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?

[mrz]

and because one poster on MN has "been there" that means the situation is going to be found in every single primary school class in England

[numbum]

I was there too when DS started school. He's now nearly 8 and, reading your posts has made me realise how annoying I must have been nagging the teachers to give him appropriate books for his level (or the level I thought he was on).

DD is now in y1 but also started school reading. I left them to it and they handled her brilliantly. A parent nagging them constantly is going to get their backs up.

My advice is to leave them to do their job and do what you want at home. Maybe you could work on her cursive script at home if she isn't doing that. Reading and writing go hand in hand. If she's reading already then work on her writing

[learnandsay]

Er, well, numbub, that's just the point. I haven't been nagging them. I had been writing in the diary that my daughter had been reading "decided," "precisely", "glossary," and "tomorrow," when her reading books said

Dan the man can ban a van and a fan

and I was hoping that they would read the diary and work out that if she could read the words above, (and I described how she was reading them too,) then I figured that the teachers would work out for themselves that Dan the man and his fan weren't helping her to learn to read. But my plan didn't work because the teacher just asked me to stop writing stuff in the diary!

So next I found blurb which you're instructed in the readers (at the front) to read with your child. And we read it and I wrote about that, thinking it might do the trick instead. It didn't. Then I went to parents evening and was told that my daughter can read. I already knew that. I was also told that she has to read the phonics readers in order.

So I figured let her read them in order but read one easy one and one difficult one both at the same time since the easy ones are a waste of time and effort and she's not learning anything from them. I figured that way the teacher is happy and the mum is happy. But the teacher figured something else out, (I don't know what.) And for a while she's sending us non decodable books. It looked for a while as though the new books were a gift from God. But I think I was just lucky with the first one. But no matter. They're still better than the floppy phonics ones. The only real problem is that the teacher promised to put us back on floppy phonics and not much further along the scheme. I'm honestly dreading that.

So don't assume what my behaviour (or nagging has been,) if you don't actually know.

[yellowsubmarine53]

If you're 'dreading' Floppy's phonics, might I suggest that you're giving these books a leetle bit more weight than they deserve.

My dd went to school being able to read her name and the odd CVC word and she's now a very fluent reader in Y1. Sometimes the school books didn't quite keep up with her and we just extended at home but I'm pleased (for myself, her and her teachers) that I didn't spend her reception year in a stage of angst about something completely unnecessary.

[learnandsay]

Yes, yellow. Thanks. I heard you before upthread when you made that suggestion. I also think you're right.

And I also think the teacher offered me a solution at parents evening which I didn't figure out until last night (when I was reading the writing targets handouts posted on mumsnet.) The teacher asked me to write stories with my daughter and I now realise that they don't have to be done in cursive script. So she can use the words decided, tomorrow, probably and any other word that she knows in those. And then everybody is happy.

[numbum]

But the point is she IS reading harder books. She's reading them at home with you. I don't know why you can't just work through the school book (i imagine your DD doesnt take more than a few minutes to read them) and then get on with whatever else you want to do with her.

You're going to make the next few years of primary hell for yourself if you can't relax over this

[allchildrenreading]

One of mine was very dispirited when she had a teacher who didn't challenge the children - most did. She was a voracious reader by 6 (mainly due to spending post-op times at home in plaster and wanting 1-4 books a day to read...).
It's terribly important to try to finish decodable readers by the end of Year 1/middle of Year 2, where possible (around 5%-10% of children may need more) imo. There are some excellent decodable readers but unless children are doing sustained reading and using higher cognitive skills by around 6 1/2, some will never acquire all the skills they need for secondary education. Some decodable books for 6-7 year olds only have around 200-300 words in them. A free reader will be reading books with 5,000, 10,000, 15,000. Also when children are stuck too long on decodable or levelled readers below their intellectal reach, they are missing out on some fantastic writers if they don't acquire the habit of 'real reading'.
Some children desperately need to see that their teacher isn't insisting on dumbed down materials for them. Most of my energies have gone on helping struggling children - and now, provided that there is good instruction - with good decoding skills in place - very few need further help. But naturally keen readers need skill, empathy and teacher awareness in order not to become depressed and bored.

[learnandsay]

empathy and teacher awareness in order not to become depressed and bored....

Unless they're figured out a way to adapt what they've been taught to enable themselves to read more widely.

[Bonsoir]

"but unless children are doing sustained reading and using higher cognitive skills by around 6 1/2, some will never acquire all the skills they need for secondary education"

I agree very much with this. Reading early and well is important to ensure children get enough reading mileage in before secondary.

[simpson]

Also agree with allchildren.

[mrz]

I agree but I don't think reading an appropriate reading scheme book as a teaching/learning tool excludes reading reading longer books.

[yellowsubmarine53]

Quite, and 6.5 years is different from 4.

[Tgger]

I'm not sure I agree Bonsoir. What is this theory based on- the one about reading and using higher cognitive skills by 6.5? Ok so English is harder to learn than some languages but there will be children who learn to read English (or other languages..) at age 7 or 8, but then learn very quickly and become very engaged with reading. Have they really missed out by not reading age 4/5/6?

It is a balancing act. In some ways I think it can be dangerous starting so young in YR, especially for the younger end of the class- seeing as Summer birthdays are starting in September now- and then going so slowly with low expectations as it sets a slow pace that then doesn't pick up quickly enough when they are ready for it to- hence the many posts by frustrated Y1/Y2 parents. Just a theory...

[Bonsoir]

There is plenty of research to support the idea that massive amounts of reading in the primary years is one of the strongest predictors of academic performance in secondary. And, therefore, the sooner you are learning to read, the more time you have to do all that reading. Add English into the mix (the hardest European language to learn to read) and there is good reason to start teaching reading in YR in order for children to be reading fluently by mid/end Y2.

[Tgger]

Not if they get put off because they are not mature enough .

[simpson]

This is why I think it is so important to make sure your child if they are reading at a young age is reading the right books (and I don't mean school level wise) I mean books that they can understand.

For example DS could decode pretty much anything by the end of yr1 but his comprehension was not at the same level so it would have been easy to give him a book to read but he would not have had a clue what it was about.

DD's comprehension (I have been told) is higher than her reading level but she is still only 4 so I want her to read books aimed for young children if that makes sense so it can be quite tough to find a book that is going to stretch her (not that I want every book she reads to stretch her, I want her to simply enjoy it) but that is going to appeal to her as she is still young.

[numbum]

My DD enjoyed the Winnie the Witch books at 4 simpson. Also the Mr Men and Little Miss books, Flat Stanley, Tiara Club (a bit like the dreaded Rainbow fairies but easier shorter sentences). I do know what you mean about giving her books to stretch her but appeal. She's still very young and there's no point giving her books way above their comprehension just so you can say 'Oh DD? Yes she's reading Harry Potter/War and Peace/The Bible' (I know you're not doing that but you know what I mean)

[simpson]

Numbum - ( great name!!) that is exactly what I mean!! DS could have decoded Harry Potter fine at the end of yr1 but would not "get" it so he is reading it now for the first time at 7.

I had forgotten about Flat Stanley (I have a box set that was DS's which I don't think she could manage yet,but a couple of months ago I got another FS book out of the library which was easier so maybe I should try that again).

Tiara Club sounds good!!!

[allchildrenreading]

'I agree but I don't think reading an appropriate reading scheme book as a teaching/learning tool excludes reading reading longer books.'

This is true,Msz. but it takes a skilled and confident SP teacher to know whether an appropriate reading scheme book will encourage or discourage a love of reading. It seems to me that teachers who aren't secure in their knowledge (and as you've observed, many are badly taught re beginning reading instruction) can stultify childrens' progress and put them off reading. As you say, there are so many other distractions at home.

Tgger - yes, I agree. 4 is too young. When teachers and TAs know how to teach a complex alphabetic code, then 5 is a much more appropriate time to begin imo.

[mrz]

Do you honestly think spending 15 mins with a school text book (reading scheme book) will discourage a love of reading?

[learnandsay]

If it goes on for too long and is boring yes it could do.

[Bonsoir]

"Do you honestly think spending 15 mins with a school text book (reading scheme book) will discourage a love of reading?"

Yes, it does. My DD got really turned off reading at the beginning of last year because of the frightful reading scheme books she was being asked to read. I made a fuss at school and she got better books and the situation was quickly turned around, but making a fuss was very unpleasant and most parents don't bother at our school because the teachers would prefer the children ploughed through a lot of reading scheme books.

[mrz]

Well our children right up to Y6 must love our reading scheme books enough to borrow them permanently learnandsay... our new reading scheme books have just arrived - The Iron Man , The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Wolf Cupboard, Belladonna, Gorgle, Astrosaurs, How to train your dragon, Young Merlin, Spy Pups, Jack Stalwart, Super Soccer Boy ... sorry boring they most certainly are not.

[mrz]

Would you say the same about a maths text book or a geography text book or a science text book or ...

[yellowsubmarine53]

Surely, the point is that some reading scheme books are dire and enough to put some children off reading. Some are great and will help nurture a love of reading.

Same as maths, geography or science text books.

Surely it's a matter of finding the ones that suit the child, rather than dissing them all.

My dd loves the ORT Magic Key books, although fortunately she's now more than capable of reading them without any help from me. They have definitely played a part in her reading ability and enthusiasm, as much as Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, Allan Ahlberg etc.