I need to chill out!

[dontcallmehon]

I know I need to relax and that this is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Help me to see sense! dd1 was able to read when she started school. School immediately assessed her and put her on to green band reading books. By the end of reception she was on gold band. In between we moved schools, but the new school kept her on the same band as she was on previously.

Now dd2 has started reception at the same school dd1 is now at. She is a natural reader and has been taught phase 2 and phase 3 phonics at home (I am a teacher and have some knowledge of how to teach phonics). She is as good as, if not better, as dd1 at the same age. She can read Naughty Amelia Jane books at home.

School have spotted that she can read. Yesterday, though, we had a reading meeting for new starters' parents. I was not impressed. They explained that all the children would start on wordless reading books, then move on to the pink books. Some might be on red and possibly yellow band by the end of the year. I felt as if all children were being expected to start at the same point, regardless of whether or not they could already read. I did ask about it, but didn't get a clear answer.

Now I don't want to be one of THOSE parents. I know there is much more to reading than phonetic decoding and we do work on this too. However I don't see the point of wordless reading books. I think they encourage children to look at picture cues later on, rather than using their knowledge of phonics to break down words. I particularly don't see the point of them for children who can already read. dd is also already well past the level they expect children to be on by year 1. I am worried they'll want all the children to be at the same stage.

How can I chill out and stop worrying? dd2 will be fine, the school will teach her in their own way I know. She can read - this isn't going to change anything. I do worry though!

Yes she brought a book with only 3 words a page home. I don't think they have realised how well she can read.

The thing is, if your daughter is reading easy chapter books at home, what can school really do? She just needs practice (which she is getting) to develop fluency and speed and she needs to develop a deeper understand of the texts and how language is used (which she will almost certainly do by just practising and reading). From what you've said, you are doing this kind of thing with her already. Could you set her a writing task based on the books to develop that side of things - rewrite this v dull book and make it interesting, kind of thing? DD used to like that. We used to rewrite the ORT books and turn them into proper stories. Sometimes they ended up nothing like the original. It was great fun, particularly when we then had to get back to the original ending point in a reasonable way! It also really supported her writing and helped her take that to a more interesting level.

Also, reading out loud or even improv games with the books. If there are only five words on the page, then read them with the maximum expression. Say what everyone in the picture would say. Say what they might say if they were very naughty/good/tired/hungry/rude/whatever. Even say what they'd say if an alien suddenly poked his head through the window. It's quite interesting where you can take this kind of stuff. It led us to some very interesting places. DD still isn't reading the same kinds of books at school as at home but I don't really care. She is having a lot of fun with our slightly dull school books.

I think you can still keep your daughter's interest up without worrying about what she is or isn't learning, and it may be that you don't have to because she will be learning stuff anyway and she will be enjoying it because Reception is just a lot of fun, usually.

And really, I'm not being difficult (well, maybe a bit), but what would you do if you were teaching 28 kids who couldn't read at all and some of whom weren't even being read to, 1 kid who can read a bit and 1 kid who can read Amelia Jane? I'm sure you wouldn't be concentrating your resources on the child who clearly already knows how to read and is being adequately supported at home.

Having said all that, maybe you should just tell them? Because you sound a bit upset and that's not good.

Habadashery - the funny voices is a good idea, dd would enjoy that. It might make the books more interesting for her too, as I think she found them a bit boring. I have written that she read both books very easily, with 100% accuracy and fluency and could she possibly have something a bit more challenging next time as she is a keen reader at home. I feel a bit like I shouldn't have said anything, as I don't want to tell school what to do - but I feel like I know my child and as I am a bit upset (I know I shouldn't be and it is irrational) then it is best to say something.

firstly 'I think they encourage children to look at picture clues'

I agree. Not a great message.

well, yes they do, because using other context clues is one skill in reading, and is useful for longer/non phonetic words

Using picture clues is nothing to do with reading, it's just guessing. Research shows that struggling readers often rely on picture clues/context clues, and have problems because of this.

They will send harder books home. But what will happen is that either they are too grown up for her (I have found it hard to find age appropriate stuff for my scaredy cat DD, just 6, good reader and at ease with most chapter type books) or they are too mimsy wimsy and a bit dull. Honest, you're much better off just giving her good stuff to read.

Have you got any of the Ottoline books or Claude (at the Circus etc) yet? These two really captured my DD's imagination. V easy to read, too.

How is her writing? Because after reading, that's the next step. If she finds a book dull, get her to rewrite to make it interesting. We have had so many laughs out of this! If she doesn't yet enjoy writing, then that's your target. It's what they tend to move on to in schools after they can read at a basic level.

Two series, I meant to say. Obv two books wouldn't last long!

Thanks Hab - we haven't read those yet - I will order them - it's her birthday coming up too. He writing is probably good for her age - but not anywhere near as good as her reading and she still needs a lot of support with her writing. That's maybe where we could focus.

My DD has just started reception too and she is already reading. They did send her with stage 1 books to start. In her reading diary I said she read them quickly and then mentioned other books she was reading. After a week or so I asked if she could have something a bit harder. Her teacher spoke to me after school, discussed what she could read and we have agreed to giver her green level books for the moment although she is probably ready to move up.
Her teacher said she was glad I had been in as it can take time to find out where each child is and they do start all in the same place.

I am in the same situation, DD can read a basic green bananas chapter book to me (or to herself).

She has been sent home with red level books and today got a list of tricky words to learn over the next 4 weeks (she knew them all).

I looked online to see if there are more I can do with her (if she wants to) and found a list of high frequency words and she read every single one correctly for reception, yr1 and yr2.

Think I am going to have to talk to the teacher

We had this problem too. My DS is generally about 4 and a bit years in advance of his age and was a great reader/bookworm already when he started school.

We just accepted all the basic material/books they sent home but and didn't do anything with them. I did occasionally note in his books that DS could read this or that. The school soon realised that DS could read really well but by that point we were just using council library books.

I am snotty, and WOULD write in the reading record "Could you please differentiate effectively." but I see no merit in holding back a child who is ready to progress.

My DC's primary school used to do the 'everyone on the same level' thing, right up until the end of Y2.

They no longer do. Differentiation was the key word. Caused a few arguments with the school when DS1 was given a detention for reading his Roald Dahl book in Y1, rather than the book he was 'meant' to look at during quiet reading.

I pointed out that he was told to read quietly. He did so, by continuing the book he had been reading on the bus to school. If the school were not prepared to differentiate for him, what was wrong with him choosing to do that for himself?

After a ding dong chat with the HT, he was allowed to be a 'free reader' after that. And they started to effectively differentiate their reading books for ALL DC's.

What do you actually want the teacher to do?

My DD reached the Gold Band by midway through reception. However, she still loved doing phonics with her class and we were happy with how the school worked with her and us through constructive comments in her book and in meetings. Her writing was fantastic at at the start of reception and that is where she really progressed during YR.

It's worth remembering that your daughter is not the only child in the class. The teacher is still working out everyone's level and she is not necessarily the most advanced. You may be surprised. I think week 3 is actually quite early for any books to have been given out. I think ours wait until half term.

It's not a race who gets to be a free-reader first and if she is reading well at home anyway she is getting the reading-fuel she needs. I hope she will be able to enjoy reception; it is as much more about socialisation than rising up through the reading levels. It is certainly not worth being upset about unless some time along it seems that your daughter's abilities are being ignored.

My issue was funds - not able to buy many books, and a visit to the library cost £10 in bus fares. Not exactly accessible to those on a low income, and only 'free readers' had access to the books in the school library at the time.

Some families rely on the fact that their DC's will have access to the books in the school library, to further their reading, as it costs too much to get to the library. Even now 10yo DS1 has read his way through the school library and is working his way through the YA selection at the library, I can only afford to go once every 4 weeks. And with 3 DC's taking books out, there's only so many that can be physically carried home on the bus...

So yes, sometimes there IS a 'rush' to become a free reader and gain access to the school's library, if your child is a competent reader.

The thing is, they tested her by asking her to read a list of 100 words and she knew them all. She came home with a certificate and they said they were very impressed. I am not sure why this isn't being followed up with appropriate books. I wrote the note, not to be an irritating parent, but because I am aware that dd is not the only child in the class and that they may have not been able to assess her probably - so I am letting them know she found those books easy.

dd1 was reading gold in reception too (she transferred from a different school who did differentiate!) and I had no issues with her doing phonics with the rest of the class - in fact I think that was important. I do think more appropriate books should be sent home for dd2 though.

I'm not saying she is the most advanced! The abilities of other children are not my concern. I simply want dd to be able to enjoy reading, rather than ploughing through uninspiring scheme books that are far too simple for her.

because books in reception are NOT about reading, they are about literacy...

if your child can read that is fab - keep her reading her stuff at home - but she needs to do the literacy work too -

the simple books we had from school had a page in the back of things you were expected to do - NOT just read the book - discuss the setting, what would they do in the character's place, what have they noticed about the time of year/day.... if the teacher ends up with a whole class that has done this stuff for a term or 2, when they introduce story "weaving" the children will pick up on it straight away - otherwise, they have to go through it all again with some of the kids who just raced on because they though the books were just about reading...

In these really early stages, the teachers will be asking in class - remember our book - what colour were the leaves on the tree - when does that happen etc..., what words would you use to make it seem like winter instead of summer etc, etc, etc, I used to help in reception and this was done OFTEN in lessons.

It's difficult to discuss a book that has very limited content. I don't want to discuss the pictures, as I don't want her to rely on picture cues.

then you need to discuss the whole literacy scheme at your child's school -

discussing the pictures is how the kids start building their own stories, it is how they learn new vocabulary as you can have 5 kids describe what is happening in guided reading all using different words, it is how they discuss feelings easily in PSHE without it having to be personalised, there is always a "mood" to each book - someone looks happy or sad or frightened - books with few or no words really are the core of the "beginning literacy" strategy for most schools.

These books are used in many, many ways in a good classroom - we had a meeting at our school to discuss all this - the literacy reasons for word free books, the core literacy strategy, how it feeds through to every subject, how parents could help etc

Sounds like your school has just concentrated on the reading aspect - or that is the bit that parents wanted to hear...

Unfortunately the books DD is getting don't have very good pictures in to discuss.

They don't even really have a storyline, just a different sentence on each page.

However her teacher spoke to me this morning and is going to assess her reading today and said she gave her a red book just to get the ball rolling so I feel better now!!

Couthymow - my issue is also £££ sadly as DD can read 4 or 5 books in one day when she feels like it. She has exhausted our local library of books at her level and the next ones look a bit tough for her tbh.

The library is only small and unless I know book titles I cannot order books in iyswim.

She does like Oxford owl though!!

just to say: the first two weeks the books my kids were bringing home were way to easy. by the third week the teacher, who is very experienced, had sussed it out and we now get books pitched at their level. i'm glad I didn't say anything earlier.

in reception, however, the teacher didn't read with my kids for a few weeks. as a result my daughter was coming home with books about four bands below her ability. i waited a month and then put a small note in the book bag. the teacher reassessed her and put her up immeadiately (and wrote a very nice note in the reading record).

I am not worried that I wrote a note in her diary - as that is what it is there for. I didn't write anything horrible - just asked if she could try something more challenging, as she read the books very quickly.

Have you spoken to the teacher yet??

If not I would have a word, or you could wait till parents eve if it's pretty soon and take in some books she reads at home.

Yes, she put her up a band and said she wants to assess her understanding and also work on her pronunciation of the sounds. Dd has a slight lisp.

Fingers x she will assess her soon then.

DD did the phonics test yesterday and did well but I have been told that the school also has the same policy

But they are using jolly phonics books and only have 6 at each stage, she has got the last red book and will go up to yellow next week..