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Original poster

Reading in Reception. Advice required please.

62 replies

DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 13:16

DD1 is one of the top in her class at reading at the mo. When she started in reception someone would listen to her read and comment on how she did, this year so far she is listened to every 3 or 4 books which isn't always every week and when she is listened to its always be a teaching assistant and not the teacher which obviously isn't a problem but her teacher hasn't heard her read since beginning of December so hasn't seen her progress or can decide if she is to go up a level. Is this the norm? Dependent upon responses I was planning to have a chat with him next week to see what was what (in a nice way).

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ChasingSquirrels · 05/03/2008 20:34

I have made a separate appt to go in after school, the teacher was very receptive to it.

schmoopoo · 05/03/2008 20:36

We are told in our school they want them to enjoy a range of books and it is not all about racing up the levels

Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 20:39

Schmoopoo - I agree about not racing up the levels, I just want her to receive some regular time with her teacher reading.

Will make appointment tomorrow methinks.

Thanks to all for your help, tis much appreciated

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schmoopoo · 05/03/2008 20:40

i agree dizzy they all deserve time whatever their level

bluenosesaint · 05/03/2008 20:41

I have no idea when my dd's are listened to, how do you find out this information?

ChasingSquirrels · 05/03/2008 20:42

Disco - what do you want/expect her to gain from reading to the teacher? If you think that she will gain then definately speak to the teacher. I guess it depends where exactly she is.
And also agree on levels, although our school doesn't use a scheme as such and when I asked for some level 6 ORT for ds and he loves the stories I was told he should concentrate on a scheme - fair enough, but he had only read one or two ORT's in about 3 months. They certainly don't have to compelete a level in order to move up.

ChasingSquirrels · 05/03/2008 20:43

bluenosesaint - we were told what was going to happen (see my earlier post) in Spetember, I know whether or not it is happening because when someone hears him read they right in his reading record (which lives in his book bag).

bluenosesaint · 05/03/2008 20:46

Ah i see - at our school, we just get an initial (sometimes teachers, sometimes TA's) against what we have written in the reading records, never anything to say that they have heard dd's read (??)

ChasingSquirrels · 05/03/2008 20:50

ah, no one comments on my notes in his record. The teacher puts things that have come up and what we could do to work at them, or something about a discussion they had leading on from the reading, etc.

Heated · 05/03/2008 20:50

Can someone explain to me what is so important about regularly reading to the teacher? (genuine Q) It seems to feature a lot on primary threads.

scanner · 05/03/2008 20:51

DS is in reception and brings home a book each night, although we are told that if they are too tired or not inclined to read the school would prefer us to leave it that day. Makes sense to me. He's listened to once or twice a week and probably 1 in 3 times by his teacher rather than t/a or parent helper.

When dd1 was in a different school she was given one book per week to read and after I asked was allowed a second book. At that school she was in the top group - when we moved to this school she was in the bottom group. So, schools do vary a great deal.

If I feel that the books are getting too easy I put a note in the reading record and the teacher will respond accordingly.

Fwiw I've got three dc's and ds is the last one to learn to read, I think attempting to read everyday works well.

BTW ds is not in the top group.

Dd2 is though .

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 05/03/2008 20:53

i think a lot of mumsnetters are in for big shocks later in dc;s academic life

Piffle · 05/03/2008 20:54

I'm under no illusions!!! Have 14 yr old ds1!

Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 20:56

Bluenosesaint. They have a reading diary which lists the book, parents comments on child reading and teachers comments on child reading.

ChasingSquirrels. I feel it is unsatisfactory for him to have last heard her read at the beginning of December when other children do get to read with him on a more regular basis. Thats about the long and short of it. She's noticed that she doesn't get to read to him and I'm curious as to why.

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Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 20:57

paula yates

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dinny · 05/03/2008 21:08

at our school, they have a new book 3 times a week and read to the teacher once a week, TA once a week and parent helper once a week.

the teacher decides when they move up a box. a few kids in dd's year (1) have finished all the ORT levels

dinny · 05/03/2008 21:09

why in for a shock, PaulaYates?

cazzybabs · 05/03/2008 21:16

DiscoDizzy - is she doing other reading with the teacher - ie guided reading?

edam · 05/03/2008 21:20

What is guided reading, exactly? (It states this has happened in ds's reading diary but I have no idea what it means.)

Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 21:22

Not sure cazzy, will have to ask her tomorrow. TBH he's very in and out of the class. He's there for a while and then a supply teacher comes, then he's there at the end of the day. This happens a few times per week. I worry the staff don't know who's teaching what and its just all falling at the wayside/disorganised. Probably totally overreacting here mind.

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mummyoffrankie · 05/03/2008 21:32

i am a parent helper in a reception class and we often have complaints that the children are not listened to on a one to one basis more often.

unfortunately in a class of 20 plus it is physically impossible for the teacher to hear reading more often.

the teacher is able to assess their reading level in class, especially during guided reading where 4 sit round a table with teacher and read together.

if you watched a guided reading session you would see how the teacher is able to assess their abilities.

great your dd is doing so well with her reading, perhaps the teacher feels she does not need the extra support.

cazzybabs · 05/03/2008 21:38

DiscoDizzy - I doubt that it really is that unorganised. And It hnk having 2 teachers can be real advantage.

Guided reading is a way of the teacher hearing lots of children read at the same time. How I do it (and I am willing to improve how I do it if any other teachers has a better way) is sometimes I have all the group reading the same page at once while I keep an ear on who is and isn't coping ot sometimes I get them to read a page, sentence etc each. For my better groups they may read a page in their heads and then we will take about plot, vocab etc depending on what the focus is for reading that week.

But hearing children read individually is a huge time commitment. God I only have 18 children and hearing them all once a week takes a huge amount of my time away from actually teaching them.

Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 21:39

Thanks mummyoffrankie. I'm going to ask DD about guided reading tomorrow before I make decision to speak to teacher.

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Original poster
DiscoDizzy · 05/03/2008 21:42

Oh I doubt it too cazzy. Me being silly of course. Its nice to hear about other reading methods in school. I knew nothing of guided reading. I suppose thats why I started this thread really, wanted to make sure I wasn't going to jump in with my big size 9's without knowing all possible methods of teaching reading

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PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 05/03/2008 21:44

my kids have PLOUGHED through ort levels up to about 7 as our school does not treat any child diferently

boring as hell but to be endured

some children soar at reading etc and then plateau

some children trudge through reading schemes and then burst into flower at 7 or later

as i said on another thread 'do not judge the child by the score at half time'

as mothers of older kids know - this all means very very little - very soon