Oxford Reading Tree KS1

[llol39]

Good evening, I'm just after some advice/comments really.

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of the Oxford reading tree scheme and the teacher evaluation of when a child can move book bands. My DS is 6 in Year 1. He was upset tonight at bedtime, he told me that he had to stay on the orange books because he could sound out the word "colony" but he couldn't explain the meaning of the word. I do appreciate that the children have to have a good comprehension of the text before moving on, but I thought it was a tad harsh. (Of course I've only got his interpreation of events to go on!) He's just devastated that his best friend has moved up and he hasn't.

He already has the mindset of "well I just cant't do it," despite me telling him that we learn through practising and making mistakes. Any tips or advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in anticipation
llol39

[ToadMum]

Ah, yes, the delightful "Biff and Chip" - all three of ours (not to mention their DPs) hated these books with a passion, and having to hear children struggle through them was the very worst part of being a Parent Helper in KS1. My memory is that at least one class was made not only to read all the available books in each level, but in the prescribed order, too, necessitating much to-ing and fro-ing between classrooms by yours truly.

Heretic that I am, I would suggest telling him that the school system is just something we all have to put up with - and then find him lots of more interesting things to read at home...

[llol39]

Thanks for replying ToadMum.

He really likes the Magic Key, Biff & Chip books, as there's a bit more going on!
They are pretty much allowed to chose their own book, though he came back with the same on sometimes as there were no other different ones left! So there's a life lesson, get there first.
We do the Reading Chest books too which he really enjoys, but it seems like they use non-fiction when they do the assessment. You are right there are lots of other things we can read. I do worry as he's is a sensitive soul and takes all comments to heart.

Ah well, it's a new day tommorrow!!
Thanks again

[scary mum]

Looking back down the years <old lady emoticon>, there's always something to fret about and it all starts with Biff and Chip and reading levels. You will find that sometimes other children are moved on when they don't appear to be any better (or are worse) at reading than your child. It's just the way it is, another time it may be your child. Just read lots of things with him at home and make sure he enjoys reading rather than seeing it as a task. One day it will all be a distant memory and you will be worrying about GCSEs and A levels. I don't mean to be flippant or dismissive as I fully understand your worries - I had them myself, but don't worry as long as he is progresing and enjoying reading. It would be better not to know what books other children are reading, but unfortunately either the parents or children will tell you.

[llol39]

You are quite right Scary Mum, in a few years it will all be forgotten.
There seems to be such pressure on reading. I go into DD's (Yr6) school as a parent reader and was quite suprised at the number of children per class that come out to read to us. Like you say, I'd hate him to feel it's a chore. When I was little, we were always reading, but there's just do much else these days for them to do!!

Thanks very much for replying.

[Henrico]

Heretic that I am, I would suggest telling him that the school system is just something we all have to put up with - and then find him lots of more interesting things to read at home...

My DC loved the Biff and Chip books too, but, when my eldest was experiencing exactly what your DS is experiencing, I'm afraid I followed ToadMum and loudly denounced the school's policy, so that he could clearly see that I thought it was the school's failing, not his.

I also borrowed from the Reading Chest exactly the scheme he was on at school so that he wasn't deprived of those books that he loved and he progressed much more quickly and happily. The school was sniffy but I'd got so fed up with them, I ignored them. The following year, with a different teacher, he got moved up to the appropriate stage when they tested the kids at the beginning of the autumn term. I still got the Reading Chest books though because he enjoyed them and I wanted him to see that I was encouraging and supporting his reading.

[wonderwoman]

Ah, yes, the delightful "Biff and Chip" - all three of ours (not to mention their DPs) hated these books with a passion,

But much better than Ginn - that was really dreadful

When I used to teach KS, I used to have some children read almost all the books in a level (and some books make more sense if read in order, some it doesn't matter) and other children could just read a few in a level and them move on. Some children would skip through levels and then need to consolidate their reading by spending longer on a later level. A teacher needs to use their professional judgement.
Now I teach KS2, I had an irate parent complaining because I had told their child (a competent reader) they could choose any book from the last 3 levels. The parent paid the child each time they moved a level and was not pleased to have to pay 3 lots in one go!
Worry about reading levels generally comes from adults - intentionally or not. It is really important to show interest in the reading and none what-so-ever in the level / colour / box etc. And honestly who cares what level another child is on.

[mystery]

Well it's a silly system, tell him from me. Books are books, and with those old whole word reading scheme books there's no particular rhyme or reason for the levels. They are written with a controlled vocabulary so unless children read the scheme in order the colours are pretty irrelevant. If he is being taught to decode using synthetic phonics it's more important that he moves on through the phases of letters and sounds and reads as much as possible.

I went one further than toad mum and abandoned the school "scheme" completely as it was so poor.

Does his best friend understand the various possible meanings of colony?!

[JRM]

We abandoned the school reading scheme unintentionally. Then I realised that the children get credits for chaning their book 3 times per week. So DD now knows my opinion of the credit scheme too!

I think that the only thing that matters is that your children read a lot and both fiction and non fiction. I have to say we quite liked the Ginn for the complete randomness of what the books might be about. In year 1 I would have probably been concerned if I felt other children were moving ahead of mine when I didn't expect it so I might have asked the teeacher to clarify. But my youngest has friends move up a band before him and I lauhed at myself for noticing as when I listened to him read he clearly has appropriate books for him, so it doesn't matter what everyone else is reading. You can take that 2 ways - I laughed at myself through having the experience from this being my third child. OR, even though it is my third child I still noticed when other children moved up and he didn't.

If your DS cares about the level, teach him about what colony means and make sure you read a book a night until he has read every possible book at that level and then ask if he may move up. I have done this once too because it just made life easier for DD - but that was because of a lovely child crowing over her about reading levels. That child picked up the attitude from her mother so I think th ebest we can do is to be relaxed with them and find stuff that they enjoy reading.

[llol39]

Hi Mystery
His best friends mum asked him whether he knew what a "colony" was and he replied "I don't know, she never asked me that?"
I don't have any real worries about his reading, he will happily read all sorts of things at home. You'd think that as he's my third I'd take it with a large pinch of salt, but I do feel defensive for him! I'm taking all the great advice on board and will see what happens next time.

JRM interstingly I asked him this morning what a colony was and he replied "It's just a bunch of ants living together" which made me chuckle, "what like a bunch of grapes?"