Why so much focus on reading levels?

[Anonymous]

I did not go to american school system, hence this honest question. Why is their so much focus on reading at a higher grade level especially once the kids are past the lower elementary level. Why does it matter that a fifth grader is reading at seventh grade level, etc. The important thing for a student is to utilize his reading skills to study other material. Isn't the point of reading, to learn other material like science, geography, etc.

It is so common to hear parents and even teachers judging their students based on their reading levels. I don't get it. I understand it is very important at lower elementary level when they are learning to read but after that it becomes a mute point as long as they can comprehend material written at their grade level. After 3rd or 4th grade, what should really matter is how student is doing in math, science and other subjects.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe having good reading comprehension skills are very important but I don't understand the perspective of assessing kids education mostly based on just their reading levels. Everything else seems to be second priority. In most countries, the kids are taught at a minimum two to three languages and their education level is not assessed by their reading levels.

Please enlighten me. What am I missing here?

[Anonymous]

I think there is more focus on this in the early years. People seem to expect or want their kids to be reading before they even start Kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

I don't get grade level in general.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that American education culture values ability over hard work, TAG/AAP,HGC over work ethic and determination. It's unfortunate and in conflict with what we say we value so we praise the genius slacker.

[Anonymous]

Reading assessments beyond first grade are all comprehension based. Not sure what you're saying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading assessments beyond first grade are all comprehension based. Not sure what you're saying.

Op here, What I am saying is why do we place so much emphasis on reading in this country. I see this to the point of ignoring another subjects. Why is reading at a higher level so important? The school report cards include the grade level at which the students are reading. I hear parents bragging about how high their kids can read. They should be bragging about how good he is doing in history or geography or science or math and not how high reading comprehension skills are. Reading skill is a facilitator to acquire knowledge.

In lower elementary school, I see that kids spent at least 4 to 5 hrs daily on reading one language. In most countries kids are learning 2 to 3 languages at that level. Why do we have such low expectations from our kids here. If the school does not want to offer other subjects, they should at least be diving time equally between reading and Math.

[Anonymous]

American education system views reading as a skill so like a video game how many levels you have is how skilled you are. There are many people including those within the education system that push back on that notion but it is the theoretical mindset behind reading levels.

Personally I think it has been a disaster for American education because we don't teach enough content or view reading as a reflection of knowledge. Our kids are much worse off for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading assessments beyond first grade are all comprehension based. Not sure what you're saying.

Op here, What I am saying is why do we place so much emphasis on reading in this country. I see this to the point of ignoring another subjects. Why is reading at a higher level so important? The school report cards include the grade level at which the students are reading. I hear parents bragging about how high their kids can read. They should be bragging about how good he is doing in history or geography or science or math and not how high reading comprehension skills are. Reading skill is a facilitator to acquire knowledge.

In lower elementary school, I see that kids spent at least 4 to 5 hrs daily on reading one language. In most countries kids are learning 2 to 3 languages at that level. Why do we have such low expectations from our kids here. If the school does not want to offer other subjects, they should at least be diving time equally between reading and Math.

History, geography and to some extent science are hardly taught in lower elementary school nowadays. They aren't on the test!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading assessments beyond first grade are all comprehension based. Not sure what you're saying.

Op here, What I am saying is why do we place so much emphasis on reading in this country. I see this to the point of ignoring another subjects. Why is reading at a higher level so important? The school report cards include the grade level at which the students are reading. I hear parents bragging about how high their kids can read. They should be bragging about how good he is doing in history or geography or science or math and not how high reading comprehension skills are. Reading skill is a facilitator to acquire knowledge.

In lower elementary school, I see that kids spent at least 4 to 5 hrs daily on reading one language. In most countries kids are learning 2 to 3 languages at that level. Why do we have such low expectations from our kids here. If the school does not want to offer other subjects, they should at least be diving time equally between reading and Math.

History, geography and to some extent science are hardly taught in lower elementary school nowadays. They aren't on the test!

My lower grade school has a great science, history and social science program (non-magnet). You are correct that they are not on state tests. Each student has to have a strong grasp of reading, comprehension and math in order to fully excel at science based subjects. Reading & Math are core to all subjects.

[Anonymous]

It seems a lot of science and history are incorporated into reading comprehension. It isn't all fantasy and fantasy is based in reality anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems a lot of science and history are incorporated into reading comprehension. It isn't all fantasy and fantasy is based in reality anyway.

The kids should be assessed on what they learned in science and history and not on reading comprehension skills

[Anonymous]

Reading is a a tool used in learning. First you learn to read, then you read to learn. If you don't learn to read, you can't read to learn.

[Anonymous]

Reading levels tend to be used to differentiate instruction for guided and independent reading, especially in the early elementary years.

I don't equate reading level with intelligence, no one should. I have a student who still reads on the kindergarten level in the 3rd grade (he has severe learning disabilities) but he can explain and understand concepts easily. He can recall information easily as well, but he cannot read to learn he has to receive the information through other means.

My grandfather was not skilled with reading or highly educated, but was an extremely smart guy.

[Anonymous]

because I desperately need to believe my kid is better than your kid.

I can think of no other reason.

[Anonymous]

Reading levels are so weird. I tried to look up the reading level for a book I bought my second grade niece, and I found everything from it being at grade 2 level to grade 8 level. My niece reads just about what I assumed was right at "grade level" for second graders (she has good comprehension and can sound out words that she doesn't know, but isn't super fluent yet...and most early reader chapter books that are longer like Goosebumps would be hard for her), however my MIL and SIL keep bragging about how she is at a 4th or 5th grade reading level according to some test at school. I have no idea what any of this "levels" stuff means anymore.