Is there a parents' guide for helping with the reading scheme?

[shotinfoot]

I can't find one! Although anxious not to be one of these parents who is desperate to push their DC up the scheme as quickly as possible, is there anywhere that gives tips on how to help children at relevant stages and what teachers are hoping to encourage.

For example. DS is on purple. He can read about 95% of the words and immediately remembers new sight words. His comprehension is good as his expression is fine, without being Kenneth Branagh .

So what should I be concentrating on with him at home at this stage. Comprehension, punctuation?

I'm reluctant to ask the teacher as I fear she will just roll her eyes at me and say that he's doing 'fine' and just to read the books with him.

Forget the reading scheme. Forget the book bands. You don't need to care what 'level' he is at, just that he reads and more importantly enjoys reading.

Ask yourself - why do you read?

...So that you can recognise new words? Spot the Oxord comma? Determine subject and object of a sentence?

I suspect not.

I imagine that you read to gain knowledge - maybe a newspaper or the BBC website, weather forecast, facts about where you're going on holiday... You may read to enjoy a story, crime, romance thriller... or even the subtitles on the latest Scandinavian release on 4

Your DS needs to learn to ENJOY reading and if you can find what makes him keen to read, that is the real key!

Go to the library, let him choose. If he has an interest, are there magazines for it?

My DS hated all the flopsy-bunny, Kipper-&-friends type school books and learned to love reading thanks to Autosport and aeroplane magazines.

Hanging garden. Are you spying on me. I love a good crime novel and currently half way through The Killing on DVD

I know, I know. DS is thrilled that he can read well enough to operate Sky Plus, but hates going to the library or just reading in general.

I've tried magazines but he's not really bothered.

I think I might need to pipe down a little

Whilst I agree that enjoyment is more imporant than progressing rapidly (DS progressed rapidly but hated reading for a long time), DD's school give you a "things to focus on at this level" leaflet for each stage.

Coincidentally DD is also on purple, so I can tell you that things that are suggested are:

• reading with expression taking account of punctuation
• reading in your head and then giving a summary of what you have read
• inferring details from the text e.g. if the story mentions it is summertime, what might the weather be like?

(and some stuff about longer texts and less pictures and reading stories with more plot development).

HTH

That's exactly what I'm after red sky. I wish our school did that!

Thanks