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]

They are teaching tools and serve a purpose ... nothing more.

[learnandsay]

Right, but those are the books your school has, not mine. Our teacher said we're going back on the scheme soon. So, no doubt you'll be hearing what we're getting.

I suppose I could start praying or write to Santa. Do either God or Santa mind hypocrites, does anyone know?

[mrz]

So should we judge all schools by your child's school or by my school or should we just accept that schools vary greatly

[simpson]

Well DD has come home with a new book today. no more jolly phonics books!!!

She has come with a book called "The Lion and the Mouse" which is a story worlds book which is a massive improvement on the previous books....

[learnandsay]

simpson, story worlds as in Heinemann? If so, you lucky personage, you! I've spent a week trying to track Heinenmann books down. They are good, good, good.

[simpson]

Yes it is!!

She read it tonight and loved it,the only word she did not get was "gnawed"

They are fab with loads of scope to talk about what is happening/what might happen next etc...

It is at blue level.

There are 3 more in this series: The Big Pancake, The Little Red Hen and The Enormous Turnip.

Would an ISBN number help???

[learnandsay]

You're a dear. I think it's the absence of the books that's the difficulty. Unfortunately I can identify all the ones I can't find. They're quite old and our library system doesn't stock them. But they're genius.

[learnandsay]

Simpson, I've just found a list of all the storyworlds books www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/Primary/Literacy/GuidedReading/Storyworlds/Resources/NLSmatchingmaterials/SW_BBC.pdf

I found The Little Girl and the Bear in a second hand bookshop and my daughter had no trouble with it. It's right at the end of this series. If you have unfettered access to these books I'd test your daughter out on them. (I suspect your daughter is a little bit ahead of mine.) So she should manage fine with them all, unless there is something easier about the lg&tb story than the other ones in its group.

[simpson]

They were printed in 1996.

I did not realise until I read the parent bit at the front that they were originally intended for the parent to read the main part of the text and the child reads the speech bubbles but I assume that as its a blue level she is meant to read the whole thing.

The one I have is by Diana Bentley and ISBN no. is 0435090410.

Hope you find them, as DD loved it!! (hoping we will get the other ones!!)

[simpson]

The one that DD has is not listed there,I suspect it might be too old.

Also I thought blue was stage 4

[learnandsay]

Try the ones at the end.

[learnandsay]

Yes, that's the problem with these! You get hooked and then you can't find them.

[simpson]

That is how I feel about Frog and Toad I am so gutted that DD has read them all (there are only 4).

[learnandsay]

I've found them on Amazon, (thanks to you.) I'm getting them as an xmas present.

[simpson]

You have got me looking at them too!! Also on Amazon but I begrudge paying £8 for delivery when they are all coming from the same person

[mrz]

Storyworlds are still available from Pearsons and Amazon
www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/AssetsLibrary/SECTORS/Primary/PDFs/StructureCharts/Storyworlds08.pdf

We have all the Storyworld books - previously used them for guided reading but they haven't been widely used for the last 7 or 8 years.

[learnandsay]

Can you investigate whether the Turnip, Hen and (whatever the other book was) are supposed to be ahead or behind The Little Girl & the Bear, before you go to Amazon? Don't buy the one(s) we read if the one(s) you have access to are ahead.

[Tgger]

I remember looking at them for DS when I was looking for books for him last year. I bought one in the end "The Shark who has no teeth" (Stage 8 I think). He liked it but I didn't think it was that special or different from some of the other schemes.

Glad you guys are excited- why not- but seems like your idea of difficulty may be a little strange- haven't read it myself learnandsay but the Little Girl and Bear one seems to be at the end as you say which is meant for fluent or nearly fluent readers. Could your DD really manage it independently by herself? And It looks like the ones you are talking about simpson are level 1, so quite easy, easier than the stuff your DD normally does? Not that these levels are that solid.

[learnandsay]

I've found The Little Red Hen & Co on mrz's chart. They're right at the top (pink) And I've found Little Girl & the Bear. They're fairly near the bottom. I think they one we read is at the end of the scheme. I'm pretty sure your daughter is capable of that and more.

[learnandsay]

Tgger, I don't tend to let my daughter read without me. The most I've done that is on lists of random words. Can she read it unaided? Well, now she can! She's read it twice. Could she read one of the other three in its group totally unaided? I don't know. I'd have to have access to one to find out. I'll let you know. My suspicion is maybe, (maybe not.)

[simpson]

I think the thing with these books (certainly the one DD has) is it has text for the parent to read and then one line for the child to read.

So DD is expected to read the whole thing so probably not as easy as its stated.

The school have it levelled at blue and she read it fine (apart from one word).

It is definately easier than what she reads with me,but I am not that bothered as she loved it (the first school book she has loved!!)

The other books she loves (from the library) are the start reading series.

Currently she has: Mum's Robot (which is stage 6)
Sink or Swim (stage 5)
Nature Detectives (stage 5)
Spider in the Bath (stage 4)

She has other books that are not stages obviously,but she truly loves these books and asks for more!!

[simpson]

Sorry just looked at mrz chart and agree with what I put before.

It is on that level in the chart because the child is supposed to read one line on each page which says "I can help you" over and over again.

DD is expected to read the main body of the text which is pretty wordy as well which is why her school have levelled it higher.

[simpson]

The first page of DD's books says:

"The lion opened one eye and saw the little mouse. He caught the little mouse in his paw. "Please do not hurt me, Mr Lion," the little mouse said. "One day I may be able to help you." The lion laughed and laughed but he let the mouse go. "You are so little ," he said "You cannot help me." But the mouse squeaked....

Then it goes to the bit the child is supposed to read in a think bubble "I can help you."

But DD has to read it all iyswim.

[learnandsay]

simpson, did your daughter read the whole book? (I think you're saying that she did.) If you have access to the books at the end of the scheme compare them to the one you've read (speech bubbles and all,) and if they're below, (which I suspect they might be, then only buy the ones you're familiar with from Amazon, or buy none of them at all.)

[Tgger]

Ah, ok, that explains it then . Sorry!!!!!!!!!!! And nothing wrong with reading easy books anyway.

learnandsay- that's great...... I just have an inkling from your posts that you are so involved with your DD's reading that it becomes a joint enterprise. This is lovely, but perhaps blurs your knowledge of what she can actually do herself without you. Not without you being there, but without your input to sound out the words.

Does this matter? Not really, at some point she will know enough phonics and be mature enough to tackle books on her own. Just in the meantime your view of your DD's ability and the school's view will be on different pages.

Runs away and hides....