What's the point of reading early if they don't understand? It doesn't encourage reading for pleasure. Better to wait until they learn because they are motivated.

DC was a relatively early reader reading simple books at 4 1/2. Now in the top reading group. The reading comprehension questions are a bit of a challenge, but are more difficult questions than the questions asked in lower reading groups. So both the books they're reading and the questions are harder. It's hard to see if there's actually a problem with comprehension this way with early readers.

Anonymous wrote:

My child was not reading at all, 2 of her friends were reading full novels more typical for 4th/5th/6th grade. Now in middle school she reading fluently and her comprehension is as good or better than the early reading peers. Some kids struggle more with comprehension, she might not be typical, but in any of the early years classes there is a wide span of reading level. Many bright kids who become academically successful might not be the most advanced reader in the first couple of years. Some advanced readers seem to be aided by reading below their level to work on some things. (how to decipher totally unfamiliar words they'll encounter in more complex material, especially technical nonfiction, reading slightly simpler books to work on comprehension, plot, character, etc. Some of those issues seem easier to grasp taking a step down in level.)

As a K and first grade teacher, I observed that the really early readers often struggled with comprehension. I think it was a result of being pushed to decipher letters.

Well, comprehension is the point, no? Whatever level a child can understand is their reading level. Doesn't really matter if they can only sound it out. That's the easy part.

My opinion: some parents and teachers spend far too much time with three year olds in drilling sounds and deciphering letters. That takes comprehension skills out of the wash.

Absolutely no idea. Mine is an early reader, and per the teacher she will be (is?) in a pull out reading group with other early readers,but I don't have any sense of what exact level they're all on. From an online reading site my child's school uses I know the teacher is giving her mid 2nd grade texts, but the teacher also said she purposefully set my kid's initial level there lower than her actual reading level while she learns the user interface, so I don't really know her true level.

As for comprehension, one reason early readers may lag is from reduced time being read to / doing guided reading. Since our kid can read on her own we often just let her, and do a lot less reading *to* her, which probably reduces the kind of questions / conversations that help with comprehension. It's one reason we're trying to read chapter books with her at bedtime now.

Curious. Do you know why that might be? I've noticed some children struggling with comprehension but it's hard to tell if they are behind of not comprehension wise because they are typically in higher reading groups and so are asked to also complete harder comprehension questions in K-2. By second grade most of the comprehension questions in higher groups were written as well which can be a struggle for some.

My child was not reading at all, 2 of her friends were reading full novels more typical for 4th/5th/6th grade. Now in middle school she reading fluently and her comprehension is as good or better than the early reading peers. Some kids struggle more with comprehension, she might not be typical, but in any of the early years classes there is a wide span of reading level. Many bright kids who become academically successful might not be the most advanced reader in the first couple of years. Some advanced readers seem to be aided by reading below their level to work on some things. (how to decipher totally unfamiliar words they'll encounter in more complex material, especially technical nonfiction, reading slightly simpler books to work on comprehension, plot, character, etc. Some of those issues seem easier to grasp taking a step down in level.)

As a K and first grade teacher, I observed that the really early readers often struggled with comprehension. I think it was a result of being pushed to decipher letters.

If you volunteer, you notice the span. My child was not reading at all, 2 of her friends were reading full novels more typical for 4th/5th/6th grade. Now in middle school she reading fluently and her comprehension is as good or better than the early reading peers. Some kids struggle more with comprehension, she might not be typical, but in any of the early years classes there is a wide span of reading level. Many bright kids who become academically successful might not be the most advanced reader in the first couple of years. Some advanced readers seem to be aided by reading below their level to work on some things. (how to decipher totally unfamiliar words they'll encounter in more complex material, especially technical nonfiction, reading slightly simpler books to work on comprehension, plot, character, etc. Some of those issues seem easier to grasp taking a step down in level.)

Funny, the teacher didn't tell me how the other kids were doing.

Our kindergarten will go as high as a student needs.

Bottom line -- kindergarten reading level means almost nothing.

Agree. My daughter didn't read in K--by the end of first grade, she was probably at fourth grade level. By the end of elementary school, she was at high school level--also in writing.

Do not freak out about this. My DD was a 4 at the end of kindergarten -- right where she was supposed to be for the benchmarks. In 1st grade she "made amazing progress" and was about a year ahead by the end -- why? B/c I started coaching her to read! I didn't know I was supposed to be doing that in K!

Now that she's in 4th, she's still a year ahead and in the top reading group.

Bottom line -- kindergarten reading level means almost nothing.

Our school uses the Guided Level scale. A-Z. I think a few girls were level J and L by the end of kindergarten. That's second grade level. My son was level H. Which is a first grade level. He was in the middle of the class in terms of ability. There was a huge range of levels. Still are in first grade.

What scale are you using?

Is it level 4, 5, or higher?