Class texts in year four

[Mallowmarshmallow]

DS attends a junior school with ofsted deemed 'requires improvement' several years ago with little improvement seen so far.

One of the specific criticisms was that the class texts used were of too high a level, meaning that children didn't have the language/context or ability to understand the subtext of the books.

DS is currently in a mixed year 3/4 class and they are reading A Christmas Carol. Am I wrong to believe this is an example of a text which is really too advanced for the ages of the children?

Good grief yes. Unless it is an abridged/children's version? Surely they aren't reading the original full text...

I don't know if it's an abridged version. Even if so, wouldn't it just be better kept for a later year when full understanding could be achieved?

That's a question for parents evening.....

We teach it at GCSE! I’d very much hope it was a child friendly version…

Original Dickens is a bit chewy and heavy going. Excerpts to consider or an adapted version would be fine.

Holy shit - my level 9 daughter is doing it for gcse

my son says his class reading book is
www.amazon.com/Oliver-Seawigs-Not-So-Impossible-Philip-Reeve/dp/0385387881

they read every day as a class and then their own reading

My son says they read a little bit each day and normally relates to vocab for the week etc

this is an outstanding primary school

My year 4 child in a y3/4 mixed class is studying A Christmas Carol. I assume it’s not the original. He seems to be doing ok with it.

It’s a secondary text. So it’s daft to do it in primary anyway. It’s also too challenging for year 4 and might well put them off reading.
So many diverse, well written books for this age group too - they are missing out.

Yes it's too advanced. My year 10 is studying it for GCSE

There are plenty of kids versions of this story.

DD attended a school which was praised for it's literacy scheme. Year 4 they read Michael Morpurgo 'Friend or Foe' and Elizabeth Laird oranges in no man's land - both feature 9 year olds so really relatable.