Sythetic phonics hell: any KS1 teachers/parents with soothing words?

[Notnowcato]

So, DS2 is learning to read. He loves books. We read them together ever day. Lots of them. All sorts. Just as my DD and DS1 did.

He has 'learned' quite a few words because he recognises them. He makes others up, from context. The story moves along. He 'reads' aloud with expression and he laughs at the jokes. This is at home. At school, he crumples into tears in front of 'b-a-t' and says he can't do it and he's rubbish at reading. [I know because I help in the classroom.]

So I say to the teacher: "What are we doing here. We are destroying his love of stories. Why do we have to do synthetic phonics? You [teacher] and I didn't learn to read like this. My older daughter (now 12, level 6 reading and writing in Year 6 and is currently at the top of her 'Accelerated Reader scheme in Year 7) didn't learn to read like this. Leave him with me (he reads at home to me every day, I read to him every day). By the time he is in year 2 he will be reading fine." But no. She says he must sound out words so that he "understands" them. But he doesn't understand 'the cat sat on the mat' because he is crying. He does understand Alan Ahlberg's Crazy Fox stories because he tells me all about the silly fox and the lovely dog for hours afterwards.

Now were I being cynical (who me?), I might say that the teacher is more concerned with getting my son to 'pass' his phonics test at the end of the year, than she is in keeping the love of reading alive in him.

Thank you for the space to vent! [I hasten to add that I say nothing to undermine the teacher in front of my son, either at home or at school. We read his Read Write Inc. level 1 books very quickly and then go on to more interesting books.]

More practically, what can less angry parents/sympathetic teachers suggest about how I tackle this, given that my darling boy has another two terms of this teacher to endure. I really think that he is starting to hate reading at school. I really don't care if he fails his phonics test, I just want him to enjoy reading as much as his siblings do.

Bonsoir - I went much further than 'O' level, but had no need to write French beyond that level. I read most of the great French novelists and can speak the language well. I first started learning it in my 30s, for fun, to find out which English words came from French and to test the theory that u cannot learn another language well if u don't learn it as a child.

I proved the latter wrong without much trouble.

u have somehow gained the impression that i am against phonics.

No, I have just gained the impression that you know very little about how synthetic phonics is taught and its underlying principles.

gsc.up.univ-mrs.fr/gsite/Local/lpc/dir/ziegler/article/1996.BRMIC.ziegler.pdf

If you yourself cannot write the language yet can read it that rather backs up my point that French is rather difficult to write!

You do realise I am bilingual with a bilingual DD in a bilingual school (where Stanislas Dehaene's teams do research )?

OP -

An inexpensive and easy to use book, that can encourage children with reading, spelling and writing, and really help them to understand Phonics, is reviewed in the MN Book Reviews section. Just search ‘Phonics’.

You might find the above book interesting and useful.

[I am sorry that your original enquiry has been taken over by the 'experts' squabbling amongst themselves.]

Indeed, mrz

Ferguson, how true! I often read the questions that parents ask and personally message them. That avoids all the "expert" squabbling. I've only been an infant teacher for 36 years and when I have posted on previous threads have been shot down for daring to disagree about something phonics related.

So agree Ferguson.

There is a staff room for those who wish to show off their superior knowledge to everybody else.

This is supposed to be an area for parents.

That's OK LePetit I'm a parent

and so are Feenie and MazieD

Sarcastic smilies now-lovely.

You know exactly what I mean.

No LePetit I haven't a clue what you mean ... perhaps you need to be clearer in who you wish to exclude from using MN boards.

Not posters but behaviour.

Time and time again the 3 of you belittle,bully and put down.

Time and again it's pointed out by different posters and time and again you return and repeat the behaviour.

You'd have thought by now you'd look at said behaviour and think maybe,just maybe posters have justification in voicing their displeasure.

you mean posters who don't agree with you?

No not at all.

I've read people objecting to the bullying and belittling from the three of you on threads I haven't even posted on.

Sorry Mrz, only just saw your question. My DS is in state primary.

Perhaps you can identify these threads LePetit?

I asked because all state schools are meant to follow the National Curriculum which states that children should be taught using phonics

Really,you're not aware of them?

I have no intention of scrolling back,you know they're there.

Anyhoo.

As you were.

Would I ask if I were aware of them?

Nope, no idea what you're talking about.

If you wanted to feign ignorance,yes.

Of course you haven't Feenie.

I've only seen you making claims LePetit