Slow reading pace for fast reader - advice please

[wildstrawberry]

DS1 is in P2 (Scotland) and more than capable of reading the ORT books he comes home with. Most of the time he only has to read half of the book. He is reading Roald Dahl etc. at home. What is the logic of restricting his pace at school?

The school is terrific in every other way, with so much going on to keep them all interested.

My DS1 is the same. His school books have always been at a much lower reading age than he is capable of reading. However, I think they try to maximise their comprehension and analytical skills by using less complicated texts - I guess its a way of slowing down and concentrating on their analytical reading. In my son's case I think he has improved his WILLINGNESS to answer their questions about the texts rather than his understanding as such (he has a tendency to be shy but has an amazing level of understanding) - but I think it is important for him to have this confidence. I would say keep on reading the more detailed text you read with him at home. I have found that my son has benefitted from their approach - but has also benefitted from my providing him with more fun stories and detailed plots and characters than the ORT books offer. My son loves information books, so I have made sure that he has got lots of these from the library. It has driven me mad over the last year that they have not kept up with his reading level but I have to admit that he has benefitted in some way with their approach - but I am glad I have not relied totally on the school books because they are often very dull (especially the early ones). Left with just these I'm not sure his love of reading would have blossomed.

Thanks TeeBee for a valuable response. That would probably explain it. DS1 loves science books and always amazes me in his choices from the library! I think I will follow your lead and bite my tongue, but keep stimulating him at home.

Many thanks.

Same here on the science thing! At the age of 4 he favourite bedtime story was '4000 facts'! Jeeez - what's wrong with Enid Blyton? He has marvelled at the science sets in the Bright Mind catelogue this morning. Unfortunately, although he is 5 with a reading age of about 8/9, he still can't tidy up very well (dad's genes), so he probably won't get the chemistry set he really wants this year, otherwise DS2 will be eating copper II sulphate for breakfast no doubt.

What are you getting you DS for Christmas then?

LOL at CuSo4! So far I plan to give him the Narnia books (he's been asking all year), a globe and a chess set. He's asking for an x box or wii, but I am trying to resist all that type of stuff for as long as I can -there are so many other things.

I must look at the Bright Mind catalogue, as he's really enjoyed the Horrible Science Blood, brains and bones. DH did it with him and enjoyed it too. I cleared up!

Last year we found the magnetic boys words, which have been great fun on the fridge (spider, conker, helicopter etc.)and Junior Monopoly, based on a fairground, that our DS2 can join in too. He's 3. I find most board games to be good fun for them and also makes us all join in.

DS1 loves lego, and only follows the instructions once, then starts creating spaceships and the like.

Oooh, yes a globe a good idea. He gasped when he saw that jigsaw one on TV the other day.

Have you seen those lego books which show them how to make complicated models and things - thinking of one of those for the stocking (or maybe DH).

I've been looking for the lego books - where have you found them? We had them as children they were great.

Amazon [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/203-0108082-2167904?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords =lego+books here]

Sorry, crap link, was supposed to say here

Out of curiosity what level of school reading books is your ds given? Is P2 the same as Y2 in England? How old is he?

I'm curious as dd's in Y1, just turned 6, and is also capable of reading more complex texts than she gets at school. I have noticed though that she reads the simpler school ones with such flair I'm sure it's good for her to read at that level now and again as she doesn't sail through the things she likes to read at home.

She's not reading Roald Dahl yet though!

Oh God, I am suffering this too. My son is 5 1/2 reads ORT 6 and 7 at home, gets given ORT 4 from school.

Was told on his report last year from his amazing reception teacher that he had a reading age 1 year ahead.

Now have newly qualified teacher who thinks that my son doesn't "comprehend" the books he reads merely because when they do group reading he is shy and so doesn't answer her questions.

It drives me insane. We have totally useless library so have asked for some books for Christmas.

My son is also fascinated with factual books on planets, space and dinosaurs.

Fizzylemonade have you tried requesting books from the library? We have a tiny library (with fewer childrens books than we have at home) but you can order childrens books for free.
(You can also search our county catalogue online and find out what books they have within the county and whether they are out on loan or not, so that you can order things that will come quickly - don't know how common this is or if it is only because we are a very rural area.)

I record all DS2's reading in the school reading contact book. He is in yr2 So he may have to read an ORT book for school and I record it in the book, but if he reads something else I often make a note of that too eg DS2 read 5 pages of Michael Morpergo's Cool this evening or DS2 has finished reading James and the Giant Peach - he enjoyed it very much. I started this with DS1 who is now 11, when he was in yr 3 he just wasn't getting on with the reading system in school, his teacher said "well he is a free reader now he can choose what he wants to read" so I got into the habit of just recording everything as he couldn't stick to one book at a time - even the Guardian Football Pages on a saturday!

Thanks everyone for your responses and ideas. DS1 is 6.5 and on stage 6 of ORT. We've had a parent evening this week where we were told that the children have to read the same ORT book at the same time to aid comprehension .

I really like your idea uptomyeyes of keeping the school up to date with what he is reading at home. I think he is amazed by the amount of books there are as he is constantly picking up a new book and reading a bit of it. I do try to get him to focus on one at a time. I love seeing him get such excitement and awe from the experience.

Teebee many thanks for the link - great!!