Thoughts on reading schemes - Parents what do you REALLY think about them?

[neverwithoutabook]

My DS primary school always use reading scheme books and never send home anything else, are these books actually useful for kids or are 'real books' better to help learning to read?

[mrz]

I'm assuming you're talking about AR? Research is very negative

[MsAwesomeDragon]

It is AR I'm talking about. I didn't know research was negative, it's not really my subject, I'm only involved as a form tutor. That's a shame. Most of the schools round here seem to use it, at least for year 7. It seems very positive in our school, but I don't have access to the data to see whether that feeling is backed up by hard evidence that it's helping.