Reading In Reception

[Guest]

I know there is stuff on here about reading in reception and I have read a lot of it but my big problem is when and howI am meant to fit in reading when i only have my reception class for the morning and only 1 TA. I seem to be failing at everything on thif front and I think it is just down to basic organisation of the morning. How long should the reading sessions be? Do they always need a directed writing activity and what sort of format should that be?I just seem to get to the end of the week with loads of stuff not done and it is getting really demoralising I have asked about organisation before I know but I am obviously not much good because it still seems to be going wrong.Can anyone help me before yet another week of feeling like i'm letting everyone down????

[Guest]

Hi Im in reception too and have my class all day and a TA and I still don't manage to get everything finished by the end of the week!! At the moment we use Oxford Reading Tree and have guided reading twice a week. As we only have 17 in our class we have 4 small groups which I know makes it a lot easier. We choose a focus for our guided read (e.g. using pictures to gain additional info, sounding out words, recognising punctuation etc), read together in a group, practising this new skill or revising an old one then write up assessments and in their home school books (this takes up quite a bit of time!) I totally sympathise with your situation as there is no way I could do this alone and in one morning! Do you do guided reading groups or individual reading? I suppose this depends upon your resources as we are lucky to have enough books for guided read. We do not do writing linked to our reading - am I alone in this?

 

Sorry I haven't helped much but thought I'd let you know what we do

 

hope you get it sorted

 

love kat x

 

P.S I am totally sure that you are not letting anyone down!! Just try to remember there is only so much you can do depending on time, support and resources and it's clear you're doing your best! Our guided reading sessions are approximately 10/15 minutes with a brief discussion of book, guided read, then recap or re-telling of story. We aim to do one guided writing session per week also but not related to our guided read.

 

Hope someone else can be of more help but just remember you can only do your best

[JacquieL]

Oh dear poor you, I'm sure you will get a lot of good advice on here from people in the same situation as you. One of the worst things we face is trying to fit everything in. Years ago an Advisor I really admired, who was quite an inspiration said 'Remember quality not quantity'. So don't try to do too much and make it worthwhile for both the chidlren and you.

I wouldn't attempt a writing focus each day- perhaps one each week as you have a writing area in your continuous provision where they can do their own thing. You can do your focus with one group each day and in your writing area do something that they can initiate or practice for themselves. You may also do a writing input and model writing in your whole group session, or do something together on whiteboards.

Similarly with your reading - whole group, small group, individual and what they do at home.

[Guest]

Thank you for that have you been guided reading since the beginning of term? or do you introduce it as the children seem ready for it? I feel i should know all the answers and don't!! I think my big issue is trying todo a days work in a morning and also trying to bring it down to rec level I have come from y1 so at this stage in the year ther is a big difference.We are doing really well with Jp and PWS and I have some children who are reading and some who are getting the hang of blending - I am just starting to send home keywords as I didn't want to overload them when they had sounds too is this wrong ? Also is ther a best order for sending home the keywords I can't find one anywhere.

[leapfrog]

I think we all feel we are like the hamster running around the wheel sometimes! I do guided reading with those I feel are ready - but tend to link the guided writing type task to a main text/ big book or other stimulus. I do individual reading too, twice weekly with each child.

Could you ask for parents help - as reading Mums (and Dads/grandparents) or to free up your time by doing other things?

[Guest]

We do guided reading once a week, that way I can do a group a day. THis is not done as a whole class guided reading session as my head and i decided that it was not appropriate in Reception, but ok for the rest of the school. We either do it during early morning table top activities first thing or if life doesn't get that far, we slot it in at the beginning of CIP session for those 5 or 6 children. We try and fit in individual readers during CIp afternoon or morning sessions - not ideal I know but there you go.

It is usually 10-15 mins long and there is not usually a writing task to follow, there may be a game or find a word session but not much else. I agreee with JacquieL quality not quantity!

Liz x

[catma]

I'm curious - where are the children in the afternoon? does someone else have them???

[Marion]

I think some schools only have the reception children part time for the first term.........Ive had children transfer into my class from outside the county who were half day in their previous school.

My poor little mites had half a day then full time from the first week!

[Susan]

I find it intriguing how provision varies.

I am about to join a school where the reception classes are part time and I am taking the January starters but at other schools within the same LEA, reception intakes are not staggered nor part time!

Yet the FSP remains the same!

[Guest]

We go guided reading once a week, sometimes I do it (TA) and sometimes the teacher does it. We swap the groups we work with so that the teacher gets roudn them all sooner or later.