Reading - honest answers please!

[stroppyknickers]

DS is 5, nearly 6 and started year 1 this term. He can't read more than 8 words (after a burst of teaching by granny)but does know all his letters and numbers. He can just about write his name. He doesn't seem to be alone in this, in terms of last year's reception class. I think only one could read (taught at home before school). The school used to send words home for him to learn, which we hardly ever did. Time/ babies/ knackered after school etc. This is my question. Can your year 1 child read and is that down to the school or did you teach them at all? I'd quite like to avoid any g and t types (unless with ice and a slice ) as I already feel like he's going to be one of those biys who can't read/ join a gang/ drop out at ten/ horrible scenario/ late night stressing...

My DS1 finished Yr R with 23 words and pretty much bottom of the class. Plenty of the others could read so only one being able to do so is a worry, I would agreeo. In a way your DS being the able to read 8 words is less of a problem if the school in general is able to encourage reading in other children because you know the structure is in place to support your son when he is ready - if nobody else is reading properly you have to wonder at the school, especially as the words your son does know have been taught by his gran!

I didn't realise the importance of the key words they send home but once I twigged that you need to learn those as well as read the books they send home(in the first term of Yr 1) we concentrated on the key words and he leapt ahead becoming one of the best readers in the class.

It has to click though.

However, it did take a bit of work. The school introduced a policy of asking the parents to listen to the children read 5 times a week so we did that. I know it is a pain to have to do it when everybody is tired but it really does only take 5 minutes a day. Mind you I wouldn't have done it in Yr R anyway, particularly as DS1 is a summer born baby but in Yr 1 when the school get more serious about the academic stuff then I did too.

I wouldn't bother buying the ORT books. Once he gets going he could well move through the levels at a rate of knots (2 or 3 levels in a half term). Practice the key words, read stuff from the library and what he gets home from school and it will all come good in the end.

He'll be fine.

I started my ds on the Ladybird 'Read With Me' reading scheme books 1-16, when he started yr1. He is now on book 12. He is a reluctant reader, so with your ds being keen maybe you could start him on a reading scheme at home. I bought the books of ebay.

neicie, buda - helpful hints, thank you.
Tsar, cat etc, thank you for your advice/ experiences. It does seem like maybe a combination of me expecting too much, and the teacher being a bit rubbish (she has left now). Bit concerned George at the advice re ORT - they are based on a xter called Kipper? Am I just wasting my/ dh's money/credit? I know a couple of other parents definitely were not impressed with any of the teaching last year (and, no, I don't mean anything spectacular) and from other conversations with mums I don't know as well, hardly any of them can read except the home taught child. I am just so surprised and annoyed! that ds has hardly learnt any basic skills beyond his letters. I don't think he is particularly sn, apart from being a bit deaf. He is v good at numbers?

Have to go and get ds2 now - am thinking of teaching him to read as he has picked up some words via granny, and points them out to me. He starts school next year, (omg am starting to sound like hideous hothouse typre person. Will be putting ds3 in for baby Einstein type coaching soon, must see if it exists for under ones )...

I agree with everyone who suggests you find books about subjects he likes.

DS2 has been reading his dinosaur books all summer and has developed an addiction to Asterix comic books. Lots of pictures, but lots of words to puzzle through as well. Plus an absolute refusal by anyone else in the house to read cartoons to him- so he has had to work his way through them alone.

Was this a very young class ie a class with lots of the younger ones in? I'd agree with some of the other posters that it sounds like the school wasn't placing sufficient emphasis on reading in this class.

The fact that your DS has managed to pick up some words in a short space of time when taught by his granny, probably means that he is quite capable of grasping reading, but hasn't been getting sufficient practice at school!

My DD (also now Y1) is reading ORT stage 9, however I taught her to read at home, not her previous school (who seemed to do anything but!).

If you are concerned, could you get his reading assessed independently? They might also be able to give you some advice on whether or not this is an issue at this stage.

Hope all goes well for you!

Crikey, I so agree with Zazette.

Remember MN children are not representative of rest of population, they are over/high achievers by and large!
Plus Not many people are going to post on here that their child was one of the lowest achievers, either, so that further biases this attempt at an objective survey.

I did not attempt to teach DS (also an autumn birhtday) to read, he wasn't interested in letters before school, and if we had flashcards, I'm sure we didn't use them.
He started out with those little picture-only books (no words, just story telling). Took a few weeks to get books with words in them.

All we did for a very long time (until half-way thru Y2, really -- and all we did in Y2 was start getting books from the library for him) was go thru his reading book most nights, and still read him stories too at most bedtimes.
By end of reception he could read about as well as OP's child (and I would say that was about average for the class, although many could read lots more or less). Very average school.

Reading started to click in Yr1, and by end of Yr2 DS had taken off with reading -- his writing was particularly good in Y3, top sets for all subjects.

So a slow start was fine for DS, and I'm sure it is for many children.

thanks flack and critter. yes, it was a young class - not ds though. I did have a few ishoos with the school in general (not that they knew, just quiet muttering under breath!) i think you are right about not worrying - no point in assessment as he can't read more than the words taught by granny!

thanks flack and critter. yes, it was a young class - not ds though. I did have a few ishoos with the school in general (not that they knew, just quiet muttering under breath!) i think you are right about not worrying - no point in assessment as he can't read more than the words taught by granny!

thanks flack and critter. yes, it was a young class - not ds though. I did have a few ishoos with the school in general (not that they knew, just quiet muttering under breath!) i think you are right about not worrying - no point in assessment as he can't read more than the words taught by granny!

oops.ds3 bfing and kept kicking the keyboard!

DD is one of the youngest in the year.
Started reception in January knowing letterland letter sounds but not reading, and then picked up the jolly phonics system.

She can now read fairly fluently. Has a bit of an aversion to small print (so can pick out a fair amount of naughty little sister, but wouldn't choose to do so). She is still in the mindset that school books, she reads, all others, we do.

We did do the word box and sounds book homeworky stuff at home. Maybe once or twice a week.

And read every night the book in her bookbag.

So in the most part, I would say that she has been taught to read by the school rather than us, but we've been trying to capitalise on what the school has done.

She is not G&T. Average or slightly above within her class I would say (but is hard to tell because we rightly don't really swap notes at the playground and for reception have to take into account the sept vs jan starters and huge age disparities). Her teacher said in her reception report that they'd expect her to be working with the september starters, so would put her in the "top" 30 out of 60 pupils I suppose.

I would say though that once she got the hang of the sounding out, progression to sight reading of the common words was pretty swift, like a gear clicking into place. And we've done bog all over the summer hols, so need to knuckle under again.

I felt that school had failed DS at end of reception. I wasn't alone in that opinion - other parents felt the same - teacher was retiring as was TA and TA was very opinionated and forceful and believing that they were too young to be at school. It seemed that the more able were taught and the less able (in many cases younger ones) were left to play.

As a result i did intensive "teach your child to read" over the summer and DS went into Y1 being able to read - not entirely fluently but he had a good go. He then went on from strength to strength but still now (Y4) reads mainly non-fiction. Very few fiction books have captured his attention enough to make him read through chapters.

DD had a fantastic rececption year, and thanks to her wonderful teacher and TA, learnt her letter sounds and combinations. Near the end of the year she seemed to get an enthusiasm for reading, and was so proud to get through "Cat in the Hat" (which is our "i can read!" book). Going into Y1 i would say she is a confident reader who occasionally has to sound out a word.

Both DS and DD are end of July bdays, so one of the youngest in their years. I feel for DS this is unfortunate, for DD it is no issue at all.

Hope your DS gets enjoyment out of reading soon, and when he does he'll fly through the books!

DD is an August Baby. I always remembered a conversation with her reception class teacher which went along the lines of DD shows no inclination to WANT to learn to read! I so wanted to point out that if DD was a fortnight younger ie born in September we'd not be having this conversation. DD couldn't read but what she loved to do was to hold court with a book and tell you wonderful stories plus I always thought she was bored with the books she had to read. Why read boring stories when Mum will read you exciting ones? Also DD and Rec teacher didn't get on. By the Easter of year one DD had cracked this reading m'larky - she also adored her yr1 teacher. I remember the day when her Gran sent her a letter and DD opened it and read it from start to finish without stumbling. she's now 11 and her nose is permanetly in a book. I really wouldn't worry about your DS - he'll get there in his own time I'm sure.

I'd see how he gets on in the first few weeks of Year One.

Maybe your school is very relaxed like ours and gets going slowly. Our reception class had a wide range of reading abilities by the end of the year, but very few 'fluent' readers. However, by Year 2 SATs, they perform well well above average in Reading(and other areas, but most pronounced in reading) so I am not at all worried. Dd adores school and has sailed into Year One happily today ready to 'work really hard Mummy'. Almost like Year R is for playing, but now she's ready to get cracking.

I'd probably just keep on with reading as much as poss at home, but wouldn't really focus on a scheme. Also your child may be one of the ones who is not a 'phonic' learner.

My dd2 learnt to read in the November of yr1 and then flew though about 10, possibly more levels by the summer holidays. We did the minimum at home helped her read through her school books nothing more I left it up to the school to teach her.

Please don't compare to other children - you will only succeed in tying yourself in knots.

My dd did not grasp reading at all throughout reception, year 1 or even the first half of year 2 (she could recognise the key words, but couldn't decode new words).
She was behind, and she knew it
She worried about it - we worried about it.
We placed so much emphasis on reading (to try and help her, or so we thought) that she now hates reading

She is going into year 4 now and is meeting and surpassing all targets set for her age group. But she still hates reading and getting her to read her weekly reading books is like pulling teeth!

My advice to you would be, step back. Help, but put no pressure on him. He will get there, and is so much more important (IMO) to foster a love of books rather than just getting him to read. Read to him rather than get him to read to you. He will be fine, year 1 is still very very little.

Dd2 on the other hand, is polar opposite to her sister. She is going into Y1 this year and can read and decode most words. More importantly by far - she loves reading

yes I agree stop fretting, what I was trying to say but failed is that it suddenly just clicks and when it does they seem to catch up it doesn't really matter when that happens. Isn't it around the age of 7 that boys brains are wired to start learning that kind of stuff rather than 5 anyway?

I despaired with my DS, I did really and still do. I think many boys do not take to reading easily. I think that many books are not particularly interesting for boys. U was just as worried as you now are, because educational attainment is clearly linked to reading, and my DS would rather clean the cat litter tray than settle down with a book.

Constructive suggestions - find him things that he really wants to read and read them with him every single night. It's a must. I know all about being tired after work/school etc, but you just have to do it.

The things he might like to read need not necessarily be books - try a boys football magazine - that was suggested to me when I started a thread similar to yours.

When DS was tested at 7, his reading age ended up being nearly 3 years ahead of his chronological age. It pays off, honestly.

yes, my newly year one child can read, I taught him quite a lot, always did his homework and the school have helped by telling me what I needed to be doing with him. He's not G & T. He will be 6 in April.

Don't panic, just honestly start learning his words with him. My bro didn't read until he was 8. He's fine.

get Dr Seuss books. Hop on Pop.

Teach him Jolly Phonics. Boys love them.

Don't panic cos it doesn't matter. I was reading Enid Blyton at 5. I've just been rejected for a care assistant's job

Thank you for encouragement flatmouse, magenta, quattro, car, regina and hot cross - I agree, I don't think that he is good with phonics. I have agrred with dh that I will teach ds2 after school and will try with ds3 (not as much pressure as is 3) after nursery. Now awaiting huge parcel fromAmazon - ORT, 11 plus stuff etc. What joy!.

I have found this thread really interesting to read as I am a teacher about to get my new class in Year 1 from Tuesday! I do not know my new class very well but have a basic overview of the genreal ability. I would agree with others who expressed concern about the Reception teacher tbh, although I don't like to knock fellow-teachers!
1 child reading after a year is a pretty poor statistic. I know I'm getting 30 children and there are about 6 in my new class who can't read at all or only a few words. However, this is not the be all and end all so please don't worry. Year 1 is always known as the year when children really blossom. Generally, by Christmas in Year 1 there is a much better indication of how a child is doing. Often children do better when taught under a more formal curriculum. With the way the new Letters and OSunds programme is taught now far more children leanr to read more quickly. The class that left me in July were quite poor when I got them, a lot of boys who weren't really interested. However by the end of Year 1 they were a lovely, engaging group of children who were achieving above where they were expected. This is not because I am some kind of super teacher but more because for most of them things just 'cliked' during Year 1.
I would say give your ds a few weeks to settle, give him as much support as you can at home and see what happens. If he is interested in books then you have already won the first battle.
Good luck!

What a great post AbbyLou.

I really wish there was more flexibility about starting ages in UK system. My DS is an August boy - if I had known then what I know now I might not have started him in Reception at 4. Am lucky that we will always be in independent sector where there is more flexibility so we are planning on holding him back a year as we move from here back to UK.

I've been going in to dd's school for years now, to hear the kids read. Your son is not exceptional. You don't have to teach him yourself, it's more common to find parents don't (and some schools don't want you to anyway). Calm down and don't worry. He'll improve and consolidate his reading skills as time goes by. When I started going into the school, I read with the year 2s. Some were at your son's level, and he's in year 1!