What does 'level 16' mean wrt reading levels.

[Readytomakechanges]

Prior to summer holidays, DD was bringing home purple band books (ORT stage 8).

Since she's started year one, she's had one orange band book (ORT stage 6) which she found easy but enjoyable, and this weekend has a grey band book (ORT stage 13), Dr. X, which she found challenging.
On top of each page of her reading diary, the teacher has written 'level 16'. Does that in anyway correspond to book bands? Is it a national thing or something specific to DD's school?
Thanks.

[mrz]

No it isn't a national thing. Orange is Reading Recovery Level 15-16.

[Readytomakechanges]

Thanks. Perhaps a school thing then. I'll ask the teacher when I get chance.

[user789653241]

Why , mrz? OP is only asking! There are different levels, the one normally talked about on MN is the first one. (Though these are out of date with regards to expected levels/age/year group since new NC, they shifted 2 levels up for expectation, I believe.)

www.beckstone.cumbria.sch.uk/curriculum/reading_levels.pdf

novaprimaryschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Reading-Recovery-Levels.pdf

[mrz]

probably more accurate response. I'd worry about any school using Reading Recovery levels Book banding is bad enough.

[dementedpixie]

Our school in Scotland uses those levels too. Is it a bad thing?

[mrz]

It suggests the school is still using mixed reading methods and books (and if in England not following the statutory curriculum). The official scheme is PM but there are lots of lists such as those Irvine posted to convert book bands to RR levels. Neither fit the new English curriculum.

[user789653241]

I do get that, what you are saying, mrz. But most of us parents haven't got a clue unless someone explain it to us.
So, just posting isn't very helpful for us.
Reality is, your school may not use book levels, but most of school still seems to use these, and get confused on MN, some school are using Ort, some are using RR, or maybe something totally different.

[Clapslap]

most posts in this section are met with mrz telling us that book bands are bad, mixed reading methods are bad, ability tables are bad, pretty much anything that most primary schools actually do are bad.

It's rarely of any help to the OP but I guess it helps mrz feel that she is the best teacher ever.

[mrz]

Book banding is a comfort blanket ...teachers clinging to the familiar even though it doesn't match statutory curriculum requirements.

[mrz]

No clapstrap I don't think I'm the best teacher ever but I do read current research evidence. Nick Clegg stated the reading wars had been won but there's still lots of ignorance and reluctance to change out there. Comfort blanket?

[mrz]

If you're interested in why RR isn't a good idea there's plenty of independent evidence freely available https://www.ldaustralia.org/client/documents/Sydney%20presentation%20v%202.pdf http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19404158.2013.842134

[user789653241]

Clap, I still believe mrz is one of the best and helpful teacher on MN, just that her posting style is very cool and concise that sometimes cause misunderstanding, which I find very sad.

[Clapslap]

You're missing the point. You may well be right that book bands are a comfort blanket and shouldn't be used.

The fact remains however that they are widely used and parents naturally have questions about them. It's one of the few things that we can concretely measure our child's progress by. Ditto for ability tables.

Telling people that these things shouldn't be used may well be right but it doesn't ever address the actual post and I'm afraid you come across as a bit self congratulatory.

[mrz]

I said book bands don't match the new national curriculum requirements claptrap how is that difficult to understand?

[Hulababy]

Is it perhaps an assessment scheme they are using. Some of the ones we've had in the past has different levels - child reads a short book or passage and how they read it and their comprehension of the text afterwards is recorded and assessed. Could be a commercial system or their own. That could be where the level is coming from perhaps?

From what Im reading I don't think the OP is saying that her child is on level 16 AND orange band. She says that her child was on purple, then brought one an ORT orange and then an ORT grey - so 3 different colour bands mentioned, and the stages they refer to all vary too (in OP post) and none say level 16. To me it doesn't state that level 16 = orange in the OPs post.

[mrz]

I answered the OPs question ...her child is reading Orange band books which is the same as RR level 15 -16. Quite straightforward isn't it?

[user789653241]

Hula, orange is level 16 in RR levels, that's what mrz is talking about, I assume.

[user789653241]

*cross posted!

[Hulababy]

I know level 16 = RR orange.

However the op says her child has brought home TWO books - an orange one (stage 6) and a grey one (stage 13). And a level 16 written in her diary over the same course of time.

Hence why I wonder if the two are not necessarily linked in this situation. If the child was only bring home Orange books then I would link them, but because of the grey book as well, I am less sure.

[Hulababy]

Quite straightforward isn't it?

Only if the grey band book is ignored.

[mrz]

The OP also said her child had purple prior to holidays.

[eddiemairswife]

Up early this morning mrz?

[mrz]

Slept in. I'm usually up by 4.30

[Theoistfit]

What's the alternative to book bands Mrz?

[mrz]

Books match to child's ability rather than number of words per line/page which is how book banding works