Reading 2 grade levels above in 1st grade

[Anonymous]

No, not in 1st but if your child is consistently reading way above his or her peers in later elementary that's more of a sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^forgot to say I'm also an educational researcher

Dear Educational Researcher, can you start an Ask Me Anything thread please?

[Anonymous]

What if you kid is reading at third grade level at age four?

(And, yes, fully comprehending and tested at that level too)

What do you say, educational researcher?

(Not that it matters really, kid is no longer four)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if you kid is reading at third grade level at age four?

(And, yes, fully comprehending and tested at that level too)

What do you say, educational researcher?

(Not that it matters really, kid is no longer four)

Not the educational researcher--although I did take a class in it in grad school and did my share of evaluation of educational research as a grad student.
My question is why in the world are you testing a four year old instead of just reading with him and letting him/her enjoy what he reads?

[Anonymous]

My third grade did is reading at a 9 the grade level. I don't think what you describe is all that unusual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if you kid is reading at third grade level at age four?

(And, yes, fully comprehending and tested at that level too)

What do you say, educational researcher?

(Not that it matters really, kid is no longer four)

This is highly indicative of giftedness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about any of these posts. But my DD is actually 7, 1st grade in "W cluster" MCPS. Her reading level is at the top of the 3rd Grade band. However, her progress report does not say that she is exceptional for reading, only that she is meeting/achieving the grade level standard. I think that is because it is clear to me that most of her friends in the same class are more advanced readers. So either it is a class with 7 super gifted girls or the grade standards for reading are set too low. I am going to assume it is the latter, particularly since while my DD is a decent reader, she is not an avid reader and looking at the things she feels most comfortable reading, I would concur that she is reading where I expect an average 1st grader to be.

The bands for average for reading in 1st grade are quite wide. They narrow as the children age.

Her child is in the 3rd grade band, which is much narrower.

What? Her child is in first grade- so the band for average for 1st graders goes really high ( and possibly past the 3rd grade benchmark) and goes low.

No - I'm looking at my own child's MCPS report card right now, which has all reading levels from K to 3rd, by marking period. For example, the first grade band (aka quarterly reading target) in the third marking period spans levels 12 to 15. The third grade band for the same marking period is level O. PP was saying that instead of having her child's personalized level, represented by a dot, inside the quarterly reading target for first grade, the dot is well above it, in one of the third grade bands. "At the top" might mean the fourth quarter reading target, instead of the third quarter.
This is what my daughter has, incidentally. She's level O, in first grade.

[Anonymous]

My DD8 has always been a fantastic reader. She was reading magic treehouse at age 4. She was assessed in kindergarten once to be at level N. That was near the beginning of the year. In first grade she was assessed once or twice again. The teacher told me she could just read anything at conference. She was giving her 6th grade level books at free reading. Near the end of first grade she was assessed by a local university to be at a 6th grade level all around. In second they said she was at a level S(4th?) even though on RAZ kids she was on level Z at the end of first. At the beginning of third grade her Lexile was tested, and it was 10th grade level. But the enrichment program the school uses gives her 8th grade comprehension assignments.

That is all to say I am always skeptical about reading levels. They are very subjective. I think the best indicator is that DD actually loves to read. She reads for hours a day. From preschool on I didn't worry about exact levels, and it seemed teachers didn't either! She's also been tested as gifted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD8 has always been a fantastic reader. She was reading magic treehouse at age 4. She was assessed in kindergarten once to be at level N. That was near the beginning of the year. In first grade she was assessed once or twice again. The teacher told me she could just read anything at conference. She was giving her 6th grade level books at free reading. Near the end of first grade she was assessed by a local university to be at a 6th grade level all around. In second they said she was at a level S(4th?) even though on RAZ kids she was on level Z at the end of first. At the beginning of third grade her Lexile was tested, and it was 10th grade level. But the enrichment program the school uses gives her 8th grade comprehension assignments.

That is all to say I am always skeptical about reading levels. They are very subjective. I think the best indicator is that DD actually loves to read. She reads for hours a day. From preschool on I didn't worry about exact levels, and it seemed teachers didn't either! She's also been tested as gifted.

Since I have a child like yours, let me tell you something - watch for their socialization. Reading for hours on end, like I did, and DS does, is actually not THAT great. We have inattentive ADHD and our hyperfocus is reading. It's wonderful for general culture and knowledge and definitely makes it easier to go to grad school and go into academia/research later on, but... other skills have to be developed too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD8 has always been a fantastic reader. She was reading magic treehouse at age 4. She was assessed in kindergarten once to be at level N. That was near the beginning of the year. In first grade she was assessed once or twice again. The teacher told me she could just read anything at conference. She was giving her 6th grade level books at free reading. Near the end of first grade she was assessed by a local university to be at a 6th grade level all around. In second they said she was at a level S(4th?) even though on RAZ kids she was on level Z at the end of first. At the beginning of third grade her Lexile was tested, and it was 10th grade level. But the enrichment program the school uses gives her 8th grade comprehension assignments.

That is all to say I am always skeptical about reading levels. They are very subjective. I think the best indicator is that DD actually loves to read. She reads for hours a day. From preschool on I didn't worry about exact levels, and it seemed teachers didn't either! She's also been tested as gifted.

Since I have a child like yours, let me tell you something - watch for their socialization. Reading for hours on end, like I did, and DS does, is actually not THAT great. We have inattentive ADHD and our hyperfocus is reading. It's wonderful for general culture and knowledge and definitely makes it easier to go to grad school and go into academia/research later on, but... other skills have to be developed too.

Agree, my brother read for hours a day. He is in Mensa. Super smart yay! Also, boarderline aspergers and issues with socialization that have followed him all his life.

Perhaps the poster above was using hyperbole, if not - I'd watch for hours daily of reading at a young level.

[Anonymous]

Op here. The reason I asked is my son is unfortunately very very average. He doesn't have too many interests and not much perseverance. I am very disappointed but really try to work on it, never show it to him and am trying to find something he is good at. He is not into arts, not into sports, not into anything. His only interest and capability is reading. But even that seems to be not that unusual. Oh well. At least he is good at it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The reason I asked is my son is unfortunately very very average. He doesn't have too many interests and not much perseverance. I am very disappointed but really try to work on it, never show it to him and am trying to find something he is good at. He is not into arts, not into sports, not into anything. His only interest and capability is reading. But even that seems to be not that unusual. Oh well. At least he is good at it.

OP, it is unusual. Look around at the other children in his class and his school. Don't go by what the parents of other unusual children on DCUM say.

He is highly verbal. That's good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. The reason I asked is my son is unfortunately very very average. He doesn't have too many interests and not much perseverance. I am very disappointed but really try to work on it, never show it to him and am trying to find something he is good at. He is not into arts, not into sports, not into anything. His only interest and capability is reading. But even that seems to be not that unusual. Oh well. At least he is good at it.

And that's GOOD, you don't want unusual unless you're prepared to deal with attending issues that come with splinter skills. Reading two grades ahead should make you proud and happy.

[Anonymous]

My 1st grader is at level P, which google tells me is at the end of 3rd grade. He's not even in the top reading group in his class. He's smart, but at least as measured by reading skill, is not exceptional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 1st grader is at level P, which google tells me is at the end of 3rd grade. He's not even in the top reading group in his class. He's smart, but at least as measured by reading skill, is not exceptional.

Also, I should add, he started 1st grade at level D, so he was not a particularly early reader. When he got it, he got it.