Is my child in the right reading level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks, PP. My confusion was that DC was tested in pre-K and said to be reading at the 2nd grade level. Now DC's in first grade and said to be reading at the 1st to 2nd grade level. But when we read together at home, DC can read books that are more advanced with relative ease, fluency, and enjoyment. DC's really into Harry Potter, and is reading the Chamber of Secrets independently. Thr books the teacher is sending home, though, are much simpler. Not mich above Cat in thr Hat level.

It's not that I think DC is a genius nor do we want to push, but DC does not seem to enjoy the books teacher is sending home. I'm wondering if the testing at school just went wrong somehow. I was once tested for reading in the old days when we had scantrons. I put two answers on one row, which few off all of the answers. I got put into a level of reading that was far below my abilities and was bored to tears for a year. I don't know enough about how DC was tested but am wondering whether something could have thrown the testing off. It's a bit awkward alking to DC's teacher because when I asked tentatively about this, she became very defensive.

This is why I was wondering about an independent tester. Not to challenge the teacher, but so we as parents have a better sense of what kind of support we should b giving DC.

NP here. Asking the teacher is your first step here, not an independent reading evaluation (unless you suspect dyslexia or something like that, then the pediatrician may be a good place to start asking questions - but that doesn't sound like the case). My son is in second grade right now, and his teachers have always been willing to explain to me what they are working on in class, and what I can do at home to challenge him and how to test his comprehension in reading and other subjects. If you aren't in the school at a good time to chat, I would suggest sending an email and asking for a conference or asking when they may have some time to chat. Be open minded about what they say, and try to implement some of their suggestions at home.

My son read Harry Potter this fall, and loved it, but I have no doubt that his comprehension of it (particularly in the later books, the first one was at exactly the right level I think) was somewhat less than what an older child would comprehend. That's OK - the teachers job is to work on comprehension and understanding, and my job as I see it is to encourage a love of reading.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Asking the teacher is your first step here, not an independent reading evaluation (unless you suspect dyslexia or something like that, then the pediatrician may be a good place to start asking questions - but that doesn't sound like the case). My son is in second grade right now, and his teachers have always been willing to explain to me what they are working on in class, and what I can do at home to challenge him and how to test his comprehension in reading and other subjects. If you aren't in the school at a good time to chat, I would suggest sending an email and asking for a conference or asking when they may have some time to chat. Be open minded about what they say, and try to implement some of their suggestions at home.

My son read Harry Potter this fall, and loved it, but I have no doubt that his comprehension of it (particularly in the later books, the first one was at exactly the right level I think) was somewhat less than what an older child would comprehend. That's OK - the teachers job is to work on comprehension and understanding, and my job as I see it is to encourage a love of reading.

YES. Literally everything that this person said. From starting with the teacher in a politely worded letter to just acknowledging that the books your child brings home are never going to be the same books your child reads for pleasure.

I had a similar issue last year and I actually went to try to find my email but couldn't. I basically said that my DC was reading much more advanced books at home, and asked if there was something specific holding back her reading level in school. The response was VERY helpful. The teacher checked in with the reading specialist and emailed me my child's scores on various tests, which basically showed that her reading aloud accuracy was near perfect, but her written responses were leaving something to be desired. This was helpful, and the teacher gave us some concrete exercises to work on written responses.

It was non-adversarial and informative. I'd strongly suggest you try that route before getting an outside evaluation.