Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

had parents evening and teacher wasn't aware DD could read and have now heard reading is not on the curriculum!

22 replies

mummyinred · 07/03/2008 11:45

We had parents evening this week and although we received lots of positive comments when her teacher got on to things that we need to work on with our DD (4.10) DD can already do, she also said that although DD can spell she's not yet reading and needs help with that. We said that she's reading a book a day at home, teacher said that when she asks her to read a word she looks at the first letter and guesses. We said that's because although she has the ability she'd much rather make a story up or read from the pictures and she needs to be pushed to read, she said that she'd make a note of that and ask her to look at the word next time, but said that obviously she doesn't have time in class to read with the children, she just asks them to read a word each! Today someone told me that they raised the issue of reading in class and were told that reading with the children in school is not on the national curriculum! I have also volunteered to be a parent helper which i would imagine would free up some of the teachers time, the school has paid for me to be CRB checked and I have a 1st class stats degree (so not an uneducated mum with an ASBO!) and they for some reason don't want me helping out despite me asking several times. I'm wondering is it correct that teachers in state schools are not supposed to read with the children, is it acceptable 6 months into the school year for a teacher to be unaware that a child in her class can read. Why are teachers not keen on parent helpers and would the independent sector be any better? Sorry so long winded - rather wound up by it all!

OP posts:

QueenMeabhOfConnaught · 07/03/2008 11:49

In my children's school they love having parents in to listen to the children read. The teacher only listened to them once a week in Reception and the TA or a parent picked up the rest of the week.

I do think it unacceptable for the teacher not to know that your dd can read, if she is fluent.

Some independent schools do listen to the children read each day but that is not guaranteed.

Iota · 07/03/2008 11:50

I am very surprised at your experience.
Our state primary is very different. The staff hear the children read regularly about twice a week and parent helpers are positively encouraged.

Wisteria · 07/03/2008 11:52

Am absolutely amazed that they don't want your help! Where is this school as it's clearly overfunded

edam · 07/03/2008 11:54

Sounds very odd. I'd ask to go in and see the teacher and try to explore this in a bit more detail. What on earth does she mean, reading isn't on the national curriculum? Barking.

Btw, guessing at the word is part of learning to read, so don't worry about that. Adults do it too - we look at the shape of a word, we don't work it out letter by letter (that's why IT'S HARDER TO READ LOTS OF TEXT IN BLOCK CAPITALS LIKE THIS). When you are learning, obviously it is important to be able to decode the letters but guessing is all part of that.

Original poster

mummyinred · 07/03/2008 12:02

DD's not a fluent reader as in she needs to sound out words but she can read the majority of phonic words by sounding out the letters and blending and the teacher hadn't recognised tha she can blend. I feel like on the one hand they're saying they don't have the time but on the other hand they don't want to free up time by having me to help (I've also offered to help out in other classes and have had no response.) My DD is very creative and would much rather sing, dance, draw or paint if given the choice and I'm worried that the state system might not suit her as rather than pushing her they'll just say she can't do thinks when she can. Should I speak to the headteacher (who's not great either)?

OP posts:

Wisteria · 07/03/2008 12:05

mummyinred - I think you need to chill a bit to be honest - She's 4, there's plenty of time for her to buckle down. I think 4 is too young for some children to be at school, of course she still wants to play - she's a baby!

TrinityRhino · 07/03/2008 12:07

is reading really not on the national curriculum??

holy shit thats scary

tiredAli · 07/03/2008 12:07

I hope that the info you've been given about reading is just badly phrased! Teaching reading is a key part of every teacher's job. The expectations in terms of hearing readers is different to how it was a few years ago. A teacher should work with a group of children on reading once a week. This is a mix of hearing them read, discussing what has been read and asking questions about the book/characters/description etc. In most schools a TA will also hear children read once a week - although this depends on how well resourced the school is for staff.

It is worrying that the teacher doesn't seem to know if your DD can read, although I suppose if she doesn't read books at school in the same way as she does at home, the teacher can only go what she sees or hears!

As for refusing help from parents, well it could be lots of reasons - perhaps the teacher feels uncomfortable with parents in her classroom, perhaps there are already a number of helpers in the class and it can be overwhelming for the children (and the teacher) to have lots of adults around. It could also be that there are lots of other parents who have asked to help out and you're on some sort of waiting list!

tiredAli · 07/03/2008 12:10

Sorry, should have added that reading skills and hearing children read aloud happens throughout the day in lots of other activities too! Reading isn't just confined to 1 session a week!

Original poster

mummyinred · 07/03/2008 12:12

Wisteria I'm perfectly happy for her to play and don't have any issues with the rate that she's learning at I'm just pleased that she's happy and enjoys going to school but the fact is that we do send her to school and from next year the main objective is for her to be educated and I think reading is a high priority how can a school teach her to read if they're unable to even identify that she's started to read? My issue isn't just with reading I'm concerned about what else the teacher is missin.g and am thinking that the large class size may be the problem. My concerns are for her future at the school rather than now

OP posts:

Wisteria · 07/03/2008 12:15

Yes, ok - understood - sorry, it sounds as though the teacher is lacking in something, whether that be large numbers in class or incompetence.

I would talk to the head about your concerns and ask why your help is not being taken advantage of - IME schools generally bite your hand off if you offer to help.

VanillaPumpkin · 07/03/2008 12:16

I agree with Wisteria tbh. If you are doing so well at home I wouldn't worry about her reading in school at the moment. She is so young. Reception is all about getting used to school imo and the learning of academic stuff is a bonus imo. I appreciate I can be like this as my dd is enjoying the more academic bits and so I have no worries, but actually based on what you have said I don't think you have any either at the moment...
It does seem off that they don't want your help though after getting you CRB checked .

Wisteria · 07/03/2008 12:16

should have read because of large numbers etc....

VanillaPumpkin · 07/03/2008 12:20

X-posted. Hmm, I see your point. What are the other teachers like? It might be worth raising with the head based on your more recent post....

hippipotami · 07/03/2008 12:20

What a strange set-up your school have. Dd
is in reception in a large state school. The teacher does guided reading (in groups of 4) once a week. Either the teacher of the TA also read with each individual child once a week.
Every day the class learns a new phonic letter sound. And every day they learn a few new words.
In fact since Christmas each child gets a list of 10 words home to learn to read, and the teacher will then check they can read all these words before issuing the child with a new list. Surely this is 'reading' and it is on the curriculum?

Our school love parent helpers and actively encourages parents to help.

Does your dd not get reading books sent home, along with a reading record to fill in?

And your dd is in reception? Where is this school?

Sorry to sound so , am just amazed that the teacher feels that looking at 1 word per child constitutes reading?

Wisteria is right, there is no need to rush and your dd will read when she is good and ready. But I feel that this is not your worry, your worry is whether the school is doing a good job.

Obviously I can only compare it to my dd's school, and I have to say the difference seems huge...

Zazette · 07/03/2008 12:25

'reading with the children in school is not on the national curriculum' - someone told you the teacher said this - Chinese whispers, no? Best to be clear about what was actually said. Why not talk directly to the teacher about school policy on reading in and out of the classroom?

The statement is actually true, in that the NC lays down what children should achieve and programmes of study that should be covered, but doesn't specify precisely how they should do this. So OF COURSE reading is on the NC - but how that translates into classroom practice is something for a school to decide.

cat64 · 07/03/2008 12:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TheHonEnid · 07/03/2008 12:32

it all soudns a bit crap

I would monitor and see if things improve - the teacher doesnt always listen to dd2 read (reception) but the TA does every single day

but we have smallish classes (16 in recep, 7 in year one in Class One)

TheFallenMadonna · 07/03/2008 12:32

My ds wasn't heard individually in reception. He wasn't even heard by the teacher in group reading every week, although always by either the teacher, TA or a parent helper.

BUT - I never had the concerns that you have. Talking to the teacher I was always confident that she knew where he was at. She said that everything was to do with reading, across the curriculum. She might not hear them read a book, but they might read her a recipe, or some instructions, or something, frequently, so she could monitor their progress.

And it seems like an effective approach.

Now it might be that your dd's teacher has a similar approach, and is just not as good as communicating it. Or it might be that her system isn't all it should be.

I would ask some more questions.

Original poster

mummyinred · 07/03/2008 12:32

I think from what you've all said that I need to clarify with the headteacher. Zazzette you have a good point re: chinese whispers but trust the mum so I'm sure that was what was said. Hippipotami - yes she's in reception, I think the teacher does group guided reading and each child takes it in turn to rad a word but she certainly does no 1-2-1 reading. My concern is not for her reasing ability I think she's actually doing really well but at this stage doesn't bother me if she couldn't read anything. My concern is for her future education if left in her current school which is in cambs.

OP posts:

imaginaryfriend · 07/03/2008 13:19

I wonder if you've possibly misinterpreted some of what the teacher's said? From what I can gather (dd also in Reception) the teacher doesn't always read 1-on-1 with each child. Sometimes it's the TA and sometimes a parent helper. I've never heard of a teacher not hearing a child read at all though as they all seem to do 'guided reading' in which every child has a turn at reading. I'd imagine that's what your teacher means when she gets them to read a word each? it will be in small groups of 5 or 6 children. If your dd doesn't read when she's with the teacher she can't reasonably be expected to know that she can read at home. And she's now said she'll take on board what you've said.

As for parent helping, I do it once a week at dd's school, listening to the children read their home readers (does your dd bring a reading book home by the way? What level is it? that would indicate where your teacher thinks she's at with her reading). That's all I do though and she doesn't want or need me for anything else. It might be that they aren't under-resourced or don't like using parent helpers. There can be problems sometimes like one of the parent helper readers at dd's school told someone their child was a 'rubbish' reader. Well, supposedly they did. That's another story!

cory · 07/03/2008 18:33

From my experience, once your child gets into Yr 1 and 2, her teacher won't have a choice about testing her reading, as they have to fill in MASSIVE amounts of paperwork, detailing exactly what each child can do. So even if teacher seems a bit vague atm, she won't be able to stay vague (will it be the same teacher anyway, next year?).

Flip