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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

Ds's first reading book has no words...

87 replies

Bagina · 12/10/2016 17:58

Should I be worried? I'm not really a pushy parent, but this seems a bit crap. He's in reception. He's a bright child but more with numbers. Reading and writing hasn't clicked yet, but he uses his sounds and blending, and can read some words. It is like pulling teeth though. Do I just chill and up the "encouragement" slightly? What the hell do I do with a book with no words? I know we discuss the pictures, but that's going back 3 years surely???

OP posts:

Ollycat · 12/10/2016 18:03

Books without words are amazing- as you say you can discuss the pictures with your ds - get him to tell you the story / make up different stories all sorts of things.

It's a very normal place for reception reading books to start from - both my children had them (and they are now in highly selective schools so it's no indication/ comment on your ds's ability). Chill out and enjoy the story (sorry but you do sound a tad pushy - he's 4, enjoy the time).

mrz · 12/10/2016 18:12

Do the school know he can blend some words? If so I'm not sure why they aren't giving him books to match (unless they haven't got any) as they should be.

Wordless books are great for the publishers

forburylion · 12/10/2016 18:13

You don't sound pushy at all OP. DD's first book in reception was wordless too - I noted in her diary that she had managed to read the title, and funnily enough her next book was a level 3

I think they haven't had time to assess them all yet - if your child can read, let the teacher know so they can send home something more suitable.

TippiNoodlegruder · 12/10/2016 18:13

My son's class sends home suggested questions to go with these books. The idea is the child talks about what's going on in the pictures, to get them used to the idea of storytelling. Engaging with the story, not just the words IYSWIM. So his last book was The Apple. Questions are for eg "what do you think will happen next?“ “where is Floppy?" “Who catches the apple?" etc. Ds comes up with some "interesting" replies sometimes but it's definitely helping.

Original poster

Bagina · 12/10/2016 18:14

Thanks Olly , I wouldn't have thought of making up stories. We'll do that! I'm really not pushy, but there are so many braggy mcbraggerson parents, who want to tell you how their kids are reading Shakespeare, that I suddenly thought, "oh shit, I've been too relaxed!", so it's good that you told me to take it easy!!!

OP posts:

Emochild · 12/10/2016 18:16

I use picture books with year 5&6 -they are fantastic for comprehension

Original poster

Bagina · 12/10/2016 18:19

I did tell them he uses his sounds to sound out words and he blends them or tries to. He does it for everything, even when talking, it's that drummed into him!! He's not reading yet, but is starting to. I'll put some comments in the diary.

OP posts:

idontlikealdi · 12/10/2016 18:20

DTs were in reception - none of them got books with words before half term even those who could read a bit. Something to do with being able to describe what they see from the pictures.

DTs were on them until beginning of December and to be honest we mostly ignored them as they were so tired from just being at school - late August bday.

Happy to report that now in year 1 they can read very well:)

Original poster

Bagina · 12/10/2016 18:22

idontlikealdi good news! It's knowing how far to push without making it a battle.

OP posts:

Hermanfromguesswho · 12/10/2016 18:23

Often the children with the best reading skills in reception struggle the most with talking about the story, predicting what might happen next and how the characters might be feeling. It's a different skill, not a lesser one.
Make the most of the learning opportunity offered by the wordless books and he will be on biff chip and kipper soon enough!!

2014newme · 12/10/2016 18:24

Just read other books you have at home

mrz · 12/10/2016 18:25

Emochikd I hope you don't use ORT wordless books they're dire!

mrz · 12/10/2016 18:26

"Often the children with the best reading skills in reception struggle the most with talking about the story, predicting what might happen next and how the characters might be feeling. It's a different skill, not a lesser one"

And a skill that can be practised with any book

Emochild · 12/10/2016 18:39

Mrz -no, I have some slightly more age appropriate ones

mrz · 12/10/2016 18:42

There are more appropriate ones for reception too

Emochild · 12/10/2016 18:46

To be fair our school doesn't use ORT so it's been a long time since I've seen one when my 15 year old was in reception

mrz · 12/10/2016 18:48

If you saw then 16 years ago (or 36 years ago) they're still the same

TippiNoodlegruder · 12/10/2016 19:44

Our school has ORT ones, and they've been stamped in 1992 so around the time I would have been there, I probably had some of the same ones as he's having now!

BackforGood · 12/10/2016 20:00

Plus, of course, as lots of parents seem to forget, you don't have to limit your dc to whatever comes home from school.
Read to them, read with them, and borrow 8 books a week from the library

WhattodoSue · 12/10/2016 20:17

You have nothing to worry about - it is not at all necessary for children to be reading when the start reception for them to become excellent readers. My DC both had to endure no word picture books. By the end of Y1 DD had flown past the children we knew who were reading before they started YR. For reception, and further down the line, it really doesn't matter who was reading at what level. What really matters is that(if at all possible) kids love books and stories. Because then when when they can read for themselves, they will. For my DD that was Y1. For me, it was probably Y6 or maybe the beginning of secondary school. But my mum read to me every night, even when I was 8/9/10. I ended up doing an English degree. We're all different .

Original poster

Bagina · 12/10/2016 20:35

Thanks for the reassurance. I just can't get over the competition on fb and the bragging. Who writes these statuses?

Anyway, he loves stories and is very creative. His vocabulary is extremely good and he's quite grown up for his age. He can be a sensitive soul, so the last thing I want is for him to feel pressure. I'll go to the library on my own and select some books that are suitable for new readers and are fun.

OP posts:

Believeitornot · 12/10/2016 21:46

My dd was given stories with just pictures at first. She's only in the last week for stories with words even though she could read at preschool.
She enjoyed talking about the pictures - helps her with early comprehension I suppose.

mrsmortis · 13/10/2016 12:14

Bagina - rather than you picking books from the library, can you take your DS with you and let him pick. My girls are much more motivated to read if it's something that they have chosen (or that they are desperate to be able to read themselves). Obviously you can provide some guidance though...

Original poster

Bagina · 13/10/2016 13:14

Thanks mrsmortis , we do normally go together, but I'd quite like to have a look at the new reader books on my own and see what's what; maybe just as a one off. I think I feel bad as I've not done much chivvying.

OP posts:

AnnieOnnieMouse · 13/10/2016 13:39

Don't chivvy - let him learn at his own speed, then he will enjoy the process, and enjoy reading more. Do work with what the school wants, and encourage him to talk about the pictures.

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