Read write Inc

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Hi there,
After a recent parents evening I was slightly confused by what I was told regarding my daughter's reading and writing (reception class) She is in top set for reading and is very very good at it.
She had been telling me she was bored with reading so I asked how long they would spend on the current colour of book which is purple and move onto the next.
They said because her writing level didn't match to her reading level they would hold her back on reading until her writing had caught up, as that particular scheme was taught in tandem with eachother.
So I understood this, but surely if a child is excelling in reading doesn't it seem a bit daft to hold her back? surely we should be running with it, as she loves books but because the ones she is doing at school are "too easy" she is loosing interest.
Anyone or any teachers experienced in the read write Inc phonics system? Or have any advice or whether I should question this? thanks.

My son is in reception using readwriteinc and they just progress through the green words book/ditties/and then the books at their own pace. Never been told that they link it to writing - I read once a week in class as well, and never been told of a link. DS is just about to finish the purple books and starts pink but his writing isn't at that standard.

You see that's what I thought. it just seems very bizarre, she said they wouldn't be on purple for long as the group were progressing quickly but my DD reads the pink ones easily, I don't want to undermine the teachers but I don't want her being bored.

Totally prepared to be corrected but I'm sure at this age they can be good at reading but lack the coordination to use a pencil well? Seems odd to link the two. Ours don't read in groups, we get two books home at a time and they can be changed once or twice a week so you just progress at the rate your child is going. Then reading in class individually is with whichever book is in the book bag. Out of 15 in his class, I think there are one or two on pink at the moment.

Yes I thought that, my daughter does mirror writing, not as often now but she still does do it. They have reading groups of about 10 children so they read a read write inc book during that week, then bring it home to share with family, then they start a new book the next week. I just think one book for a whole week of learning seems pretty slow. They have their library book that they bring home as well but that is more a sharing book.

My daughter is also on the Read Write Inc scheme, and has moved on to yellow band books (the next up from purple I think) even though her writing is frankly terrible.

They knew she was excelling in reading, and although she knows how to form letters and can phonetically spell words, she has hypermobile fingers so her actual letter formation is no where near the level of her reading. She would probably be on books without words still if they wanted her to progress in tandem!

That said, the yellow band books are quite a leap, with more tricky words not yet covered in the classroom, and sounds not yet covered too (c as an s, g as a j, ea sound, y as an e) so I can imagine the decision was not taken lightly. In my daughters case they went with it I think because its the one thing she is good at and they wanted to boost her self esteem as with everything else she is at the bottom of the class!

I imagine they would not want to put your daughter off reading because there are too many words she cannot decode or recognise in the next set.

Are you doing the questions at the back of the books? I found these really good for extending the life and interest of that band, it also makes sure comprehension is equal to recognition.

In your shoes I would question it further, explain she is bored and you are concerned about her losing interest if not challenged and see what they say.

Thanks for the info, the next colour after purple is pink, and she has read a few of these with no problems, I was told there isn't a great difference between the green and purple books, so hopefully she will move onto pink soon.

sorry pressed send before I finished! Yes always do the questions, I even get her to write a sentence about it to throw in some writing practice.
Yes, I may have a word soon as all I hear about is how bored she is her phonics class, she has always loved books and reading and I don't want her to lose that. thanks for the advice everyone.

oh yes, sorry, forgot about he pink ones - I would think moving onto those would be more than fine! Yellow was after that. This was not a stealth boast by the way.

Ha ha, no don't worry didn't think that. Yellow in reception is pretty impressive though!

Having worked or helped in primary schools for twenty-five years, invariably MOST children have writing that lags behind their reading. Either handwriting or content or both, will not be a good as their reading.

Try and push for what you want from the teacher, as 'losing' a reader at the start of their school career is a serious matter.

At my DDs school, RWI is totally separate from the reading books they bring home. They do the RWI ones at school, in groups but bring home one from the more usual reading levels twice a week. Our school seems to have a lot of Big Cat books in the early stages but also Oxford Reading Tree ones and various other schemes.

I think we're at an advantage as it's a huge school and they do RWI across the whole year so there are lots and lots of groups (of about 10 -12 children i think) working at the correct level for them.

Sorry posted too soon.

So, as far as I understand it, our RWI levels are connected to how well you know the sounds and if you choose the right one when writing etc but it in no way affects your reading level because the two things are separate.

I would have thought most children would be able to decipher and read words a lot quicker than knowing how to spell them themselves.

Yep, that's what I would've thought regarding the writing will inevitably behind the reading. I thought it was bizarre at the time. I know they have the pink and yellow books at school, she has read a few of the pink books, I have spoken to a few of my mum friends whose children are in her reading group and none of them want to read at home really, I think my DD is unusual (for her group) in how much she wants to read. I am forever at the local library getting more and more books, I just thought her teachers would run with this enthusiasm she has and not try and hold her back. Maybe they just want to keep them all on the same level for teaching purposes, which I can understand. But if I decide to get the pink or yellow books to allow her move along with her reading she will still be bored in lessons. and I don't want to be "that" mother banging on about how my daughter needs to more challenged. Urgh. It's hard work this school lark isn't it? x

Yep! I find it easier now my daughter is off the reading scheme and can pretty much read anything because I don't have to worry about that anymore!

I would just carry on doing what you're doing and let her read what she wants from the library at home.

Otherwise I found Reading Chest really good. You pay a monthly amount but all the books are graded according to the book bands so once you feel she can read one level easily you can move her up –although as your school doesn't follow it you'd have to work out where you think she should start.

Good tip, Thankyou will check that out.

I think it is what some teachers believe. DD1 was held on one reading level for 4 months in Y1 - because her reading was not "as developed as her writing".

Somehow, reading simpler books was meant to help her to write better. Instead, it just made her uninterested in reading the school books, and I didn't force her. We just read books from library and our own books.

the other way, of course --- "her writing was not as developed as her reading"

I'm not an expert (or particularly a fan ) on Read Write Inc but there is a clue in the programmes name. It's designed to develop confident readers and willing writers. The Get Writing book activities are linked to the core reading books
Specific activities included are:
· Hold a sentence - remembering/writing a sentence linked to the Storybook/Non-fiction book
· Edit - correcting errors in a sentence
· Write - writing about a picture from the Storybook or Non-fiction book, e.g. filling in a speech bubble or thought bubble from one of the characters, completing a 'wanted' poster or writing a simple recipe.
At higher levels:
· 'Fred Rhythms' for spelling (sounds and graphemes)
· Spelling check (partner work)

· Take a spelling test
· Build a sentence - supporting children as they write a sentence
· Write - more sophisticated writing frames to inspire and support children as they write.

Having said all that I don't see why it should hold back readers but I'm not an expert as I said earlier.

RWI assessments for moving up a group should be based entirely on a child's reading ability - straight decoding, not even comprehension - if the school is strictly following the scheme. That's how it is designed to work, and how RWI co-ordinators are trained. So, for example, we have some Reception children in Blue group, who are really fluent readers for their age, but their writing is way behind this. Whether you agree or disagree with this approach is part of the arguments for and against it as a scheme, but that is how the assessment and movement should work. Schools do, however, adapt it to suit their own approaches , for various reasons, which it sounds like your school is doing.