Reception DC encouraged to guess words from pictures. Afraid I've got off on the wrong foot with teacher.

[Satina]

DC2 has just started reception and we were excited for all the new experiences the next year would bring. I'm worried however that I've got off on the wrong foot with the new teacher.

Sorry, this is long:

When DC1 was in the same class she flew through reading books and was known to be a very strong reader. However she eventually hit a barrier and her progression stalled. School weren't bothered as she was still ahead of expected for her age but I, who listened to her read daily noticed problems. Specifically that she was guessing unfamiliar words which sometimes meant she completely misunderstood the meaning of the passage she'd just read.

I'd never helped a child learn to read before, so I did extensive research into how to help her and went back to basics of focusing on decoding unfamiliar words and eventually she flew.

Since DC1 was in reception the school has replaced their book scheme to one that's supposed to be more decodable.

I was eager to avoid the same problems occurring for DC2 and was optimistic that the new book scheme would mean decoding would be encouraged rather than guessing.

I was therefore surprised when the very first comment in DC's reading diary was 'DC has been encouraged to use the pictures to help guess unfamiliar words'.

All of the reading I did around the subject, when DC1 was learning suggests this is bad practice.

E.g. The Rose Report says:

"However, if beginner readers, for
example, are encouraged to infer from
pictures the word they have to decode
this may lead to their not realising that
they need to focus on the printed
word.They may, therefore, not use their
developing phonic knowledge. It may
also lead to diluting the focused
phonics teaching that is necessary for
securing accurate word reading.Thus,
where beginner readers are taught
habitually to infer the word they need
from pictures they are far less likely to
apply their developing phonic
knowledge and skills to print. During
the course of the review, several
examples were seen of beginners
being encouraged to infer from
pictures the word they did not
immediately recognise from the text."

I asked for a quick chat with the teacher who rang me at home. I explained that I was very happy with everything in reception so far but that I'd really prefer DC to be encouraged to decode unfamiliar words and not guess. She thought I was trying to push for DC to have more complex books and spent some time telling me why she thought this would be detrimental. I clarified that I definitely was not pushing for harder material and in fact would have preferred an easier, decodable book.

I said I wasn't expecting any changes to the way the class is taught as a whole, but wanted DD to have books she could decode with her current knowledge (which I'm happy to provide if they don't have enough) and to be encouraged not to use alternative methods until she was secure in her decoding.

Teacher then spent some time telling me the importance of using other methods as some children struggle with phonics and it helps them and that it's important for children to learn through repetition and using other cues aswell as decoding.

This is where I'm worried I overstepped the mark as I said that I appreciate what you're saying but all my research suggests otherwise, which I know must be really annoying to be told as a professional by someone who is not a professional in that area.

I said I'm happy to provide all my references which the teacher said she didn't need.

Ultimately, all I wanted was for my DC to become secure in her decoding before other methods are used, so as not to confuse her.

Teacher has now agreed to this with DD, but I'm feeling so guilty and anxious about having said anything in the first place.

I should have kept my mouth shut and just focussed on decoding at home and let them do their own thing at school.

Do you think there's anything I can do to improve matters and reassure the teacher that I'm not going to be a PITA parent all year?

Send the note OP.

Oh wow op, the teachers job is hard enough without your ‘input’. Let her do her job. What exactly you were hoping to achieve I don’t know.

If you care that much then do extra curricular private sessions with someone you pay to indulge your research and tolerate you leaning on their shoulder as they work.

Looking at a word beginning with t and seeing a picture of a stripy cat and understanding that the word is tiger is a perfectly acceptable thing for a Reception child to do.

What if it’s actually tabbycat?

I am an educational psychologist with an autistic child. I overstep the mark all the bloody time in order to try to help schools understand my child and their needs.

Teachers don't always know everything, and they certainly don't know more about educating autistic kids than me.

However, your emphasis on phonics doesn't suit every learner. Looking to pictures to help guess is part of the "searchlights" approach to reading where students are encouraged to use all their skills - phonic analysis, visual recognition, and picture clues - to support analysis. I personally think it's valid. Where it all goes wrong is when any one method is used as a blanket policy and for every child regardless of how it works. Our brains aren't all the same. If you have difficulties processing sound differences, for example, a top down whole word approach will probably be more successful than phonics.

Reception teacher here. You did the right thing. I would never ever have a child guess a word! I am sometimes mean and cover up the pictures in books to check children aren't just guessing. Your research is spot on.

In ks1 SATs I have seen random pictures printed next to text to try and trick the children to ensure they are reading properly.

Stop feeling anxious/guilty, you are advocating for your child you are a great mum. (Ignore the staffroom comments, if another teacher spoke about this in my staffroom I'd back you up and tell them they were wrong)

OP. I think you are completely correct, your DD should not be being taught to guess words based on pictures. It is outrageous that school is encouraging guessing only 1 month into reception.

I bet this is also a school where they say ridiculous things like 'good readers often don't pass the phonics screening in y1 because they have gone beyond phonics'.

Stick to your guns.

(Not going to comment on your approach, but the sentiment is A1.)

Ok...a teacher perspective here. Yes you went a bit overboard by suggesting you'd forward your research onto the teacher. That was OTT and a bit patronising- this is a person who has experience with teaching hundreds/thousands of children to read and I presume knows the best ways to make this happen. The good teachers out there far outweigh the bad and as such we need to trust them to do their job. It's only a month into school (if that for a reception child) so you need to calm down a bit and see how it goes.

However, saying all this, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you raising your concerns with the teacher and expecting to be reassured. I don't think there was anything wrong with your questioning the methods they use at all. I don't think the teacher would be laughing about it in the staffroom either. Maybe a bemused comment to colleagues but it certainly won't be something anyone dwells on. I also don't think you need to smooth anything over with her. Parents should be able to bring up concerns without worrying it will make them a laughing stock. I wouldn't bother doing anything now to make amends with the teacher. However, if you absolutely feel the need to do so then just pop in and say that you're sorry if you came across knowing best but given your experience with your elder dd you're just concerned that younger dd may go the same way. The teacher will understand and unless you pop up every morning clutching your research then I doubt you'll become known as "that" parent. Honestly, stop worrying.

Dear Teacher,

Just a quick note to say thank you for listening to me yesterday.

On reflection, I overstepped the mark and wanted to apologise.

I tend to get carried away researching and overthinking certain topics and then they weigh on my mind.

In this case, my anxiety got the best of me and I acted badly.

I think you were very kind and understanding. I imagine you get plenty of practice dealing with over anxious parents in reception.

I want you to know that I intend to leave research alone and defer to your professional expertise on matters of learning in future.

Thank you, OP.

How's that note? Teacher, If you're on here and recognise the note, I'm sorry for being a dick.

far too grovelly considering you were right.

Dear teacher,

Sorry for being a bit OTT yesterday, I sometimes let my enthusiasm get the better of me. Following my DD1's difficulties, I am glad we have agreed that DD2 will not be encouraged to guess words but to use the excellent phonics you are teaching her instead.

Kind regards

Tbh, I would think that a teacher who is encouraging her class to guess words SHOULD have the evidence pointed out to her.

I am a primary school teacher with an MA in SpLD. So I have read the evidence and the teacher should have known better.

Hardly ANY children have a phonoogical processing disorder, although some children do and there are ways of helping them that do not involve bloody guessing. The evidence base for using phonics is so very clear. I am bored of debating it now, it is like continuing to argue that the earth is round to a load of flat earthers.

Note is too apologetic, you are not in the wrong.

Sounds like a good school. The most important thing your DD can learn at this age is learning to enjoy learning.
Don't worry about the teacher. She'll have had worse to deal with than you.

What if it’s actually tabbycat?

@ArfArfBarf then you should be complaining to the book authors as ‘tabbycat’ is not a word

Honestly, I wouldn't write a note at all, it just prolongs the situation. I'd let the whole thing lie and be nice and laidback and friendly to the teacher whenever you meet her. She will soon forget (and your point was a perfectly valid one).

There is lots of research and ultimately it shows that different methods work for different children. The obsession with phonics and decoding is a recent one. A primary school teacher will know more about this than you. You sound very over invested and annoying. There’s no rush with reading- decoding doesn’t necessarily mean understanding.

Don't send that note!! Far too formal.

I actually don't think you need send a note at all, just a breezy 'thanks for listening to me the other day' next time you see her would do it.

Oh dear, I’m not piling on op but there really are different methods that work for different children. Ds went through years of phonics and rhyming and deciding and blending and could not read a word. Eventually what worked what learning every single word as a separate entity. Was a fun 3 years. But one day the switch went and he suddenly could read.
Unfortunately children have rarely done their own research into best practise and you have to roll with it.

www.memoriapress.com/articles/history-phonics/
An American article, but links phonics teaching in US back to 1690.

The Rose report is quite old now, OP. Valid, but other approaches are also valid. The teacher will be trying to equip the children with a range of reading strategies - of which your preferred method is just one.

I think this says more about your anxiety than the teacher's ability. Imagine if 30 sets of parents all demanded the teacher teach a specific skill in their chosen method to each individual child? It's bonkers.

I don't think you need to approach the teacher, just learn from this and try to trust them to do their job. Sounds like it might be easier said than done...

You do sound very difficult. Every child is different and different methods will suit them, sadly the guidelines often seem to ignore this leading parents to actions like yours. Also, there is a high likelihood that the person your child is reading with varies from a fully qualified and experienced teacher to volunteers just trying to help children read. Both are great options and the main and most important thing is that your child gets to practice reading. Schools are so stretched at the moment that this in itself can often be hard. For what it's worth phonics wasn't used when I was a child, but I still learnt to read without any trouble. Let the teacher develop the right approach for your individual child as the qualified professional they are, rather than assuming that generalised research suggests what is best for all. All parents want the best for their child, but the teachers are highly likely to want that too!

I think early phonics readers have much more compelling storyline

Sure, but if a child is forced to stop and decode every single word, they're going to lose enthusiasm. I have no problem at all with phonics as a learning system and I think it works brilliantly for the vast majority of children. But I also don't have any issue with allowing a child to guess from a picture if it keeps them engaged.

I was a Reception teacher, now retired. Phonics is the thing of the moment and works for most children but not all. I didn't learn this way (1950s London - flash cards) and I didn't learn to teach reading this way (Early 80s). DD learned to read using banded 'real' books and no phonics until later on. Three of my grandchildren learned to read easily but the fourth struggled and was eventually identified as having dyslexia, phonics were little use to him (problems hearing the sounds and sequencing them, problems with letters moving around on the page). He can read now.

Your DDs teacher will hate you and you will henceforth be known as 'that parent' all through primary school.

peach where is your evidence for that?

Children that can read will love reading. Plenty of evidence for that.

So how do all you phonics deniers expect a child to be able to read the difference between:

• electric
• eccentric
• eclectic
• electricity

If a child can't 'do' phonics, how do they read a word they haven't seen written down before (without asking someone else to say it for them)? how will they read Dahl, or Harry Potter etc?

where is your evidence for that?

Purely anecdotal - I was a teacher. Like I said, I'm pro-phonics, I just wouldn't be concerned about children guessing the odd word from the illustrations.