Reading Tutor for 6 year old?

[Joanie17]

I was wondering if some of you might be able to advise me on my DD’s reading. She has just started Y2, and she is a late summer born so only turned 6 recently.

She was at Reception at a different school to the one she is at now. In Reception she was in a very small class, and got on quite well with phonics. I thought she had picked it up more easily than my older DD. However, we moved and so she has been at a different school since the beginning of Y1.

The new school is much bigger and they use a different phonics program to the one she learned in Reception. Her progress was slow but I put this down to the change in school and phonics system.

Towards the end of Y1 I started to get a bit more concerned as I realised that she was still reading the same type of books she was reading reception (red band). She also failed the phonics screening by a couple of points.

Now that she’s in Y2 I’m panicking slightly as I know my older DD was expected to read chapter books by the end of Y2. DD2 is nowhere near this and they are still sending her home with the red band books.

I do read with her at home but most of the time she is extremely resistant to this so it is a battle. I have noticed that she often guesses at words rather than reading them, and she quickly recognises a lot of words without sounding them out - but she hates sounding out (although I also think she can mostly do this quite well too when she can be bothered). It doesn’t help that the books are interminably boring, and often don’t have a proper story so I’ve started to get some other early reading books from the library for her.

I am really worried about her falling further and further behind, and feeling extremely guilt that I didn’t defer her a year.

So I am wondering if it might be good to get her a reading tutor for some extra help. Has anyone else done this? Advice very welcome!

Hi @Joanie17 a couple of points below the passmark in the phonics screening test isn't too bad. Because she didn't pass (32 is the passmark) the school are supposed to put things in place during year 2 (such as interventions) and then reassess anyone that didn't pass at the end of Y2.

Check with the school that they are doing this.

Also, try to find out what sounds/digraphs she needs to practise as you can consolidate these at home. Little and often is the key. With my son, we just read half the book (when we reach the staples - he has his eye out for them! lol) then, the next night we finish the book. Then repeat! It has been a battle sometimes with him too. It's not uncommon believe me!

I can give you some other activities to try at home if you like (I'm a teacher and phonics specialist). I use them with my son, and he's just started in Year 1.

Message if you want some more ideas.

@MyTwoDads thanks so much! She got 29 in the phonics screening so not far off. The teacher did mention that they would take her into a separate reading group for those who hadn’t passed the screening, but this doesn’t seem to have happened yet.

I will ask about which sounds etc to work on, thank you.

DD also just told me that she doesn’t like maths and often copies other kids’ answers because she doesn’t know. She got ‘below expected’ for reading, writing and maths at the end of Y1.

I’m feeling really crap that maybe I haven’t supported her enough at home. Her behaviour can be quite extreme and it is difficult to get her to sit and do things that I want her to do if you know what I mean? She LOVES playing teacher though, I think she’s desperate for a bit of authority 😂.

tbh at this age you can be her reading tutor. Sign up to reading chest, get some phonics flashcards and do something like reading eggs or teach your monster to read. You need to get the literacy sorted while she is in KS1 as it’s so important for KS2. It is totally possible to do, but you really do need to take charge of your child’s education as it matters to you a lot more than it will matter to the school.

Playing teacher is good. Anything that can practise on you helps consolidate the learning.

Books from the library are a good idea - I bought a whole batch of the Songbirds books on Vinted for £16 (bargain!) there are 30 books I think (going through all the book bands) but I use them for tutoring too. They are matched to the colour bands and are decodeable, so she should be able to start on the level she is at the moment - they have a proper story too them too!

It sounds like she might need a bit extra support from school or you at home. You can find out what they are learning weekly and then do a bit at home. It's common that they are resistant, so you might have to think outside the box and make it more practical.

Thank you. I was thinking about a tutor because she is so resistant to letting me teach her, but then I also get that little and often is better and that a tutor is realistically only going to be a once a week thing. I will have a look at the apps because I think she’d be more willing to do something on her own.

And yes I am really keen to get on top of it before KS2, I am really quite worried at this stage. I think she is bright but maybe a bit immature for the age in some ways, and I think it might take longer to click for her. I really do wish I had deferred her but too late now!

Thank you. I remember those Songbird books as my older DD read some. I will try to get my hands on some are you’re right they are much better.

I disagree. She would definitely benefit from specialist help. Phonics isn’t just about learning sounds. It’s also about blending and in my experience, what used to be called phase 4 is often what trips children up. It’s barely taught these days but is actually a very important stage. A tutor would also know how to consolidate and reinforce the sounds as well as teaching them alternative ways to access reading.
(I am a primary tutor so slightly biased and was a primary teacher for 30 years).

In my experience forcing a hesitant reader can do more harm than good. Maybe try an app like teach your monster to read or some phonics games. I mentioned this on another thread recently but we used to put sounds and/or words on the back of a door id shout one and my boys would have to shoot the right one with a nerf gun. Or put them on paper i the garden and she has to run to the right one. If youre not excited by reading it can be quite tedious til you get the hang of it.

Id try to be different to what is done at school and see if you can find some fun in it.

I’m very surprised she is on the lower band colours considering she scored 29 on the screening check. Whilst she didn’t pass she really wasn’t far off and the words they’re tested on cover a lot more sounds than the lower books would cover.
Also if she has been stuck on the same level for more than a term she should be having daily interventions to boost her progress.
If you’re looking for something at home ditch the phonics books - they’re dry and really take the joy out of reading. Go to the library and read together around her interests. If you want something more prescriptive kids I’ve taught in the past have really enjoyed ‘teach my monster to read’ as suggested before.

Take her to the library and show her books that are more interesting and read them with her. If she associates books with being bored and struggling, she’ll continue to resist.
Do you read to her? Find an exciting chapter book and read it to her. Let her know that the world of books is exciting and wonderful.

I have a babysitter come every week and sits with my DS to read. Look for a babysitter not a tutor if it's just reading! Once you add the word tutor you'll start getting people quoting 2 or 3x the cost of a babysitter which isn't necessary for a 6 year old.

Just be clear about your expectations with them ie that you are looking for some homework help for 1-2 hours per week.

I would be a bit concerned that she seems to be struggling a bit with other areas of the curriculum. I am sure you have already done so but I would double check that her sight and hearing are not slowing her development. It’s easy to check but sadly can often be the reason why children find it hard to engage with learning.

Thanks all. I do read to her a lot and always have done. She also loves audiobooks and has very good comprehension of these. We go to the library most weeks.

@mammabing I am also surprised that she is still on Red Band books despite only just missing the phonics screening. I actually think she was doing higher level books when she was in Reception at the small school.

I do get her to read non- phonics books. We have some of those Daisy Meadow fairy books (they are short chapter books) and out of curiosity I got her to try to read those. She certainly can’t read every word but she is able to sound out quite long/ more complicated words than the very basic words in the books she’s bringing home from school.

I did ask her teacher if she was really on the correct band, and she told me she would read with her to check. I don’t know whether she has or not, but my daughter says not and she has continued to come home with the red band books.

I think I will have to email the school again about all this - I hate being that parent because I’ve already asked for a meeting about it but nothing seems to have happened since then.

Thanks for all the advice!

Often some focused individual support from a tutor can make a real difference at this age. Perhaps look on your local Facebook groups - you want someone who is experienced with key stage one, face to face, emphasising boosting confidence and making learning fun, with lots of different hands on activities.

I tutor this age group, after 25 years teaching in schools, and the children who come to me really enjoy their sessions and see them as another after school club. I have puppets, stickers, certificates and lots of colourful resources and try to keep it fun and active and a bit different to school. It's so rewarding seeing the progress they make. Your daughter sounds as though she's well on her way with reading and a term of weekly support might well make all the difference and help her feel much happier at school.

We like the Songbirds books (although oddly enough, the last couple levels didn't appeal quite as much as the earlier ones) and the Usborne sets. The very early Usborne ones are a mix of text for the parent to read and for the child, which means you can have a bit more of a story early on. Teach Your Monster to Read and the maths version of it are both popular here as well.