So disappointed that dd doesn't want to read (reception), is there any way to encourage it?

[weepootle]

Dd1 is in reception and is one of the older ones in the class.

I didn't do any reading with her before starting school as she didn't show any interest, however I expected that once in school she'd be really eager to learn.

She's really reluctant to get her reading book out after school and when she does she just wriggles and fidgets and messes about until I give up and put it away.

She still doesn't seem able to read the simplest of words. I thought she could.... but I've now worked out that she's memorising the sentences from when she does it with her teacher - she's not even looking at the words, just the pictures.

All I keep hearing from friends is how their dc have already read all of the reception books and are now onto Year 1 books.

Sounds quite common to me, lots of children don't want to at first, particularly after a long school day.

Does it matter if she just likes looking at the pictures at this stage? What does her teacher say?

I really wouldn't get to worried about it, all kids are different and she will do it in her own time.

Rather than reading the book, you could just try talking about the pictures and the things in it etc

Oh god, don't worry at all. I posted on a similar subject recently because my dd1 is a bright enthusiastic learner but I nearly strangled her for the fidgeting, wriggling and procrastinating she did when we tried to read! She also did the memorising thing, which I think is just a phase on the road to reading. I was beginning to think there was some kind of a problem with it but all of a sudden, wham! and she was off. It has taken until the end of Autumn term in Y1 but now she loves it and can't stop reading everything around her. I think it helped when we decided to bring her downstairs after her bath for 'big girl' time reading whilst the other parent put dd2 to bed. Also, comparing your kids to others in this way is the short route to madness, and absolutely meaningless in the long term.

I mentioned it a while ago to her teacher and she said the same thing as both of you. I just thought something might have 'clicked' by now.

Tbh she can probably sense me getting uptight about her reading which isn't helping. Think I have to hand the reading over to dh as I just can't bear it .

x posted, reikizen. That was really good for me to hear- thanks. I also have a younger dd so am going to give the 'big girl reading' thing a go!

I'd give up on in completely tbh, or a cursory please the teacher kind of look at a book at the most. ds1 was like this. in yr 1 it all clicked all of a sudden - he's top set for reading now. don't stress it

Definitely leave it or ask dh to help if makes you feel stressed, there's no point and you'll put her off even more.

The teacher will tell you if they are worred and it is still very early on, it does tend to click at some point.

Try not to listen to how others are doing! There will always be someone whizzing along or on chapter books in year 1 or whatever, there are plenty more who jsut do it in their own time.

My DD was the same last year, October birthday not really interested... moved very slowly though the books, only had 2 a week really hard to get her to read. Fidgeting procrastinating etc etc.

I told her she had to read the school books but I didn't push it AT ALL and we did not do any other reading. I would read one page then her and the following night we'd read the book again but do the pages the other way around.

Then over the summer I said we were going to read each day and she'd get a star on her chart for every 4 pages.

It just clicked and I couldn't stop her, she was filling up a chart each week, and she got treats for each chart. Now she is in year one and she is one of the best readers in the class.

However if you don't think she can read even the easiest of words you need to speak to the teacher - no wonder its frustrating for her.

honestly it's way too early to get stressed about your dd not being keen on reading - she's still only 5

Neither of my boys could read at all at this stage in reception, it didn't click until half-way through y1 but by half-way through Y2 they had both become avid bookworms, rapidly outstripping the children who'd been way ahead of them in reception

more importantly they still love reading and it's one of their favourite activities - they're now 12 and 10

you need to look at the long-term goal - ensuring that your dd is a life-long reader who gets pleasure and information from books, so ime what you should be doing at this stage is simply fostering a love of books, and if that means backing off from 'making' her read and reading more to her yourself, then that's fine - it will click at some point in the next year or two - promise

Just have lots and lots of fun with books, reading to her and sharing stories. That is the most important thing imo, make sure that books are something your dd regards with pleasure and not something to do with stress.

I was a teacher who would have happily binned reading schemes.

Have you tried taking her to your local library and letting her choose whichever books she likes the look of? Even if she selects only picture books or ones that you know are for younger kids? I agree with HumphreyCobbler that reading for pleasure is the goal in the long run.

Don't worry. DS1 was being assessed for Dyslexia at 7 because his reading and literacy was so poor. He's now 9 and reading proper chapter books (Harry Potter level) It just takes longer for it to 'click' with some children than others.

DS2 that should be (not that it matters, but it was making me twitchy!)

I really wouldn't worry just yet. Some click immediately, some don't - and some just aren't interested yet. She may also be feeling stressed because she sees that you see it as an issue - though that's hard I know. Being 'forced' to read can really put them off for life and she may have plenty of other activities that she prefers. If you continue to be concenred do keep seeing the teacher, though.

What sort of books is she being given to read, weepootle? Are they decodable or repetitive/predictive text?

Leave it and just read to her so she enjoys books. That's all that matters. Loads and loads of kids don't start to read until year one, and I'd guess if you push her she'll back away.

Maverick, it's mostly repetitive stuff eg; I can see the car, I can see the bus etc.

Just to clarify, I do read to her every day and always have done. She's been 'reading' chapter books (my naughty little sister, milly molly mandy, wishing chair etc) since she was about 3.5.

All good advice and I'm going to take it on board and give it a good go, thanks .

Hmm, sounds like the books she's having are working on high frequency words and not in line with the 'Letters and Sounds' phonic programme that most schools are using now. This might not be helping!

To be fair, lots of schools are in this situation, their early reading books don't match the methodology they use for the teaching of reading......

Lots of good advice on here, it is still early days and it's important not to communicate your stress about it. I'd play lots of games, initially just practising blending sounds together to make words.

No Clenchedbottom, I haven't heard phonics mentioned at all - before she started I thought phonics were used everywhere... I must ask her teacher if the school ever re-opens with all this snow.

Early reading instruction in the old National Literacy Strategy (NLS) was based on whole-language, multi-cueing strategies (Searchlights) Then, in 2006, all of the Rose Review's recommendations, including that the NLS 'searchlights' strategies should be dropped and replaced by the 'simple view of reading', were accepted by the government. Now, even if synthetic phonics is being taught in class, the use of banded, predictable / repetitive-text books for reading practice, by the beginning readers, is one of the main indicators that a teacher is continuing, perhaps unwittingly, to use mixed methods. Beginner readers have absolutely no choice but to use whole language strategies in order to 'get through' this type of reading book.

In England, the now most widely used synthetic phonics programme, the DCSF's Letters and Sounds (L&S), was produced in haste, purely as a fall-back programme for schools. It was never intended to completely replace the fully-resourced, commercial, synthetic phonics programmes already available. For that reason it was produced without any essential resources including decodable books. Many of the schools which are now using L&S have simply carried on using the school's old, banded, whole language reading books with their beginning readers. There are also schools using whole language readers alongside commercial, synthetic phonics programmes, despite the fact that all the commercial programmes produce linked, decodable books. The use of whole language books for reading practice with beginning readers will damage the effective teaching of synthetic phonics, creating reading difficulties for a significant minority of children.