Phase 5 letters and sounds - which book band?

[AllFurCoat]

I know there's no definitive answer, but which book band roughly would you expect a child to be on if doing phase 5 letters and sounds work?

DDs in yR, she's currently working on the alternate sounds for phonemes. I read with her most nights and from what I've seen/heard, she's progressing well. We don't get reading books home from school, but comments in her reading record are always along the lines of "read fluently/with good expression/read accurately".

She's not read 1:1 for weeks, but has been doing guided reading and they're reading level 2 books (ort). I'm not majorly fussed over it tbh, as I know she reads more challenging books with me and reading schemes really aren't the be all and end all, but in my mind, I would have thought doing the phase 5 stuff would have meant reading at a higher level than level 2? Although I'm obviously not a teacher and they've probably got a reason behind it!

And so much energy engaging with Biff et al

I've got an idea, instead of giving children who don't need them Biff & Chip, why not save them up and give two to the kids who do need them? That way everybody wins.

PaperMover, we've also quite enjoyed the Biff & Chip books. I think the key may be that we've both only had a few of them

Yes, OK. But why not have proper books instead

Where the Wild Things Are

and

Do you remember this one: A Big Ball of String

I mean, anyone can keep Biff & Chip, if they want them for learners books. But there are learners books which kick them right in the eye. And what about Mog the Forgetful Cat?

I didn't mind Biff etc for the first few levels of them but the novelty wears off trust me.

There are so many good children's books out there I really don't know why schools have to stock up on piles and piles of books that I wouldn't let my dog read. The world is full of brilliant early readers' books. Mrs Pepperpot.

I go in and read with yrs 1,2 and 5. I am also in a reception class at another school. I am bloody sick of Biff!!

Mind you, if I was running Oxford University Press, I'd be laughing all the way to the bank. (I'd still buy Judith Kerr for my children, though.)

We love Judith Kerr. They're not really designed for beginner readers though are they? more for parents to read to preschoolers. DS is not able to read that sort of book yet.

It's not a bad standard to aim for. It's very much a what you see is what you get story. I think a little too much can be made of the "not a beginning reader" idea. Some people say the Usborne cloth book Kitty the Kitten is not a beginning reader, it's a parental read to. But, if you use it as a beginning reader then it is one.

Oddly enough, the first time I used Kitty the Kitten, I wasn't aware that some people said that it wasn't a beginning reader. (It worked anyway.) This time around I know that some people think it isn't a beginning reader and it's still working as one.

Probably depends on your child. DS is the sort of child who would be put off by being asked to read something (he thinks is) too hard, but have no interest in reading Kitty the Kitten or That's Not My Tractor. He thinks things are too hard based on the number of words on the page as much as what the actual words are.

Come to think of it we should get the apple tree farm books out again, they would be about right I think.

DD (2) on the other hand has decided that beginner readers make perfect parental read-to books, she insists on me reading her ORT songbirds and Read Write Inc over and over again. Goodness knows what that'll do to her future learning to read!

Completely digressing here, I'm just finding the whole learning to read process fascinating.

DD's complete obsession (which lasted well over a year) was Topsy and Tim.