Can someone please help me with School Reports?

[ilkleymoorbartat]

DS has fallen behind this year. He's Year 1 and one of the older ones. He got extra help with writing and reading (provided but the school) during the first lockdown. His reading has improved hugely, he's on Level 6 book band, but his writing is still pretty messy and he still spells phonetically with a lot of words. He rushes a lot which I think is part of his problem and I'm also worried he's loosing confidence with writing.

His teacher pulled me aside to say that she's going to put 'working towards' on his reading. Can someone please tell me whether we should be worried about this? We're thinking about getting him some extra help over the summer because we're worried he's going to fall behind even more.

Just keep reading with him during summer. If he has hugely improved this year, he will keep progressing if you carry on.
Do the fun activity for writing too, if you have any opportunity. Other activity to strengthen motor skills improve writing too, so the things that uses fingers/arms/whole body will help too.

We keep trying to get him to write but he's very resistant. And gets upset when I correct him. For example he'll always get his b's and d's mixed up so will write bib instead of 'did'

Stage 6 looks about average for his age. I Would suggest the issue is probably do do with his comprehension skills so maybe focus on that. Just read with him and ask him questions about what he’s reading. His teacher should be able to give you a list of question types.
I wouldn’t worry too much at this stage and definitely don’t make a big deal out of it over summer. Writing always lags behind reading progress.
Talk to his teacher though what is it she thinks he’s not doing to get him into the at expected level?

And I wouldn’t be correcting writing too much at home either. Just let him write it his way and find the fun in it!

I would expect phonetic spelling in year 1, it’s not like most can memorise long spelling lists. Book band 6 also seems appropriate ditto messy handwriting.

I would make sure you are reading everyday over summer. If he is not keen to write colouring in or other fiddly crafts that improve his fine motor skills are a good idea.

This is a great time to work on their reading as they have the phonics knowledge but just need practise practice practise. Lots of kids do no reading over the summer and have regressed in the first term after summer so if you do 15-20 mins every day it will make a big difference to his confidence when he is back in the classroom after the summer.

DD2 was still writing letters backwards in year 4. They're all different. She is now excellent at writing and has a reading age above her years. My advice would be to keep him reading and having fun but don't get too involved in writing. Home should be a safe place and those little blighters will do for their teachers what they NEVER do for us!

Thank you so much for your replies. It's so hard to know how much to push, or not. He's such a Smart kid, I just feel a bit confused by it all. And worried, of course.

Teacher sounds a bit daft. My son has just moved to book band 7 two weeks ago and he is at greater depth with his reading 🤷‍♀️. He is far beyond any other children in his class (to be fair his brother us book band 10 in yr3, and he confidently reads those given the chance, so perhaps book bands aren't really a great indicator as to where the child is at?).

Why does the teacher sound daft??
She will basing her judgement on a lot more than what book band he’s on!

We've asked for greater clarification about what exactly is stopping him from meeting 'expected standards'.

Yes just work with him at home daily over the summer.
The project alien books sets are good and go from 7 right up.
If you think you only get so many books a week at school so doing say 7 a week at home mover the summer can make months of progress.

As you say he is losing confidence, I'd start there. I have a dyslexic 7 year old, so lots of issues with reading, writing and especially spelling, but confidence and self-esteem are absolutely the foundation for everything.

Help him look back at how far he's come. Read for pleasure - it can be a trial with early readers to find material they really enjoy, but it's out there. Project X Alien Adventures and Project X Code are great. Paired reading (where you read together) or taking turns to read a paragraph or page, helps if confidence or stamina are a barrier. But mainly, enjoy books together. Talk about books together (making it conversational rather than testing him on his comprehension overtly, if you can - be genuinely interested in the questions you ask and share your ideas too).

I wouldn't abandon writing (we left it to school and regret that now) but make it low stakes and give it purpose. Helping you with a shopping list, or writing a letter to a family member, or starting a correspondence with the elves at the end of the garden (you "plant" a letter from them asking him to write back) might get more traction than worksheets. Or make it playful - chalk on the patio, that sort of thing.

Letter reversals (especially b and d) are common at that age. Lots of multisensory ideas to help if you Google. But interest and motivation come first.

Spelling - I'd be led by him, up to a point, and not make an issue unless he asks. Phonetic spelling is all part of the learning curve at that age. But maybe look at the list of regular and exception words they are expected to know by end of year 1 and if he is struggling with them, point out no more than two or three errors at a time and work on those. (On the one hand, reinforcing incorrect patterns by letting him repeat them over and over, ain't going to help, but too many to focus on at once is demoralising and impossible.) Something that works for us with confidence, is circling the error and looking at how much of the word is already correct. Also, talking about being a brave speller and having a go if unsure, but underlining the word to check later (so it doesn't stop the flow of writing). We make a point of modelling being unsure of spellings ourselves (I pretend to need to check, dyslexic husband doesn't pretend!) and letting him see us checking and editing our own writing so he can internalise the idea that it's part of the process and you don't have to be scared of making mistakes.

Thank you so much again for all the hints and tips. The project alien books look great. I'll look into getting those.

writing4pleasure.com/resources/ The "writing with children at home" leaflet is good.

Another thought on the reading - kid's magazine subscription? My son liked to read magazines together at that age, and would have a go at a caption or a short paragraph, with support, and be really buoyed up by having read something "proper" ie not a reading scheme book.

Please don't make him aware you think this is something to worry about. Children develop at different speeds. Remember that children in Europe don't start formal education until they're 7.

Read with him and strengthen the muscles in his hands and fingers with colouring and crafts.

And also remember that he's missed half a year of school at least. For a child in year one, that's a huge amount!

He won't be the only one, I'm sure.

With the b and d reversal

Both our dc used this method. To make a bed with their fists and thumb. I will upload a picture.. It worked wonders.

Here is the idea

Thank you all so much. I'm tearing up because you're being so kind. I find this sort of stuff so stressful. Really need to get better at managing my emotions!

But yes, we won't let him know we think they're a problem. And I love the idea of a magazine subscription. We already get the beano but will see what else there is. Thank you!

@Ceara

writing4pleasure.com/resources/ The "writing with children at home" leaflet is good.

Another thought on the reading - kid's magazine subscription? My son liked to read magazines together at that age, and would have a go at a caption or a short paragraph, with support, and be really buoyed up by having read something "proper" ie not a reading scheme book.

I'd be careful about following reading advice from that lot - they encourage guessing.

Things will be a lot better in a few months. Honestly they will.
Just takes some children a bit more time

If he's struggling with writing, I'd focus on his fine and gross motor skills over the summer as this will support his physical writing skills. Jigsaws, playing catch, hamma bead, threading etc. will all help, and using chunky chalks to do pavement drawing too.

Those alien x books are from level 9 reading, is that right?

Yes will also look at motor skills encouragement ideas.

I don't know if he's a but young but my kids used to love The Phoenix

I wouldn’t be getting him any sort of tutoring over the summer-he’s so little.

Read with him every day, play board games, do construction games (fine motor), baking, play with water and blow bubbles, take photos of what you do and make a diary/scrap book (writing), chalk on the patio, do the library reading project etc etc

Have fun.