Is it normal for a child not to read to the teacher in Yr 3?

[Niecie]

My DS has just started Yr 3 having transfer from the Infant school to the Junior school on the same site.

We are now in the 4th week of term and he hasn't read to his teacher once. I think he has read to a parent helper once but that is it.

Not only that but the books he is bringing home are way way below the standard he reached in the Infants, although this seems to be a problem across the whole class.

What should I expect in Yr 3? Is reading not considered important any more?

ime yes it is unusual to read individually regularly . ds read in small guided groups and only occasionally to the teacher or TA on his own. Our Yr 3 don't have reading parents.

ask

I mentioned something about this on another thread today (dd has just gone into yr3).

She came back with a reading book she'd had in yr1 and spellings consisting of 3 letter words (when reading/spelling is her thing!).

Apparently, they spend the first couple of weeks getting an idea of the child's level (though why they can't just find out what they were doing in yr2 is beyond me, I imagine they must to some extent). I think they all sit little tests and are grouped according to those and then get moved up and down depending on how they get on.

I haven't said anything yet because I'm sure the teacher eventually gets round to them all. Today, dd came back with a reading book that is much more suited to her and hopefully, over the next few weeks, the other stuff will sort itself out!

Unfortunately this could be right. I had this experience when my DD was in yr3, in the end it went to the Head, it may be school policy that guided reading is enough! It turned out in our sch, that DDs teacher was the only one not hearing individual readers and everyone else was(it apparently was sch policy only to hear in guided reading!!!!), so they decided that every class would do individual reading and the teacher to hear every couple of weeks!

My other DD is now in yr 3 and she has been heard by teacher 2 times so far!.

Must admit that I don't pay attention any more to what they do and don't do re- reading at school. I buy books that Ds2 ( Y3)might find interesting, or he chooses them from the library and I listen to him read at home. He is enjoying reading to me and DH (I like the chance to cuddle up to him while he reads) and if he reads to the teacher, that is a bonus, but i don't count on it.

I was going to ask but thought I would check first in case this is usual practice!

I have put notes in the home link book but that isn't like the infants either - completely one way traffic. I write but nobody writes back!

Some sort of meeting with the Yr 3 teachers tomorrow night. Maybe that will shed some light on the matter.

Sounds normal to me (although not to day ideal) that Y3 do not do individual reading any more in class.

I understand what you are saying Kookaburra we do that too but I suppose what worries me is that they seem to have no idea of what his abilities are. DS is quite happy to have books he would have read in Yr 1 but it isn't really interesting for him or improving his reading.

I think progress in reading is generally made at home where you can have 1 to 1 time. With class sizes of 30 relying on the teacher and volunteers is a big risk.

I agree Niecie - and I really am the most unpushy mother when it comes to school. I hardly ever have to speak to the teachers BUT I think you have to be very careful with children's motivation and giving them books they read 2 years ago can really knock a child's confidence.

I would give it another week or so (especially if it is happening to other children). Tell ds that the teachers are just busy trying to sort out what books everyone needs to read and keep giving him stuff at home if he is bothered.

Your DS will have Guided Reading Lessons every week. He will be in a small group of like-ability readers and they will work with the teacher on the book.

They will read and analyse the book (who are the characters, why do they behave the way they do, which character they prefer and why, what they think may happen next etc.)

By the time they reach yr 3, they are generally expected to choose their own book (from an ability range). Send a note into the teacher asking for a higher level, she may be keeping him on one level until his comprehension skills are on par

DarthVader - we don't rely on the school to do the reading - we do our reading 5 times a week which was the requirement at the Infants and which the Juniors still say they want, but if they are going to stream the children surely they should do it properly and give them work appropriate to their level.

If you base reading levels and groups solely on the previous year's you will soon have to jiggle them about because children can change over 6 weeks holiday.

Tbh I prefer teachers who do NOT listen to individual children read (apart from the poor readers) because that means the rest of the class are being left to their own devices!

My ds is in y3 as well. They have a book where they write down the book they have read, what they liked about it and why. So, no they don't get listened to. Still early days though, and I assume the teacher is still learning the children's abilities.

I am a year 3 teacher. I do not listen to children read individually. There is no time to listen to 30+ children read indvidually. If I did do this, then the rest of my class would be doing their own thing with no teacher input for a substantial amount of time each week. I do, however, do guided reding sessions where the emphasise is on comprehending the text. I use my TAs to continue with extra phonic coaching for my below average readers. As for your children bringing home books that are unsuitable, it may be the case that they have been classified as 'free readers' which means they will have free choice to read any books that they choose. Free readers means that the child can read fluenty enough to tackle any book. Sometimes, children go back to books that they know and love (and have read before in previous years).

I don't think my dd (now in Year 3) has read to the teacher since Reception. She has only been given three books so far this term (and one of those she was given twice because the teacher hadn't noticed she'd already read it). I haven't actually listened to her read them, as she reads fluently (e.g. Roman Mysteries, Ingo series, E. E. Nesbit, the Narnia series, etc.). I have asked the teacher (via her home/school book) whether I should be making her read aloud, but I've got no response. What do you reckon, keresley?

PS I do get her to talk about the ORT books that she has brought home from school - what happened, who were the characters, when do you think it was set, etc. - but I don't actually make her read the whole thing aloud.

I think there is an element of chosing easy books but at the same time he is in a different set to another little girl who, like him, had finished the ORT as far as they take it in the Infants and she is in a different set with books that are marginally more difficult although not up to the standard that either of them are used to.

I suppose I am not that bothered about the teacher not having listened to him read except that he seems to be coming home with books that are so easy. It is a bit of a surprise that the teacher can listen to 30 children twice a week in the Infants but not in the Juniors but as I say it doesn't really matter as he reads to me and also to himself. He read the last two chapters of the 1st Harry Potter tonight to me and himself yet the book he has brought home has 2 lines to a page.

I shall go and see the teacher I think and see what is going on. It wouldn't be the first time that DS is underestimated, possibly due to his AS and I don't want him to be discouraged and think he isn't progressing.

Parent pressure worked! DS was put up a level today although the new books still look easier than he is used to. He was reading books with chapters and very few pictures in the Infants but has gone back to picture books at Juniors. I know they are supposed to lose ground over the summer hols but I think going back to school has made him lose a lot more!

There was a note in the homework book and a small letter to all the parents in Yr 3 as I don't think I was the only one who was questioning what was going on.