Can anyone make me feel better about reading levels please?

[chobmon]

My 5 year old hasn't picked up reading easily, and her reception teacher told me that she was in one of the lower reading groups just before lockdown. I was worried about this and spent a lot of time during lockdown reading with her every day and practicing her different speed sounds and so on, and was really hoping she had made progress.

This week, now in Year 1, she said she had a 'reading test' and has come home with a red level book. I've googled it and seen that red level is low for a Year 1 child. I feel like I've let her down, not getting her caught up during home schooling.

Has anyone's child been a struggling reader at this stage, and made good progress later on, please?

Ds1 was the same . He took a very long time to get the bug as it were. Once he did he absolutely flew. He will now read for pleasure in lieu of screen time even when I offer it. He jumped a years worth of levels in the space of about a term and a half . Coming out of lockdown he instantly jumped two levels.

Once he got started he moved really fast but the first two years were brutal and it was a constant battle.

Sorry he is year 3 now and the jump took place half way through year 2

Red is fine for a year 1! Especially at the start of the year.

My DD was on Pink at that stage in Yr1. On the plus side, the teachers going slowly with her built her confidence back then.

She's Yr5 now. She came out of school full of joy about her 'Lexile' level going up by 300 over lockdown. Shes certain she'll get good books to read this year. Unfortunately, I think she will be disappointed, as apparently that's Yr2/3 level... But the books she reads at home are 500points above that. So who knows.

Try not to be sad, just give her the help she needs.

God the stressing I did a about reading levels!! Your child will learn to read.

DS is now 12 and he can read! He's not a reader, ie he doesn't read for the sake of it, but I can accept that.

I agree with the others, it will eventually just click, and you've been doing all the right stuff by keeping going and encouraging at home. DS1 seemed to go from Biff and Kip to loving chapter books almost overnight. Keep the faith and keep plugging away, she'll get there!

To add to my above post...

With children that are struggling, it's really important not to compare them to their peers. There are so many factors affecting them in the early school years that even out over time. If you can, get hold of some red/yellow books so you have more choice at home, especially if their books are only changed once a week. Make sure you know your phonics. Try different schemes if you can. And read to him so that he can follow the words as well.

Good luck.

Thank you - you've all made me feel much better, and there's some great advice here.

@hopeishere I so hope I look back in years to come and wonder why I worried so much, so thank you. It's so hard not to keep comparing and wondering if I should do more. The trouble is, she's really not that interested in reading really!

My dd was never a great reader, but then in year 2 something clicked and she moved rapidly through the levels, and was a 'free reader' by the end of year 2. She has just gone into year 4 and is one of the top readers in her class.

For an outsider view: my DC didn't start school until the Autumn after their 6th birthday. They learnt sounds (no letters involved) until Christmas. In January they began to introduce letters, with the whole alphabet covered by the summer holiday. The following year (7, turning 8) they were expected to start to read simple books.

Dd now yr 2 was red at beginning at yr1. Shes just been moved off reading scheme and now a 'free reader' they really do move at their own pace

Little and often will do wonders. Often reading develops in spurts, it will seem as if little or no progress is being made and then they seem to come on fantastically in the space of days.

Former teacher here and Mum to 3 young adults. I know it’s hard but try and relax, she is still very young. Support her with specific reading/phonic activities suggested by her teacher, but mostly enjoy books and stories with her, talk with her and focus on her vocabulary and talking and listening skills, play lots of rhyming, matching and sequencing games, all will help develop developmental skills for reading.

I wouldn’t worry about it, she sounds keen so she will her there! Did you go the library much pre closures? I have found school books to be a little repetitive - obviously they have their place and are there to teach certain words and sounds so are essential. But my daughter’s reading didn’t come on until she found books she loved at our library, she got really in to a particular series - her reading ability and, more importantly, her love of reading really took off then.

Infant school teacher here. Red is completely normal for beginning of year 1, don't worry. Keep up the reading at home but try not to stress yourself out (or your child.) You're doing a great job.

Year 1 teacher here...Red level is absolutely expected! In fact, if she’s coping with red books after the disruption to schooling, she doing great. Try not to worry x

Lots of children will not have been benchmarked since much earlier in the year, so they may have been given a book that corresponded to their level at that point. Read every day for 10-15 minutes and let the teacher know politely if she seems to be speeding through them.

My August baby was not reading in reception, was only just starting sounding out words in year 1, only really started getting the hang of reading in year 2. Could not really manage a chapter book until year 3. Her year 3 teacher told me she was significantly behind the rest of her class. Failed the 11 plus for entrance to a selective grammar. Went to the local state comprehensive.

It took her until year 10 to really get the hang of school, she was steady and average up until then. But something clicked then, she got the hang of revising, became super organised and her results started improving. I'd like to claim the credit - but it was all down to her.

She got mainly 9's in her GCSE's and 2 8's in the others. Her predicted a level grades are 3 x A. She has just sat her UCAT medical school entrance exam and wants to be a doctor. I am so proud of her because it is all down to her own hard work.

Just let them do it at their own pace. Offer encouragement - don't push. Don't get hung up on what other kids are doing. Your child will get there when they are ready. Encourage reading for fun, let them see you reading.