I wondered what people's suggestions were on the amount of time spent on sight reading per day to make good/reasonable progress?

Been playing for a year and started the grade 1 sight reading book about 3 months ago. I generally play each 8 bar piece with a few mistakes but tend to forget the dynamics.

I started on the grade 2 book which is a shock admittedly, but seeing as I have gone through the grade 1 book 3 times now, I cannot do it again (and I have done Paul harris and Right at sight books). I expect it to take about a year to get to grade 2 sight reading standard.

I would say I am very average and am not expecting to progress at lightning speed, but just not stagnate.

At the moment I am not spending time every day sight reading which I think I must (little and often I guess).

I never attempt each piece more than once otherwise I'll end up being too familiar with the pieces.

I am wondering whether I should do half an hour 3 times a week in addition to 5 mins every morning. I dont think its going to be enough though!

honestly, I think the 5 - 10 mins a day will turn you into a very good sight reader - blimey I wish I could get most of my students to do that per week on sightreading. I think going through the books doing any more than that will get rather tedious - have you tried recording yourself and giving marks out of 10 for rhythm, notes and dynamics. Its much easier to spot the mistakes when you're not actually playing.

Also rather than just working through the various - admittedly very useful, sightreading books out there why don't you try some 'real' stuff as well. What level are you playing at - I would guess from your post somewhere between grades 2 and 3 in which case some of the pieces you missed out earlier on at around about prep test - grade 1 level might make useful sightreading 'projects' maybe try 1 a week on top of what you are doing already with the sightreading books. But do remember if it becomes a chore, it will become less effective so the 5 - 10 minutes daily is very realistic.

Grade 2 or 3 I wish! He he

I had been trying to sight read pre grade 1 pieces a while back (probably ran out of material) - and I have forgotten about that. Will definitely do that as its a really good idea. Also I found sightreading real pieces are easier because there is generally a pattern in the tune and rhythm.

The recording idea is fab too. Thanks for your helpful comments.

Thanks !

I have always found my best sightreaders to be the pupils that play for fun as well as the pieces they are learning in their lessons.
There are alot of repertoire books of beginner to gd2 standard, and plenty of the 'tunes you always wanted to play' easy version type. It doesn't matter too much if sometimes you know the tune, it's still the practice of getting your hands round something unfamiliar.
The more you just 'play', the better your sightreading and other techniques will get.
And it's much nicer to open a book at a piece with a nice title thinking 'hmmm, lets see what this sounds like' rather than opening up a book titled 'sightreading' and instantly feeling the pressure!
If you have someone nearby that also plays, duets are a good way of learning how to keep going too!

It has been suggested that my sight reading is not helped by the fact that I actually practice....

I spent most of my childhood not practising what I was supposed to be playing because I knew I could sight-read whatever it was in my lesson. (I used to play all sorts of other things between lessons, thereby reinforcing my sight-reading skills but little else ). I didn't realise you could actually perfect a piece once you knew the notes and by the time I was old enough to be interested in playing something other than "just notes", I felt I couldn't ask my teacher how to practise since that would mean admitting I had never practised and I was too scared of her.