11 Plus Exams Forum

My ds2 will do SATS in May. He is very good at maths, not so good at writing, and not at all interested in reading. I keep pointing out his friends have moved up a level because they read for fun; he certainly could read for fun but does not want to. We go to the library, I've tried non fiction as well as fiction. I read to him every night.

He's only six (almost seven) but I wonder if there's anything I should be doing with him. They are doing lots of practice papers etc at school and he is very tired after school. I'm tempted to just think he is six - should he have to do extra work, he does his reading and writing as set for homework?

Shouldn't he just be playing and having fun? Or should I try and make him do some extra work? He would, funnily enough, be quite happy to do some extra work - but not reading. Has anyone else got a child in year 2?

Any opinions?

You've just described my son perfectly, at that age. I did nothing extra (was once told by his teacher I was 'woefully unambitious' for my children when I was unpeterbed by his lack of progress) but encouraged questioning everything, inquisitiveness, and lots of hands on fun. I'm happy with the result, he now reads constantly, made huge progress in KS2 and is doing well in Y7 of a selective school.

In a lot of countries they aren't even in formal education for the KS1 years. Because he loved it he helped me in the kitchen with baking etc every day... I truly believe that is a fine tutoring system (reading, counting, taking away, weighing, sink/float, shape... And far more importantly risk, experimentation, evaluation). I would go with your instinct, playing and having fun all the way.

I would say read every day, but nothing else in the uk.

In France it was nightly homework for maths, writing, sounds, reading, etc. homework also included learning a piece of poetry every week! Then there were the holidays, plenty there too!

The French don't start formal school until yr1/2, but when they do, it involves a very mature attitude, sitting at single desks and concentrating. Our system is often critcised for children starting so young, but we do have very relaxed classrooms for the whole of the primary years.

read, maybe do some counting and let him work out how many slices of bread you need for everyine to have 2 slices od toast in the morning, play games abut most importantly just let him be 6

Thanks for that, Yoyo123, because he just is himself, boisterous, inquisitive, physical, naughty, always on the go, interested in everything. He knows quite a lot about many things, but not tv programmes, he can't sit still to watch tv, apart from Horrid Henry after school.

He likes doing things like going to the recycling box at home and making things out of cardboard, plastic, using knives and scissors that he shouldn't, making things. And talking about numbers, he loves showing off that he loves maths.

He's also been trying dd2's 11+ papers!!!!!! of course he can't do them but he likes trying to and having the answer explained.

He's bright in that he's nosy and remembers things explained to him.

I'm not going to do any extra work with him but as you say, continue reading. If only he would read!

I think that if you're reading to him that's good enough. The teenagers I used to work with loved being read to and OH still likes being read to when he's driving. It keeps him awake.

my wee boy ( now 20) loved listening to tapes/CDs of stories

A key to reading is to read alongside him, not at him. Sit alongside him and let him follow the words with you, rather than facing him.

If Horrid Henry is something he enjoys, let him read Horrid Henry! Any reading is better than none.

ginx wrote:He knows quite a lot about many things, but not tv programmes, he can't sit still to watch tv

Wow! Just wow! Keep that up for as long as possible. The educational benefits of TV are marginal, at best, and the ability to sit still to watch it is perfect training for a life spent 24/7 on computer games.

('tis a good thing we have a mains trip switch ... )

Read Just William to him, it is fantastic and full of great vocab. I defer you not to laugh, especially when he decides to use double negatives in his favour in "A question of grammar". I really wish it was out of copyright so I could use it for comprehensions as it is really so much fun. Try The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe as well. DG

Thanks for the advice, everyone. So we won't do any extra work. I will sit beside him when we read so he can follow the words. He can read school books very well and I would happily let him read Horrid Henry, but he won't ... he'll let me read it to him, though. Story tapes haven't yet worked.

Sitting still is an issue. Meals, for example. The cinema, for another. We don't go.

But I have noticed progress; he can sit and play Skylanders on the wii or computer when he wants ... and of course at school.

Daogroupie, I can see your message, I've never read Just William. I think The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe may be too grown up but maybe he'll like it. We can but try. Meantime he is going for a walk now to wear him out; he's been cycling, he's had a walk, he's torn round the house but just can't stay still and drives us all mad. Love him really. People think he's a little toughie but away from the comfort zone of his home and family, he isn't quite so confident.