Parents eve follow up - levels and ideas to improve expressiveness for writing DD yr2

[AllabouttheE]

So my arty DD is currently levelling 2a reading and maths and 2b writing.
Teacher doesn't expect her to reach level 3 this year. I was a little dissappointed to hear that. We are grammar area, I was under the impression she needs to hit some 3's in year 2 (both parents went).

She has boy tendencies (!) and is better at non fiction writing. She technically is an excellent reader but takes no pleasure in any of the books on shelves home school or library.

Does anyone have book suggestions for a very pink girly girl who won't read for pleasure.

And games and ideas to bring on her ability to allow more free thoughts for expressive writing? Her writing is partly holding back her reading score as she doesn't give extended answers.

And at this point in the year, if the teacher won't push for level 3, should I do a little more at home (we pretty much do nothing) with sats only a few weeks away, it wouldn't get recorded anyway and wouldn't be worthwhile?

It is probably not a case of the "teacher won't push" for level 3. Teacher assess where the children are now, where the gaps are and then identify next steps in learning to fill those gaps. The teacher has probably identified there are too many or too big next steps to realistically expect your DD to get to a secure level 3. We teach and hope the child makes that leap, but years of experience shows that some children do, but many children don't until the first term of Year 3. Some level 3 content will still be taught, but has to be seen consistently and without support to award the level. The level given does have implications on the automatic (not teacher generated) targets for each child, but that target doesn't limit the level the teachers aspire to for the child, and as NC levels are going that is a different issue. Many of our children with a 2A do achieve well in Year 6 as they make good progress in KS2.
I'd say yes to supporting at home, but don't fret too much about specific levels.

Finally, yes SATs may be a few weeks away (although I've already done the vast majority of mine!) it is not the tests / tasks that give your child they KS1 level. It is the teacher assessments of all their work over the whole year, so home support may impact by the end of the year.

How about reading to her? That would give her exposure to expressive language needed to write expressively and it should be enjoyable too.

Do you take your DD to bookshops and the library? If she doesn't enjoy reading maybe allowing her more control over what she reads may help? Are there particular hobbies she has outside school? My class are obsessed with some pretty grim girly pink stories, linked to ponies, ballet and animals. Not high-quality fiction choices (but I'm working on that!), but at least it is getting them reading.

Firstly, do you really need to be worrying about grammar school at this point? I wouldn't be concerned about what level she is.

I would, however, be concerned about a Y2 child who gets no pleasure out of reading. Does she see you and her dad being enthusiastic about books? Do you visit the library or book shops together? Do you fake enthusiasm when you read with her e.g. 'oh yes, dd, we must do your reading- I can't wait to find out about princess whateverhernameis and the smarmy prince'!

I think that one of the most important things for writing is to read widely, so whatever you can do to get her enthusiasm back will be worth it in the long run.

The other suggestion for writing is to make up stories together, about whatever she is interested in. The main characters can be your Dd and her friends.

Plenty of clever people don't read (fiction) for pleasure (and never have). It's not necessarily a problem. But the issue would then be, does that person read enough non fiction?

There are certain things about life, relationships and so on that people can learn (if they are so minded) from fiction far quicker than they could ever learn from non fiction. But your brain needs to be wired in the right way to understand it (or to want to understand it).

I think philosophy is another strange one (not that all that many young children are presented with it). But, once again, it offers lots of knowledge if, and only if, the student is receptive.

On balance I might not worry how the knowledge was getting into my child as long as I was pretty convinced that it was getting into her.

You can't force it. I would read some stuff to her in a relaxed way. Try different texts and try to find something that excites her, then hopefully she will read it to herself ad nauseum and then get better at reading and writing. Some of it is maturity and there's nothing to say that she won't leap through those horrible levels in the next year.

I am confused you say she is both pinky girly but also boy ish

Anyway I would try the Ottoline series, they really excited my DD and turned her onto reading.

www.amazon.co.uk/Ottoline-Yellow-Cat-Chris-Riddell/dp/1405050578/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395960417&sr=1-1&keywords=ottoline

You could also try these, we got some for dd for xmas, not much joy with them yet, but going to try again over easter then summer...

its a game of dice with pictures on and you make up stories as you go...

www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Rorys-Story-Cubes-Mix/dp/1472605985/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395960465&sr=1-1&keywords=rorys+story+cubes

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Creativity-Hub-Rorys-Story/dp/B003NFJMBM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JNKSV3MWA3YYPY34X5B

Thanks will pick up the suggestions of reading to her and love those story cubes.

She is a free reader, she is a proper girl ponies princesses etc but academically has similar traits to boys with a dislike of fiction. Whilst she loves playing girly she won't read girly.

I read voraciously which is perhaps why I am bothered.

I will read to her again. Some of my childhood faves which all sit on her shelves.

She draws. She goes to art class but as a hobby doesn't help access books.

DS is a good reader in yr2 and also doesn't read for pleasure very often. However, he has recently discovered Worst Witch books in the book box and he and his friends on the same level are really 'into' them.

I never read for pleasure as a child. I was an 'early' reader in terms of ability, but I just didn't enjoy it. It wasn't until I was about 12 and discovered (of all things) Stephen King that I started reading for pleasure. Now I read all the time (but not Stephen King).