Learning to read in Y1 & Y2

[learnandsay]

How unusual is it for a primary school to focus its attention in YR on teaching the letter sounds, maybe some digraphs, perhaps one or two trigraphs (or maybe not even) and learning (whatever that means) lists of HFW, but not to any great extent turn attention to reading actual books (of any kind)?

And the school thereby, presumably, places the emphasis of learning to read books (of whatever kind) onto Y1 and beyond? And, if one's school has such a system how does one approach it if one's child already reads books quite well and has done throughout Reception? Getting the Reception teacher up to speed with the child's reading has taken a while, but it's getting there. Does one expect to have to introduce every teacher at every early years level to the child's ability to read?

Will you be happy once they find her some suitable levelled books? Whatever they might be? Will you get her to read them independently to you and not immediately judge them too easy or "rubbish"? Only time will tell I suppose. .

I made descriptive comments about your posts learnsay, rather than personal. You on the other hand were very rude numbum, suggesting an inability or disinclination to respond to her very valid questions.

I'm not interested in your descriptions of my posts. If you don't have a useful contribution to make please stop contributing.

I don't understand what the issue is. I read stuff that is below my ability frequently. It doesn't harm me. In fact, I revisit some books and over again, getting something new from it each time.

Unless your DD has a perfect grasp of the grammar, punctuation, intonation, pace, etc., then most readers should be able to be explored in many ways.

"I think you girls have a concern that I don't share. I'm not an examiner. I'm a parent."

No learnandsay we are trying to explain why the school may be sending home books that you find very easy ... they expect your child to be able to read said books unaided and yes I'm afraid your child will be assessed this year on what she can do independently without adult support and the results of those assessments will be reported to you and the government.

and reading scheme books (of any type) aren't part of the EYFS profile

What is part of the EYFS profile (for reading) then??

Since all schools seem to have just reading scheme books to use iyswim??

Children are expected to demonstrate reading in their daily independent activities not in teacher structured lessons so reading books from the book corner or information texts from displays.

I don't know any school that has just reading scheme books simpson ...does your child not have story time or a book corner?

They have a story time (don't know about a book corner as I have never been into the classroom but it does look filled with "stuff" so maybe...)

My main bug bear with my DC school is that it does not have a library....

The assessment started last week. Before that the school informed us there would be none.

I'd rather people wouldn't explain my school's procedures to me if they don't know what those procedures are.

Why would I need to head for a dictionary?

We have a library but it is very KS2 focused which is why I've set up an area in KS1 where children can pick a book to read at break times or take home. We also get books from the county library service which children can borrow as they would if they visited the library.

'You on the other hand were very rude numbum, suggesting an inability or disinclination to respond to her very valid questions.'

I HAVE responded plenty of times. I'm not the only poster now confused by what OP is saying. I was asking for clarification because I'd lost track and the OP seemed to have done the same.

I don't see how I was being rude

Comments on the topic of books are welcome.

Rehashes of who said what to whom are pointless. You're welcome to open up another thread for that without me if you wish.

I think yellowsubmarine meant to say "You on the other hand were very rude to numbum," not that you were rude

You know how you sometimes read those lists of world's worst jobs? Elephant sperm collector, naked sewer cleaner, dictator's personal chef etc. I might add 'teacher of learnandsay's child... ye gods, you are so going to have to chill if you're going to survive the next 14 years. You evidently believe you know so much more than these fool teachers, in which case maybe you should home educate for real.

Sorry, yes numbum, mrz is absolutely right - I meant to say that learnsay was rude to you, not that you were rude! Sorry, numbum.

farewell "You couldn't make this up" is the phrase that keeps going through my mind...

Anyone else feel like doing a virtual whip round for learnsay's dd's teacher....?

I am glad I didn't post the first reply I typed to you then yellowsubmarine!!

Do let us know what the school have to say, learnandsay.

I'd rather people wouldn't explain my school's procedures to me if they don't know what those procedures are.

But the thing is, nobody is saying anything at all about your school, learnandsay. They are just trying to help you see what the procedures and methods are in the vast majority of schools in this country, in case this gives you a bit of insight into yours (and thus, hopefully, helps you to work with the school instead of against it).

As for no assessment until this half term, you are looking at it in a very black and white way. There was no reading assessment until this half term, I understand that. But from what I understand about EYFS and have observed myself, the teachers and other teaching staff will have been getting to know your daughter and assessing her in a number of different ways, most of which are wholly unconnected to reading at this stage. One half term is six weeks of five days each. This is thirty days. There are probably thirty children in the class if it is a state school. There are probably more than thirty things they may have liked to observe each child doing or attempting before they have a clear picture of how each child functions at school (and I don't only mean academically). Does that make any of it clearer?

Also, I do understand how you want your child to do well and enjoy reading etc, but she's only been at school for, what, eight or nine weeks? I think you need to calm down a bit. You sound quite cross.

and since the "procedures" are set out in a statutory document which all schools must follow then it's pretty easy to explain what schools must do by law!

Can I just say, having revisited this thread afte earlier joining in to ask questions,op I don't ow hat answer your actually looking for, you have, from what I can inf, QUALIFIED TEACHERS advising you on the issue you initially asked about and you're still arguing with them, if yo weren't willing to hear the answers then why ask I'm the first place. I tend not to question my child's teacher on most things, even if I don't necessarily agree, because I believe that they, as a professional, with experience, and guidance know what they are doing.

Also the way you have spoken to people on here who were offering assistance to you is just wrong, and very reminiscent of when my daughter, age three doesn't get the answer she wants from one parent, so goes to another...when she gets a less than satisfactory response from both...she usually resorts to calling us a poo poo head.

Good luck with fixing your problems, can I suggest you take them up with the school, ifnits bothering you so much.

This is my experience - fifteen to ten years ago most children in my children's schools were reading on scheme books by the end of Reception, about ORT 4 at least. Other books too but that's the easiest way I can describe the level. Most of the children had learned their letters at nursery (middle class area). But in some schools there was very little provision for children who had arrived at school with early reading / phonic "achievement". Everything started at the beginning for everyone - even then in some situations you weren't allowed to read XYZ because what would you then read in Year Two? Some children did get bored and there was little progress in the first months or even year. However it's certainly not beyond them to be reading jolly decently at the end of Reception. Some are nearly six by then.

Indeed Brycie, like my son (6 in October, now Y1). There is a bit of this attitude hanging on I think re not being particularly ambitious for the good readers- well there was in our school, but the teacher was also willing to work with me and DS as differentiation is also the order of the day nowadays. When I first mentioned that he had read and really enjoyed some of the Magic Key books that we had inherited her first response was "oh, that's what they normally read in Y1" but she was happy to provide some school ones.

This is exactly what I have gone through with my DS to a certain extent which probably does cloud my thinking for DD (now in reception). Although I do trust her teacher actually (who asked parents if they had a copy of Cops and Robbers to share with the class and I took one in today but had been beaten to it by another parent and she told DD that she thought she could read it by herself).

DS is in yr3 now but finished reception on stage 5 (which was very good for his school) and stagnated in yr2 as the school has a policy of not having free readers in KS1 (so languished on lime level for pretty much the whole year - the highest the school goes to, although I do think they have some higher ORT books used for guided reading in KS2).

I guess this is what LandS is worried about....

Brycie - my DD is loving the magic key books too (unlike me,if I hear "and the magic key began to glow"one more time,I will not be responsible for my actions - disclaimer, I go into my DC school and hear yr1&2 read).