Comments on: Reading - or at least learning to.

By: June

June — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 00:40:39 +0000

Trinity didn’t want to start learning to read until she was about 7, then it became something that really bothered her. A year or so later and she’s done quite well, but still feels that she can’t read - just because she can’t yet read things like Harry Potter. Actually, should have blogged this…today she has said she wants to learn to write, which is also something she hasn’t really been very interested in. Maybe when she writes too it will make the reading a bit easier, but I really don’t think she’s ever going to be someone who reads for pleasure in the way that India does. We went through a little of the LTRi100el around 2 years ago, and I do think that helped when it came to using the ORT books.

By: Katy

Katy — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 20:59:52 +0000

I think Merry is a very bad influence on us all you know… we shall all be doing “normals” before long you know ;o)

By: claire

claire — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 18:34:15 +0000

I used to teach in small person’s class at infants for two years and quite frankly watching all these kids being taught to read “the state way” was so demoralising. They aren’t allowed to enjoy the books, its more a case of what level they have reached and even at infants its a competitive environment. The parents used to compare what reading levels their children were at which also created a competitive atmosphere. There was no love of reading. In Year 2 with the ‘big books’, the children all had to identify the illustrator and author before the story began; then each page was dissected for punctuation etc. By the time that had finished, the kids had switched off and couldn’t remember any of the story at all.
One girl in Year 1 was reading Harry Potter - her mother got told quite explicitly that she must not allow her child to bring that book into school again ???????? (presumbaly her reading level was more than the school could cope with!)

We are one of, if not *the* only country in Europe that teach our children to read so young. It isn’t necessary to be honest. I went down that route with small person and got nowhere fast. When I left her to her own devices and didn’t do any reading with her for a year, I found she had pretty much taught herself by surfing the web for games to paly and reading the instructions herself. She came into my office one day and started reading The Times or Guardian (can’t remember which) over my shoulder, quite fluently. I was gobsmacked.

As to the comparing with other children bit, small person did this fora while too. Whenever she became distressed as she felt other kids could do things she couldn’t, she would ask me to teach her stuff. So I did, but only when she asked. Once shown that it wasn’t such a big deal to be able to do the stuff kids at school could do, she wasn’t that impressed with their achievements any more. Now she learns what she needs to learn when she needs to learn it. And I always point out that she can do things that schooled kids can’t do….

By: Kath

Kath — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 18:17:27 +0000

I’ve got alot of Words and Pictures on video (taped off CBBC) if you think it would help to borrow it for a bit? Mark really likes “Look and Read” too, but its a pain to remember to watch it as its on twice a morning every day of the week and each episode follows on from the last. There’s some phonics built in and also a bit where the text comes up on screen without a voice over (so be around to read that with her if she does watch it). I understand you not wanting to force her yet feeling you need to do something. I’ve found Mark will be put off by thinking he can’t do something, but insisting he tries for 2 or 3 days usually has him settling down to it after that. If he still has a fit over it after a few days doing it routinely, then I presume he really isn’t ready to get it yet and try something else. The first days of something new are always the worst, and I sympathise with having a perfectionist child who’ll wriggle and avoid because they’re worried to try and not reach the high standards they set themselves. We seem to be constantly saying “practice makes better” at our house! (He is much improved on the wanting to be able to do it without practice front though).

By: Katya

Katya — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 15:07:57 +0000

My older 2 have worked through the Toe by Toe books with a lovely tutor, who home edded her 2.

they were considerably older than Big, and L isn’t ready for Toe by Toe ( he’s 9). It’s quite intense stuff and IMO needs to be approached quite lightly, just in very small bits. I think we had a system only doing very few lines at a time. took them about 2 years to work through it.

might be worth taling to Helen about it? or T and C?

Quite a lot of home ed kids don’t start reading till later on, I think it just doesn’t click for some people still 9-11ish.

of course there’s social pressure for them to be able to perform, but you don’t seem like a conformist
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By: helen and chris F

helen and chris F — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 14:54:33 +0000

Just looked at the toe by toe site, and it looiks very different. I am just such a book junkie, that I really think there should a instant mobile home ed library, with appropriate refernces, good and bad!!
We have been doing our JP cards today - SB is insisting she is the teacher and I have to do them. I am hoping something is going in with this way, and eventually we will be able to reverse roles!! Especially when I get called silly and naughty.

By: Allie

Allie — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 14:28:14 +0000

Not wanting to tread on toes here and feel free to ignore me if this grates. But one thing I think I observed from a year of weekly helping in reception when P was at school, and experiences of a niece taught to read recently, is that it was consideration of the philosophy behind the process that was missing. They had their methods down pat but the process was all owned by the teachers. I’m not at all saying that that is what you are doing Jax but just that as HEors we have the opportunity to consider the philosophy and I think it IS worth it. After all, we don’t have the same pressure to ‘just get on with it’ that they do in schools. Though I hear what you say about Big feeling a need to read and I’m sure she will with such a committed mum to help. ATB.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 13:54:40 +0000

oh no, doh, you had a lie in - did Big swim today?!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 13:54:16 +0000

yep, Words and Pictures is a fave here too - on at 9ish and 11ish on the CBBC channel every school day, I think.

If I were you I wouldn’t think too much about the approach because it probably won’t help Big if you get too philosophical about it, what you are trying to do is empower your daughter in the best way you can see at the moment - you never know, it might just work … using a timer sounds like a good plan, then it is a finite time both for her and for you.

Do hope you see some progress soon. Did you swim today?

By: Allie

Allie — Sat, 19 Feb 2005 12:58:38 +0000

Both of our kids picked up a lot of phonics from schools tv progs like Words and Pictures Plus on BBC and Rat-a-tat-tat from channel 4. The channel 4 one is produced on reasonably affordable videos, the BBC one is v. expensive. I only mention it because I think it was very helpful for us to have some of the direct phonics info filter in without our input and that is hard when people can’t read yet! Also, the channel 4 one is good as it has episodes based around particular ‘quality’ picture books (Gruffalo, SSh!, Who’s at the door etc) which we endeavoured to have lying around the house. Leo has quite a strong but fragile sense of pride (iyswim!) and I think the programmes helped empower him and take the odd hint from us more gracefully. Just a thought. Best of luck.