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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Y1 reading - I feel like I am constantly pestering the teacher

76 replies

Naicecuppatea · 03/02/2015 09:22

My DD loves reading and is zooming through her school books which she gets every night. Since starting Y1 she has moved up a few reading bands, each time I have asked if she could as the books are very straightforward for her, she is reading them on the short journey home without any problems, and then going on to her much loved, much more difficult chapter book she is reading at home.

I need to ask her teacher again if she can move up another reading level as I feel the books she is sent home should challenge her in some way. Last week when I asked her teacher said she should read more books in the same level so that she can improve her comprehension and understanding. We've been doing this and asking questions about the story and her understanding is fine.

Am I okay to go back to the teacher do you think? And why isn't the teacher picking up when she needs to change level before I need to say something?

Thanks for reading - sorry for the long winded message!

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Enb76 · 03/02/2015 09:43

I wouldn't bother - I don't and haven't since reception. My daughter is a fluent reader and I just don't bother with the school books anymore. We zoom through them, I mark the book record and we read more interesting stuff at home. She no longer reads to anyone at school and her 'guided reading' happens out of the classroom with two other children who are also very far ahead. As far as I can tell they are just doing comprehension rather than 'learning to read' and they are getting fact books or poetry rather than stories and it happens perhaps once a month though it's meant to be every week.

Mine is also Y1.

Enb76 · 03/02/2015 09:45

By all means talk to the teacher but they're likely to be concentrating on the struggling readers rather than ones they can see are doing well. Ask what's happening in guided reading as I imagine your daughter very rarely reads to anyone in class anymore so they don't see her reading level.

ImBatDog · 03/02/2015 09:46

it doesn't hurt to ask, but just keep doing what you're doing and reading with her at home. :)

LastNightADJSavedMyLife · 03/02/2015 09:47

I have a similar problem with DD1. She isn't an advanced reader compared to others, but really doesn't seem to have any problem with the books they give her, or with understanding.

We do have some "learn to read" ladybird books from before she was born and she can read all of them. I'll keep on with the home reading I think and see what happens in school.

It is a lovely school, so no complaints, I was just worried I would be seen as nagging.

Original poster

Naicecuppatea · 03/02/2015 09:50

Thanks for your perspective Enb76, that's helpful. I guess we have a house full of books at home so there doesn't really need to be a reliance on the school reading books.

OP posts:

mabelbabel · 03/02/2015 10:00

I would leave it. We spoke to the teacher about this around Y1 and were just told to do what we were doing and keep up with the library books at home. We often put those in the reading record too.

Original poster

Naicecuppatea · 03/02/2015 10:17

Thank all! We shall do that then, at some point I'll probably let the teacher know that is the plan.

OP posts:

noramum · 03/02/2015 10:32

We had a teacher in Y1 and Y2 who insisted on the "needs to work on comprehension". But without telling us where DD's weaknesses were it wasn't helpful at all. With no chapter books there is also not really a lot to do with "how

So we told DD to read the school books and do better ones at home.

noramum · 03/02/2015 10:33

Hit to fast.

We couldn't work on "How may the story end" or "what do you think will happen next" etc.

We practiced that on chapter books from the library.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 03/02/2015 10:49

My DD is on band 8 I think or 9 ( I care little now).....she whizzes through the books and yes is on much harder self chosen books chapter books at home....charlie and choc factory, the whole series of unfortunate events etc.

I have given up trying...I ask a few times...maybe once or twice a year if she hasn't been moved up, but they all know she is a brilliant reader, fab expression and understands what she is reading very very well....its her writing...its not the same level and I think this is why not advancing, but some schools dont want to advance them on reading, why I don't know...

So...with help of MN, the children's book section and amazon.....and charity shops we have built up a brilliant library for her at home and we read lots here....

I have to admit sometimes I write in her book she has read her school book when she hasnt. I am hot on her reading the books which are about real things but the others....I am not too worried about...

Enb76 · 03/02/2015 10:58

its her writing...its not the same level and I think this is why not advancing

I have heard this before. What's not good about her writing?

With my daughter it was that they wanted her to write more than a couple of lines and use descriptive words but they didn't tell me this they just said "she needs to work on her writing" well what does that mean?

She has improved no end but it takes prompting and saying "what descriptive words can you use" as she would rather get straight to the point than flounce about with words you don't actually need.

I've a similar tendency to use the word that fits rather than describe the word that fits.

Original poster

Naicecuppatea · 03/02/2015 11:03

Knitted, I think my DD is at a very similar level. Please let me know any recommendations that have stood out for your DD to read independently?

OP posts:

nonicknameseemsavailable · 03/02/2015 12:47

unfortunately there are actually a lot of R and Yr1 and even Yr2 teachers who seem to know very little about reading. They are much more in their comfort zone with children on the lower levels or 'expected' levels for their age group.

We used to just record all the books we read in the reading record alongside the stupidly basic ones from school.

Naicecuppatea - what sort of suggestions, chapter books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you mean? Favourites in our house include Maisie Hitchins, Magic Molly, My Naughty Little Puppy (all Holly Webb), My Naughty Little Sister, The Worst Witch series, RSPCA pet rescue or some such name (set from the book people), various mermaid and princess ones (Rescue Princesses, Secret Mermaid, Secret Kingdom), Faraway Tree, Milly Molly Mandy, Dick King Smith books. That is all I can think of at the moment but we have loads upstairs so let me know if you want any more suggestions.

Original poster

Naicecuppatea · 03/02/2015 12:53

Perfect Nonick, thank you! We have some of those and I'll look in to the others . She's reading the Rainbow Fairies collection at the moment (her choice, not mine!)

OP posts:

KnittedJimmyChoos · 03/02/2015 13:18

Enb76 Tue 03-Feb-15 10:58:04

Doesn't write enough although what she writes is fine...great spelling.

As said, I got worked up about it too but mine was one whose reading literally took off at 100 miles an hour! The teachers have all praised her for reading.

Op, yes all those mentioned....amazon has great reviews of books and people saying what age for...

DD adored Spiderwick chronicle series....lemoney snicket series...ottoline books and goth girl...mr gum, mr majekca, the twits, george marv medicine, some of those rainbow fairies....and other ones...

nonicknameseemsavailable · 03/02/2015 13:18

I don't mind Rainbow Fairies myself - I know lots of people dismiss them but if it gets them reading and building their confidence then does it matter?

I think Magic Molly and My Naughty Little Puppy are the easier end of the Holly Webb ones, Secret Mermaid are probably similar to Rainbow Fairies in terms of length and difficulty so might be another to try first.

ChocolateWombat · 04/02/2015 18:21

It's so annoying when you just know your child is being held back to they are more in line with others in the class.
My DS could read before he went to school. After a big of a struggle,the school recognised he could read well in Reception and he moved to Level 8 ish books by Christmas and then moved on another 4 levels in Reception. In Year One, a long term Supply teacher had him read over 80 books in one level before she would put him up.......he was 4 levels above the next child and she was trying to allow others to catch up. Eventually I spoke to the Head (had asked 4 times about the issue over a 5 month period) and he was moved up 2 levels is one go.
Yes, they do have to have good comprehension and not just
decoding skills and yes, the concepts are harder and more tricky for younger children in the more difficult books, but I do think children are often held back longer than necessary.
It is wearing to have to keep raising the issue and makes you feel like you are in a battle. Keep reading at home and recording all the more advanced stuff they are reading so the teacher can see and also keep asking. Don't give up if you feel it is in the interests of your child.

HPFA · 04/02/2015 20:15

Can I recommend Pocket Cats series by Kitty Wells? Daughter absolutely loved them and they were one of the few series at this level that I genuinely enjoyed as well. (I read to her for a long time as she refused for a long time to read for herself despite being perfectly capable!!) The same author did the Glitterwings series but under the name of Titania Woods- these are also very good.

poppy70 · 04/02/2015 21:18

No one is kept back to be more in line with the others in the class. For one thing there is no such thing as average and for another Ofsted would crucify you. Maybe some schools do this. This schools are not very good. Maybe the children appear to read lower book bands but the band the child is on should be matched to their phonetic ability (or gap) and their HFW reading; as well as their comprehension. If you are a proponent of the phonic only approach they should be matched solely to their phonic level. The children should only struggle with a couple of words and the books are far different from more interesting books they find in the library but that is as it should be and was ever the case. They are designed to teach the mechanics of reading. And really they are not terribly interesting.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 04/02/2015 22:00

The children should only struggle with a couple of words

This irks me, my dd has not struggled with any words in any of her book bands for at least a year if not more.

she can read them easily with full understanding etc.

There must be other reasons for this...it doesnt make sense.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 04/02/2015 22:02

Chocolate you say don;t give up, But if the child is being supported at home, as ops lucky child is....is there really any problem with the reading at school.

I find it annoying but as said have tried to relax about it....because they do recognise she is a great reader...

ChocolateWombat · 05/02/2015 07:50

Hi. I did finish my 'don't give up sentence' with, 'if you think it is in the interests of your child'
If you think the school recognises her reading ability, you give her a wide range of reading materials at home and you think she is progressing well, then it may well be right to leave it.
If you think the school approach is really holding her back, then don't leave it. It has to be your call, based on your judgement.

At the end of the day, I think those who are very good early readers usually progress well with reading and continue to be good readers, regardless of the school approach to be honest. Your child will probably be one of those. If you read daily to your child and they read daily to you, including a range if stimulating books from outside of school, that will being about progress, probably more than a TA hearing the child read from their school book once a week, and the phonics work done. I do think that parents make the biggest difference with early reading - a parent can put in daily one-to-one time with a child that a school simply can't. If you are a parent doing that, and your child is a good reader already, there is probably nothing to worry about. Still a bit galling about school though, but in the long run, probably not going to hold DC back.

poppy70 · 05/02/2015 18:30

Did she read the book at school? There sjould be an element of challenge or else its a phonics gap and when she is told it she remembers it. I don't know your situation but in most cases there is a reason they are on them and parents don't understand what exactly is being looked for and then think the book is easy. Ask the teacher as in face to face what exactly does your daughter need to do?

Feenie · 05/02/2015 19:35

If you are a proponent of the phonic only approach they should be matched solely to their phonic level.

Nope, not just proponents of this approach - the NC now states that every child must have a reading book which is precisely matched to their phonics ability.

poppy70 · 05/02/2015 20:41

And the new NC is god. Despite the complete lack of support from experts in the field. We would all do well yo steer away ftom dogma.

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