Reception children and reading books

[Naicecuppatea]

My reception DD can read and is very keen to start getting reading books from school. She has been at school for a couple of weeks now but we've not had anything. Has anyone else had them yet? Perhaps I will ask.

Dd2 has only just started bringing home reading books.

The school's policy used to be that Reception children would only get reading books after half-term, so it may be that your school has a similar approach.

2weeks here and no reading books yet, but we have a new parents evening tonight to explain learning styles and phonics so I expect some homework will follow soon.

Our school has the books all out of the corridors in there different levels the kids are free to help themselves to a book to read at home, reception would choose a book on the beginning level and in the first week or so after they've read to the teacher they will put them on appropriate level. Ours have a reading diary and get a stamp each wk for reading 3 times a wk at home and a little prize after 6 wks of stamps. The can chose/change their book as often as they like and I think it's a different set of books that they actually read to the teacher.

The HT told us at the reception induction that the school's priority in the first few weeks is ensuring the children are settled and happy. We are not expecting any books home before half-term.

All the children will get books soon enough and, in the meantime, you can read books at home together.

Thanks for your experiences!

We have got a book home, but don't bother asking your school - they will have a plan, and I would be very surprised if they give your DD a book if that's not in the plan to do so at this point.

The library will have easy readers - you could try there?

My DD is in the same boat. She brought home a story book yesterday for me to read to her at bedtime.

To hear my DD talk, they don't do anything except colour and play in the water tray!

I guess at this point they're all still learning how school works, what the rules are and assessing which children can read,write or count a bit. Slightly frustrating but they're the experts with the degrees (hopefully!) and DD isn't going to forget what she's already learned.

The main reason she wants one is because her Y2 sister has one to read every night, and she would love one to read as well. Yes, I think they've not done much of anything really apart from play, but I am sure it all helps settle them in, and plenty of time for the harder stuff later I suppose!

Many schools will be doing baseline assessment in the first few weeks of reception.

DS1 has just been bringing home a story book. We were told not to expect reading books til much later in the term. TBH he's getting so much new information right now I think attempting to learn to read is a step too far, I'm happy to wait til after half term. We also have a phonics and maths workshop in a couple of weeks and I assume we will get more information then.

DD brought home a picture book on Monday along with a reading journal. Says she "read" to her teacher on Monday but no indication of when it'll be changed or how often to look at it with her (DD can tell you what's on every page without the book already so duno if she's advanced or something )

I've got a feeding it's just to get the kids into the routine of bring her books home and setting aside time to read though

There is little point in issuing books to children who have not yet been taught any strageries (ie. phonics) for reading. Most children are desperately tired in the first term of reception and need home work like a hole in the head.

If you want to do something useful with her then practice her letter sounds with her and when those are secure practice blending simple three letter words like cat, dog, pin etc. Ofcourse an adult reading stories to a child is always good.

Years ago, DD1 was given books 3 weeks in. She was a quick learner. No need to wait if you can do what the teacher wants and I do not see why children are held back if they are ready to go. Plenty of children were reading before they went to school and although DD was not, she was ready to read, and did so.

Not all children are tired. Why would any teacher assume they will all be tired? Mine did stuff after school and had plenty of energy. I saw very few really tired children. The tired ones seemed to be at my DD2's prep school. The state school children were lively - and brighter!

Not all children enter reception hot housed. 3 weeks is not enough time to teach all 44 letter sounds to a non hot housed child. (Assuming a letter sound a day) Anyway decent teachers want children to blend and segment words rather than guess at the pictures.

My son had no reading books for a term. He skipped the stage 1 books. It did him no harm whatsoever. He scored well in key stage 1 and key stage 2. My daughter has reading books earlier, but only had decodable books in reception.

Whether your DC barely recognises their name or goes into reception 'free reading' completely nonsensical term, imo not sending home reading books for a few weeks/a term is not going to stall their learning.

DD didn't get books until after half-term; she whizzed through the book levels once reading material was sent home and she is still an avid reader now she's in year 4.

I don't understand the rush to get books from school. Encourage them to read with you and continue to read on an evening; that will be an effective strategy in the interim.

My DS knows his big sister gets lots of homework and he brings along his own reading book and 'homework' (colouring books, sheets of blank paper, etc.) that he completes at the dining table whilst DD completes her homework. He has done this for the past year of his own accord and the fact it isn't set by the school does not bother him; as far as he's concerned he is doing homework, it just so happens to have been set by him!

Child initiated learning is often more effective than any stupid homework set by the school.

As I said many schools will be "base lining " children in the first few weeks so won't even have begun teaching yet.

Wooo. DD came home with a reading book.

Well I say reading book but there's only pictures.
According to the reverse of the book, readers learn the word "the". Quite an achievement for a book with no words.

DD will learn the word "at" from hers Gallic. The only time it features is in the title

Wordless books are about building vocabulary rather than reading. Even older children can enjoy books like "you choose"

www.amazon.co.uk/You-Choose-Pippa-Goodhart/dp/0552547085

Wordless books are a bit useless for teaching children to read. I think it would be better to send home letter sounds to practice or even simple words to practice blending.

You could get a 'special' book for her (charity shops have loads of children's books) which you keep for her to read to you from once your other dd has done her school reading.

When she was about 2, my dd read Dombey and Son to my mum every time they were together. Of course, dd made everything up, but it really looked like she was reading! It made them both very happy [aw shucks!]

I think our kids must have the same scheme Iccle ;)

I know pp are right and that wordless looks are about teaching how a book works and getting used to setting aside time etc.

I remember flash cards from when I was at school....had forgotten. It's just breathing space really while the teacher gets down to teaching the sounds needed and assessing where everyone is at.

Jeez, there's plenty of time for reading books and homework...as a mum to a y1 child, reception was lovely for her in how relaxed and play centered it was...she lived it, learnt loads (went in not 'reading' more than a few words she'd memorised) and was reading fluently, above average, within the year.
They will want to assess, get the children settled and most of all instill a love of learning, school and reading before it gets too heavy!
They'll also want to teach their way, phonic sounds, actions for sounds, phonetic spelling that is plausible, sight words etc. Not saying you haven't done that but if a child has learnt one way, it can then be difficult to learn a whole new way.

Those saying their children only seem to play, paint etc - Dd came home most days with mud in her pockets, covered in paint etc...was she learning? Definitely! It's not all about reading and writing!
Y1 on the other hand...Dd's come home saying it's boring and they don't get to play...I know it's important (I'm a teacher too!) but they just seem to be pushed to grow up so quickly...I teach 11 yr olds who are agonising over not spending too much time on art and other 'soft' subjects because mum and dad have told them they're going to be a doctor so why bother? Heartbreaking.
Anyway, off my soapbox now. Just enjoy reading with your daughter OP and be glad you've got a bright little girl who loves reading, she'll do fine.

gallic mine too! The library, the haircut, just bizarre!

You don't need Wordless books to learn how books work, any book will teach that. They can be useful for children with poor language/vocabulary but they aren't necessary except for making publishers richer.