Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Reading Plus

My 7th grader has started Reading Plus this year. I've never seen it before. The website sounds like the program is for kids that need extra help in reading. My daughter is not in this category, but the school district requires it for all students.

It's bizarre, the program has a blurred out reading passage with a clear rectangle that passes though the text. The student has to keep up with the clear rectangle and then answer questions.

Sounds like a great way to kill a kid's love of reading.

It doesn't look like it gets fantastic reviews from the WWC, which reviews all literacy programs. I wonder why your district chose it?

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=419

Proficient readers tend to look ahead to gain proper inflection, and may also look back as they engage in an internal conversation about what they are reading. The blurred passage approach seems to preclude development of these important reading skills.

It's like you are a horse with blinders on. Our district is huge and they just implemented Reading Plus this year, so we will be stuck with it for awhile. I think my daughter can still get an A in English and skip this. She is a rule follower, so she wants to do it...but it's soooo bad.

Good analogy.

Parents may wish to talk with their kids when reading at home, about developing reading habits such as skimming ahead for inflection, and having an internal conversation about what they are reading (making connections to other things they know, asking themselves questions, hypothesizing about what may happen next, etc). This may be especially important if these skills are not being introduced and developed at school.

I had a phone call today with the assistant principal of the school. I voiced my concerns, mainly that I have spent 12 years cultivating and encouraging a love of reading in my daughter. Reading Plus is the first time I have ever heard her complain about reading. The moving window is dreadful and it gives her a headache.

She was not very helpful, but she said that her impression was that the moving window was only active for the assessment phase. She said she will get back to me about it. I'm pretty sure she is incorrect about the moving window. She said the program is required for the entire district, so there is no way your daughter can be exempted. She said, "If it's too hard for your daughter, she needs the practice." Her lexile level is above 1300... Frustrating.

Of course your daughter can be exempted. Go to the Dr, explain this BS give her migraines, get a note, and then request a 504.