Dd (yr1) struggling to keep up.

[ihaveadirtydog]

Dd is in year 1. She is 'bright' in the sense that she is a good reader and is able to talk confidently and inquisitively about a range of subjects.
But she is slow at writing and is therefore struggling to finish tasks set and isn't even completing spelling tests (whether tests are appropriate is another subject) when she knows how to spell the words verbally.
I know she is also inclined to day dream and so is probably missing key instructions at the beginning of a task.
I have asked the teacher for a 5 minute chat after school but could do with some ideas as to how I can help or what, if any adjustments I could reasonably ask the teacher to make (e.g asking dd to repeat what's been asked of her before a task to make sure she's listened / checking part way through a task that she's not too far behind.

I am trying to encourage dd to write more, and more quickly at home but it is a slog and don't want to put her off.

Thank you.

I would be asking about her handwriting and concentration - how they encourage this in school and how your DD seems to be progressing with regard to these.

If her fine motor skills need work there are activities that can help with this. Anything which involves fine work and can build muscle strength in the hands will help such as lego, working with modeling clay, drawing, tracing, sewing, threading beads, as well as handwriting activities.

Regarding concentration you could ask how well she manages distractions, how well she stays on task and how the teachers encourage this (prompts, timers etc).

Thanks-she's left handed which doesn't help and still reverses some of her letters and numbers (but is improving). She also forms some letters incorrectly but is stubborn when I try to help her.
Fine motor not too bad-quite good at drawing, threading etc but modelling clay a good idea to build up strength-thank you

She sounds normal (I have twins in Y1). What are all the other kids like if she's struggling to keep up?! Are you being a little over concerned because she is average?

Haha-maybe merry-I have wondered about the other kids too tbh because if she is struggling then surely others are too. It might just be that she needs to move down a group which is fine and something I will check with the teacher.

To clarify-I don't have a problem with her being 'average' but I do want her to feel she is succeeding.

Wow - spelling tests in Y1!

DD is at a primary that does incredibly well academically - 100% of kids getting L4 at KS2 in English and Maths and 80% getting L5 despite over 70% FSM and 80% EAL, so I am trusting them to get the teaching right.

They are happy if the children are attempting to spell phonetically and no pressure on the pace that they learn to read etc.

I'm told that my DD is very bright and has outstanding verbal and fine motor skills , but would be amazed if she could spell anything much more than her name correctly (although she does have neat writing)

By all means ask the teacher for advice, but please don't panic that she is behind.

Dd spells 'you' as 'yow' and reverses a lot of letters and can't form some properly. Imo, getting the letter formation right is a priority. I wasn't on top of this with my ds1 and he struggles now in Y4 (but has a lot of other issues). Ds can spell all the top 100 high frequency words. I wouldn't describe dd as 'struggling', she is a little below average in the class but happy enough. She can be very unfocussed and wriggly. The more you see her as 'struggling', the more she will pick it up. My dd is fab at drawing, dance, singing. I'm sure they'll all be fine by the time they do A levels!

Your lo sounds average to me, has the teacher raised any concerns with you?

No concerns from teacher as yet- just dd telling me she is too slow to finish things which to me implies that either the work is too difficult or that dd can't/won't write fast enough.

I would concentrate on handwriting. We didn't and struggled to the whole of Y2 to catch up. We practised once a week, it is difficult, you need to find a book which fits the type of handwriting your school teaches.

For concentration: maybe give her a timer to set little tasks like finishing a page and shorten the time. We found if DD sees how much or how less she accomplish it makes the problem more visible for her.

Ok-thanks-will focus the chat with teacher on handwriting and have a push on it at home.

Sounds pretty normal. Just remember she is still very little

So it's 'normal' in a well taught and differentiated class for children not to complete tasks?

It may be normal not to finish if it is a pushy school (spelling tests sound a bit like it) and depending also on how good the teacher is. Perhaps she was a Y2 teacher and is finding the class level currently? It's not desirable though not to be finishing. When dd's class does whole class work, she doesn't finish eg. they had to write numbers up to 100 and she got to 40, but I guess some kids were a lot quicker at writing.

You need to find out if it she is the only one not finishing and if she is, then she does need to move groups as it is obviously upsetting her. Or if she didn't finish once or twice, which is very normal, but she has got upset over it. There's all sorts of potential variables.

Risk of an old chestnut - is she a summer birthday? Makes such a difference to maturity and just the physical ability to control the bloody pencil!
My May DS really struggled in Y1 but now in Y4 is academically pretty able don't ask about maths homework
Autumn born DD has just gone into Y1 and is writing with so much more confidence.
I would speak to teacher about the fact that she is upset, and how you can build her confidence by either helping a bit at home so she succeeds more, or making sure she has tasks she can finish/ realises it's OK not to finish.
My Y1 DD would be devastated by not having finished once and we would hear about it for ever - so I would check with teacher what's actually happening and if it matters.
Hope things improve for her!

Yes she is summer born and yes the school is quite 'pushy' especially in terms of what is expected of parental involvement. So both of these are probably factors.

Have done some sentences with her tonight and can't see any cause for concern so will see what the teacher says tomorrow.

She sounds totally normal to me! If the teacher isn't concerned, then I would work on helping her to understand that it is fine if she is slower than some of the others, and it doesn't matter how fast she is going, and to make sure she is happy and enjoying it and feeling proud of what she is doing. It sounds possibly like her anxiety. If the school are telling you it is a problem then I would have an issue with that because stress in Y1 is ridiculous (in my uninformed opinion).

Spoke to the teacher yesterday and she was fine. Apparently they have been doing some tasks over 2 lessons so she wasn't even supposed to be finishing. Phew. Handwriting is entirely within 'normal' realm and they will be having a big push on that this year anyway.
Lots have been surprised by the change of pace but that it normal apparently.
And the format of the spelling test is going to be changed to be more appropriate for the kids.
So all in all I'm pleased and relieved.
DD seems to have upped her game spontaneously anyway and left me a lovely handwritten note earlier asking if I knew where her Elsa doll was!