Independent silent reading in Y1

[GophersSitOnSofas]

DC is in Y1 and now reads silently for half an hour a day, so 2 1/2 hours a week. I am a bit concerned as her reading has got worse since this started. She used to be very fluent and read all the words on the page, exactly as they are- no guessing or skipping small words. Since this silent reading has started she IS guessing, missing words and letters and has to be reminded to sound out multi syllable words, rather than making a wild guess. I'm finding I'm having to almost re-teach her to read again every night.

I suppose my concern is that it's only the "top" group that get this independent reading, the rest of the children read in groups to adults. I'm a bit worried that this isn't differentiation, but more of a dumping ground. I think this because she sayswhen she finishes the book she tidies the class up then sits quietly and it's boring.

I've only her word to go on though, so I don't really know how to tackle this, or even if I should. I don't know really what else the teacher could do anyway, if they dont have enough adults to go round. Maybe it's one of those things I should just leave alone? Sorry I'm a bit anxious maybe.

It probably does come down to not having enough reading volunteers.

Unless your child never reads with you though, silent reafo g at school should make no difference at all.

Once a child can read, its pretty much impossible to become a worse reader.

Are you sure she isn't just objecting to the lack of individual attention, and playing on it?

My daughter is like this too. She reads to herself more - and as she has done so it seems like her ability to sound out / read as carefully has gone down. But she can read much faster.

I think up to a point it is normal - when I read, I skim read / speed read as a matter of course….I don't think I carefully read every word in order. I can certainly remember several words that I mis-pronounced in my head right up into my teens, as I'd only ever seen them written down.

I just make sure that she reads aloud to me sometimes (not every day) so that she keeps up that skill too. I'm assuming it will all even out in the end.

When I started reading aloud to my DCs, I realised that I was struggling to break the speed reading habits of a lifetime. Now I regularly read aloud, I am much improved in accuracy and silly voices and my speed reading hasn't suffered.

It feels like two very different skills - I think as long as you hear your DD read aloud regularly she should be able to get to the point where she can do both.

However, I do think that school should have some sort of arrangement where the teacher or TA hears a child read and can actually pick up the sorts of issues you have come across, whether it is in guided reading sessions or 1-2-1s. So I'd be asking them to clarify when your DD is heard reading.

Thanks everyone for responding so quickly.

Yes,I think she is feeling a bit put out that she hasn't got an adults attention. That is a really good point and something I should have seen. I don't think its the only issue though, her reading has changed and that isn't put on. I suppose my thoughts are that she maybe isn't as good a reader as the teacher thinks?

Ok,so I carry on as we are doing, she reads at home with us and reads silently at school. I will see how often she does read with the teacher or another adult at school too. I wondered if she would be able to use the school library when she has finished her reading book, rather than tidying up and sitting quietly. Would it be cheeky to ask? Maybe it would need an adult to take her/ the group, so we are back to the problem of not enough adults again. The school don't use reading volunteers.

I know she can tidy up and sit nicely, but it doesn't seem fair to lose so much teaching time to it.

There must be other books in the classroom she could read when she has finished her 'official' book, or she could do some writing or check over written work the has already completed.

I agree there is no excuse for children to only be tidying up and sitting quietly.

One school I worked in had parent book-sharing mornings a couple of times a week, where parents read with their own child, but also involved other children in reading.

At home you can be particularly 'strict' on accuracy, pace, expression, comprehension etc when she reads to you.

I wonder why the school don't involve volunteers? Can they perhaps not be bothered to organise it?

It's very normal. As she is learning a new more adult reading style, she is not spending as much time reading aloud - which is, in a way, a different way to read.

I remember having the same issue with Dd1. The more she read by herself in Y1 or 2, the more her aloud reading (expression, etc) suffered. Eventually, like us, she'll learn to switch between two reading styles with ease.

Yes, the classroom has a reading area. Maybe the speedier children will be allowed free reign in there as the next step in their reading.

Thanks, you've reassured me, dd is in a transition stage. At home I'll focus on the areas of accuracy on reading.

I "think" the school don't have reading volunteers as they don't do one to one reading in school. They are quite big on the old NLS guided reading strategies. So I imagine its a policy decision, rather than laziness.

Can I ask what you mean by the 'old NLS guided reading strategies'?

Yes, of course, so things like...

Reading on, guessing from the first letter of the word, rhymes, words within words. That's it isn't it,more or less,more have I got it wrong? We don't do this at home though.

It seems a strange system, so I don't know. Our kids get a guided reading session with a teacher once a week. Each table takes a turn. The other day, they do other reading/ literacy exercises. They also have a phonics session (which is divided in ability) every day.

Yes,ours did this till recently too. The school have recently changed the system.

I had a feeling that that was what 'old NLS..strategies' might be

I'm afraid that if the school positively encourages those strategies it is not surprising that your DD has developed poor reading habits. I really think she is too young yet to be trying to speed up her silent reading. However good she is I think that she should still be concentrating on accuracy rather than speed.

It clearly is possible for reading skills to regress!

To be honest I don't want her reading to the teacher every day either- she will just get told to use the mix of strategies. It was much better when they only had one guided reading session a week, there was less to fix.

Might not be a case of the skills regressing as much as a case of seeing what she can get away with. Wildly guessing is much easier than reading properly and you can get away with it when reading without an adult. Possibly she's trying to see if she can get away with it when reading with an adult too.

Does she get much choice about the books for the silent reading. As much as I don't really go by the 90%/95% etc for different types of reading, I tend to think if you are giving very young children lots of independent reading time the books need to be well within their reading ability, possibly a couple of levels lower than you might give them when reading with the support of an adult.

While I wouldn't put it past her to try and get away with stuff, she's met her match with me so far. I mean, I do t think she's trying it on, I'd know, she's not that good- not as good as The Mistress

The fact that its easier to guess does make sense though. She's being lazy, there's my girl. So, do you think the fact that I'm on to her to read accurately will make a difference to her silent reading, and therefore her reading?

I don't know how much choice they get of reading material, but I haven't seen any books in the classroom that would be a massive challenge. Parents evening is coming round again so I guess I'll find out more then