Limiting ORT levels

[Maxiebaby]

Hi

Just out of curiousity, has anyone experienced teachers putting a limit on the ORT reading levels children can be put on in a certain school year?

We have just been told DS (Y1) can only go up one more level this school year, as they have a policy of not allowing Y1 kids to go beyond ORT stage 9.

My initial reaction was that this might hold back the children. But in fact the school uses lots of other reading schemes at each level on top of the ORT books, with a mix of fiction and non-fiction, and these always seem to be more testing (and interesting!) than the main ORT books anyway. So the kids should be introduced to lots of different types of text and be challenged.
Seems like a focus on breadth rather than mindlessly and competitively climbing up through the ORT scales, and I can see a lot of sense in this.

However, I was a bit surprised as I know other schools have free readers in Y1 and DS's class has some strong readers.

Has anyone else encountered a policy like this, and are there any issues with it that I havent though of?

Thanks.

As a Y3 teacher, I'm always fascinated to see the children who have been pushed relentlessly through ORT, so come to me "free reading", but find it nigh on impossible to finish a story with more than 32 pages. They seem to think it's clever to choose the longest, hardest book on the shelf then be unable to access it in the slightest. I much prefer the children who have taken their time, broadened their reading, and enjoy books.

Children only need to 'free read' early so their parents can brag about it on the playground IME.

My son's school don't do this. They don't do ORT exclusively either, but my son brings home ORT stage 10/11 books out of his book band (10) and they are very suitable for 5 year olds. I presume the children who are on the band(s) above him bring home stage 12+ books. The teacher hasn't mentioned anything at all about a limit - just that he will go up a band soon (they call it free readers 1,2 and 3 but it is really band 11, then 12 and then 13).
There is only a very slight difference between the levels. When my son was on band 4/5 I thought that bands 10/11/12 would be really hard but, in reality, they are still 'easy readers'. I've looked into it more now, and IMO, it is until bands 14+ that I would say they may be unsuitable for some of the 5/6 yr olds in yr 1.

Thanks Galena.
I think the principle behind it is probably a good one, as you confirm, though I dont see why the same end cant be achieved without actually limiting the levels. At least it should reduce all the petty competitiveness though!
The school does seem to excel in reading and is praised by OFSTED for it, and now I am starting to udnerstand why.

Seatrek, no Id never heard of a school doing this before, so was quite surprised. But on reflection I am starting to see the positives. Im not sure unsuitability of the texts themselves is the reason for the policy though. It seems more to be about changing the focus to comprehension, understanding, broadening horizons etc.

Our school thankfully let's them go as high as they need. My ds was a free reader at Easter in Rec he'd have been bored witless if he hadn't been "allowed" to be. We read masses at home so it would have been pointless.Like me he hated scheme books.I acknowledge they are really important in the early days.

The problem is the lack of stuff out there for early free readers you have to hunt them out,gradually reduce pictures and find text that a 5 year old can understand. It can be done I'm ex literacy so knew what to look for but not all parents do or have the time/money.

I have to say it makes no difference for how they are later. They all peak at different times imho. There are loads in Y1 the same now,he's concentrating on tone,expression etc just reads a chap[ter at night,adores books. His twin was made a free reader last term in Y1 and has a little way to go to get the same fluency. I do think memory has a lot to do with it 1st twin has a photographic memory.

DD is in rec she won't be a free reader this year, will be like the other twin I'm guessing. I don't like rules,schemes etc as regards reading levels, all kids are different learners etc and they do all get there. A love of books to entice them in to read a lot is very important anything that can upset this is to be avoided imho as the more they read the better they become. I never held any of my pupils back when teaching this year group and they all get there eventually.

Our school don't limit the level children can read to each year but I can see your school point on ORT. I think ORT levels above stage 9 are often pitched at older children, boys especially - I'm talking about subject and dark content rather than difficulty - I'd much rather have my kids reading from other less "exciting", but more interesting and age appropriate reading schemes like Collin's Big Cat or just let them choose their own Chapter books.

Our school stops them reading ORT at level 5 so they can start to read a variety of different texts. Free reading means different things in different schools, most seem to become free readers at ORT 13.

It's hard as a parent not to get hung up on levels as everyone likes to se their kids move on.

As for play ground bragging........we are proud mums at the end of the day and mums do talk. However, I agree that reading levels should not be competitive.

TP

MilaMae - hello; when you say your ds was a free reader at Easter in reception what do you mean by that? do you mean that he was allowed to bring in books from home or that HE was allowed to select books, rather than the teacher, from the next level up? Sorry to be questioning you, but am just curious as the whole idea of "free reader" seems to vary hugely.

It was completely off scheme.

His teacher was great and first let him choose from the school library showing us which shelves he could choose from- Early Readers eg Corgi Pups, Young Corgi, Jeremy Strong etc etc. They had a chart showing the order of difficulty. We had several at home eg The Magic Treehouse,Horrid Henry Early Readers,the easier Roald Dahl ones etc so after a few weeks he just gradually switched to anything and everything.He could read anything but it was finding books that would keep his interest ie had themes a 5 year old understood,a smattering of pictures etc. He was no different to any other child coming off scheme.

To be honest I think after purple,gold they're all pretty much of a muchness. I also don't think they're 'easier' than real books. Some of the early readers are actually easier (bigger print etc),fortunately they're not so deathly dull.

I had to speak to DDs headteacher about moving her up which they did but she said that many of the ORT books above level 9 not really suitable in content for infants, and so would use other schemes after that point.

She in Y1 and has finished the ORT 9 B&C books - now she has the ORT Robins not sure what she'll get next. DD very keen, reads a school reading book every night.

Meanwhile they said at parents night that her reading now is almost at the level they'd expect at the end of Y2.

The content and themes of some of the higher level ORT books are not aimed at KS1 pupils.

So long as they are reading lots of other books I think this is fine. There are so many better books that ORT!

I never know why people have such an obsesion with ORT! I would have thought they were much better reading other things if able. Go to the library. It doesn't really matter if they read them to a high level or not-as long as they can read.

sorry-missed an s -obsession.

Verity - we had the same policy - not just a and b books, but also 12 songbirds, floppy's phonics, sparrows etc. I went to speak to headteacher as class etacher said it was policy laid down by head - and it was very demotivational for DD - who was still on ORT4 at that point (November) despite being able to read almost anything age appropriate at home and was so so bored with school reading.

Head agreed to: a) jump her to ORT 6 and double the number of books then at least can work through more quickly... DD getting 6 books a week (instead of 3) - so have worked through ORT6/7/8 and 9 since Christmas.

See I don't get the loads of books thing as it doesn't encourage them to think about the story,experiment with expression etc. It's just a race. Personally changing a book nightly I think isn't good as they just aren't getting everything out of them that they can. I also think it gets them into bad habits for later.

Far better to give a harder,lengthier book(ability appropriate obviously) and just read a few pages-properly.

But you're stuffed if the head won't change things. I just don't get this preciousness over scheme books - if a child can read he can read. What is the point of forcing him/her to read every single book if they are way below their ability?what exactly do they get out of it aside from boredom and stiffled enthusiasm?

Incidentally MumNWLondon, does your DDs school ONLY have ORT books??

Only read the OP, but...how bizarre. dd's school uses a variety of reading schemes, but after Gold and White they can read story books, school library books, whatever is age appropriate and they want to read.

Though having said that, if the variety of Stage 9-type books is wide enough, I don't think it makes much difference - beyond this, its variety that counts, no?

Lovecheese - the school has other books too -it seems that the children who are reading well are put on ORT and those who are struggling are put on a phonics based scheme (rigby I think). They have all the Ginn books as well.

But children who are on the ORT scheme seem to get only ORT books! Not sure whats coming next though - have done all the ORT9 B&C books and now she has been given the ORT Robins. Since start of year 1 has only seen ORT books and also she had the Bangers and Mash books too - although in reception was given Ginn.

I know that the headteacher recently asked the PTA for money towards more books so waiting to see what else they buy.

Your PTA buys reading scheme books? thats a bit steep; our PTA has recently donated nearly £8,000 to restock both junior and infant libraries but I would expect school to pay for reading schemes.

As for ORT books, I pity your poor daughter, although the robins are slightly better as I remember. My DD, also yr1, comes home with a huge variety of books and I hope this broad mix will stand her in good stead as she moves up the school.

p.s Can't the school pay for books?

I'd complain Mum sorry but Bangers and Mash & Ginn are just not acceptable,there are so many other lovely books out there.

Books must be the most important resource a school can buy and your school is relying on the PTA . Books aren't even that expensive in the scheme of things.

I'd be asking a few questions as to what budgets are being spent on and then I'd create a huge stink until something was done,get other parents on board.

For some children the only books they come into contact with are the books they read in school. For a child to be limited to tatty old copies of Bangers and Mash is really sad.

Our school doesn't put any limits of levels. In year 1 there are some children who have finished the reading books, can read in their head, and choose books from the library instead.

They were not limited by any age limit.

What I would say, though, is that some books my dd reads are too grown up in content. e.g. she is just not interested in non-fiction about football or cars!

I pity any family whose school makes each child read every reading book. We have a school like that nearest us, and the best children are still only on book band turquoise (in year 1). And they've read hundreds of books to get there.

lovecheese: at this school (faith school in leafy suburb) all the children have access to other books at home.

i do agree though about it being ridicolous about PTA paying for books.... but PTA had a lot of money... apparently no money in exisiting budgets for books....

but head seemed to think old GINN/bangers and mash totally acceptible when i spoke to her. have already discussed and frankly i'm not worried about DDs reading, but yes slightly worrying.

the school always gets perfect (or nearly perfect) SAT scores at level 4 and great at level 5 as all the parents educated professionals.