Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy How important is it to know reading level?

I think your daughter deserves to read with other children who are at a similar level of readiness. I wouldn't push directly for them to test her reading above level - I would push for them to teacher her at her current level with peers - so yup, then get to have the 'bright idea' to test her above level and use their own tools to shed light on this concern.

You can start the conversation by pointing out that the books she chooses and enjoys from the library are: and list 5 recent favorites. You can probably also google the names of the books and 'lexile' or whatever system they are used to.

I use the analogy of 'shoe size' I don't care what the number is that is stamped inside the shoe, I want a shoe that fits and supports my feet.

Good luck!
Grinity

It's a nice thing to know, of course, but I don't see it as much of an issue. My big problem with the AR system (which my childrens' school uses) is that it discourages challenging yourself. They will not even allow a child to TRY a test on a book above their level - although occasionally my son logs in and does it anyway when the teacher is not paying attention. (Although it does occasionally end in slightly lower scores, I'm not going to discourage that). Anyway, I have a "never say no" policy toward reading. I may try to steer them in another direction if they are looking at something that I don't think they are ready for, but if they are really set on it, I let them read it. Most of the time they choose things fairly close to their tested level, but my son did surprise me by reading half of the Harry Potter series last summer - 3 or 4 years ahead of what the AR people say he should be doing. Now he has his eye on my Stephen King collection and is not backing down - at 8 years old, I may have to try and steer him to one of the more "tame" books.
Anyway, I'm rambling. My point is, tell her teacher that if they will not test her, she should not have to do the same work as the kids below her level. Send a book with her to read at school if you have to. But most kids who enjoy reading will choose challenging books for themselves.

I'm thinking that personality might come in to play with this reading level issue. My kiddo, until he got in an appropriately challenging school setting, would not challenge himself. He would pick the books in the room during silent reading time that were way below his level, read them through in a matter of minutes and then pretend he was reading if the teacher looked. He told me he liked to daydream and/or pay attention to what the troublemakers were doing. We had to work hard at that school to get DS appropriate reading materials. I happen to have a child who was pretty lazy... Now his classroom is full of kids all reading at high levels, and they feed each other's interests in books.

I think personality is a part of it. Although DD was above level when she was in K and 1st, she didn't really push herself and teacher evaluations were a few times a year. But this year, whether it is the teacher or she notices who is reading what, but she is in the top bracket with one other kid, at least 3 grades above current grade level. And they have to "pass" a reading comprehension list of questions before they are moved up. So it has to be more than just reading.

Doesn't mean she never picks up Wimpy Kid or something like that but she seems much more interested in the higher level stuff this year.

Ren

I guess that is more of the issue at hand. Ultimately it doesn't really matter what level she is at because it may not really affect which book she chooses to read for leisure. Although she currently wants to read the first Harry Potter book and I think that may be a bit much for her.

My frustration is that it appears she is in a reading group with other kids who I can personally tell aren't at her level (except for 1 other girl who I have yet to hear read). I volunteer 2 hours a week so I'm in the classroom and throughout the year I've been able to get an idea of where everybody is at. So for the majority of the year she has been in a group where she isn't really being challenged with the reading material.

Of course things may change between now and the start of 1st grade and there may be more students at her level come fall. But it is something I'm certainly going to bring up with her 1st grade teacher. I was ignorant and naive in thinking my dd was in a group with her peers when it came to her reading level.

I had no clue this was the standard practice. (My older daughter is dyslexic so I'm used to having to advocate for her to get reading help) I'm just disappointed b/c I had no idea the teacher stopped testing my kindergartner after she reached a DRA level of 16 last Fall. She was reading a little bit before school started but I never really pushed any instruction and I really just wanted to see what kind of growth she has made. I'm a numbers kinda person. So she went from a DRA of a 12 at the beginning of school to a 16 in October and has yet to be tested any higher b/c she reached the benchmark. I think I have just as much of right to know how my child is progressing, as does the mom of little "Jimmy who is reading at a level 10".

Can you share any online places that are good for finding out their reading levels? If I had to guess I would say she is at a mid-3rd grade level based on the books she is reading at home and their lexile level on Scholastic.

In our case, I finally figured out that the problem was how an appropriate book was defined. They were to choose "appropriate" books, and the big sign on the wall defining it spelled out "not too hard." My DD would pick books that were not too hard, and then was constantly butting heads with the teacher because the books she was reading weren't appropriately challenging.


Considering family history, you might want to have some sort of assessment to monitor growth. We now have a reading level for DD9, which I pushed for in anticipation of writing her IEP for a reading disability. I'm not sure if monitoring her growth as a reader more accurately would have turned something up quantitative earlier or not, but I do feel as though we're missing 4 years of records reflecting her progress. ETA: by way of explanation, DD's reading level is mid- to late-high school depending on the type of reading she's doing. She's a 4th grader with a diagnosed reading disability.

Online reading assessments don't appear to be good measures, as most just focus on decoding. Reading is decoding, fluency, and comprehension. If I were in your place, I'd probably keep a journal of what your daughter is reading and the date. Look up the reading level on the occasional book, particularly the ones she enjoys. That's as good as any a measure of her level. The journal will give you a record of her level through time to look back on in the event you start to wonder about issues.

Come to think of it, considering DS' state, I should start doing the same. (Also maxed out at a DRA 16)

What I found was that after a certain point, the levels didn't seem terrible accurate anyway. I could get a sense of whether the book was too hard or about right for DD by picking it up and reading a little. The level was irrelevant and often not in line with my sense of the book at all. (For instance, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is 5th or 6th grade level or something--I admit I've just skimmed a bit, but that seems too high for the books.) Basically, I feel like there are early chapter book (things like Rainbow Magic, Bailey School Kids), middle chapter books (huge range here, but things like Narnia), more advanced chapter books (early Harry Potter) and advanced chapter books (later Harry Potters, Anne of Green Gables; at this point we're brushing up against adult level books). Some books (often older ones) have very complex vocab but simpler, more childlike plots and themes, while others are written more simply but will not be understood well by a child with a "younger" POV...then there are some really great books that can be appreciated at multiple levels, too. Man, I love children's books. DD is rereading the Moomin series now, which I read to her at 4! She enjoyed it then, but is really reveling in its whimsy now in a very different way. I still love it myself!

With my DD8, in school we don't really have any control. The kids get what they want in the school library and nobody guides them. By 3rd grade the kids whose parents have an opinion have figured out just not to bring those books home, they read them during silent reading time and just don't tell their parents.

DD mostly wants read what the other kids are reading in school so she can be part of the conversation. It's all the usual suspects. We just let her, as long as she reads other stuff at home.

At home I just ask that she reads books that are more classic, where she can learn more words, be exposed to different dialects, maybe about a different time period, and she does continue with some sort of passionate subject matter like she did when she was little, this winter it's been history.

I agree with what ultramarina said above about the older kids books. I go to used book stores or the library. There are different sites to give lists of them or if you were a reader when you were a kid (depending upon your age lol) there might be some ideas there.

I have DD periodically read out loud to listen to her because as the year goes along her expression/fluency goes way down, it's actually very distressing to listen to her. In the summer she gains again and sounds really expressive etc.

But the grade level thing, I don't really think you can focus too much on that. The teachers just rattle off lexiles and letters of the alphabet, but it never translates into tailor anything for her anyway.

IMHO it's important to make sure some things they are reading are moving them along and talk to them about it so you're sure they understand what they're reading.

It was confirmed by an all-day observer in the class. She is definitely checking out (daydreaming out of boredom). I sure hope next year will offer better differentiation and challenging curriculum. And I hope her tests results this summer get her into the G&T class for 2nd grade.