If your child is a 'free reader' are they still expected to read to you or to themselves?

[FrogStomp]

It's something I need to discuss with the teacher but I just wondered what you do.

Ds has been a 'free reader' since Y2, he went to a new school half way through Y2 and his new teacher said he could read what he liked. We read quite a few books from home inc Beast Quest etc.

He's now in Y3 with a new teacher and he's come home with a book from school. He reads with me (mostly) with no problem. I read with him too. I'm sure though he'd love to just sit in his room and read to himself but unsure if this is the done thing. I also need to ask if he can read his home books again.

What to teachers prefer? It's suggested 15 mins of reading every night but is this reading out to the parent or could they read out loud and then read to themselves.

Tell me about your routine

DS is also now in Y3. He reads a lot, mostly by himself (his preference), but school expect us to do 15 minutes reading to an adult at least 3 times a week which we also do. Why do you need to ask if he can read his home books again? Can't he do both?

10-15 minutes reading out loud to me every night. If they don't read out loud, how can you be sure they're getting the right intonation, punctuation etc? DS just started year 4 and is a good reader but he surprises me sometimes at how he doesn't always pay attention to the punctuation and the sentence makes no sense as a result.

Yes, he can do both I suppose but I just wanted it clarified really. He reads a lot quicker to himself and would fly through the books but reading out to me will help with comprehension etc.

DS also reads to himself I should add but we don't note that in his reading record

Just to point out, he does read other stuff (war books atm) but I don't record this. Perhaps I'll just record everything he reads as well as the books he's expected to read from school.

Have to say I still love reading with him

DS1 is now in secondary school and has been a 'free reader' for years, however they still expect me to read with him and record that I have done so in his planner - on top of any reading he does 'for fun'.

I make DS2 (grumpily) read out loud to me the first chapter of school books, as he would much rather read them quickly in his head. Then I let him read on in his head and quiz him on the plot etc at the end of it when I've had a quick skim.

LittleMissGreen, I think that's what ds would prefer to do We have got into a routine now though and ds will happily read out to me just before bedtime, in fact he'll often want to read more but only due to the fact that we're stretching out bedtime. Crafty bugger!

DC's school recommends that even good readers read aloud to a parent at least once a week. I think it's worth doing - you do catch things they skim over when reading by themselves, reading aloud involves different skills + it makes it easier to chat about the story!

we are supposed to listen to them every day but as my eldest got better we listen to some of her reading and then if she wants to she can read on to herself for a bit. She has a language problem so reading out loud is much harder for her and if we made her only read out loud I fear she would go off reading completely. This way we are listening to her every day, can help her, can guide her (we might show her how expression can be used to say the same things but with a different meaning and so on - obviously punctuation should help with that but not always) and discuss it with her but then she can read on much more quickly on her own to find out what happens. She is very good at coming to ask if she gets to a bit she doesn't understand or a word she needs explaining or something.

I record whatever she reads at home very briefly so that they can see she is reading every day even if she finishes her school book on a friday for example.

We're expected to.Mine are in years 5 and 6 and I still read to them and hear them read.It's hugely beneficial for all sorts of reasons.

They pick up on vocabulary(which can be a clincher in the 11+ if that floats your boat), point out things like alliteration,onomatopoeia,imagery etc that they've covered in school,can hear how punctuation actually works and further their comprehension skills to name but a few.

I'd be doing it even if we weren't expected to.Can't say we manage it every night though.

I also alternate between reading to them and heating them,can't do a chapter of a challenging book alongside hearing 3 kids read for 10/15 mins each night.It's just not possible(or pleasurable).

Seagulls, yes can imagine it's tricky with three kids

We'll carry on as we are. I'm pretty sure given the option ds would just read to himself but as pp have pointed out, there's much more to be gained by reading aloud.

Thanks for all of your replies

My girls are 12 and 13 and still read aloud to me - and I to them...

Hearing my 12 year old trying to pronounce some of the fantasy place names and people's full names is quite funny - sometimes I have to look them up to see just how they should be said...

they like me to read because I " do the voices, and EVERYTHING sounds all flow-y" - I'm guessing they would write "reads with expression" in my reading record

Not quite what you are asking, but I volunteer in a primary school and all the children, even the most able Year 6 pupils, read aloud to their teacher at least once a week. I suspect, but don't know, that the weaker readers read aloud more often.

I still listen to DS read who's 9 and ask him lots of comprehension questions (and am still sometimes surprised at the totally bizarre reasons he comes up with for character's behaviour! ).

Just, ds loves listening to me read. I love spending that quality time with him just before bed so I'm happy to continue.

I suppose I just wanted to know that we were doing the right thing, I can't remember ever sitting down and reading to my Mum, I can't remember what I used to read. The only book I remember reading was To Kill a Mockingbird in High School oh and Jackie Magazine

OP well done on listening to Beast Quest every night. It makes my ears bleed and I only listen to DS read for about 5 mins a day. If it's BeastQuest he's pretty much on his own

fwiw, what I usually do is let my free-reading DC read by themselves every night for about half an hour at before lights out, and pop in to hear them read for the last 5 mins or so.

Oh Jackie magazine,gone but not forgotten.

Yes I try to get my 3 into bed for 7.30-8.00 and let them read for an hour until I shout up.

I have heard the thud of a falling book from dd's room a lot later though,hate to stop her reading.