Reception: homework is not challenging enough

[Legomania]

DS started reception this year. His teacher sets 'Weekend challenges' which are starting to be phonics related. However DS can already read fluently. Do I try to extend the task somehow (he can also write/spell them)? Think of an entirely different challenge eg doing up buttons? It feels a bit premature to speak with the teacher, especially if it's basically a consolidation exercise. I'm guessing this won't be a one-off.

@Hallieknight - Erm, it absolutely does. Maybe do some reading on hyperlexia and autism

Are you an expert in the field? Or is your experience based on your multiple 'profoundly gifted' posts about how you feel persecuted for having a 'profoundly gifted' child?

@Volcanicorange hyperlexia is a separate SEN all on its own. Which ops child shows no signs of otherwise she would have noted something like her child had read Harry Potter but didn't know it was about magic.

@hallieknight No, it's an early and precocious ability to read before the age of 5 that is strongly associated with autism

@Volcanicorange being good at reading is not hyperlexia. There a loads of 2,3,4 year olds who can read perfectly because they are good at reading and don't have hyperlexia.

I've worked with kids with hyperlexia and it is tough for them. It's a hard Sen to have and overcome. Spreading misinformation really doesn't help that

@Hallieknight I don't beieve you, sorry.

It isn't normal for 2 or 3 year olds to read. They might start recognising letters but reading, true independent reading is something you would expect from a child who is older, 5-6.

I work in the medical field and have experience in Psychiatry and LD, and I don't know of any service that treats isolated hyperlexic children who have no other SEN.

And if you did work with hyperlexic children, you would know that there is a strong association with autism. Some experts believe all hyperlexic children are on the autistic spectrum.

Don't bullshit if you can't back it up

@Volcanicorange maybe you should educate yourself on giftedness

surely there is quite a wide range of ages at which NT children of varying overall intelligence levels can read 'fluently'. Some kids can read books before starting school and turn out pretty average; others may not really click with reading till they're 6 or 7 but be the ones who end up at oxbridge etc - the 'late developers'. Of course it's lovely if your kid can read early and enjoy reading but it's not something within parents' control.

Our state primary did set homework in reception, daily reading, weekly phonics and a topic to research and talk about (Speaking and listening) plus half way through the year they started with weekly little maths test. They differentiate massively as there were kids reading chapter books from day 1 and a couple still on level 1-3 by the end of reception. Kids can vary greatly at this age and a good teacher will and should differentiate. Some intelligent children can get very bored, they are not all able to extend themselves nor does it mean they have autism if they would rather read and do formal learning when they are young. My eldest is a case in point - she didn’t want to play in Reception but learn all her timetables, write stories and read long chapter books and draw. She definitely does not have autism - she actually started playing more when she was 7/8 mainly Lego and Playmobil and continued for longer with playing than her friends. All kids are different and should be extended and catered for at their level.

In primary schools, homework is often set to keep the parents happy - these kind of parents see it as a sign of a good school regardless of whether or not the homework is going to improve their kids understanding.

My kids weren't top of the class but found the homework easy too. Primary homework is much easier than class work ime as they want the kids to do it without adult help and don't want the parents complaining (this ties into the belief that some parents have about homework being the sign of a good school)

If he can do the homework already enjoy not doing it. Homework isn't suddenly going to get hard (unless he's weaker at numeracy)- the button challenge sounds like a good place to start. You can expand that to gloves, coat zip or other life skill he needs to work on.

There's such a predominance of trying to label someone as being this because they have that trait. Why is that?

Thank you @IFwithloadsofchocolate for pointing out that I might be a normal parent and not a crazed over-educator . For anyone that is concerned, DS enjoys plenty of imaginative play and opportunities to get muddy.

@Volcanicorange ( @HallieKnight )
I do not think he is hyperlexic/autistic.
DH and I (neither with ASD) were also both early readers (I ended up with an English degree). DS does not understand everything he reads because he can decode words that are outside a five-year old's vocabulary and experience, and he is bright, but not to the extent that he thinks like an eight-year old. (And Harry Potter would be much too dense for him right now.) He understands his stories even though his inferential skills aren't developed yet. As an example yesterday he was reading a story with a child who found a portal to another world behind the shed, today he was investigating our shed and speculating on what could be living back there.

Sorry OP, but you are pretty much describing hyperlexia there. The ability of any child to read fluently and independently on entry to year R is quite unusual, and the way you are querying the suitability of the homework suggests your child has some educational needs that are not met by the standard educational offering for his age group.

If I had a hyperlexic child I would absolutely be bearing in mind that it could join up with other traits to build a picture of ASD or related needs.

To be honest, whenever someone suggests that their year R child is gifted it makes me wonder whether there is more to the story. And I say that as a parent of an Aspergic year 2 child, who whilst not being hyperlexic definitely has a different way of seeing and thinking about the world.

There is still a lot of shame in considering the possibility that a child might be neurodiverse, and I really don’t understand why. The whole point of understanding NT vs ND is to ensure your child reaches their full individual potential.

@Flamingolingo I am aware of the link (not least because if you have an early reader on MN it is always mentioned.) However at this time nothing in his behaviour has thrown up any question marks. (I would say he is bright rather than gifted). If you don't mind me asking, what was it that raised the possibility for you that your DS might be ND?

Why can’t we just let dc develop? Why all the labels? Some people are just obsessed! Hex happy. His mum thinks he’s ok. She just wondered about how the school assessed his reading. It doesn’t need this forensic analysis and labels being attached. Honestly op, just ignore a lot of this stuff. It won’t make you or your DS any happier!

As for 1/3 of a normal class reading chapter books in y2! Only in very mc areas with huge parental input.

Hmmm. Thinking about it - in year R, I probably didn’t think was not NT. I’d always known he was bright, and he had quite advanced speech and language skills. At age 4 we had an in depth conversation about the ethical considerations around displaying dead humans (mummified remains) in a museum. He has always asked really insightful questions.

He has always had tantrums, but mostly seemed normal. I was aware that he had some difficulty processing feelings which sometimes led to undesirable behaviour, but again didn’t seem so far out of the bounds of normal. He has considerable anxiety and hates sudden loud noises (and is yet the loudest person I know). He has some sensory needs, but again not that much more than some NT children. He is good with food though which is another big red flag for ASD (while NT children can be fussy, many ASD children are very fussy with food).

His diagnosis came later, some time in year 1. We had him assessed because he had had some trouble with friendships at school, and because he was receiving speech and language therapy and the speech therapist specialising in autism noticed some flags. It was an easy option for us. But I’m honesty we didn’t expect the diagnosis, it was a little bit of a shock.

As time has gone on, and he’s developed more it fits him more and more. But he is a truly lovely little boy.

I also think hyperlexia is an odd one for parents as well, because it is so closely aligned with educational success. We don’t consider it to be anything other than a sign that children are excelling in their educational ability. But really it’s an extreme ability to match patterns and a potential sign that a child is a highly visual learner.

I think I too am probably hyperlexic; I was an early reader and always very advanced for my age. I have a near photographic memory and can absorb and digest written text very quickly and easily. I also think there is a considerable chance that if I were a child today I might be picked up as being ND. But at that time I was just ‘very bright’ or even ‘gifted’.

My DC wanted to learn to read and were ready in yr. They expected to do this at school and we had books coming home after a three week assessment period. If DC want to learn, they shouldn’t be denied. If other dc are not ready, then they don’t get reading books but prepare in another way. A school should, however, guide parents. Many parents will just let dc watch tv or game. Holding pencils, colouring, measuring, counting etc are all activities some parents need to engage in with dc.

It never fails to amaze me how little lots of posters know about how many children are brought up and fall further and further behind. If schools do not engage with parents and try and steer them into helping dc, who else will do it? If they don’t, the GDL gets wider and wider. Many dc don’t have the benefit of MN parenting!

GDL??? Gap gets wider.

@Flamingolingo thanks for explaining. Your DS sounds very cool!

I would honestly want to prioritise a love of learning. How about doing some home projects? Particular interest of your child, can incorporate reading and writing, do it together etc. Doesn't need to be school directed but my DD loves doing learning projects with me. At the moment she's all about dinosaurs so we are doing lots about dinosaurs!