case, it's not about the colour of the sticker but the apparent lack of progress. I teach secondary and we have to demonstrate regular progress in all students, against target grades etc. my concern for DTD1 was that she has been on the same level for 3 terms- that's half a school year with "no" progress. I KNOW that her reading has improved during that time and therefore feel it is right for her school reading books to reflect that.

I put a note in her reading diary, btw and she's now moved up. Perhaps I'm naive but I'm a bit that in both DT's cases this has only happened once I've raised it AND in both cases that it's happened almost immediately.

I am at the idea of relying on parents to tell the teacher when to move the children up to the next level in their reading books. As a teacher, especially of very young children at the early stages of reading, you should know exactly what children can do and how to progress their reading. I value parental comments on children's reading at home but I do not expect them to do my job for me.