unrealistic expectations spelling

[yesohreally]

My son has has just entered reception class. He currently gets given 5 new words to learn per week which may not sound a lot but he doesn't remember them. Further I have no idea why the teacher keeps giving more new words when he isn't remebering the first ten for example. I expected to see some repeated to reinforce the learning. I have now just received a note saying my son won't be tested on his spelling until she sees some improvement! Language, reading and spelling one cannot dictate when a child is going to get it all, some will pick it up faster than others. That is my feeling on this. Plus he has been at school for just one month. Someone please give me your thoughts I'm absolutely screaming inside about this matter!!!! Furious

That does sound strange. My DD gets 5 words at a time but only when she has shown she can read the previous 5 successfully on three different occasions!! She is a bright little thing but it still takes her a while to grasp the new words. She is on her 3rd set since starting. I know a boy in her class has 4 sets, and our neighbour's child is still on set 1.

This is utterly ridiculous. Children in YR shouldn't be having any 'words to learn'. The only thing they should be 'learning' is a few letter/sound correspondences and using them to read and write a few simple words which only contain the corresondences they have learned.

He currently gets given 5 new words to learn per week which may not sound a lot but he doesn't remember them.

Well, of course he won't 'remember' them, it's a very difficult task for many children. That is precisely why people campaigned for years to get phonics accepted as the initial method of teaching reading; it is easier. And if the school is insisting he 'learns' these words because they're 'high frequency words' and they have to know them and they are not decodable' that is a load of utter codswallop. His reading career will not be dependent on learning a few HFWs in YR.

Tell her you're not going to force him to do it!

Are they doing any phonics at all?

Bizarre. My DS has also just started reception and has had 10 key words home to learn. He isn't being tested on spelling them though, and won't get more until he knows the current ones.

Really strange. My son started reception this year and hasnt had any key words to learn. He has a reading book and as it is changed it includes repeated words but that's it. My boy just manages to keep up with the book changes but could no way manage a new set of words to learn each week.

No child in Reception should be getting any lists of words to learn

This is directly contrary to the new National Curriculum. Unfortunately, YR is Early Years Foundation Stage so not obliged to adhere to the NC. They can b*gger up your children with impunity.

The most they should be getting is some letter/sound correspondences.

Are they cvc words that relate to the phonics that they have been learning in class? If so he should be able to sound them out with a bit of help. But that's just reading them (blending), spelling (segmenting) seems a little ambitious at this stage.

Is this an ordinary state school??

As others have said, this is a totally ridiculous expectation! After all - it is only a couple of years since he learned to TALK!

You don't want to be 'labelled' a troublemaker, but your child's welfare is the main consideration at this stage. If you can, without too much upset, take the matter up with the teacher, Literacy Coordinator, or someone else in authority.

If it's not a state school, but a private one with weird ideas, perhaps a change of school might be necessary.

Hi yes it is a private school it is a british international school abroad. Im worried because my soon doesn't remember stuff easily - across the board - it took us a long time to learn letters etc. but i know he will get it eventually! thanks so much for your feedback im going to speak to the relevant people about it because surely it cant only be my son

does anybone know what is the new national curriculum because this school is being assessed by ofsted soon. but reception class falls outside of the national curriculum plese advise if someone knows because i will raise it as a point.

another point to add aswell is that the instruction in the note is to practice more and once he shows an improvement he will start again. this eans the work is passed to the parent. this doesnt seem right AT ALL

www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-framework-for-key-stages-1-to-4

This is the new English National Curriculum, but, as you see, it only covers from KS1 (which is Y1 & Y2). So YR isn''t bound to observe it.

Can you give an example of the words which he is being given to 'learn'? A salient feature of phonics instruction is that it isn't about learning individual words, it teaches how to read any word, which contains correspondences (letter/sounds) children have already learned, by means of sounding out and blending, not memorising each one.

I am afraid that we hear of these sort of problems quite frequently with schools in other English-speaking countries. I am not saying that ALL UK schools are perfect, but at least they are, to some extent, controlled by Government standards, Ofsted, etc, and complaints are made if schools do not conform and reach acceptable standards and results.

But now the UK curriculum, some teachers and parents feel, is getting TOO difficult, particularly for younger children, or children from disadvantaged backgrounds, where parents may not be able to provide educational support.

I worked for over twenty years as a Teaching Assistant and also voluntary helper in primary schools, and I believe that a gentle, sympathetic approach to learning and acquiring skills produces the best results, and children will feel happier and recognise when they are making progress.

Trying to FORCE a child to learn/remember a set number of words per week, will not produce the desired results, and may make the child frustrated, feel like a failure, and make him start to dislike school.

BUT - there is an inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing mentioned in the MN Book Reviews section. In “Children’s educational books and courses”, the Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary presents words by their initial SOUND, unlike a ‘normal’ dictionary, which is always in alphabetical order. Thus, in the ‘S’ section are words like ‘cinema’ and ‘cycle’, which have a ‘S’ sound, even though they are spelt with ‘C’.

The Dictionary is colourful and amusingly illustrated, and can be used by children on their own, or with adult support, from Reception age right up to the start of secondary school. The review has a link to view sample pages, and purchase if you so wish.

It does seem that you yourself will have to do some of the job the school should be doing, but try to keep things relaxed and as happy as you can.

I hope the school provides the other activities that children need: games, PE, music, drama, arts and crafts, construction, sand & water play, science, simple history and geography, maths, and some time on computer activities.

I will try to follow this 'thread' and see how things progress for you both.

But now the UK curriculum, some teachers and parents feel, is getting TOO difficult, particularly for younger children, or children from disadvantaged backgrounds,

The attempt to make it a bit easier, by recommending that children are taught good synthetic phonics when they are learning to read, is being subverted!

And, background shouldn't matter. There is no reason why most children can't learn to read with well taught phonics.

With all your experience, Ferguson, do you think it is a good thing for YR children to be given lists of words to 'learn'?

Thanks for the response it's really helpful he has been given I we she he me be do to of the go no so my by all you are was one. Although some have a pattern using the elongated E, it's not the e for elephant which is what we've been learning together for months and months. He knows 95% of the alphabet phonetically but doesn't know capital letter sounds. Why they aren't giving out spelling which can be read phonetically is beyond me since that would then help with reading too. He can read cat, mat, hat once he gets reminded of the sounds. Perhaps all of these are considered high frequency words? Whatever the case this exercise is damaging my son. Still furious, sleeping on it.

This is all in four weeks ...

We are in New Zealand. DS is 5 and he gets 3 spelling words to learn each week. that is plenty!

DD is only expected to recognise the words. Not to write them and spell them correctly too.

well i spoke to the head and the words 'academic excellence' were used but i think i made a clear point. will be speaking to the teacher next week so see what comes of that. never thought first experience of school was going to leave such a bad taste in my mouth ... really unnecessary

Hi Maizie - No, I thought I had already said that I didn't consider lists of words to 'learn' was a suitable way to teach reading.

And 'background' SHOULDN'T matter, but I'm sorry to disagree on that: when a child has parents who don't talk to him - other than to shout or swear at him - and would never dream of taking a book out of his reading bag from one week to the next, the child is at a considerable disadvantage compared to his classmates. And I have known and worked with families where the attitude is that 'education' is the school's responsibility, and not the parents'.

So, no matter how good the teaching, the child in the 'disadvantaged' home is going to struggle to acquire an acceptable level of literacy and numeracy.

OP - I assume the words 'academic excellence' were the Head's words, not yours!

I am sorry that you are having to go through this, and hope it doesn't impact too badly on DS.

To forestall any queries that may later come up on Maths and Numeracy, I will also add my ideas concerning that area of the curriculum:

?QUOTE:

Practical things are best for grasping number concepts - bricks, Lego, beads, counters, money, shapes, weights, measuring, cooking.

Do adding, taking away, multiplication (repeated addition), division (sharing), using REAL OBJECTS as just 'numbers' can be too abstract for some children.

Number Bonds of Ten forms the basis of much maths work, so try to learn them. Using Lego or something similar, use a LOT of bricks (of just TWO colours, if you have enough) lay them out so the pattern can be seen of one colour INCREASING while the other colour DECREASES. Lay them down, or build up like steps.

So:

ten of one colour none of other
nine of one colour one of other
eight of one colour two of other
seven of one colour three of other

etc, etc

then of course, the sides are equal at 5 and 5; after which the colours 'swap over' as to increasing/decreasing.

To learn TABLES, do them in groups that have a relationship, thus:

x2, x4, x8

x3, x6, x12

5 and 10 are easy

7 and 9 are rather harder.

Starting with TWO times TABLE, I always say: "Imagine the class is lining up in pairs; each child will have a partner, if there is an EVEN number in the class. If one child is left without a partner, then the number is ODD, because an odd one is left out."

Use Lego bricks again, lay them out in a column of 2 wide to learn 2x table. Go half way down the column, and move half the bricks up, so that now the column is 4 bricks wide. That gives the start of 4x table.

Then do similar things with 3x and 6x.

With 5x, try and count in 'fives', and notice the relationship with 'ten' - they will alternate, ending in 5 then 10.

It is important to try and UNDERSTAND the relationships between numbers, and not just learn them 'by rote'.

I am sorry it seems complicated trying to explain these concepts, but using Lego or counters should make understanding easier.

An inexpensive solar powered calculator (no battery to run out!) can help learn tables by 'repeated addition'. So: enter 2+2 and press = to give 4. KEEP PRESSING = and it should add on 2 each time, giving 2 times table.

There are good web sites, which can be fun to use :

www.ictgames.com/

www.resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html

UNQUOTE

yes not my words! one cannot be teaching phics then learning spelling in a completely different way. it simply doesnt make sense. my DS is ok, i just find the whole thing so cumbersome when this period of learning should be about exploration and enjoyment - that after all is what ive always understood the foundation years to be about. anyhow i have a list of activities we are doing this weekend at home ... all involving learning and FUN!

@Ferguson

And 'background' SHOULDN'T matter, but I'm sorry to disagree on that:

We could derail this thread and have quite a discussion about this

I think the way numeracy and literacy are taught is ridiculous, these days, but I know nothing

If it's any help, I used to write dd's spellings in big letters on index cards, one word per card, and stick them up on the wall opposite her place at the kitchen table. Every time she looked up she saw them. At first I would ask her once a day to spell the words - while looking at them if she wanted to - but eventually, I wouldn't have to ask her, she'd just kind of absorb them.

thats a really good idea jux thanks - we already have them on the wall im using them to identify them as sight words. problem is linking the word me to the phonetics m and e for elephant - thats been my issue i dont want to confuse him as hes just started. anyway lets see what plays out next week because im hoping for a change from the school

If you want to link the words to phonics just explain that the 'e' is another way of spelling the /ee/ sound. If he hasn't yet 'done' the /ee/ sound (which I suspect he won't have) it may not mean a great deal to him but it's worth pointing out. When he is spelling he should be relating the letters in the words to the sounds they spell. Visual learning may have short term success but it doesn't always succeed in the longer term.

I suggest that, if he really has to learn these words, you get him to write the words as many times as possible, saying each 'sound' as he writes it. That way he gets the 'feel' of the word, which is quite an important element in spelling and he learns that the letters in the words relate to the sounds in the words.

Of course, first of all you'll have to help him break the words into their sounds. Say the word very slowly with nice distinct sounds and then see if he can tell you what sounds he can hear. Then you can show him how each sound is spelled and get him to practise writing each sound.

If he can master this he really doesn't have to 'remember' as much; when 'tested' he just has to break the words into their 'sounds' and spell each sound. If the spellings are grouped by sounds (as the lists you gave seem to roughly be) it should be easier.

But I still think it is an unreasonable ask for a just entered YR child

When you read to him, make sure he can see the words too, indicate the line you're on. A lot of good spelling in older children comes from exposure to books so the more he is read to or reads himself the better. You get a 'feel' for it.

You probably do it anyway.