Is this just too hard for a 6yr old?

tanith

Lots of different opinions there thanks everyone I'm going to encourage my daughter to have a quiet word with the teacher who as far as I know is not newly qualified but new to the school..

Oldernotwiser

Lotus-eater wrote: »

My DD's class has different spellings for different level groups.

DD is in the top group, but even now at 8 would only be getting those words I think. Although she has got some that leave me looking for the dictionary!

If she's struggling, even a little, then talk to the teacher asap.

It depends how you define "struggling".

margaretclare

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Personally I'd be pleased that my child had a teacher who wanted to stretch and challenge her rather than offering her work that's too easy.

I think that the fact that the words are new to them is the whole point of the exercise, surely?

I agree.

I don't think those 3-syllable words are 'too hard'. They're the kind of thing that my eldest daughter, born 1961, picked up like a sponge. I learned to read before I ever went to school and most of my spelling was picked up by wide reading, or as wide as was possible with the limited number of books I had available to me. It never occurred to me to define certain words as 'too hard'.

Lotus-eater

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

It depends how you define "struggling".

As we're not going to know that from an online conversation, that's leave that for the family to decide. eh?

gingin_2

I have my daughter's spelling list here for year 3 ( top group), the year above your granddaughter and she has words such as stationary, necessary, anniversary, standardise, employment. She then has to choose 5 words and write a sentence including one of them. It sounds very similar to your granddaughter, just that she is in a year below, so I would say that to me that is pretty hard.

My daughter had a problem in her first few years with communicating with teachers (shyness) and it was something we had to work on.

I'd have a word with the teacher and see if you can work together, or if she has any pointers to help. I've always found them really keen when you want to go in to talk to them about work.

Mojisola

poppyolivia wrote: »

on and off we get things like that, I questioned it and was told they aren't actually bothered as such if the sentence makes sense its to get the parent and child talking and using their brains together..ie if the word was DOG then the 6 year old could just do things herself, this way its kind of like parent/child bonding...alot of kids don't get to sit and work things out with their parents so its an added bonus to a child.

That's tough on the children who don't have supportive parents willing to spend the time with them.

WestonDave

Probably not that hard, and probably suggests that the child is doing well and progressing through the levels. My 6 going on 7 year old is onto words like playground, handwriting etc. These are listed as being composite words (i.e. made up of two smaller words). However there will also be kids in the class on lower levels depending on their ability. One problem at year 2 is that its the end of Key Stage 1, so I suspect a fair amount of focus will go on getting the strugglers up to expected standards. The temptation must be to let the brighter ones either stagnate repeating the same stuff or fend for themselves on harder stuff - at least if they are getting harder stuff its giving them something to work on and stretch them.

That said a good teacher should welcome feedback from parents on how homework is going because by definition they aren't there to see whether the child is struggling with it.

Mojisola

WestonDave wrote: »

That said a good teacher should welcome feedback from parents on how homework is going because by definition they aren't there to see whether the child is struggling with it.

It is good to see children being stretched but the teacher should be matching the work to different children's levels. If a child is struggling, the teacher needs to know. It might be that more has to be done to link the spelling words with work being done in class.

aliasojo

SIL had something very similar recently. Turned out that the teacher had previously taught older classes and he hadn't quite got to grips with the new age group he was now teaching. Several parents had approached the school with their concerns and he revised his expectations after a gentle word from the Head I believe.

LandyAndy

poppyolivia wrote: »

on and off we get things like that, I questioned it and was told they aren't actually bothered as such if the sentence makes sense its to get the parent and child talking and using their brains together..ie if the word was DOG then the 6 year old could just do things herself, this way its kind of like parent/child bonding...alot of kids don't get to sit and work things out with their parents so its an added bonus to a child.

Thank you for that. That makes absolute sense to me.