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Why is DD having to go through each of the ORT picture books when she is reading chapter books at home?

70 replies

morningpaper · 13/11/2008 08:39

Why is DD having to go through each of the ORT picture books when she is reading chapter books at home?

Is there really a point to it?

She isn't on War and Peace or anything but it seems mad that she gets 10-sentence-books to read at home every night when she spends an hour every night working her way through The Famous Five collection.

I had hoped that year 1 would be a tad more challenging - or am I missing something?

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ChippyMinton · 13/11/2008 12:07

DS1 is in a similar position - he is on the final level before he becomes a 'free reader' at school. At home he reads factual books, Horrid Henry, Famous Five and so on. His teacher has started giving him challenges to do with whatever he's reading at home. This week, for example, he had to think about the characters and the story, and write a set of interview questions to ask the characters.

The point is, I think, that being able to read fluently is obviously desirable, but comprehension and understanding are as, if not more, important.

hippipotami · 13/11/2008 12:41

tortoise, that makes perfect sense, and fits in with dd's teacher's vague 'objectives'

When dd has ORT books she does indeed read them with great expression and animation, whereas Horrid Henry, Winnie the Witch etc she reads silently in her head, or in a more monotone voice if reading out loud.

I don't really mind tbh, as long as she enjoys reading and reads for pleasure then all is well

imaginaryfriend · 13/11/2008 21:39

It's always been a bit of a mystery to me. When dd started Y1 she was given reading scheme books (the school don't use ORT, hurray!) at a level she'd been receiving before Christmas in YR. So I had a quick work with the teacher who, that week, moved her up about 5 levels. But the books are way simpler than what dd can read at home. I made a note in dd's reading diary that she was finding the home readers quite tedious and the teacher wrote back 'why don't you start her on some first chapter books'?!? She's already been reading those but if the teacher thinks she's ready to read them then why is she still giving her the simpler reading books at school? I know some of it is to check comprehension / grammar / punctuation but the discrepancy seems too great.

seeker · 13/11/2008 21:44

I THINK there is a difference between reading for fun and reading to learn to read. I know that ds was reading quite difficult books at home and getting the meaning while he was still struggling with some of the reading scheme books - he could 'read for meaning" which meant he skipped the hard words and worked out the story from context. It was good for him to have a school book that he had to read "properly" as well as his home books.

imaginaryfriend · 13/11/2008 21:49

Hello seeker I agree with you about the 'reading properly' but there does seem quite a big difference between even simple chapter books and reading scheme books. Dd doesn't actually mind reading her school books but I honestly think she gets nothing out of them.

dinny · 13/11/2008 21:51

dd is on ORT 9 at school (y2) but reads Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Worst Witch etc to herself at home

they work on fluency, expression and understanding using ORT at school - it's more than just a reading LEVEL, I believe

corblimeymadam · 13/11/2008 21:54

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corblimeymadam · 13/11/2008 21:55

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imaginaryfriend · 13/11/2008 22:09

I think enjoyment is pretty key too. Dd brought a book home this week which was so utterly boring to her to read. It was way too simple and had a completely repetitive narrative. She seems to have gone onto purple reading band after just leaving turquoise and so far the purple band is much worse than turquoise.

Jux · 13/11/2008 22:13

This happened to dd in year 2. I went in three times at least with the books dd was reading at home, asking why is she reading these at home and these at school. Apparently she didn't 'get' some of the jokes (nor would you if you'd laughed at them lots 2 years ago). That teacher was a mean woman who actually looked me in the eye and lied to me twice. DD didn't stay in her class long. We sent her to a different school.

Hulababy · 13/11/2008 22:21

School readers are IME almpst always a lot simpler and less complex tha books a child will read at home.

TBH if your child is readng confidently at home then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Do the readers and use thm to aid comprehension, puncutation, different types of text, etc. And let her read her home books to her heart's content for enjoyment.

Hulababy · 13/11/2008 22:23

Agree with Dinny - when I hear Y2 readers I am always looking out for fluency and expression, amongst ther things, and checking on comprehnsion. I am rarely havigng to help children with decoding words, etc.

Buda · 14/11/2008 06:12

DS is 7 and in Year 3 and has just done onto Stage 9 of ORT. He actually enjoys them! He is not that into reading for pleasure just yet but am hoping to encourage that a bit more.

Oh - quick question for any teachers! When reading aloud DS seems to read the sentence and then 'translate' it into something else! Nothing way off but just a different way of phrasing that particular sentence. Is that common? Keep forgetting to ask teacher. Also often says 'and' for 'the' and vice versa. I think it is because he is trying to read it quickly.

LurkerOfTheUniverse · 14/11/2008 08:36

my dd is also on level 8/9, just started year 1 and we are FINALLY rid of bloody Chip & Pin & the magic sodding key

It is a rite of passage though

imaginaryfriend · 14/11/2008 10:52

Lurker - Chip and Pin???

Buda - dd does the mixing up of 'a' and 'the', the teacher said it's very normal and they don't correct it as it doesn't affect their understanding of the narrative etc. In fact it's a sign of confident reading. According to dd's teacher.

tigermeow · 14/11/2008 11:08

DD brings home level 5 from school even though she is reading chapter books at home. We use the ORT to work on expression and fluency. They are also good for looking at punctuation and spellings.
It does seem to be a rite of passage that every child should read every book...I guess the schemes are expensive and the schools want their moneys worth!

TinkerBellesMum · 14/11/2008 11:34

I was the same at school. I found the books at school really boring so would read the older books when the teacher wasn't looking and I loved Famous Five too. I held myself back because if I'd read the lower books as quickly as the books I could I would have been onto the right books in no time.

I read half The Complete Borrowers in one night once (before bed, I didn't stay up till dawn) wish I could read like that now!

Niecie · 14/11/2008 11:42

She shouldn't be plodding through them all, no. DS1 read 2 or 3 at each level when he suddenly got to grips with reading and caught us all out! 2 or 3 was just enough for the teacher to work out that he could cope with that level and then they moved him up.

Have a word and get them to assess her properly again. They don't do that every week but maybe they need to do it sooner rather than later.

hippipotami · 14/11/2008 11:50

IF - dd is on purple band too and has brought home some crackers - ORT level 9 'what was it like' where chip etc experience the Blitz was a particular favourite of dd's. (mind you we had been to the imperial war museum in half term for ds's Y5 project on WWII so that may have hightened dd's interest somewhat)
And a fab (yet another ORT) called The Green Island - where Chip etc go on a school trip and apprehend some illegal oil-dumpers, dd loved this one
Does your dd get to chose which purple books she brings home? Because at dd's school they are, and dd reads the first page of each book accordign to her teacher, to see which she would like

LurkerOfTheUniverse · 14/11/2008 13:25

yes imaginaryfriend, i can never remember t'other one's name

Buda · 14/11/2008 13:39

Thanks imaginary friend - I will let it go then! I nag him a bit about it.

hippipotami - we had the Green Island last week. Cue lots of talk about toxic waste and illegal dumping etc.

imaginaryfriend · 14/11/2008 15:46

She does get to choose which book she brings home but I don't think the school likes ORT as they rarely seem to have any in the box. She's read a few we've had at home and doesn't seem to mind them but they use different schemes at school. The last few she's chosen have been so dull and repetetive, I can't see why they're a stage up from the turquoise level.

Hulababy · 14/11/2008 16:53

IF - it will just be the introduction of a few new key words or sounds. Or maybe slightly more words to a page or writing smaller and closer together.

pointydog · 14/11/2008 17:06

I would have thought the real question is how much time is she spending on the ORT book at school.

If she is taking part in a reading and discussion group and maybe doing a piece of comprehension work, then she is improving her understanding. Does she also have time to read real books at school and are they suited to her ability?

It doesn't really matter that they are sent home. She can read what she likes at home.

imaginaryfriend · 14/11/2008 21:50

You're probably right hula. You usually are!

In actual fact dd usually doesn't mind reading them, she just seems a bit bored by them.