I think my son has regressed and I blame myself!

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

My DS is 5. He is in YR and in October 2016 he began the dandelion launchers. He has only
Progressed to unit 6 since then! His school has a pink sticker on them so am assuming they book band these!

I am a teacher but not at all familiar with these books as my school use a range of other books that are book banded.

He has basically been on these books for the past eight months!!!

Surely he should have progressed to red or even yellow by now even for home readers???

My children are assessed half termly and every one of them (admittedly Y1) have moved up at least 2 book bands the majority being 3-4 book bands!!

I blame myself! I don't know why I haven't picked up this sooner. It wasn't til I saw his friends book (I know, don't compare) and saw she was on blue band (very high for YR I know) but it actually brought to my attention that my son has not progressed!

We read ' Viv can run' tonight and he read it with no enthusiasm at all. I asked him why he wasn't reading as well as I know he can and he said reading the stories are boring and even he realised that this book hasn't only 4 worded sentences and one sentence to a page yet the book previous to THAT had two to three sentences per page.

I don't feel as though they have encouraged him enough and didn't to the easiness of these books he is reluctant to read.

He loves writing and writes all the time at home independently and sentences with capital letters and full stops. He is even reading phase 5 high frequency words.

Am I being too pushy? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is the school not encouraging him enough?

Obviously speaking to school on Monday about it but wanted some views on these books!

Hi OP

Your post has now got me concerned about my DS! He is April born but also only L6 of dandelion launchers ( school only changes books once a week at mine). At parents evening I was told he was meeting the expected level - so middle of the class, nothing to worry about.

I'm not a teacher so don't really have much to compare it too, but am now concerned! I don't really mind if he is at the level that is right for him, but it is hard to judge. He can easily read the books he brings home.

We are moving schools over the summer and I'd like to do some stuff with him just so he is more confident on starting. I'm a bit lost as to what would be a good thing to do? Should I try and get hold of the rest of the launchers and dandelion readers? Or try the oxford owl mentioned? Or just not worry and trust the new school? Any advice appreciated!

If books are correctly matched to his current phonic stage he should be able to read them easily (as he would if he is actually past this stage so impossible to judge without knowing him)

Thanks mrz

I guess my question is can level 6 dandelion readers be classed as doing fine, middle of the class etc. In a way I guess it doesn't matter other than for my interest ( and I feel he isn't because I could then see if he is getting extra support)

Sorry dandelion launchers!

I guess it depends what else he is reading at school - but when I ask it seems to be just the launchers

In my school a child working on unit 6 at the end of reception would be receiving additional input.

The launchers should be used alongside the Dandelion readers.

Mrz - please forgive me, but this information regarding the launchers used alongside the readers, is it available on the internet? It would be something I would use on Monday as my son has consistently said he does not read any other book in school.

He happily read two ORT level 2 on the Oxford Owls (I clicked FS 4-5, ORT then book bands and red - it isn't what I am familiar with!) apart from three words in a 79 worded text (seat, tunnel and wide) he read it well and rarely used his phonic skills (What is it?) when he read 'Diggers' he read every word correctly - some recognised and some using phonic skills. But no word mis-read.

I have ORT traditional tales at home (I will get you, rabbit on the run, the king and his wish) and they are fully decidable. Will try him on them later.

He liked phonics play. He was 'tested' on all phase 3 GPCs no sailed through them, even identified some phase 5 but that was as 'luck' I am sure!

All phase 4 HFWs read perfectly and some phase 5 which correlates to what he has been given as 'words to learn'.

Forgive my iPhone - it is terrible when typing on mumsnet (isn't means is!) I can type properly!!

Where my children went to school, they were able to change books on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday if you signed the reading log to say your child had read them. Parents also made a comment in the reading log so if the child had struggled or had whizzed through the teacher knew about it and books were adjusted accordingly. My children also chose any book they wanted from the school library at least once a week. It did not matter if they could read it or not. It was fostering a love of choosing books. I remember in YR DD chose The Diary of Samuel Pepys about the great Fire of London. It was a ladybird book but she loved it. We also went to the library on Saturday mornings to choose from their selection of books. I also read to my children from babies and we had poetry and nursery rhymes as well as illustrated books so they built up vocabulary. Poetry for children is great for rhythm and exploring characters. I would try and be a bit more adventurous in your reading material for him to try and foster a love of books and move outwards from boring school books. I am sure he will fly over the summer. We also did a lot of paired reading. DH was useless in this house too!

Bubblesbuddy when we first started I was frustrated (as was my son) that he only changed his book once a week. Reading it SEVEN TIMES wasn't going to encourage reading. We would read it twice and then 'wait' for his next book. I even asked for two books over easter and was denied yet if a parent asked if their child in my class could have two books, i would happily oblige!

I don't doubt his ability. I have seen it first hand that he is capable of reading books with challenging words that are decodable as I have tried him on them (cvcc, ccvcc words etc - he decoded 'lightning'!) but I am concerned that if this 'Viv can run' on dandelion launchers unit 6 IS his only reader, why they have not matched his reader with his phonic ability.

I'm also a teacher but in ni so our curriculum us a little kit different. We definitely do shared reading in p1 (reception) likewise most children would have a school reading book plus at least 2 easy reads for home. If he is turned off to reading right now maybe you could read him a story every night even something like the Roald Dahl chapter books where you read and he just enjoys listening. Or find some books linked to things he really lovea. Again no pressure on him to read them but by you reading them to him he might begin to see them as interesting and more challenging and hopefully it will encourage him to love books again. I've also used Oxford owl, education city, easing eggs and lexia core 5 but from what you have said it sounds more like your son has a reluctance to read because what he has become used to are too easy/ boring rather than him having difficult actually reading. Id focus on showing him that not all books are boring and can be really funny / interesting.
My brother is 10 years old and likewise found school reading boring and hated reading his school books. Now he has a really great teacher (same teacher three years running) who has recognised his reading ability and is giving him more challenging books for guided reading but allows him to bring in his own books from home for his easy reading / quiet reading time.. (He's read all their school books, currently he loves David Walliams) but it has really helped him regain his love of reading!
Books that are too hard too early definitely put kids off reading but likewise too easy does as much damage in my opinion

TBH I think you are coming across as wilfully 'helpless'. Parents are expected to help children with their learning throughout Primary, as you must know. If he is not changing his book enough sign up to Reading Chest, or just take a relevant book home from school, so he has something different to read each day. Write in his reading record the books he has read at home so they see the level he is reading at. I also think you probably needed to be in school several months ago asking why there was such a difference between your assessment of his ability and theirs. Come on OP- you are a teacherparent- get on their case!!

My DS has read to an adult, usually his Teacher, and had a written comment about his reading every single day (bar school trips etc) from YR to Y2- but we pay for that (they still expect him to read everyday at home too). There aren't the resources in State schools for them to have that kind of individual attention so you just have to fill in the gaps. You must know this? How often do you hear your Y1s read and give them individual input? How well would their reading develop if they only read in school and not at home?

Lowdoor - I do feel the same too, that op is coming across as surprised and helpless when she's better placed to notice reading level progress than most, even if it's a different band system.

I'm not a teacher but a simple check pf google in reception year and I found out very easily what the book bands are. Or op could have asked herself. Why have you left it until June to be surprised and then post about it instead for advice instead of speaking to s the school about it op?

Personally I'd buy/ or gain access to a set of appropriate books and read one a day with him without fail. It never used to take us very long. Often we'd do it over breakfast when he was "fresh". Then leave them with him so he can reread them himself over the day if he wants to. Would also start taking him regularly to the library or bookshop and encourage him to find some fun books to spark his interest. Plenty of ways to get him reading anything and everything in normal life too. (Shopping lists, signs, programmes, computer games etc....) Wouldn't give up quite yet. Something will pique his interest.

We always did reading sitting up in our bed before I read to them. If they are too tired by then you could start 30 mins earlier. Your dh should be doing it on alternate nights though

This is an interesting thread. Something jumped out at me:

"Teacher or not, I shouldn't have to do this".

I disagree - although your child's teacher will want him to learn to read, nobody will mind the way you will if he can't read.

The reading from school is really just the bare minimum they should be doing.

These are the books that I bought for my son. They go up to ORT level 6.

I think as a parent who isn't a teacher though you can expect to have some confidence in the school. So I read stories to my DS every evening and we get up 10 minutes early in the morning to read his book from school at least every week day ( so I was reading the dandelion launcher book 7 days a week). Reading diary filled in to show this and with comments. I did google for the dandelion launchers/readers but the reading age range given are very wide. The school said what he was doing was fine. I have to be honest that working out how other book ranges related to the Dandelion ones wasn't that easy for me - and I suppose I was worried about confusing him ( having had to learn phonics myself as I wasn't familiar with it!).

Astounded that there is no one to one reading or guided reading? At my primary children read to the teacher once a week and do guided reading once a week. Quite often they read to a parent helper too.

Can I just do a quick punt for The Reading Chest service? My DS was a reluctant reader because the school books were so dull (and some undiagnosed difficulties). We found this service ace. Its under a tenner a month and they send you out books at requested level in the post, you then pop them in an envelope and they send you new ones. They have lots of series which are easier reading levels but more exciting stories (Project X was a real hit with DS). In a year he has gone from a year behind his peers to above average with this and some great learning intervention at school (Read, Write Inc). I don't work for them if anyone is wondering!

I really would be speaking to the school about changing books frequently. Why on earth would you read a book 7 times? Even twice was too much for mine! We moved on, swiftly. I think you do know you have to do more and most parents just get on with it. Why cannot he move to 3 changes a week. All my DDs reading books were colour coded and even in YR the children went to the reading cottage and selected the right book!

Just to clarify a few things.

Bubblesbuddy I wanted DS to change his book 2/3 times a week. This was not allowed. I even asked for ONE extra book over Easter and this was denied because 'they don't have enough books to give everyone two'. I understood that, but not every parent was asking! I was fuming. I did bring some ORT traditional tales stories home (red level - because during my March parents evening THAT is what I was told he was on). DS finds reading the book (his home reader) twice boring and is reluctant because it is 'easy and boring'. I think he persevered all this time and has now 'blown his top' hence the realisation and thread!

Delatron I was under the impression that his DL 'Viv can Run' was his home reader - pink level, below the red level that I was told he was at during parents evening in March. Nothing strange about that at the time hence why my queries into his reading 'ability' has only come to light now. It is his home reader - no illusion about that BUT that SAME book is also his 1:1 reader. He reads once (in fact on looking through his reading record book this HAS increased to twice weekly this past month (new HT arrived after half term ) with a helper! No teacher comment, no NN comment. A helper. No guided reading. This was stopped 6 months ago. This was not made public knowledge and I CERTAINLY wasn't told this at parents evening otherwise I would have questioned it (out of curiosity NOT criticism).
My school we do: volunteer reading for a few, Interventions for a few, daily readers as start of the day activities, guided reading twice a week with CT and TA AND home readers which they change as often as they like! But that's Y1. YR do do guided reading twice a week. This began after Christmas.

CruCru don't misunderstand me and think I don't read to my child. I do! He has 2 stories every night with his sister without fail, goes to the library regularly, asks questions about anything he 'reads', writes. OMG he writes ALL THE TIME! He loves reading and writing. He does it when he comes home (mainly writing). But we will agree to disagree. Reading is fundamentally taught AT SCHOOL. Not all parents are equipped with the skills and knowledge to teach reading. Teachers do not want parents undoing the teaching that they may unwittingly do. Teachers want parents to read to children, hear them read to encourage reading for pleasure. I may be a teacher, but why should I not have every trust and faith in a school to TEACH my child to read? At home I am mum. I make an effort NOT to bring my job to the house. Pushy parent I do not want to be.

LandofTute He's been told! Thursday and Friday are HIS turn to read. Granny didn't want to step on my toes (bless her!) and will do Wednesdays. He's read 2 books today. Both ORT red band level and read very well. No problems with it. Needed to use his phonic skills for a few words but I expect that.

youlellaHohelly sorry if I spelt your 'name' wrong! Yes he reads ALL the time. There is no issue really with how much everyday environment reading he does. We have sometimes read in the morning but he feels rushed doing it and he isn't great in a morning either. BUT partly could be to do with the fact he announced last night when asked why he wasn't reading so well and he said 'they're too easy and they're boring'.

Star and Lowdoor Why shouldn't I be surprised? I was told in March at parents evening that my child's reading was absolutely fine. I tried to get out of them what he needs to work on next. I got shrugged shoulders and a 'nothing'. He's working at the pace expected. I was even told he was reading RED level at school. So to read PINK at home isn't strange or odd; in our neck of the woods it is common for children to take home a book that is a band below their instructional text. But what I have found out is that this 'home reader' that is Unit 6 of Dandelion Launchers and they have banded it as 'PINK' is actually not just his home reader. They use the very same book children bring home as their 'instructional text' - the 'taught' reading book. That information I found out YESTERDAY - hence the thread. My son has never brought home a RED level book. So either they mixed up my DS with another child (bad form) or they have moved his reading down a band (and not told me) in which case they have concerns (again not told me and led me up the garden path). Also this book DOES not match his current phonic ability. I know for an absolute fact he is in the top set for phonics. So why is my son 'learning' to read CVC words with 'VWZ' in them when actually he surpassed that expectation a long time go. As mrz said, a reading book SHOULD match a child's phonic ability AND the launchers be used alongside the readers, clearly not happening. So yes, I think I have every right to be questioning it. Why not in June? When? April? May? There is never a ‘right’ time to question something when you aren’t in full possessions of the facts. They just became apparent to me YESTERDAY. By now I expect him to be on 'RED' level for a home reader. Not uncommon for him to be on PINK for a couple of terms. He was only on LILAC for 3 weeks! Also in regards to my Y1s – see above comment given to Delatron.

I am not questioning my son's abilities. I know that his reading is exactly 'where' it should be at the stage of YR. I am questioning why my son has STAYED on the same 'PINK book band' for eight months when I was told he was RED book band in March.

I didn't question his home reader sooner because I was never TOLD that his home reader was also his school instructional text! That information came to light yesterday. So despite beginning phase 5 phonics in YR, despite him reading phase 4 HFWs and some phase 5 HFWs, despite him being able to read longer words (CCVCC etc) they are still 'teaching' him to read 'vwz' CVC words. Doesn't match up does it?

To reiterate, I only found out this information yesterday. If I had known that his home reader was being used as his instructional text sooner, of course I would have questioned this sooner!

Viv can run is a Dandelion reader so it seems your son is getting both sets of books

I think you can be as annoyed as you like with his school, but knowing what you know now it seems you need to take a greater responsibility for your sons reading. You are at the end of reception and cannot undo what has been done, so spend the summer holidays reading at least once every day and start moving his ability on and up the book bands. Won't his reading level be reassessed at the start of year 1 anyway?

I am only a parent and whilst I trust dd's teachers they cannot give her one to one attention like I can at home. I am happy to supplement her learning in this way.