Reading in reception. How often should they be listened to?

[numbum]

Before I start, this isn't a stealth boast. I know DD is way ahead of where she should be but she is getting increasingly frustrated with not being listened to at school. She's on lime level books in reception and, according to her reading diary, she's been listened to 13 times since September, twice by her teacher and the other 11 times by parent helpers. Like I said, I know she can read fantastically but the times she read with her teacher they did that bit extra (talking about speech marks, checking comprehension etc. DD knows she's at the bottom of the list but said her teacher promised to move her to the top of the list months ago so she could read to her but it never happened.

I dont know if I'm a bit annoyed about it or not TBH! She reads lots at home but is less enthusiastic about readimg to me because, in her mind, she doesnt need to read to the teacher so why does she need to read to me?!

Should I say something or leave it until next year now and see what happens?

IMO just because a child can read well, doesn't mean they need to be neglected by the teacher, as their learning should be differentiated so it pushes them on.
Equally, has your daughter really only been heard 13times in the year? If she is on lime band (is that 11?) that would mean pretty much each time she was heard read she moved up a reading band. It is quite possible that they don't always write in her book each time she reads.
DS2 (reception) does guided reading with the year1s so that he can read books to the right level for him. I know he does this a few times a week, but it isn't always recorded in his diary, this is on top of 1to1 reading with a TA/teacher. In fairness his 1to1 reading is often with a TA, but the teacher moves between all the guided groups.

EEK. 13 times sounds really bad. That works out at around once every 12 school days.

Saying that, how often do the other children get read to? if there are 30 children in the class and the teacher sets aside 30 minutes a day for 3 children at 10 minutes each, then you'd only expect them to get a 'turn' every 10 days anyway. On that basis, it sounds as if your child may not be getting any less than others.

Why not just ask the teacher about it?

DS isn listened to twice a week. He's in the most able group but not an gifted reader or anything.

First of all, do you know "for sure" that every instance of reading is definitely recorded in her reading diary (for e.g. at DD's school they only include individual reading, not guided reading).

I wouldn't go in all guns blazing, but might be worth a general conversation along the lines of "when she moves to Y1, how is reading taught?" That will hopefully allow you to raise concerns in a non-judgy way. Is she the only child reading at this level in her year? If so, you could also ask how her work will/is differentiated.

My DD has been listened to about the same number of times as your DD. By that I mean that she has 12 entries in her reading diary since Sept. 3 from her teacher, 8 from a TA and 1 from a parent helper.

She can go up to 4 weeks without an entry but I have been reassured that they do regular guided reading in small groups that is not recorded in the diary.

I would have liked her to have had more obvious one to one time as her confidence and enthusiasm for reading definitely grows in the days after she's been listened to.

She's on red band.

Hi numbum

I think that often those doing well with reading are rather left to it -this will become more pronounced in Y2 as the SATs grow near.

I think several things are going on.

The teacher understandably wants to bring those struggling up to speed

The teacher reasonably does not want a class with a huge range in ability

The time needed to help someone learn these skills (especially if not well supported at home) can be quite a burden and therefore more secure readers are sometimes benignly neglected

I think this is an extremely difficult stage for teachers - especially if there is a huge range of ability. We found the easiest solution was just to really ensure that we also were regularly reading with our DDs and getting them to read aloud to us as much as possible.

Your DD sounds quite a secure reader - so you could consider building in reading aloud time into your routine. For example, a great time to listen to reading is whilst you're cooking/ washing up. We also like after bath/ before bed time reading - it's a nice way to wind down after a busy day for the whole family. DH gets a bit tired of girly princess stories but every now and then we get something 'macho' to please him.

dd1 is in reception. i think it's a valid point to add that she is in the top reading group in a mixed YR/Y1 class. she is heard once, or more usually twice weekly, even if it's just a few pages.

Ds is in reception and near top end of ability for reading gold band but is still heard twice a week without fail with an average of 4 books a week given. I don't see why a teacher should be worried about a wide ability range in the class and I would be upset to think that DS was ignored because he was more able at a specific point in time.

She does do guided reading but just with the table of children she's sat with in the class (and they aren't sat on ability tables and yes I know that to be 100% correct!). So she just reads whatever they're reading which isn't anywhere near her level.

I think I'll just leave it for now. There are only a few weeks left and I can take it up with her year 1 teacher if it carries on the same I guess.

pastsellbydate It is SO hard to get her to read to me. Like I said she says her teacher doesn't need to listen to her so why do I? But I will set a certain time aside every day so she knows that's her time to read to me even.

13 times sounds great to me. Once or twice a month as your child is clearly a competent reader for their age !

There are no comments at all in ds2's reading log other than those written by myself since reception class started mid Sept 2011.

DC2 is however fine with reading to me or dh or dc1 each day and between us we've reached ORT stage 8 which I know is fairly exceptional for a reception class child. We haven't however written up all the non ORT books that we've read together which were more fun and helped bring them on to the level they now find themselves at.

I'm guessing that the teacher/ta presumably thought "baby cokeaholic reads just fine, always going up a level, clearly reads to parent almost every night, lets concentrate on hearing other kids read who don't have this kind of support at home".

I've been reading up on the national local libraries summer reading challenge scheme which I'm intending to sign both of my dc up for in a month or so. Maybe something like this would get your dd enthusiastic about reading with you at home as school will be closed for the summer.

In reception there will be plenty of opportunties for reading to be going on that may not be recorded in a book. There's all the phonics lessons for starters .... I know that 1:1 reading is a "key deliverable" as far as parents are concerned, but as a teacher, I'd rather be putting 1:1 time into supporting writing.

If your dd is upset, have quit word with her teacher. I wouldn't agonise - or generalise - over whether you should or not because it's to do with reading! Dd is upset because someone important to her said they'd do something, and didn't.

I would mention it.

Re reading generally, dd2s Reception class get heard once a week or twice if struggling, but not always by teacher - can be weeks with parent helpers or TA esp if doing well. I'm fine with that - have an older child and there are NO problems with reading by Y3, whereas maths and writing are patchier across the class - happy for focus not to be spread the way it is.

Aaargh phone! Quiet not quit, and AM happy for focus to be the way it is 😊

I'm glad you decided to look at it again in September. I think a lot changes in KS1.

Dd1 has been read with 6 times in total although she did only start reception in January. She started on level 1 and is now on level 7, having been moved up a level each time her teacher listened to her.

However, I really don't think dd2 will be doing this when she is in reception. I like to think that because dd1 is hardly ever listened to the teacher is spending much more time with those who need it, children like dd2. We shall see!

Those doing well are definately left to it (not just for reading). I make a big effort to get my dc to the library, get them books they love etc and not worry about school reading. Don't make a fuss at school - you will just appear pushy.

Can't parents just tell their children to read a chosen book to them and the child reads the book and that's the end of it?

Sure they can, and probably do - DS2 reads his school books and lots of other books when he has finished them. But, there is more to school reading than just reading the words of a book.
To progress a child has to comprehend the story, be able to tell it in their own words, know that "you're" is an abbreviation of you are, understand why certain characters acted in certain ways -i.e. the beginnings of studying English Literature, rather than 'just reading words'. Whilst a parent can probably guess to some degree what to work on next with their child, if a child is being school educated, some of this should at least be initiated by the teacher about which area the child should be working on next.

Hi numbum:

DD1 started to say she was 'too old' to read out loud with Mum when she started KS2 - but what I said was that I liked her stories and wanted to read with her. We take turns reading pages and that seems to be going down really well and lets me keep tabs on how things are going.

HTH