Ideas to support a super advanced reader in DCPS?

[Anonymous]

What suggestions do you have to support a child who is testing at 5-6 grades ahead in reading? & a few grades ahead in math?

We are not going to move out of the District & are not going private.

[Anonymous]

Have them read different articles from different fields. See what other countries are doing in math at same grade level. All available online.

[Anonymous]

We got ours some magazine subscriptions: the Cricket family of magazines, Ranger Rick, Highlights, Nat Geo Kids, The Week Junior, etc. Lots of library trips and encouraged them to read a variety of genres. Signed up for a creative writing program. But hands down the best thing they did on their own--connected with the school librarian. She gave recommendations, encouragement, and let them help out with book selection and library tasks, which they LOVED. Librarians are a fantastic resource.

[Anonymous]

Agree with lots of library trips. My kid always had their own book in their backpack, every day like their lunchbox. Once they are that far ahead they aren’t really learning to read, so anything you can put in front of them with age appropriate content is fine. I used to mark up the grownup magazines we got with articles I thought my kid might like.

[Anonymous]

What age?

I suggest you take them to the library a lot, and chill. Support them as a writer.

Other kids will catch up. Yes they will. And when you have an older elementary reader, who actually reads with nuance and inference and background knowledge, you will see that early fluency isn't the same thing as what kids actually do with a text in upper elementary.

[Anonymous]

Aren’t most UMC kids 5-6 grade levels ahead in reading?

[Anonymous]

Agree with the advice from others. Just encourage their love of reading and avoid putting things off limits because you think they’re too hard (or too easy). Let them re-read things if they want to. Basically, let them lead the way and ensure reading stays joyful for them.

Our way-ahead reader kids (now DCPS high schoolers) had some great ES teachers who understood them as readers and did a lot of small group work to encourage discussion and engagement with texts. And echoing a PP, my rising HS senior still talks about his ES librarian with fondness—that’s a great connection for a voracious reader to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What age?

I suggest you take them to the library a lot, and chill. Support them as a writer.

Other kids will catch up. Yes they will. And when you have an older elementary reader, who actually reads with nuance and inference and background knowledge, you will see that early fluency isn't the same thing as what kids actually do with a text in upper elementary.

Probably what you are doing now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t most UMC kids 5-6 grade levels ahead in reading?

Not really. They are ahead in fluency, so they test well, but that isn't the same thing as what grade level for upper elementary and middle school actually is. Comprehension, retention, inference, and responding in writing are essential skills, IMO way more important than fluency, and you aren't really above grade level unless you're doing well in those things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t most UMC kids 5-6 grade levels ahead in reading?

Not really. They are ahead in fluency, so they test well, but that isn't the same thing as what grade level for upper elementary and middle school actually is. Comprehension, retention, inference, and responding in writing are essential skills, IMO way more important than fluency, and you aren't really above grade level unless you're doing well in those things.

Sure but OP was talking about testing, and wasn't talking about writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What suggestions do you have to support a child who is testing at 5-6 grades ahead in reading? & a few grades ahead in math?

We are not going to move out of the District & are not going private.

What kind of support do you think your advanced reader needs? Most advanced readers don't need any support other than easy access to new reading material. That can be at the library, but it can also be online, if your child doesn't have access to a library. I know many DCPS schools lack consistent library access.

Math -- lots of online resources for math. Does your child know about Clever -- DCPS has lots of apps your child can access through it? Khan Academy may also be interesting. Art of Problem Solving is good if your child is interested in math competitions. Talk with your child's teacher to see what your child might need.

[Anonymous]

This thread has such excellent advice I feel like it couldn't have come from DCUM! Kidding. Kinda. Not OP but thanks for the suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I’d focus on writing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t most UMC kids 5-6 grade levels ahead in reading?

Not really. They are ahead in fluency, so they test well, but that isn't the same thing as what grade level for upper elementary and middle school actually is. Comprehension, retention, inference, and responding in writing are essential skills, IMO way more important than fluency, and you aren't really above grade level unless you're doing well in those things.

Sure but OP was talking about testing, and wasn't talking about writing.

Okay... but so what? OP wants to know how to support her child, and focusing on writing, retention, and higher-level skills like close reading, reading between the lines, etc., are important. If you ultimately want your kid to have access to advanced coursework in other classrooms, or in camps or programs such as CTY, it's important to have the full package of ELA skills and not just the fluency. I know this because my DD was a super-fluent reader in K, and the school was willing to try out having her in the 3rd grade room for reading, but when I saw the written work they were expecting the kids to do, I realized my DD's fluency was only one piece of the pie.

If OP really wants to focus on reading, I'd suggest teaching some Latin roots and Greek myths, or learning some Spanish or another romance language.

[Anonymous]

I would try out a theater camp. You learn a lot about language from theater, both in speaking language aloud and in being exposed to Shakespeare.