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Primary education

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

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Original poster

PFB-ish question about learning to read

16 replies

misshardbroom · 23/03/2009 14:42

DD is in reception and all seems to be going fine with learning to read - she's interested, she brings home a new book most nights, reads willingly & without any problems, we send it back to school.

In fact, I do think we could be doing a teensy bit more. I raised this with the teacher on parents' evening and within 24 hours DD was moved up a level (from yellow to blue on ORT).

So now she brings the blue book home every night, reads willingly & without any problems.... etc etc etc.

I don't want to cast myself as Pushiest Mum in Reception, so I'm not going to go back in and make a fuss about how these blue books are still too easy for my PFB. However, I do think she could be reading a bit more, and so I was wondering what 'real books' might be pitched at a similar level that we could just read at home to keep her ticking over.

We had a bit of a rattle through 'Green Eggs & Ham' at the weekend, but I do not like it, Sam-I-am, and would welcome some alternative ideas.

I shall put the kettle on and await my flaming

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cornsilk · 23/03/2009 14:44

Take her to the library and have a look through some books together, you'll find something.

madwomanintheattic · 23/03/2009 14:46

try the apple tree farm books with poppy and sam. (i think that's what they're called)
just cruise around the library. tons of books on the shelves for beginning readers.

saadia · 23/03/2009 14:49

If you think they are too easy then I would say something to the teacher. Ds2 was also getting very easy books so I suggested moving him up. Teacher said she didn't think so, then I said that he was probably shy about reading in class but was finding these books easy. Anyway, the teacher said she would test him and then she moved him up three levels in one day, and the books now are much more appropriate.

Hulababy · 23/03/2009 14:58

Do you have a reading record book for school?

If so then write lots of commenst such as "DD read this fluently", "DD was able to read everyw ork without help", "DD found this book very easy to read", "DD didn't now enjoy this book as it seemed rather too easy" etc.

Adnd then give the teacher a little time to read them, to check in guided reading at school - and if you don't hear anything then go and tell them.

What types of things are in blue level?

ICANDOTHAT · 23/03/2009 16:35

I don't think it's about rushing through reading schemes. Because your dd can 'read' the words, doesn't necessarily mean she has grasped comprehension etc. I used to think that my ds could read brilliantly, until I started asking him questions about the book at the end .... he was usually stuck and we had to read over the pages to get the answers. Reading is also about context and absorbing the information on the page.

She does sound very bright though

Original poster

misshardbroom · 23/03/2009 17:05

That's very nice of you to say so, but to be honest, it's not that I think she's a child prodigy. I just think that to keep her interest, it needs to present some sort of a challenge. I totally take on board what you say about reading being decoding meaning as well as decoding words, but I do think she's OK with that at this level.

Or maybe I'm just bored to tears with Biff, Chip & Kipper

OP posts:

madwomanintheattic · 23/03/2009 17:15

what is blue level then? biff, chip and kipper are numbered levels, normally, aren't they? (oh, and beware, you've a long way to go with them yet, ORT goes up to level 14 or something hideous...)

dd1 is on 8 i think. they started her on 10, but we asked to drop a few. no end in sight here lol.

madwomanintheattic · 23/03/2009 17:20

just had a look - blue looks like 3? i had no idea they were colour coded as well as numbered lol. you learn something every day!

christywhisty · 23/03/2009 17:43

When my dc's were at this stage the books they bought home were one stage behind what they were doing in the class room.
They were to build confidence in reading not stretch.

ICANDOTHAT · 23/03/2009 17:51

misshardbroom lol on the Biff, Chip and Kipper front - me too!! They recently got a real panning from an educationalist type bod for not repeating key words enough and using the 'picture/pattern' method of learning to read rather then purely phonetical, just like we would have done in our day.

juuule · 23/03/2009 17:59

Agree with the library suggestion.
Let her have a look round herself and see what she likes.

Marne · 23/03/2009 18:09

Dd1 is finding the books she gets a little bit too easy, we have parents evening on wed and i wasn't sure if i should say anything as i don't want to sound pushy .

Dd1 reads a lot at home, i managed to pick up some lady bird books at a car boot sale which she loves, she also has some of the Biff and Kipper home packs and reads level 6-7 (she's just finishing level 2 at school), i am getting a bit fed up with Biff and Kipper though .

gibba8 · 23/03/2009 19:53

My DD aged 4 loves Biff,Chip and Kipper and is on level 4. Her teacher has asked us to encourage her to read books at home such as 'you can swim Jim', 'going on a bearhunt', .The hungry catterpillar' so your DD may like these books also.

imaginaryfriend · 23/03/2009 21:09

It's so strange how often these threads come up. I've never yet read one where someone thinks their child is being given books that are too hard!

I think there's nothing wrong with taking your time to get through the books and there are so many other things to read. Fortunately my dd's school doesn't do too much ORT, in YR she had books from a wide range of different schemes and it's helped her no end. I remember when she was on those early first books I used to get her to read a bit of whatever picture book I was reading her, or to get other basic books from the library for her to try. Variety is very important I think.

cazzybabs · 23/03/2009 21:40

Check comprehension, check she can read with expression...she should be able to read about 98% fluently without word building...that is what I look for before I consider moving children up. I also look for things like how many books have they read of that stage because sometimes they build up vocab and you don't want to miss that out. Also they need to read books they find easy to gain enjoyment and experience (if they have books that are too hard they can easily be put off).

Reading is the one thing parents get caught up on and reading some easy books that are easy for them isn't going to put them off (but the opposite is true).

But having said all that I don't mind being challenged on where my children are and I am usually quite happy to move them up if they are ready.

piscesmoon · 23/03/2009 22:05

I should try your library, ours has a section for easy readers and they are graded into levels.

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