youngest in class and struggling

[redemily]

My son is the youngest in his his class (yr1) and he really seems to be struggling in literacy and reading. We bought the Oxford Reading Tree to help him at home and he is coming along in leaps and bounds yet in class he is on basic reception books whilst most of the rest of the class are on chapter books. It seems to be a confidence issue as we do a lot of work with him at home and he spells out words and writes with logic and yet when we see his schoolwork it really is very backward.
Aside from putting in the hours at home and reading to him and with him, I am not sure what else to do. I just wondered whether anyone else had similar experiences and whether they catch up in the end? Is it a case of things just needing to click? if any teachers are online and can advise I would be really grateful for some reassurance or advice.
many thanks

How do you know he is struggling?
Often work produced at home with help of a parent will be of better quality then work produced in classroom IMO,
Also, How do you know that rest of his class is already on the chapter books?
Highly unlikely. Reading to him and with him sounds great, hours of work on the other hand sounds wrong, if you are concern Why don't you have a word with his teacher?
In DD's Yr1 class some children are on the early reading bands, some are in the middle and only one little girl is slightly ahead of the rest, judging from a writing display they are all almost on par in writing, try not to worry and if you DS is coming leaps and bounds with reading at home I would like to think there is no reason for concern. Again maybe a word with his teacher is all that is needed, she will probably asses him and move him on higher level.

My middle ds was like this. I found it very difficult not to compare him with his elder brother who was a very quick learner. We are in Scotland and it was P4 before he really found himself. He is now 14 and "above average" in most subjects.

I would have a word with his teacher. It sounds as if you are doing everything right. Is there something he might be good at out with school. My ds learns violin and it has really boosted his confidence.

I agree. Most year 1 kids can't read chapter books. Most of them, up and down the country, are plowing through reading scheme books.

And lots of kids do better work at home than at school.

And most August kids catch up.

If he's Reading and writing fine at home it doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about.

I'm thrilled to hear that you're doing lots of work at home and not blaming all things on the school. Parents are really at the heart of educating and bringing up their children, I think.

I have a child in Y1 and most of the class are not reading chapter books. It's really hard to put an "average" reading level down, but if I had to name a level, it would be level 5 as a sort of middle average. Would think that levels 4 and 6 also average. Level 3 or less - bit of help needed, Level 7 or more - doing very well.

Ah well that is reassuring. I would say that he is confident with level 4 and can dip a toe into level 5 but without fluency. It is just infuriating that he came home with a reception book when we seem to be making all this progress. Teacher goes on maternity leave tomorrow and so I hope to discuss this with the new teacher and will just keep up the work at home.
it's really hard not to compare but I will take on the advice!

redemily - did you also know that the ORT "Read at home" levels do not correspond to the ORT levels from school books?

eg I think:

Read at home level 4 = ORT level 4-5 (recommended age 5-6 yrs)
Read at home level 5 = ORT level 5-7 (recommended age 6-7 yrs)

I have an August born who was very much like this and is now in a super selective grammar school. Whilst I wouldn't have listened to this I can honestly tell you to relax, they do catch up.

This is so reassuring to read. My 3rd DS is also in yr 1 (born end July) and school have him on stage 3, set 10 Rigby Star books. He can achieve loads more at home, i put it down to lack of confidence at school! He's learning piano at the moment and has 'Oh when the Saints' down to a fine art!:)

DS is in yr2 and the only child reading chapter books (although a couple are very close)

He is an Aug 31st baby and was behind until yr1.

I think the ORT "read at home" books are pants (we have them)

I also think think level 4/5 is fine

Some of the kids in yr2 are still on that level (although they are behind - the average seems to be 7/8).

You are doing the right thing with him by reading to him.

Agree with what "learnandsay" said

Hi redemily:

My DD1 was a very slow starter to read although October born. We just kept plugging away at home. If there is no learning issue (dyslexia, etc...) then all that practice will eventually come good.

We also found that the school chose relatively easy books for DD1's reading in Y1, which made progress very slow - however, they were sincerely trying to improve confidence and take the pressure off, since they were aware that DD1 had issues with reading out loud and would be put off if anyone sniggered at her pronounciation.

Keep up the reading - and my advice would be to start to look into joining a library and/or purchasing age appropriate books, to keep that reading up at home (and especially over the holidays). We found that by regularly reading every night after bath - the improvement came.

Great book lists:

Classic book lists for children: www.kidsreads.com/lists/classic-lists.asp select beginners ages 5 - 8

The book trust: www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/children/ - scroll down under pictures - click bookfinder under children - then select ages 5 - 8

The guardian how to build a children's library: www.guardian.co.uk/books/2000/apr/08/childrens.library.47

HTH

I probably wrote your post four years ago!!
In fact, the archive is full of my stressed posts about my youngest-in-class and struggling DS2! (Also August born...)

He is now in Year 5, and I look back with astonishment at how much I stressed over his (lack of) progress . He is now above average in the class and I really don't worry any more.

You say "it seems to be a confidence issue" - and this is almost certainly the only 'problem'.

My advice would be:

• keep supporting him at home with reading/ numeracy etc, but don't exhaust him over it. I found DS didn't always retain the information from school and the repetition helped.
• build his confidence in every way you can. Find something he seems to like/ is quite good at and encourage him in this area. For DS it was drama, which it was easier for him to 'compete' with his peers in (he was too physically immature for sport).
• compare him with the children at the top of the year below, to get a better handle on whether he is struggling or not.
• don't give up - he will get there!

Another august 31st baby here. A couple of years ago his school brought in someone to test to see if he had any specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, as he was so far behind everyone else. It turned out he didn't and now he's doing brilliantly, all maths just seems to 'click' in his head, he absorbs book like a little sponge etc, etc.

I also 2nd all the advice fluffyhamster has given you x

My year 1 April born child is only on pink band stage 1+ so to me it sounds like yours is doing fab if hes on stage 4, thats average for this age or are you meaning hes reading these levels at home but in school coming out with a lower level, i had it explained to me that they bring home a level lower than theyre on so they are confident reading at home but in guiding reading they will read a level above what they are on and generally most children will sit somewhere in between these levels

I used to hear Y2 read only the best few were on chapter books.

DD2 was the "best reader in her class" and she wouldn't have read chapter books until Y2

DD1 probably didn't read a proper chapter book until she was in Y7 and that was Twilight (DD1's dyslexic and didn't learn to read until she was 11)