Early years teachers, I have a question

[user789653241]

There was a thread and I was bit puzzled. (I don't want to make this TAAT, but fair enough if it goes.)

So, these days, children starting school are expected to be able to write their own names? I thought they are expected to "recognise" their name on the peg, etc. But sounds like expectation has been raised. I remember the Christmas card my ds received in reception were either signed by their parents or almost impossible to tell who that was from except for few.

fruit, no, naturally advanced children won't level out, that's for sure.

DDs preschool gets them to sign in everyday but there's no pressure, they are encouraged whether they just draw a line or actually write some letters.

But as PP have said it's down to the individual child really. Some show an interest and some don't. DD3.5 can write some letters, recognise most, and recognise her friends names because she remembers what letters they start with. Her memory is great and always has been

Well ok, there will be the occasional child who is 'advanced' and continues to be as they get older. But most 3 year olds who can write their name might be at the more able end of the class but there will be plenty of others that catch them up. My eldest had very little interest in mark making at 3 and is doing very well age 11. This isn't unusual.

This is interesting.

I volunteer run an annual activity for 4-5 year olds and have done for about 8 years. When I started most if the group would be able to write their names and I would label work for the handful who couldn't. The ratio has shifted over the years and now it's a handful who can write their name.

We spoke about this the past couple of years and wondered if it had been moved on the curriculum.

Now seems like it may be changing back...will keep an eye over next couple years

I don't think they are expected, no, not in a normal school with normal (non-crazy, competitive) parents. But it certainly makes it easier if they can. Mine is in reception this year and could write her name well before she started school. We didn't really teach her, but she was just interested as we/nursery are always writing her name on things and wanted to practice and eventually she just started doing it herself. But it certainly helps if they can. They have to sign in on the register in the mornings and it makes life easy when they can name things themselves, etc. in school, so no reason not to encourage it if the interest is there. But certainly things like personal care and social skills are more important in the bigger picture.

Little ducks I've been teaching for over twenty years most of it in Reception and in all those years I've had very few children start school able to write their names

DS2 couldn't write his name in Pre-School. Now he is in Reception he knows the letters needed to spell his name however cannot write them clearly. We had his parent evening last week and his teacher has said he is unlikely to meet his government target of being able to write a sentence by the end of Reception!! She did say she didn't agree with this as they are not making any allowances for the summerborns. Its ridiculous and I am starting to worry about how he is going to cope in yr1.

Did she tell you how she plans to support him to meet the ELGs or write him off with half a year to go?

No she hasn't written him off, he has a lot of one on one due to his speech disorder. She just said she had to inform me about the writing target now but that she wasn't concerned as he is currently where he should be in other areas and that he is one of the younger children.

Sorry but I'm shocked by the number of posts on MN saying EY teachers are telling parents their child won't meet certain ELGs only half way through the year.

From a teachers point of view it feels as if these children are being written off too.

Mrz that is interesting. I wonder of it differs by area/demographic or something.

I should probably clarify that I didnt mean they could write it perfectly still usually the odd reversed letter or ommission in the group but they all used to attempt it as if they were accustomed to it. Now they tend to sit there as they are used to an adult labelling their work.

When I say they can't write their name I'm not talking about perfection I mean they don't know how to begin to write their name independently. Most could copy a model to produce something fairly recognisable with support.

I work in Early Years and we are not expected to teach the children to write their names. Infact the local primary we feed into ask us not to as they want to teach them all the same style of writing, some children who can write their names at our setting have been shown maybe by a grandparent and it is all in capitals! Not that helpful!

How is being able to write their own name necessary or helpful? Most names don't follow simple phonics rules so it is just going to confuse them, and introducing capitals along with lower case (which is unavoidable with names) just increases the chance that they are going to start muddling them up. What's the point in teaching muddle, and then unteaching it?

I don't think reading instruction is necessary before reception, but if it IS going to be done then I would rather that nurseries did some sound awareness activities, SATPIN then CVC words, as this would actually be teaching a useful first stage in reading rather than a silly party piece, which is all name-writing is in a child who cannot read or write.

Thank you, everyone. I kind of knew it wasn't a normal thing or even good thing for kids to be taught before they are ready.
Maybe the people who are saying it's normal for kids to be able to write at 3 are the parents of children going for private school assessment etc.
Able to write at the start of school or not really doesn't matter in few years anyways!

Ime most children can write their own names by the final term of preschool. Copying letters from their names is a preschool expectation (30-50 months, so most children can do this around their 4th birthday). Independent name writing is a 40-60 month expectation and I certainly encourage the 4 year olds to name their pictures before they start school.

The nursery my two DDs attended did teach writing and phonics but to be honest I never really took much notice of it as long as they were cared for and happy - which the both were. My eldest who is now in year 1 could not write her name on entry to reception. She was taught and learnt quickly and I was amazed at the speed in which the children in her class picked up reading, writing and phonics.

My youngest (starting reception in September) has been able to write her name since she turned 3 and is able to decode phonics to an extent. I put this down to her having a fairly easy name (four letters) and listening to her older sister learn reading and phonics.