Year 1 - how often "should" they read to a teacher?

[Smithagain]

I know this is going to vary a lot, but I'd like to get some idea of what's normal.

DD1 is in Year 1. Her reading record suggests that she has read to the TA in her class four times since the start of term. She doesn't appear to have read to the teacher at all.

I wasn't concerned until I discussed reading with her best friend's mum. It came up in conversation that her daughter has read every single reading book to either the TA or the teacher. So that is 10 times in all. She hasn't ever had a new book before reading the previous one to an adult in class.

They are on the same level, reading the same books, in the same order, at the same time. Their previous teacher actually made a point of admitting that she had written them almost identical reports, because they are so similar in their ability and interests. So I know that they are unlikely to be in different ability groups or anything.

I'm not actually worried about her reading - she is plodding along fine. But I am slightly concerned that she might just be getting forgotten. The teacher does have a somewhat distract, disorganised air and it is a much bigger class than last year's Year 1.

Would you say anything? Or will that immediately put me into "irritating pushy parent" mode

When dd was Yr1 (last year) she read once a week and the teacher would try to hear her, otherwise it was a TA or parent helper. Others read twice a week and others 3 times a week, all depending on ability. However it was the teacher who put them up levels not the TA so it was important dd was heard by her and she herself told me this. I would ask the teacher how often she should be hearing your dd and see what is said. DO you have a parents consultation day coming up? We have one in November.

I read 1x wk with all students, (teacher), occasionally more. My dd reads 1x wk with her teacher (different school).

I work in a yr 1 class. Teacher hears the child once a week, usually in lunch time, and also hears them once a week in guided reading. Also we have a parent helper who comes in once a week! On the odd occassion , teacher will ask me to listen to child read, especially if they are not heard at home!

Have a look at this thread

I was a primary teacher (but not recently!!) my DS1 is in Y2.
The norm in our area is that children read their 'reading scheme' book to the teacher once a week; children who need literacy support - like my prob dyslexic DS get some extra help on top of that but it isn't around the reading scheme stuff particularly, it covers all sorts.

Personally i am not a big fan of oxford reading tree and such schemes, because their scope is quite narrow. They have their uses, but in the scale of it they are hardly an indicator of a child's progress.

If you think that your child is not getting the same amount of attention in this as her classmates, why not ask at your next parents' evening - most schools i've worked in have them in the second half of this term? If there's nothing like this coming up, then i think i would ask for explanations and mention that it would perhaps motivate your DD if she had the opportunity to read to the teacher every week or two?

Thanks all. Once a week sounds like a reasonable norm (and I would have thought achievable with three adults to a class of 28?)

No parents evening coming up unforutnately. We've just had one which was far too early in term to be the remotest use. I think I'll ask a couple more friends how often their children have been heard before saying anything to the teacher. But then I might gently enquire what frequency they are actually aiming at.

It wouldn't surprise me if each of the two job sharers thinks the other one is hearing her - it's a new job share and the co-ordination between the two of them doesn't really seem to have settled down yet.

Do remember that for a teacher to hear a class of 28 read for 10 mins each week means almost 5 hrs of hearing readers and not teaching anyone else anything.

That's nearly a day in teaching terms.

There is a move away from teachers hearing pupils read each week for this reason (at our school anyway), and towards activities such as guided reading which involve more children and mor egenral teaching and learning opportunities.

Don't think DD has read to her teacher (as opposed to parent helper) more than once this term.

Thanks Clary, that's interesting. I know that they do read in groups very regularly. Maybe they are being a bit more selective about individual reading over and above that. It is also conceivable that DD1 is more confident reading in a group than her friend is, which could account for the apparent difference.

I think DS was probably reading to someone about once a week in Y1. He is now in Y2 and reads to the TA during lunchtime on a Thursday. Only he didn't last Thursday because it was a trip. As far as the reading record is concerned he has not read to the teacher. He has read lots of books - maybe 20 (and all 40+ pages) but most of that has been to me with some to DH and a little bit to the TA. But we have parent's evening next week so a chance to find out.

I think you should ask after school one day - just ask how often she is being heard and if there is more you can do at home (so to take away any 'blame' type of tone)

in my dd's year 1 the parents listen to every child three times a week. Each child has three books a week.

the teacher and teaching assistant listen to reading twice a week rotating around so I guess hear each child once every three/four weeks? I imagine that they spend more time with the kids who need it and let the others get on with the parents.

they all get taught literacy/sounds etc so that will be happening most days

Hi smithagain, my dd is in year one also. She has a new book nearly every other day. She will read to the teacher then but only the first page which usually consists of a one sentence only. Most of her reading is done at home. I think the teacher mainly uses what we say in her book for guidence and makes sure she is coping before another book is given. It is mainly her teacher that does this to be honest, more so than the TA.