Son's reading abilities being neglected.How do I broach the subject with his teacher without seeming pushy?

[frazzledazzle]

My DS1 is currently being assessed for aspergers.Sometimes the teachers struggle to get him to focus on anything he's not interested in but he's always loved reading and has a real talent for it.

His teacher in reception was really keen to encourage him as much as poss with reading by sending him home with lots of books and getting him to read to the class and he enjoyed this and it really built his confidence.

Fast forward to y1 and he's had the same reading book for 2 weeks,it's one he's already read in reception and it's 2/3 levels lower than he's capable of.He always complains it's too easy.
I've written in his reading diary about this but he's still got the same book.

I know I sound a bit precious but I feel it's important to encourage him in areas he excels in/enjoys and I feel his new teacher should realise his reading book is too easy and change it.

How do I tackle the subject with her without sounding pushy?

Give him another book that he will enjoy and don't sign the reading book. 2-3 weeks with the same book is ridiculous - ds gets a new one each night, actually ever other night now he's on 40 page close type chapter books.

Has the teacher looked at his reading diary yet? I think two weeks into term would be a reasonable time to start enquiring about a new book. Otherwise, could you find something more suitable in the local library and record that in the diary until the teacher catches up?

Save yourself the heartache - get books from the library and do it yourself

cant you put in the diary

day one: ds read this book promptly
day two: ds read this book but says it was boring as he read it in reception

day 4: ds was disapointed with the same book
day 6: ds refused to read as he said book was too easy and boring and he had read it in reception, he read 'XXXXX' instead

DAy 7: today ds read 'xxxx' insyead pls see above

and continue on?

I think unless your DS responds much better to books which have come home from school, I would do as Acanthus suggests and get books from the Library to read instead. If necessary, pop a note in his folder telling them that this is what you're doing. FWIW I wouldn't read a school book again just because it hadn't been changed - if they've read the one in their folder, then just get them to read something else - the important thing is not all this "levels" stuff, but that they are reading regularly and developing confidence in it.

I do read our own books with him every day and I've noted these in the diary also I have written that the book is too easy,he's already read it and he needs a higher level.

He's read this book twice at school and they still haven't noticed it's too easy,it's level five.He brought a level 8 book home in reception because he liked the title.The teacher and I did't expect him to read it but he sat next to me and read it cover to cover only finding about 3 words difficult.

I suppose I worry that if they are lax over this what else is going on?

They even sent a letter home saying please send reading books back in every day in case they needed changing,but they don't seem to be bothering.

Give him stuff to read at home and talk to the teacher. She won't think you are pushy.

Is it the teachers who hear reading, or parent helpers? Maybe they are short on volunteers?

I have found that good readers read less and less to the teacher as they go up the school. In Reception my dc's read 2 or 3 times a week but by year 2 dd was reading monthly. She reads at home every night though and chooses her own books. I agree with other posters who say get books from the library - better choices available.

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