Would you mention to the R teacher that your child could already read?

[Iamnotminterested]

And I know that what constitutes reading and 'reading' differs enormously, but DC has a good grasp of phonics, can sound out and read four and five letter words and understands the use of capital letter, full stops, exclamation marks and question marks. Her school starts everyone on the same book level - would you say anything or wait for them to say something?

I don't see any harm in telling them. I told my dds teachers she can read CBC words and a lot of sight words, can write, and knows her numbers etc.

I really do not see why you would NOT tell a teacher who is supposed to help your child learn. You would tell a tutor if you were paying for one!?
The teacher we hope would do her own assessment, Nd either identify gaps and put child on appropriate level.

I think my child's education is too important to me to worry about being classed as a pushy Mum.

Cvc!!

Thanks OP! I have been having a bit of a worry myself on the same topic.
My DS1 has his first day on Monday. I had my meeting with the teacher in mid-July and asked FB friends what they thought about how much I should tell the teacher about what he can/can't do because some of them are teachers. I really wasn't sure what the right way forward was on the one hand I didn't want him to start school with a whole load of expectations on him about his ability to give him time to find his feet and enjoy his school experience, on the other hand he has been raring to go for at least a year now, particularly since he was one of the older ones in the year anyway. I find through reading similar posts on various forums that there is sometimes some negativity about children that have a few abilities before they start school- the "ahh but can he wipe his own bottom and play with other children" responses and the "he may well read but does he actually understand" responses and they have put me off being honest with the teacher about what he can do. I think people generally don't believe you and think you have been "hothousing" if they arrive in school being able to do anything. I do find it quite strange that its very acceptable to have a child that is gifted at music or sports but not so much to be academically able.

DS1 can read fairly well up to ORT level 6-7 equivalent but his comprehension is far better than his reading ability so bedtime stories read by me would be things like Matilda, Little Foxes (Michael Morpurgo) and some Enid Blyton. He recognises 3 digit numbers and can count objects one for one and count in sequence beyond 100. He can use counters/ fingers or similar to work out addition and subtraction. He has not been "hothoused" (I work fulltime so would not have the time and am a single parent) so a certain amount was self-taught and when he has shown an interest in things I have answered his questions.

I haven't told the teacher any of this and am still not sure if I have done the right thing by DS1. I know the school is excellent and the classes are small (12 in Year R). They talk a lot about letting children learn at their own rate. DS1 has been in a private nursery but the report says very little about what he can actually do mostly because they wouldn't be aware because they have not had any interest in doing anything with him. The most it says is that he can sound out 3-4 letter words. When I mentioned he could read to nursery they said they "had never had a child in nursery that could read before". That was a year ago. I have mentioned at the meeting with the teacher that he can read a bit but not how much. I have faith in the school and my plan was to let DS1 settle in, let them get to know him and do their baseline assessment and then I believe they have a parents evening before half-term to discuss things. I really hope I've done the best thing by him- let him just be himself without any pre-judgement....

DS joined Reception able to read fluently.

First reading book had no words.

Second reading book was Level 4 (old ORT).

Next was Level 8.

He was then given everything age appropriate from levels 8 - 14 or so for the first half of Reception, became a free reader with guidance for suitability of each book, choosing from the Year 1/2 and 3/4 classrooms, c. summer term.

I never had to tell them he could read. They assessed him, they read with him, they discovered it, they found out how well he could read, they adapted their planning and his learning to accommodate it (e.g. he was included in daily phonics lessons but the focus for him was on using phonics for encoding rather than decoding).

Yes, I fretted about it initially, got anxious after the first and secid books came home, thought he might get 'stuck' (there was a moment when a TA said he couldn't read 'properly' because he couldn't predict what came next from the pictures 'he keeps turning over the next page' (I pointed out that was to read the words - as a child who is literal minded to a disabling degree he thought that was clearly the best way of finding out what happened next!) but the teacher sorted that out very quickly).

Trust the teacher. Give it a couple of weeks. the ability to read can't be hidden - the teacher will soom notice which child knows what is kept in EVERY drawer because they can read the labels!

To me it seems very early in the term to be saying anything about anything. Give them a week or two perhaps?

similar to teacherwith2kids.

dd2 was reading the lion the witch and the wardrobe, but having been there twice with dd1 and ds1, i just mentioned that she could read at the transition to yr r meeting and left it there. they assessed her after a few weeks and gave her ort 10, because they had to start her somewhere, but after a month or two they just let her go to the other classes and borrow the free reading books.

it takes a little while for the teachers to assess all of the children (at least weeks), but once they have been assessed it shakes out fairly quickly.

Depends on the school and the teacher. I know (having had experience of the teacher and school before) that if I hadn't mentioned it to my Dd teacher then she would be spending the first term 'learning' sounds one by one with the rest of the class, when in fact she can read extremely well. As it is she got homework sent home today on her 2nd day . I didn't tell them so that they could push her, I told them because I knew she would become bored and then disruptive to other children if she was sitting through months of Jolly Phonics.

Yes, yes, yes!!!

As a Reception teacher, I would think it really odd if you didn't. To be honest, I would think you were trying to catch me out, but perhaps we work differently to most schools.

I like to know as much as I can about children to help me plan for their needs and so I talk to families and pre schools in July. Of course we do our own assessments and sometimes we find the "readers" are actually memorising but hey ho at least they like books!

I really don't understand why you wouldn't.

DS is starting Reception next week and we had a home visit this week. One of the things his teacher asked about was what he was able to read, can he understand letter sounds etc. I was honest about his abilities; fairly average I think, he knows most letter sounds and can read his name and common words like Mummy, Daddy, and sound out some c-v-c words.

It's not (necessarily) being pushy to be honest about your child's abilities. Of course the teacher would find out but they've got 30 children to asses - you may as well give them a hand by letting them know what your child is capable of!

FFS. They are reception. Ease up.

I would wait a week or two and then mention it. One of my children was sent home with reading books clearly below her ability for half a term. I waited patiently, largely because I was scared of being a 'pushy mother' (something I would never have worried about pre-Mumsnet...). I finally mentioned it to the teacher who reassessed her and she was immediately put up fourlevels. The teacher thanked me for mentioning it, btw.

Interesting thread! I was wondering the same as my DS has just started primary 1 (Scotland so I think this is the equivalent of reception?) and has been able to read since he turned 4. He will be 5 in october. He has been sent a book home for homework where the child has to read a three word sentence in a speech bubble while the parent reads the rest of the book. DS read all the parent bit! He sounds very similar to your child abby in that he has pretty much taught himself and just has a total love of learning, he hasn't be hothoused at all. I am not sure what exactly to say to the teacher as I am also in fear of being seen as pushy mum (ridiculous really when I think about it now as it is my sons education). I think she has an inkling though cos she said on his second day that he had written 'my favourite fruit is a pineapple' on his drawing and she was a bit !

I am so proud of my wee man and all that he can do but I always feel I can't speak about it in case others think I'm bragging, whereas I only want to show how proud I am of him. That's quite sad isn't it? I think I'm going to wait til parents night in Nov though to say to the teacher as I think (hope) she is picking up on it, as he writes he names of whatever he draws beside the pictures in his homework (parent is meant to this) and his nursery teacher had said she would tell his teacher how well he could read while in nursery. Plus despite him knowing phonics for a while he seems to be enjoying doing all the sound actions etc with his school pals and isn't bored so far. As long as he is settling in OK, is happy and not bored thats the main thing just now as he continues to read and write at home.

hi i wouldnt teacher -will see you as a pushy mum and some teachers dont like to be told their job.children read regulary in class on a one to one and if a child can read and answer quetions correctly about the story and re tell the teacher will put them on the correct book level.its not just about the child reading the words but comprehension you asking child a question about the story and child answers correctly.lots of parents say their child can read but unknown to the parent they struggle with comprehension.also you will get a reading diary so id write........... johnny read through the book confident and fluent,good comprehension ,no promblems..................phonics- all chidlren sit on the carpet and look and do /say letter sound together and read words with the same letter sound.children may know their letter sounds such as ai but then ask a child to think of as many words with these in and they struggle.

wouldnt mention to other mums my johnny can do this and this as they may become jealous and sadly jealousy can cause upset and promblems.x

Yes, but in time they will all be able to read anyway.

I just don't see the problem with telling the teacher that your child can read already....

I don't care if I am labelled a pushy mum tbh although I like to think not. I have my child's best interests at heart and it can only help the teacher or give them a heads up when they come to assessments etc or though obv they make their own judgements and rightly so....

I would like to think that the teachers realise my DC have a supportive parent at home who likes to be involved in their education iyswim.

I also don't understand how telling a teacher that they can already read is telling the teacher how to do their job??

DD is due to start next week and has some SN. I would tell the school about these so why not that she can read too???

I think the first week is a little early to wade in. Am sure your dc will be put on appropriate reading level very soon. If this doesn't happen within the next 3 -4 weeks I would therm say something. Atm the teacher has 29 + other children in the class and is once treating on the basics

Not once treating but 'concentrating' (fecking iPad)

DD1 has just started Y3 and has come home saying the work is too easy! I think the first term tends to be all about finding out about the children and trying to find out what work is appropriate for them. I told her to give it a few weeks and it will all settle down.

yes i agree hmc .at first the teacher will teach the basics and practise with 30 how a table at a time queue for the toilet and how to wash hands afterwards.class rules,eg wait and put hand up ,cant talk altogther . fastening up about? 20 coats and showing children how to .children need to learn basics for class to run fluent. 4 weeks is about right hmc.

Coming back briefly - I think that you might also need to take into consideration what information (if any) would have reached the school from the pre-school / nursery.

In DS's case, he was at the neighbouring pre-school, which had extremely good reporting and record-keeping in line with the EYFS, which was passed on to the school. It was also discussed with and shown to parents, and we were encouraged to contribute anything that we knew that they could do at home but might not have shown at pre-school (DS didn't read much at pre-school - too busy playing with trains and bikes and balls). DS made huge extra strides in reading that summer holiday, but I did at least know that his pre-school report identified that he had particular abilities (and particular difficulties) and that the school historically picked up on these reports very well, so knew that a rapid assessment of where he really was was likely to happen.

(Also, that school encouraged ALL reading to be entered into the reading diary - so they were very happy that I should put 'told story fron the pictures of school book, then read library book [title] to me', for example. That enabled a conversation about actual reading habits to be established on a factual, rather than an adversarial 'you should put him up a level' basis)

I agree that comprehension levels are often below reading ability. Thankfully my DD went to the school nursery so they have already assessed her levels. She is a free reader in terms of ability to read words on a page, but orange band in terms of comprehension. So she is on orange band books. I'm happy with that. I will happily discuss her levels with her teacher, but not with another parent because her capabilities are between her, her teacher and myself and is irrelevant to anyone else

I think it is sad that other mums become jealous of children's progress. Surprisingly, it is okay I say, my dd/ds does not
Know this or is behind in this... But not okay to say, he/she is doing well in this...

All children develop at a different rate. A lot
of the early 'intelligence' is just practice. Practice in reading makes a child a better reader, practice in swimming makes a child a better swimmer. It should be okay to be proud of your children and their achievements.

I struggle to understand jealousy. Specially as this is only primary school. It all levels out in the end and does not really matter in the grander scheme of things.

The kid is just starting to learn to read - in fact yesterday is the first time I'm certain she read a word from sounding it out and working it out, rather from remembering what the letters said - although I suspect she has done it before. Anyway, she's only 3.2 so is a long way from starting school, so it looks like I'll have a similar decision to make.

I just wondered though, what 'one of those parents' is? Is taking an interest in your child's education and being an advocate for them seen as a 'bad thing'?