Filling in Reading Record Book

[NewSchoolNewName]

If your child reads an extra reading book at home - not a reading book provided by school - would you make a note of it in the school’s Reading Record Book?

[greenpop21]

Elven Please just initial and tick at the least. Education of your child is a partnership.

[Smoggle]

I just initial each night - teacher only really cares whether the child has read or not.

[greenpop21]

I have chn that read every single night and they plough through reading levels. I have others that read once a month and they caught up very quickly. It's a shame. I used to get mine(now teens) to read to me in the car or a t bedtime. It only takes 5 mins at that age.

[AwdBovril]

TBH we don't remember to write DD's reading practice in her book. She does it every weeknight, along with spelling practice. She reads a lot of other books too. Her teacher knows she reads a lot & doesn't mind if it's not filled in religiously.

I wish they would send maths homework sometimes, maybe alternative weeks with spellings for example. DD is great at reading but she finds maths a struggle.

[greenpop21]

They are caught up very quickly! Sorry for error.

[Elven]

😄 I didn't mean that I don't fill it in! I meant that I don't fill it in for extra books that DS fills in at home.

[Elven]

Sorry, that DS reads at home 😬.

[Orangepear]

I filled it in in reception but haven't in year 1. DD isn't given reading scheme books anymore and just brings home something from the library, not all of which is suitable. So we read our own books and library books. I wonder if her teacher thinks we don't read anything.

[greenpop21]

That is surprising for Year 1 Orange

[BellMcEnd]

I am SO crap at filling in reading records even though my 3 DCs love reading. We do read every day and occasionally I do write something like “Clifford has read “where the wild things are for the 864235 time this week” *

I was always shite at doing my homework so I guess somethings never change.

*Not actual name but this truly is the number of times we’ve read WTWTHA.

[SushiGo]

I don't write down extra books in general, sometimes I will for my reluctant reader, if they were not making much progress with their set book but reading cereal packets etc.
At least the teacher can see they've done something.

I wouldn't bother with the one that is very keen and reads a lot.

[drspouse]

My DS is struggling a bit and I've been collecting books that go over his weak areas (so, 3 books all on -ay- rather than one that has "special" in it, he's on blue band in theory.
So yes I write what we've been doing in the vain hope school will back it up rather than send yet another random non-decodable book. No luck yet.

[Kokapetl]

We tend to write what DC has found difficult and when we have tried to work on anything in particular. For example "worked on finishing the last word of a sentence and then taking a breath" (rather than cutting off the last bit of the word). The teacher said this was helpful.

[CruCru]

Yes, I write in the diary when either child reads a book aloud (either a home book or a school book). I also say when we have talked about how to pronounce a word / phrase or what it means.

Now that my son reads books in bed, I write them down once he has completed them.

[Redskyandrainbows67]

Wow I can’t believe people write every book. My child is reception and reading Ort level 9 at home. She gets one school book a week at level 7. We read it one night and send it back. I occasionally write in that the books are too easy but usually don’t write any. The teacher can see she’s reading at home by her level.

I also wish they’d send home maths rather than reading.

[SausageSimon]

Reception DS typically gets 2 books per week to read, sometimes they're quite long but we finish them in full both in one night or two.

Will the teacher think that's a smaller effort than someone who does 4 pages every night for example?

[thirdfiddle]

We tended to write some detail at the beginning of the school year, then stop after half a term or so. If teacher hasn't figured out by then that child is a total bookworm they could always ask; they never have.

If school gave them any reading books that were remotely of appropriate level we'd make a note of how child did with them in particular and not bother with home books, when school books were ridiculously easy we ignored them and mainly noted home books.

[drspouse]

We were asked to do regular rather than a lot of reading with our YR child (pink band). This doesn't mean we actually do that but it is easier to get her to concentrate little and often TBF.

[elliejjtiny]

@redskyandrainbows67 if I didn't record absolutely everything we would get no end of grief from the school. My year 1 and reception children have just moved from ort band 2 to band 3 so the school is probably under pressure to try and get them to improve.

[Redskyandrainbows67]

Ellie - that’s rough they don’t trust you. Presumably you’d rather spend that time writing in the diary actually reading with them! Level 3 isn’t behind for reception and only slightly under expected for year 1.

[SadOtter]

when pp say they can tell which children haven’t been reading at home regardless of the reading record - how can you tell?

Well mostly with my class because they tell me They also repeat anything that is said about school at home. Plus, when they are still on the same page of the same book as they were last time we heard them it gives it away.

I have to admit I rarely check what it says a child has read, unless its a child I'm concerned is finding reading hard, I just check that there is a comment occasionally.

[MarchingFrogs]

Plus, when they are still on the same page of the same book as they were last time we heard them it gives it away.

That in itself doesn't tell you whether or not they have read at home, though - just that they haven't read any more of that particular book?

Dipping into this thread out of sheer idle curiosity, I am sooo glad that reading records (along with the ghastly Biff and Chip, which our entire household hated with a passion) are a thing of the past for us...

[Redskyandrainbows67]

I think I’m in the minority - I quite like biff, chip and kipper!

[HexagonalBattenburg]

In terms of tolerability I'd take Biff, Chip and Kipper over fucking Project X with Max, Ant, Cat and Tiger any fucking day of the week.

Unfortunately all the kids at my own kids' school are bonkers over the Project X ones which means when I go in to help hear readers I get them endlessly.

[drspouse]

Project X are really random in terms of the sounds they introduce too.