reception reading- they just don't seem bothered

[yummyyummyyummy]

DDs reading group -they started off at the beginning of term bringing home 2 pink band books a week.Then when they were doing their nativity play they had the same book for 10 days !!After parents complaining they have moved them on to 'red' level and given them 2 books to bring home but that was a week ago AND THEY HAVEN't BEEN CHANGED.Why on earth don't they keep the momentum going ?There are only 9 reception children and I know fro being in there that they can be changed in 15 minutes, yet they had time to do a 4th rerun of teh play for Y5 & 6 who had already sen it once and one of the teachers who had been off sick.AAAH !

[pofacedandproud]

ds's reception class have not even started reading yet [which annoys me as he reads fluently]

[Hassled]

With my DCs the parents have always been free to change the books themselves at drop-off time. Can you maybe suggest that?

[lucykate]

fgs, it's reception and it's almost christmas, lighten up!

complain if you have to, but wait till january at least

[displayuntiltwelfthnight]

Same as Hassled with my dcs' school. Parents are free to go in and change books if their child needs them changing but also my dcs are expected to change thier own books so maybe check with your teacher that this isn't the case for your child?

It doesn't mean you can't do reading with your child at home and also doesn't mean they're not doing other reading during the day at school.

[yummyyummyyummy]

But it is hard to do reading with her at home because she is just beginning and there are few books in the library that are simple enough.She is my 4th child so I have accumulated a number of reading scheme books from car boots , bookshops etc but it is expensive and time consuming to buy them
we are in a very middle class area where the parents give huge amounts of support to the children.Unfortunately the school fondly imagines that the children do well because of the school rather than despite it.

[thegrammerpolicesic]

I sort of have the same thing going on yummy.
Ds is very enthusiastic when a new book comes home and reads it in one go. Then waits up to ten days for a new one.

I know it's only reception but he is enjoying reading them and wants the next one rather than having to wait.

[displayuntiltwelfthnight]

I think you'll probably find that once this term is out of the way the reading will resume again. She's only small so as long as you're chatting to her a lot at home and she's reading bits and bobs - doesn't have to be books,anything is good, cereal packets, signs on shop fronts, anything just to keep her looking at words and workig out the sounds - I really wouldn't worry. I'm not undermining your concerns at all btw, just think that as long as she comes home with a book or 2 from school to read over the holidays then she'll be fine. Do you not have a library near you where you can pick up books for her to look at? You don't have to do with certain schemes, just pick a book which you know is at a level your dd will be able to manage and may find interesting.

[Kathyis12feethighandbites]

Yummy - you don't need ultra-simple books, just use her favourite books and read them with her, pointing to the words you think she can do. That's how we do it, anyway. You'd be surprised how many times you find a whole sentence someone can do with only basic sounding-out skills.

[JingleAllTheWay]

I have worked in a school where they didn't do Christmas productions, Harvest festival, class assemblies to the parents, other stuff like that, and they really cracked on academically. What a shame for those children. There is so much more to be had than just a narrow curriculum. Memories of school are based on Christmas celebrations, class assemblies, sports days, dressing up days etc. They will all learn to read unless there is a real problem.

Just wait until January, keep reading other stuff to her, and just don't worry.

[emy72]

Hi there
my DD1 is in reception too and was getting 2 books a week, but in the last 3 weeks due to the nativity and other festive activities in school, she's only been getting 1 book a week. To be honest, I think the activities she's been doing at school are added value, as they brought in a pupeteer (sp?) to do a show for the school and nativity was great, so even if her reading has slowed down it's not a big deal. I have asked the school to send some books over for Christmas, if they can - if they won't, I am planning to spend a little of the Christmas holidays with some books we have at home, just sound out letters. Like you I have 4 children so it can be hard to find the time, but Christmas should be a good opportunity. Hope this helped to reassure you. As others said, some schools haven't even started with reading at this stage yet! So they are doing well!
Emy )))

[emy72]

PS Just think intellectually how stimulating it must be for a child to learn all the nativity songs! I was amazed at how many sonds my DD1 had memorized, it must work wonders for the brain ;o)

[yummyyummyyummy]

I'm not criticising the nativity , the parties,the days out,the pantomime and so on.But almost every day they practised the nativity play through twice and DD2 was climbing the walls with it in the end.I sometimes feel that pulling off an performance that looks very polished and impresses the HT,governors and parents shouldn't come before the actual children's best interests.The teachers and TAs are lovely to both the children and parents and they had alot to deal with this half term so i don't really want to add to their pressure by saying anything so will just vent on here !

[displayuntiltwelfthnight]

I can see your point that practising the nativity so much each day seems rather a lot but think it's less of a focus once dcs are beyond reception and into the curriculum proper IYKWIM
My dcs were very tired by the end of their first term in reception so I don't think there's anything wrong with them winding down a bit at this stage tbh

[Kathyis12feethighandbites]

It does sound a bit boring to over-rehearse that much.

[Brachy]

My DD (reception) seems to know exactly what book each child is on in the class, she'll even tell me which words they had to take home and learn. She is a nosey child though.

[choosyfloosy]

Just change them yourself if there are enough, I wouldn't even ask.

A lot of parents do bite the bullet and buy some reading books around this time. I haven't, because our library is good and we are broke. Have a chat with your librarian - she could probably order some in for you from another library, or suggest something.

Alternatively, why not write stories for your dd yourself? Hole punch 4 A4 sheets, tie them together with a bit of string, and off you go. Maybe a story about a grandparent's childhood, with a couple of photos, or just anything that comes into your head that you know she might latch onto, or a historical story that you would like her to know (I did one for ds on a very very dull holiday once about King Canute as i've always liked that story). If you can't draw it really doesn't matter, your dd will still LOVE the result and if you can't bear to illustrate it yourself, your dd can If you have any grandparents who would be willing to do the same, even better

[thegrammerpolicesic]

Have done as choosy suggests (well sort of - didn't attach pages together as I'm lazy!) and it works a treat. Ds loved a story featuring him and some trains for example. Far superior to Biff and Kipper and co. imho

I'm not sure it's a replacement for a reading scheme as I'd only want to do it occasionally but it is a nice thing to do and allows you to pitch the language just right.

[nappyaddict]

There is a list of real books which correspond to ORT books here

IMO once a week for changing reading books is plenty though. Then you can read your own stuff in between.