Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy reading levels at school

Hi
So WWYD, DS 5 in a gifted K, was assessed for reading, according to his report card at level M for Fountas and Pinnel - and if you use the chart which places M at the start of 4th, I would say it matches his preference for fiction reading, on science and straight vocab he is probably higher. So they tested him to find where he was, there was no stopping at the end of K or anything like that. But here is my dilemma, the books in his reading bin at school is just level i - DS says its as high as the levels in the room go - now that is more advanced than they expect K to get, so its nice they have harder books in the room. But given they know where his level is shouldn't they get books for him on his level? I asked if when they went to the library could he get a book closer to his level and still came home with picture books. What annoys me is that the teacher said something about applying reading lessons - how can you apply things like just right words when you know all the words?!!!

Teacher has shown her awareness of his skills and is doing things with that in mind - except for the books in his bin! Is this something to press her on? I just wrote another post about the writing situation and I am worried they are tied together in her mind when they shouldn't be.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

DeHe

She should be making sure he is getting books at his reading level. That's, supposedly, the whole reason they do that test. I would have a talk with her.

My daughter was reading way above reading level in kindergarten. She told me the teacher went to the first grade classroom to get books for her to read. She was reading at a level J the first trimester of school, but the bins in the classroom only went up to about level I. I don't see why the teacher can't obtain the higher level books for him.

But I would also double check the reading level on those picture books. Some of them are meant to be "read to" books and have structure and vocabulary that is much more complex than similar looking "independent read" ones.

Now if your child is a fast, avid reader, he will definitely need something with more text (or bring back a bag full of book rather than a few).

Ask nicely if there's a reason.

Sometimes a kid's retelling-the-story-to-others ability is not where their tested reading level is-- the teacher may be keeping books for retelling practice or some other skill work. Often teachers do have a purpose for this kind of choice, and aren't just being neglectful.

DeeDee

That reason makes sense as do the others - and I think you are right that there is purpose here, I just think whatever her purpose is will get lost due to disinterest. He reads them all, it's not that he is ignoring anything but if she wants to hear him talk character and development she needs to listen to him talk about NERDS not Arthur!!! He is certainly not lacking in reading material and there is plenty for him to do at school so part of me thinks don't fight this, but then the rest of me knows this is just wrong for him!!

DeHe

by the end of K, DD(now 8) teacher was getting books from 2nd grade for her in class...I honestly would be mad if my child was not allowed to check out ANY book they want from the library and I DO think the teacher should get the right level books for him when it's independent reading (that's what the bin is for, right?)

In DD's classroom, the bins have a range of books, all FAR below her level, but she enjoys them and reads much heavier stuff at home. They also do guided reading in class...the 3rd grade is reading The Boxcar Children...again WAY below her level, but she hasn't complained...

BTW-I don't think the K teacher EXPECTS him to talk character and development...even at 3rd grade, they haven't gotten to that. I always loved reading, but it was not interesting at school until HIGH SCHOOL for me and even then, I had read at least half the assigned books before freshman year!

Hmm, according to the charts I have seen, M is generally end of 2nd grade, so it shouldn't be that hard to find some books to put in a kindergarten's bin. If they are being difficult about it, could you select some yourself from the school library to put in there? Or bring some from home. If you are looking for something at that level, most of the Magic Tree House books are M. My DS loved those!

I don't know why they get so difficulty about being able to "find" the right books for above average readers. It IS a school, for heaven's sakes. There are probably a few books lying around waiting to be read!

But I agree that if he's overall pretty happy and has the opportunity to read more challenging and interesting books at home, maybe it is not worth the battle. I agree with 2giftgirls, the teacher is not expecting him to talk about the story or characters much, she is teaching the rest of the class how to sound out simple words at this point. Although that is all the more reason to just give him books at his level, since she is basically not going to be teaching him much regarding reading.

LNEsMom
That's exactly what I thought - tons of books! I had been hoping the teacher and librarian would be able to help me - not me help them!!! DS liked the MTH Merlin books about 6 months ago - he went through like 20 of them in about a month. That's why I was glad she knew he was beyond what they expected thinking they would recommend stuff! That pipe dream is gone. Good thing the book recommendations here are awesome

DeHe

Hi
DD6 was in first grade (skipped K) last year and her first term reading level was M and she advanced to Q at the end of year.

If your kid is well rounded, then (if you wanted it all well) you can advocate for grade skip.

regarding picture books your kid bringing home may be partly his interest, DD brings some books which are very basic like books for babies with animals and fur and no letters in book!!!from school and library very frequently. DD wants some books she can read in minutes and get over with it.. maybe your DS is like that

DD brought books from home when in K. I agree, it shouldn't be that way, but it did work.

I think I will have to go that route if this persists, although until DS finishes all the books in the classroom, I think we are ok in terms of sheer boredom - as someone else said, he will read anything. But if she wants him to learn something new - these books are not going to work.

Sigh! I don't know which is more depressing that this is occurring - or that it was totally predictable by the experiences of others on the board!!!!

DeHe

At school , ds (kinder) is in guided reading f but at home easily reads k. He also has awesome comprehension when books are read to him (he is able to answer dd's razkid tests quite easily at a level 'o').

We ended up donating a bunch of books to the classroom in both K and 2nd (he skipped 1st), when most of the books were below my son's level. He didn't want to be different from the other kids in the classroom by getting his books for reading time in the library - he wanted to be like the other kids and pick out books from the classroom bins.

I am surprised they only go to I. In our school, K goes higher. But they say P is between 3rd and 4th grade.

DD brings home books from an assortment of 3 levels since she is having a hard time liking some of the books. The teacher said she was getting more, we brought it up. I was planning to donate but it was also OK with the teacher that DD get books from the library and told her to do her non fiction reading at school, which she likes.

My son is in the same place, at school they say he's at level M, but at home he's reading books with a lexile score over 1000, and answering homework questions on them. I just try and make sure we always have good books at home for hom to read.

so...on that lettered system, no one has told me what happens when the kids outgrows it. Before we left the last school, Butter told me they finally got their reading levels. She was at "Z" at the end of last year (2nd) and this year the teacher told her she was at "a higher level of Z". WTH does THAT even mean?

I believe Z is it. The guided reading levels are just meant for elementary school. http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/guidedreading/leveling_chart.htm

I think that this is only a worry if your DS is showing signs of being unhappy with his reading selections. After all, just because he's reading more difficult material doesn't mean he doesn't also enjoy picture books. He may be a middle-schooler by reading ability and interests, but he's still also a 5yo.

For example, my DD6 recently asked us to explore the adult section of the library, and she brought home a few selections, which she reads from time to time in her play room. Yet the books she has piled up in the back seat for car trips are all picture books, which she likes to read aloud, pretending she's teaching a class.

If he's checking out picture books from the school library because that's what he wants to read, I see no problem. If he's doing it because that's all they'll let him check out, that's a problem, and one probably worth getting involved in.

that is exactly it - he told me he prefers chapters - he isnt getting them. He will read anything in his box, but it is not his preference. And he is not going to learn much from them, I wont say he wont learn anything but its certainly not stretching him like harder more substantive books which he reads at home. Currently he is going to the school library but being handed selections - there is as of now no relationship between his interests or his level and the books he is being given. He is not the type to complain to the teacher so the fact that he mentioned it to me at all is significant.

DeHe

If that's the case I would def schedule a meeting with his teacher. I can't even imagine a reason he wouldn't be permitted to check out a book he wants to from the library. I know when my son was in kinder, after had their reading level, the teacher took them to the library and taught them all how to look for the label that showed the level, so they could check out books that were appropriate.

Sometimes librarians get confused, though. In our school it's the librarian that helps kids find books "at their level". Make sure she knows that the M is not a typo and he actually does read chapter books for fun.

DD6 had this same issue recently. I asked her to advocate for herself to her gifted teacher, but she was ignored. So I sent the teacher an email, DD6 received a reading test, and she's now allowed to get any book she wants. (IF ONLY all the school problems could be solved this easily.)

In your case, you've already got a reading assessment that says he can handle M-level books, so all you need to do now is ask the school what needs to happen to ensure he has access to M-level books in the library.

The fact that the library is handing him selections, rather than letting him pick what he likes, seems pretty bizarre to me.