increasing confidence with school reading - reception

[Periwinkle007]

my daughter is in reception and is reading very well (starting to be happy with chapter books at home). At home she reads confidently, fluently, with expression (if she feels like it - she can be quite stroppy if she doesn't like the book and will tell me so), understanding punctuation, excellent comprehension, so much prediction of possible storylines we often have to suggest she reigns it in a bit to actually read the story or it really would take hours. So all good.

at school however she isn't really making any progress. Comments in her reading diary are all glowing, 'what a pleasure to hear read' 'excellent reading' 'beautiful reading' etc so they don't tell me anything and she rarely reads to the teacher unlike others in her class (including others on the same level) and usually gets a parent helper and sometimes a TA instead. I asked twice recently through a note in her reading diary what we could work on specifically to help her progress (I am conscious she reads much harder books at home so realised there must be a reason they are keeping her down the levels at school whilst progressing others). The first time it wasn't answered, the second time they said they were working on comprehension and prediction skills, noticing punctuation and reading with expression. so most things really except actually reading/decoding/high frequency words etc. The books she has brought home since October she has read with 99-100% accuracy.

They obviously see a very different child at school and having asked her she says she feels silly doing voices/expression so we have talked about imagining it is like the Christmas play or something and a performance to the teacher/audience rather than just reading. She also says they don't ask her anything about the book so I am confused how they can be working with her on her comprehension etc.

What can I do to build her confidence and help her display these skills which she demonstrates automatically at home? She is starting to get frustrated because she is reading so many books on each level whilst others are skipping them and she knows she can read the words in the book easily whilst some of them are still having to work them out or have help at the same level. I have tried to explain that it is much more than just the words but I have noticed if she reads harder books she makes much more effort with them. With the reading books she brings home she can go off into a monotone but get her to do 2 levels harder in the same scheme and she gets all animated and does it all properly. with home books she is very animated.

help. she swings between saying she loves reading (when choosing her own books) and she hates reading (when reading biff chip and co with no challenging words). she does love it if she can get a non fiction book from school though and then you can't stop her reading it. I just wonder if she is having slight burn out of magic key after reading ALL the level 5 ones, ALL the level 6 ones save about 4 and now NEARLY ALL the level 7 ones. I obviously find them repetitive but to a child surely they aren't that bad and she likes the pictures and the basic story (much better than some of the other scheme books she had a few months ago where she used to tell me how SHE would have written the story to make it better and I had to explain you had to read what the author wants you do)

anyway rambling now - any advice appreciated please as I don't want her to lose her love of reading and I do want her to progress to more challenging books as this seems to be what SHE wants.

How do you know what level other children are on and who is progressing and who isn't and how other people's children are progressing?

Why do you think it's important that your daughter should progress at the same rate as other children (either real or imaginary?)

If your daughter is reading stage 7 books (turquoise I think) in Reception then she's doing very well indeed for a start.

Now, to turn to your difficulty, (if you have a genuine one at all) you seem to believe that some of the books that your daughter is being given either stage 5,6 or 7 are so easy that your daughter is making (almost deliberate mistakes in them) and if she was given harder books she would not do this. Have you asked the teacher outright if your daughter can read stage 8, 9 or 10 books instead? I didn't see you mention that you had. Why don't you ask the teacher that and see what she says? That'll probably tell you what you need to know about why the teacher is doing what she's doing. It's not unusual for parents and teachers to disagree about what level reading books a child should have. I've rarely seen a parent wanting easier books. (But I have seen it.) I've often seen a parent wanting harder books (and sometimes not getting them.) But overall I would stop worrying what other children are reading (real or imagined.) It's none of your business what other people's children are doing.

well ok so I am not in the classroom but I have seen the children read outside of school and my daughter is very aware of what is going on around her in the classroom, she is one of those children who will know exactly what everyone has been doing at what time, for how long, who said what to whom etc. I was the same at school apparently. The others kids parents are happy to say their kids need help etc as well. And I really don't care what other children are doing, but it is an observation which is in some ways relevant because it means there is a genuine reason why she is being kept down the levels, others are progressing, ie it isn't a case of the teacher thinking 'oh thats high enough for this year'. thats why I mentioned it.

I know she makes deliberate mistakes with easier books at home, I know she will read a level 7 book whilst lying back and just glancing over at it and singing the words if she really doesn't feel like doing it properly. The skipping full stops thing started when she started to read in her head and I wonder if it is to do with the speed she is trying to read at and needs to slow herself down. Obviously when the words are easy you read faster, if the words require you looking at them a bit more closely you do automatically slow down.

I haven't said I want harder books for her, I have asked for advice on how to help her bring out these skills to demonstrate them to her teacher/parent helper rather than just to us at home. I had assumed she was reading the same way to them as she does to us. If they want to keep her on level 7 until she is 10 I don't actually care that much so long as she doesn't because we have hundreds of books at home and she can read better than that but as they obviously have a reason for it I need to try and help her work on it somehow.

I didn't want to ask why she wasn't on harder books as I felt that was implying they didn't know what they are doing which isn't true, her teacher is excellent. so thats why I asked what did she need to work on in order to progress.

I'm not sure if the levels that you're talking about are ORT stages but if you are then stage 7 is for a 6-7 year old. www.readingchest.co.uk/book-bands and your child is in Reception. So she's obviously doing very well.

I very much doubt that there are lots of children in your daughter's class reading better than that. There might be a couple. But even if there are it doesn't matter.

And she probably reads better at school than she does at home. Children can often get away with things at home.

yes national book bands so book band 7/turquoise/ORT stage 7 etc but mixed reading schemes within it.

There aren't lots reading better I shouldn't think no, just a group of them all similar level and yes she is doing well but I want her to be working at her level reaching her potential. guided reading etc is all done at level 3 for the class as a whole which is good IMO as it reinforces everything, she does the same phonics sessions etc as well for the same reason which is what I wanted her to do even though she could read when she started school. I didn't want her to miss anything and revision is always good especially as she just picked up reading and taught herself in many ways.

I just kind of feel she ought to be challenged a bit in something. Maths is still numbers to 20 obviously and she finds it very easy, she says it is fun but easy and she doesn't have to think (her words), guided reading again is 'fun but easy for me', etc and whilst she likes school and always manages to occupy her brain I do worry she thinks everything is easy and she never has to try. easy reading books don't help with that which is why we have encouraged her to read harder books at home, poetry, non fiction, using kids encyclopaedias when she asks a question about something so she learns to look it up herself, some of the fireflies books that are more like biographies etc so that she gets a breadth of styles of book and information rather than be very narrow. The last thing I want is for her to be an ORT pony so to speak and only be able to read ORT books.

I agree with you in many ways. But unfortunately you and I didn't get to design the EYFS and KS1 curriculum. If you look at both of those and even the new 2014 proposed one that Mr Gove is working on at the moment you won't find many things that you might regard as challenging. But then school is about lots more than being academically challenging. It's about socialisation and learning to fit in. Children can be taught at home to do a lot of what's in Mr Gove's KS1 proposal (I'm not sure about the science bit, but maybe that too.) But they can't be taught how to fit in to society from home.

oh yes you are right - there is a lot more to it than just learning academic stuff. hard though when they are one of the oldest in the year as well as being quite switched on because they are ready for a bit of a challenge and I think all children thrive on a challenge if it is presented the right way but sadly teachers hands are tied. As I said I think my daughters school is good and certainly her teacher is. Plus the main thing for us was that she loves her teachers which is what has helped her to like going to school. I don't want her to get lazy though and think she can sail through life with no effort

OP, I?d suggest speaking to the teacher rather than communicating via notes. It sounds as though the teacher has given you a general answer about progressing reading rather than one specific to your DD?s circumstances. If it?s hard to find time to talk to her, ask to make an appointment (unless you have parents? evening coming up in which case this might reasonably be asked then). I?d emphasise that your DD reads more complex books at home, and that, whilst you understand that she needs to work on a number of skills and may benefit from reading easier books at school, she is becoming bored with the books you is getting. Mention that you are working on the expression, comprehension etc at home and explain what you are doing. Perhaps phrase it in a ?how can we work together to progress her reading? sort of way.

If your DD is not confident about reading aloud (not sure if this is an actual issue or you just think it might be?), again the school should have strategies in place to encourage this so ask what they are doing. My DD used to use something called (I think) ?talking boxes? to build up her confidence.

Bright children coasting at school is a constant worry in this forum (and ofstead keeps banging on about it in all its reports) so you're not the only one to be concerned about it. But personally I think Reception is too early to be worrying about it. In general I agree I think it's a problem. But I also think that if the school doesn't focus on the problem in later primary years then it's the parent who needs to come up with a solution. The child will leave the school but stay with the parent for much longer. So it's the parent who will end up dealing with a coasting child one way or another. Better be prepared, that's my view.

It sounds like you have confidence in your child's teacher, so in your position I would make an appointment to see her (do you have a parents' evening soon) and express your observations re the disparity between what she can read at school and home and ask the teacher for her views. It's hard to have this type of conversation in writing via a reading diary, it's much easier in person.

The Magic Key burnout is a slightly separate issue. If they're the only or majority of books that your dd brings home from school, probably the best thing you can do is to whizz through them then read something else together. You're right though that lots of children do like them and the higher up ones are a bit more varied and interesting.

thanks - She prefers the fireflies non fiction ones but there are only a few of those each level she is back to magic key or william and hamid from the old robins ones. Up to level 6 they have loads of different books which was great, I liked the variety and so did she but they were all the old reading schemes and of course many of the very old ones finished at about level 6. I think there are some others in the box but she tends to pick the magic key ones so I think she secretly likes them. I might try reading one to her first to see if she enjoys the story, there must be a reason she chose the book in the first place even if it was just the best of a bad lot. Might get some interest back. I will try and arrange to speak to the teacher either before or just after the holidays, perhaps just after as then we will have had a concentrated period to really try and improve her skills a bit and then if she goes back a bit more confident it might show.

My DD sounds very similar in that she now reads in her head and so when reading aloud has to be reminded to pause at full stops etc (which she was doing fine before).

Personally I would have a chat with the teacher and actually show her what she reads at home. I had to do this last night at parents eve as there was starting to be a noticeable gap between school/home books which we have not had all year (DD is also in reception).

really Simpson? thats actually very reassuring to hear someone else has a similar issue with full stops. makes me a bit more confident that that is what it is. good idea to perhaps show them the books she is reading at home, the early reader ones, usborne first reading ones etc,

I think this is where it shows that reading is more than one skill, there is reading to yourself and understanding and enjoying and then there is reading aloud to other people, helping them to understand and enjoy. 2 very different skills and perhaps some people are better suited to one rather than the other.

thanks

DD will read much easier books to herself and her school have recently started giving her a book a week for her to do this.

But the stuff she reads aloud to me is much harder and I have noticed that a chapter book she reads to me she will attempt it by herself a few weeks/months later.

I agree that reading to yourself and aloud are 2 different skills.

yes my daughter is the same. she will tackle a harder book if she has one of us there to help if needed, otherwise on her own she prefers books like the Large Family, Lighthouse Keeper ones, Percy the Park Keeper, Winnie the Witch etc to read to herself when she knows she knows the words

hope you managed to sort out your DD situation Simpson

I await Monday and see which book she comes home with

In fairness to the teacher she was fine about it. DD was getting chapter books and they stopped (don't know why) so she just said she will start giving them out again.

I do definately think there is an element of out growing EYFS (and it sounds like your DD has too).

I think she is just ready for a bit more structured learning than reception really.

Roll on year 1!!!

yes thats kind of my thinking too, some children are ready for a more formal education earlier than others, they just are. my daughter was very put out for the first half term of reception because they didn't really have any tables in the classroom and she kept saying she had gone to big school so why weren't they sitting at desks having lessons! then she wanted to know why no reading book because preschool had given them 1 a week and so on. she is itching to get on and do something properly and play at being more grown up, am sure the novelty will last all of about a week of year 1 though before she decides she preferred reception though. good luck for monday.

My son is a total book worm and almost from birth book obsessed. He finished the readying scheme by the end of reception but also had to work a little on comprehension. He has always read quite a few years ahead and his love of reading has helped him blossom in all his Y6 school subjects.

My biggest recommendation would be to relax and stop worrying. Your son is so young and reception is really not the time to get stressed about reading. Use appropriate and inspiring library books that will be more interesting - enjoy non Biff books. If you can leave Biff behind altogether at home, all the better.

In reception I was once told to let my boy read lots of exciting but easier library books then the more complex rhoal dahl types - the advice was correct. Reading is more then being able to read the most complex book. It's about confidence, having read so much that a million scenarios come to mind when story writing, it's about developing a love of independent reading.

I'm not so sure, I think there are lots of reasons to get stressed about Reception reading but the OP's isn't one of them.

Reasons to get stressed about Reception reading:
(a) Being given no reading books at all.
(b) Being given books with no words in them.
(c) Not having your child listened to while reading.
(d) Not having the reading book changed.
(e) Having no system of correlating what the child can read in school with which books are sent home.

No doubt I could think of more reasons, but you get my point.

We have been lucky and only had 1 Biff et al book for DD and she won't get any more

It does amaze me how each school is totally different and has different systems iyswim ie some schools have each child wading through every single book at each level before they can move up (pointless) and my DC school who refuse point blank to allow kids to go into lessons/guided reading at higher levels (ie with yrs 1 & 2) which is their choice I guess but possibly not the best choice for my DD.

Hello there

This sounds very familiar - only my daughter is a year older, now in Y1.

So, at school she keeps getting graded reading schemes books, which, even at quite high ORT levels still have a big picture and only some paragraphs of text. Non-fiction books are a lot more interesting, and often have more challenging vocabulary.

Sometime last year, I realised that I can?t change the way our school approaches moving kids through reading levels. Our teacher said that she wants my daughter to be reading simpler books because ?it helps her to learn to write sentences?. However, I doubt that reading a book that takes all of 5 min to finish teaches anyone anything.

In order to keep my girl interested, I just make sure that she has access to a lot of books that she can pick/read by herself. She reads any time she has a break ? on a bus, before activities, etc. So I always carry books with me.

Last year, she went through lots of short chapter books ? I found Usborne Young Reading, Corgi Pups, Colour Young Puffin, and Blue/Red Banana were just right for that. We also read D.King-Smith books ? great for this age and often about funny animals. I also got her a children?s? encyclopaedia that she reads from time to time. A lot of girls stared reading Rainbow Fairies books, but I, personally, can?t stand them ? all so formulaic ? girls are fairies, boys are goblins? But even those books are better than Biff and Co.

I rarely read school reading books with her ? only when non-fiction ones come. I just make short complimentary comments in her reading log.

To make sure she makes progress we pick a good (and more challenging) book and read together on weekends ? i.e. she reads to me ? and I make sure that she reads with comprehension and attention to punctuation, etc. We started with R.Dahl books ? Fantastic Mr.Fox and the easier ones first. She has read most of his books by now. Now we are reading Charlotte?s Web.

Good luck! It takes effort keeping an advanced early reader interested. I find that not all books that my daughter can read are appropriate content-wise, so I have to screen what I get her. I go to library a lot. Also visit Oxfam and buy used books on Amazon.

nbg22, I think what you're saying is true. But it has nothing to do with school reading systems. School reading systems are designed to teach all children to read, not to teach children who can already read to read. Of course parents of children who can already read will have problems with school reading schemes unless those schemes allow their children to read off the end of the scheme, (in which case the scheme no longer applies!!)

Learnandsay I wasn?t commenting on how our/or any school teaches kids to read. My point was about how the school helps the reading progress. Many schools in our area do things differently - once kids reach ORT 9-10 (in Y1 or 2), they become ?free readers? and can choose books from a selection of age appropriate chapter books. I think it?s a great approach ? kids are kept interested and motivated.

Now, our school keeps girls on graded books until ORT 13, and at high ORT levels they make sure that girls move up only very slowly. So, practically it only happens in Y3.

Our school helped my daughter learn to read sounds, but beyond that, it seems that I am the one doing the work on making sure she continues to be interested and progresses.

It just seems strange ? on everything else e.g., for math and writing ? more advanced girls get extension work. But it seems that on reading they are trying to slow them down.

Forget about levels. At home, let her read what she enjoys.

After the basic, phonic stage, everyone gets better at reading by simply reading.

The final aim is to recognise all common words instantly. That's what all fluent readers are able to do.