How often do your children read to someone at school?

[marne2]

I'm in a bit of a battle with the school, dd2 has ASD and her needs are not being met in many ways.

Since going back in September she has read twice ( once on the first week back and once last week ), she is in year 4 but in a mixed class of 3 and 4's, she's a good reader but does not enjoy reading, she has had the same book since she went back in September and is loosing interest.

I'm i right in thinking that they are not reading enough with her?

I go in to school as a parent helper , mainly listening to children read and filing the kids work in their books .

There are children that need to read to an adult every day but my sons teachers aim for at least 3 times a week for for every child. If I go in for a whole morning I can do 20 to 25 children .

It depends on how much help the teacher gets from parents/grandparents

Dt1 class has more 'helpers' than dt2 so he is more likely to do more reading at school .
They have a home reader which is changed every day.

So dd is not being read to enough , makes me so angry! I asked another parent and their child was being read too once a week ( still not good enough but more than my dd is getting ). My dd has a TA for 30hours a week so there's no reason why she can't read to her TA every day.

He hasn't got a proper reading book yet (just started reception: still on wordless ORT books) but they will read to somebody on Mondays and Thursdays...this is already the routine as at present they are "tested" (for want of a better way of putting it) on the sounds that are sent home on those 2 days, so assume reading will just take the place of that when the time comes.

Dd is in a mixed yr3/4 class and has only read to an adult once since starting back at school.

Dd2 is in year 3, and reads every day still (in small group of 5 ish, for guided reading - they all take a turn being listened to), and her reading book comes home 3 times a week for reading homework.

I would be having words if she was listened to less than 3 times a week, let alone less than once a week!

Forgot to add, I asked teacher about this once and was advised even though only do the 1 to 1 read infrequently they do group reading.

DD is in Year 4. They have whole class reading. Only the children that are struggling individually routinely read to an adult. DD has read to an adult once this term (to assess what level she was reading at).

Holiday, that's what I was told last year when I complained, they used to write in their books when they did group reading but this year there is nothing in the book, this could be because they are told to write it in themselves and dd probably doesn't do it. I'm finding she's getting really bored with the books she's bringing home as it's taking her forever to complete them.

Whole class reading once a week, reading to a school adult once a week.
I also try to read with DD twice a day, sometimes she will read to me three times in a day! There's a lot you can do at home.

Marne we now tend to only read books from home as dd says the school books are boring. When you look through the baskets she has read most of them any way.

In dd's reading diary there is no group reading filled in anymore either and the teacher does not even check the reading dairy to see if they are reading. Whereas other classes in our school have the diary checked every week.

DD2 is y5.

Her reading diary has never ever been updated for any group reading she has done at school.

I don't believe she had 1-1 reading with anyone at all in y4. They don't have the manpower. Your daughter's 1-1 will be for her to access the curriculum, not to provide extra reading, unless she is struggling.

I currently listen to some y5s read once a week. I offered. They are the strugglers.

Suggestions - which may not work due to ASD or other factors:

• are you listening to reading at home
• are books actually the right length and level of difficulty
• when we want to 'up' the difficulty of DD's books, we read some of the chapters to her so she gets through it faster
• can you choose books for her
• is there any incentive scheme at school to read at home? eg raffle tickets for having 4 entries per week and the chance of winning a prize

DS is y1, judging by his reading record he reads to a teacher/TA about twice a week.
This is a very small village primary though, 13 in his year, so the ratio of teacher/TAs/helpers to children is very good.

There will be a huge variation, based mostly on age.
Once in Juniors, children won't be heard read regularly unless they struggle with reading.
For infants it is important,especially when they are younger, as regular practice enables progress.

It is hugely time consuming to hear all children read at school. As parents, you can listen daily and so ensure the level of practice necessary. Most schools simply can't manage that level of 1to1 and as long as you are doing it daily (and in my book, that means 7 days a weeks during term time and holidays for little ones...because the regularity is what makes the difference) then their reading will improve.
If you are concerned that the school don't know your child's level accurately as they don't hear them enough, write in and request that they are assessed as you think they maybe more able than the schools have levelled them....but be aware, it isn't just the physical act of reading, but expression, understanding etc too.

Junior age children should be reading aloud to an adult at home several times a week and also reading to themselves daily. Unless they struggle, they probably don't need to read to an adult in school more than once or twice a half term and only then, until perhaps Year 4.

One of the things that Private Prep schools often do,mis have the children read daily in class until about Year 1 or 2. They can do this because of the smaller classes and no of TAs or parent helpers. If the children are reading daily like this, plus daily at home too, they will progress faster. However, even if you are in a state school where they only hear reception read weekly, if YOU listen daily without fail, huge progress will still be made.

Parents are the biggest influence on reading. It is parents who can establish a love of stories by reading to their little ones and establishing a pattern of daily reading without fail,mso it is totally the norm and becomes a genuine love of the children. Only parents have 7 day a week access, every week of the year to their children to do this.

And for the older Junior aged child,don't give up reading aloud to them as an adult. People often stop around 7 when the children can competently read to themselves. Keep reading to them, and choose books just a bit differnt to those they would choose themselves,to broaden their horizons and introduce them to different genres. They will often then choose to continue reading such a book to themselves, which they would not have chosen themselves. It makes a huge difference in terms of movi g their reading and comprehension and vocab on.

DD (yr2) has been listened to twice so far (121) but she does guided reading twice a week.

DS's (yr5) teacher never writes in his journal but that doesn't mean she doesn't hear him read iyswim.

Ds2 (reception) reads to a TA once a week and his book is changed, and we get a written summary of what they've done and what to work on. The TA seems to be reassessing them rather than 'just' listening to them read. After half term they will encourage parent helpers to go in as well, I don't know if they will mainly listen to the children who are not getting parental support at home though?
DS1 (y3) doesn't seem to have been listened to at all, he is responsible for putting his own interminably long and dull chapter book in to be changed when he finishes it. We sign his reading diary every day, AFAIK nobody is checking it. He does guided reading in a small group every week though, but this is separate to the books he brings home. He's a v good reader, it may be that any children who are struggling are getting more help.
The reception reading TA is full time and has 45 children to listen to over the course of a week. If a school doesn't have staff dedicated to reading I don't know how a teacher is supposed to listen to everyone as well as teach the class? I think in the main it's the parents' job to do the hard slog of reading every day.

I'm reading with her 3 times a week though I get moaned at for not doing it every night ( if dd has other homework then doing reading too is too much for her ). She is above average with reading but does not enjoy reading, she choses her own books at school but just grabs the one with the brightest cover. She would rather read information books, she struggles with story books as her understanding is not at the same level as her reading is.

My DC in the Juniors very rarely read to an adult in school. TBH I would rather the staff spent their time teaching other curriculum areas. It is much easier for me to listen to them daily and the teacher can concentrate on other area.

Our reading books are also boring so I ignore them and we read books of our own choice. Teacher said this was fine and DC prefer this too.

I teach a mixed yr 1/2 class. We attempt to listen to every child read 1-1 once a week and in a group twice a week. We also do some form of shared reading everyday in literacy AND phonics. Children are also encouraged to read independently daily. Those who need extra support or have no-one at home who listens to them do get extra. Books can be changed everyday if needed the child just needs to hand the books in with a signed reading record. We no longer record in the home record as we realised parents didn't fill it in if we did.
I agree though that if your child has a 1-1 support assistant they could be reading everyday but as you say she is a good reader so is reading the main concern? Why not go in for a chat about how she is settling in and find out new IEP targets to begin a dialogue and if you are still concerned you can ask for daily reading practice to be on her IEP.

I am a ta and we don't as a matter of course listen to children individually. The books that go home are for just that really - home reading. The children are split into guided reading groups and each group will have a session once a week. I have some children who struggle with reading and they have a daily timetable of phonics and reading support delivered by myself and one of the other ta's. The children will of course be reading even if they don't realise it. Maths, ict lessons, science, all involve reading something. One of the children in my class even read out the notice stuck on the guillotine the other day telling users to remove scraps. I know that it is a source of frustration for parents but there really isn't enough hours in the day to listen to children individually. I normally listen to the children read when they request a book change. I will get them to read a few pages to check the levelling. I have put a couple of children up levels this week doing this.

My DD is Y3. Her teacher is massively keen on reading and is the school lead for literacy, so I have no concerns that she is not reading enough at school. However she no longer has group read books like she used to (and has never really read one to one at school). I think the emphasis has moved from just reading to comprehension. She is sometimes given a photocopied poem or extract and they talk about the text and answer questions. They still read, but it is part of something bigger now and not tied to weekly reading books. I think some children are still on a reading scheme though.

I am a 121 TA (also 30 hours a week) & I aim (& manage) to listen to the child I work with read 4 times a week. I also read to her 4 times a week too (cannot fit it in one day a week as there is an ultra long afternoon assembly).

Hardly ever at school, books get changed after being read at home twice.

My DD is in year 1. She gets two new books every day (because this is what we ask form though there is no obligation to do this) and probably reads to someone twice a week.

Oh, and I guess there is guided reading on top of that too but I don't know what goes on there

Do children (unless requiring extra help) routinely read individually at junior level? Have to admit I wouldn't expect it.