Is teaching reading no longer school’s responsibility?

[Anonymous]

My DD had a Kindergarten teacher who taught the old way - sight words, using context, etc and that just did NOT click for my DD. And when we would read at home, she didn't understand what I was saying when I told her to sound it out or stretch out the letters because that's not how they did it at school. She left K with an iReady score that was exactly the same as when she entered, and just barely at DRA level 3. I feel like I, and her school, really failed her.

Her first grade teacher has a new degree, and teaches using a phonics-based approach. My DD is still below grade level, and I don't know her DRA level, but I can see the progress she has made this year and I notice her sounding out the words under her breath as we read. It's like night and day.

All this to say I think the method teaching reading makes a HUGE difference and I'm glad this sight word experiment has ended and new teachers are using a phonics-based approach. Hopefully this means kids will be learning to read in school again.

I plan to use the book PP recommended for my younger child before she starts Kindergarten since this has been such a disaster for my older child. Hoping to find a tutor for the summer for her.

[Anonymous]

Our school (FCPS) is pretty effective at teaching reading and uses up-to-date evidenced-based methods. Also reading specialists ensure teachers stay up to date. The only problem I've seen is when there's an unexpected long-term sub situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1st grade teacher here. We definitely teach reading! What frustrates me is when parents don’t support at home and assume that the learning done during the school day is enough. Some kids really do need extra practice at home. Also, we teach phonics and handwriting through FUNdations. I think 3rd grade teaches cursive with another program (handwriting without tears?) this is DCPS.

Tell that to the parents who say homework is the problem. And then on top of it, teachers don't reach out or give actual comments on report cards on what children need more help on and the parent thinks they are interfering if they get involved.

[Anonymous]

We are required to use canned comments on progress report cards and nothing more. I send home sight words students don't know based on assessments with a cover sheet explaining that we practice these words. I also send home websites and apps to help students practice. More than 2/3 of my students do not practice at home. Many of them still have beginning of the year paperwork still in their take home folders. Nobody checks their folders.

[Anonymous]

My children attend Waterfront Academy and they learned reading and writing (in two languages and both print and cursive) by 4-5 years old. If they are going to a school that isn't making sure that your children know how to read and write, you might consider going to a different school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My children attend Waterfront Academy and they learned reading and writing (in two languages and both print and cursive) by 4-5 years old. If they are going to a school that isn't making sure that your children know how to read and write, you might consider going to a different school.

I would definitely consider a different school than that one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My children attend Waterfront Academy and they learned reading and writing (in two languages and both print and cursive) by 4-5 years old. If they are going to a school that isn't making sure that your children know how to read and write, you might consider going to a different school.

I would definitely consider a different school than that one.

+1 a thousand times Troll?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD had a Kindergarten teacher who taught the old way - sight words, using context, etc and that just did NOT click for my DD. And when we would read at home, she didn't understand what I was saying when I told her to sound it out or stretch out the letters because that's not how they did it at school. She left K with an iReady score that was exactly the same as when she entered, and just barely at DRA level 3. I feel like I, and her school, really failed her.

Her first grade teacher has a new degree, and teaches using a phonics-based approach. My DD is still below grade level, and I don't know her DRA level, but I can see the progress she has made this year and I notice her sounding out the words under her breath as we read. It's like night and day.

All this to say I think the method teaching reading makes a HUGE difference and I'm glad this sight word experiment has ended and new teachers are using a phonics-based approach. Hopefully this means kids will be learning to read in school again.

I plan to use the book PP recommended for my younger child before she starts Kindergarten since this has been such a disaster for my older child. Hoping to find a tutor for the summer for her.

I taught first grade before reading was a K thing. Lots of kids don't learn to read until later--and then they progress rapidly. She may just be getting a late start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Many schools systems, public and private, have fallen into the “whole word” method, because it’s less work for overburdened teachers with large K and 1st grade classes.

So this is essentially a resource problem, where school systems thought the kids would learn to read without explicit phoneme instruction and they could get away with inappropriate teacher:student ratios. It would be very difficult to implement phonetic instruction with one teacher and 25-30 kids in lower elementary classes!

It is not a coincidence that the number of students with reading difficulties has shot up, and that MCPS, among others, refuses to consider dyslexia as a learning disorder they need to accommodate, despite the fact they accommodate many other common learning disorders!

People should demand implementation of a more phonetic-based reading method, with much smaller classes in lower elementary.

My kids read early and never had these issues, but we come from a country that made the same mistake as the US. It had to return to phonetics when it saw entire generation of kids had reading challenges. School systems here should learn from other countries’ experiences.

This is what we had in the 70s. The difference was that everyone spoke English, and people with severe disabilities went to special schools. Now the expectations for teachers are totally unrealistic. But I resent it when they don't bring in parents and others to do individual work with kids in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's no mention of handwriting in the common core standards, so it's rarely taught anymore.

What? Every single child in every first grade class in the United States is learning handwriting. And it is in the common core.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.A
Print all upper- and lowercase letters.

[Anonymous]

That should be a kindergarten standard. You need to be writing 4 sentences by the end of KG.

[Anonymous]

My child ended 2nd grade more than a year behind in reading. Apparently she had made no progress during 1st, but no one had brought that to our attention. She made some progress in 2nd. We asked to have her evaluated by the school and they said she wasn't far enough behind to qualify for any additional help. The summer after 2nd she started working with an Orton Gillingham tutor once a week and is making good progress with that help. I live in an urban district where, in a good yea,r 25% of 3rd graders will meet expectations in reading. It's incredibly frustrating that there isn't school-based intervention available for every student who needs it.

And I appreciate teachers trying to give us things to do at home, but my mom was a reading specialist for her entire career and she's been very clear that a child like mine needs the support of a reading specialist not mom and a stack of flashcards. My spouse and I are both highly educated, we've raised our child in a series of poor cities and since my daughter has been born we've been given the most basic advice about speaking to and reading to our child. I don't appreciate being treated like I'm ignorant because my child needs the help of an expert and I'm sure other parents don't either, no matter what their educational background. I've experienced way too many assumptions and lectures and not enough conversations and shared problem solving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Many schools systems, public and private, have fallen into the “whole word” method, because it’s less work for overburdened teachers with large K and 1st grade classes.

So this is essentially a resource problem, where school systems thought the kids would learn to read without explicit phoneme instruction and they could get away with inappropriate teacher:student ratios. It would be very difficult to implement phonetic instruction with one teacher and 25-30 kids in lower elementary classes!

It is not a coincidence that the number of students with reading difficulties has shot up, and that MCPS, among others, refuses to consider dyslexia as a learning disorder they need to accommodate, despite the fact they accommodate many other common learning disorders!

People should demand implementation of a more phonetic-based reading method, with much smaller classes in lower elementary.

My kids read early and never had these issues, but we come from a country that made the same mistake as the US. It had to return to phonetics when it saw entire generation of kids had reading challenges. School systems here should learn from other countries’ experiences.

This is what we had in the 70s. The difference was that everyone spoke English, and people with severe disabilities went to special schools. Now the expectations for teachers are totally unrealistic. But I resent it when they don't bring in parents and others to do individual work with kids in the classroom.

This would help so much, but volunteers aren’t wanted. Back in the ‘70’s, my Mom was part of a “Bucket Brigade” of reading volunteers who would help students who needed a little extra help. They had colorful plastic buckets filled with reading games, educational toys, and books. They would pull kids out a couple of days/week for 1:1 attention. I know that she helped a lot of kids learn to read. I feel sorry for kids nowadays. They have more technology than I did, but they’re missing out on so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No but the way reading is taught in elementary is by sight words now when phonics based instruction is best. Too many teachers aren’t teaching reading the right way. When they get to high school where I am, it’s often too late. The reading specialist can help a bit but kids by then are reluctant readers at best or can’t comprehend what they read at worst. A lot of remediation is done at that level to help them take and retake SOLs or Work Keys with a hope of passing. When elementary level goes back to phonics based instruction it will help. I have a lot of kids this year who took the 9th grade Iready diagnostic and are at 3rd, 4th, 5th grade reading level. Middle school, frankly, is useless. I have no earthly idea what they do or learn there because the things kids get to high school with unaddressed floor me.

I had no idea. I don't even remember how reading was taught in my classes because my mom taught me to read before kindergarten.

I taught all of my children to read using a phonics book.

I used "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons".

By the end of the book the child is reading short stories.

I recommend every parent try it. Don't wait for the schools to do the right thing.

+1

Just wanted to add that I’m in the middle of this book with my son and it’s actually been a really fun experience for both of us! He’s making amazing progress and we’re both having a blast. Good use of $19.99... highly recommend!

[Anonymous]

Part of the reason kids get to high school and only read at a 4th or 5th grade level is because they don't read at home for pleasure. I teach 2nd grade and my students who read a lot are usually 2-4 grade levels ahead of grade level. My students, all who have gotten VERY strong phonics instruction in our school, who do not read at home? They are typically about a year behind already. That's a parenting issue, not a school issue.