My second grade daughter's reading scores seem to consist mainly of multiple choice reading quizzes. She gets two types: grade level reading quizzes and above grade level reading quizzes. She generally scores very well on the above grade level quizzes, but lately she's been bombing the grade level ones. (They usually only have 4-5 questions, so missing one question is a B/C.) The question that she's missing is always about the main idea of a numbered paragraph. In the above level quizzes, she is required to make an inference. In the grade level quizzes, the answer is there in black and white, but there is always a second answer that can make sense as an inference, and that is what she's choosing.
As much as I think picking the main idea out of a list is kind of dumb anyway, I do want her to make good grades--and as a dysgraphic, she's always very borderline with ELA grades as it is because of the writing (and yes, she has a 504). So she needs good grades on these bubble quizzes.
Those of you who are teachers...is this common? It seems like the two level quizzes are teaching different strategies. I'm not sure whether I should just shrug my shoulders and move on or sit down with her and show her how the two different levels are actually looking for different things, and that she should use a different strategy for each level. If that is, in fact, what is happening.
What are your thoughts?
