Teachers reassure parents: children need not read before school

Children start school with very different skills, but they do not need to be able to read when they begin first grade, two experienced teachers told Yle.

Some first-graders already read fluently, while others recognise only a few letters. Piritta Siekkinen, a class teacher at Nummen comprehensive school in Hämeenlinna, said there was no reason for parents to worry.

“Every pupil receives teaching at the level they need. There is no need to worry that a child should know how to read when they come to school. There will be something for everyone,” Siekkinen said.

Niina Fernström, a special education teacher at Jalavapuisto School in Espoo, stressed that children do not have to be ready for school when they start.

“When a child comes to school, they do not have to be ready yet. That is part of our everyday work. We practise being a pupil and developing the skills needed at school,” Fernström told Yle’s morning programme.

Modern primers support different skill levels

The teachers said schools can take children’s different starting points into account from the first day. Modern reading primers already offer differentiated tasks, Siekkinen said.

She also noted that schools value skills beyond academic abilities. Children have different strengths, and some may already be good at social skills, such as taking others into account.

School involves more than reading and maths

Fernström said children learn many things at school that parents may not immediately think of. They practise waiting for their turn, concentrating and giving others space.

After the summer, children also move from spending time in small groups or with their families to joining a larger group, Siekkinen said.

Parents should support rather than teach

The teachers said parents do not need to become home teachers, but showing interest is important. Parents can ask questions, listen and help with homework when necessary, Fernström said.

Siekkinen highlighted the importance of reading homework, especially during the first year. Parents should be involved in homework from the beginning and, in particular, listen to their children read.

Both teachers said cooperation between home and school should be built on trust and kept focused on the child’s best interests.