Reception reading

[Speckledfrogonlog]

Hi all, just after a bit of advice. 4 year old DC brings home scheme reading books, 2 sometimes 3, a week. However, she is able to read very confidently at the level they have been giving her, so she finishes them in 5 minutes. I then do reading with her at the next level up at home to challenge her a bit more, and even then I think she can go even further up. I don’t want to be the parent trying to tell the teacher how to do their job, but would you mention something to them? They’ve kept her on the same reading level for 2 months now.

Or if there are any teachers out there, is it a bad idea to be doing a different level at home to what they are doing at school?

Why don't you make a note in her reading record book what level she is reading at home and ask them to reassess her?

What do you mean by 'level'?
Which reading scheme do they use?

The approach I’ve taken in these circumstances has been to talk to the teacher, and ask what my DC need to be working on to move to the next level.

Generally, what’s happened next is either an explanation of why they’re still on that level (e.g. they need to show more comprehension of the text), or they’ve been moved up a level shortly afterwards.

My experience is they send easier books home and read harder ones at school.

Read the school books, then let her read for fun. Don't get too caught up on levels.

Thanks for the replies. She's generally a happy reader and readily agrees if offered a book, so not forcing her.

@Ayupmeduck she has been given Oxford Reading Tree books/Biff Chip Kipper, and on yellow band/level 3.

I think I might wait for the end of term report and see what the teachers say, then perhaps enquire what areas that might need working on as suggested. Thanks for all the advice given

@Speckledfrogonlog

Thanks for the replies. She's generally a happy reader and readily agrees if offered a book, so not forcing her.

@Ayupmeduck she has been given Oxford Reading Tree books/Biff Chip Kipper, and on yellow band/level 3.

I think I might wait for the end of term report and see what the teachers say, then perhaps enquire what areas that might need working on as suggested. Thanks for all the advice given

Yellow is very good at this point in the year. Most reception children would be on pink/red.

Just to add that many schools have moved set from Oxford reading tree in recent years in favour of decodable books that match the child's phonic skills. I would just try to make sure that she is having plenty of opportunities to apply these skills too. Ideally by supplementing ORT with decodable books. Sometimes school have a selection of these or you can look on Oxford owl or bug club websites for online versions.

Make sure sges not just reading the words. Can she decode? Phonetically sound out and blend? Does she understand the story? Dont get hung up on reading levels they mean nothing especially at this stage.

Yellow would be ahead (even by mumsnet standards). Mine is still on pink and probably just about to go up to red as it feels like she’s done about 60 odd pink books. Lots of the children are still on picture books. I’d try and just read other things with her and crack through the schools books quickly without getting hung up on levels.

It depends if she reading 1 level ahead with you or freely reading Harry Potter

@Ayupmeduck please what is the progression order of the colours ?
thank you

Can dc read it perfectly first time?

[quote montlieu]@Ayupmeduck please what is the progression order of the colours ?
thank you[/quote]
It's lilac (no words), pink, red, yellow, blue, green...Can't remember after that!
In reception most children would be reading pink or red at this point. The aim would be for them to be reading blue by the end of the year. The reason that most children wouldn't be reading yellow or blue yet is that if the school is following a decodable phonics based scheme (which most do) vowel digraphs such as /ee/ and /ai/ probably wouldn't have been taught yet therefore children wouldn't be able to read yellow/blue books as they couldn't decode them.
Oxford reading tree is a different kettle of fish as it relies mostly on children recognising words by sight or memorising the text.

Thanks for the resource suggestions @Ayupmeduck I will have a look at those online.

Yes she reads the books correctly first time round so I know it’s not a case of she has just remembered what the words are meant to say, I’ve also tried covering the picture in case she was guessing the words but she can decode the words. Her understanding is good and can answer questions about what she has read.

I think you are all right, let her continue enjoy reading whatever we have at home on top of doing the school stuff, can’t hurt to have repeated exposure to words even if she knows them.

You may already be doing this but you could add depth to her reading by making sure her comprehension is good - I can't remember how much of a story there is in the yellow books but ask questions about how the characters are feeling, what might happen next etc to show she is understanding as well as 'just' learning the words

The ORT is one of the reasons why I decided against a third child .

Talk about the stories. Make up stories. Read books that are more interesting and better illustrated with her. The value and nurture will co.e across to the teachers in different ways.

I know what you mean about the levels- we had a similar situation where DD4 was already reading quite fluently when she started reception. The teacher explained why she was giving books that she can already read- it’s about the phonics learning as well and she said it will help with writing and spelling too. She made a judgement as to DD’s level of phonics awareness and I was happy with that as she knows she can read the books fluently. We do other reading at home but not loads, it might be in the context of working out a craft activity or something and only as much as she wants to do.

It's not a race. You're reading with her and happy with her progress - log the other things she reads in her reading record! My DD is 6 and on a higher stage reading book but has got to a point where her reading ability has outgrown her understanding (her latest book is about the basics of electricity and current!) and therefore should be a "free reader" as the reading scheme doesn't cater for her properly in my view. This is the problem with pushing them further up the reading scheme.

My DD is essentially a free reader but school works with her on intonation, pausing for commas, doing character voices etc.

She is still so young that even though she can technically understand more advanced books, rushing her through the reading schemes isn’t the best choice as lots of topics would frighten her. There are other ways to extend a strong reader. Have a chat with the teacher to understand the approach they are taking.

At home DD reads for pleasure ( mostly on her own) and we’ve been buying more factual books as those stretch her in a way that’s age appropriate. Her favourites are on the body and space!

Personally never understood this worry about being 'that parent' - you just mean you care about your child's education.

You can be nice with the teacher or approach it like a twat!

I would just tell the teacher what you think, politely, at an appropriate time.

I used to ignore all sorts of school stuff if it wasn't right for my kids.

When do children tend to start reading?

My son is due to start school in sept and can barely recognise his own name written down and can recognise about 4 letters!

Is it something that just magically happens when they start school? By magically I mean the teacher teaches them!!!

@OverTheRainbow88 don't worry, children tend to start in their reception year. To help prepare your son you can support oral segmenting and blending in everyday play, e.g can you pass me the c-u-p please? Or "look at that d-o-g!" to see if he can blend the sounds and build his pre-phonological awareness. My son started Reception in September and is now on red, and I'd only introduced phonics to him in the summer (I'm a teacher). You find that if a child is ready then they pick it up fairly quickly, and if not, modelling a love of reading is arguably even more important for future reading success than early decoding skills.

Reading is more than recognising the words. If she skips key books in levels at this stage she'll miss new key words and sound combinations. The school will probably bump her when they can but knowing the words and fully understanding the text is two different things too. Also at this stage they don't want to be being pushed or challenged too much. If it's easy thats confidence giving and fun. Nearly every parent out there thinks their dc should be on a higher level - there is almost always a very good reason they aren't.