Frustrated about son's reading books! Is it me?

[MariamaMay]

Son is reading about 6 levels above the books he brings home! I know I can carry on supplementing at home which I will do. But I do have some level of frustration. I mentioned his reading ability to his reception teacher, was given the standard response of reading is more than reading the words. So left it until Year 1. Mentioned it to Year 1 teacher - who said its about comprehension so I then spent more time on exploring whether my son understood what he was reading. At parents evening - the teacher themselves said that he can read, comprehend, predict aspects of story. I once again mentioned that he books he was bringing home were too easy - though not as bluntly as there, I asked whether there was anything I was missing/that I needed to help him with. Teacher said they would look at his reading. And guess what? He is still bringing home the same level reading book - which he has been reading for about 9 months. Is it me? Or am I reasonable to feel very frustrated. I will just carry on taking him to the library so he can read other books. But I know other children are reading higher levels so I just don't get it. I feel they have pigeon holed him and that's where he will stay. My concern is that this extends beyond reading - as in the teacher's perception of him. He is very lively!!!

[TenaciousOne]

Cat Its interesting reading your experience. DS' teacher made many excuses for not moving him up, none of them about his ability to read. She would admit he was astonishingly good at reading but he didn't move up a Level for the entirety of the final half term. At home he was reading anything and everything to me and discuss what was going on to me. He was easily a free reader by Easter of year R but at school was held back.

Tofutti I don't think schools tell parents their children are gifted.

[NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle]

Just caught up on this with interest. Thanks for your insights Cat, Tenacious, User et al. Dd's teacher has not used the word 'gifted' to me nor have I heard it in her school, however she describes her ability in glowing terms and describes what she does in class to stretch her and I'm satisfied she does. The school does stream across year groups for some things. Of course I do provide her with whatever books she is interested in at home and in my opinion I do teach her/talk to her/ask and answer questions etc to her academic level but bearing in mind her age. The teacher does seem reluctant to send her home with books that challenge though, but I'm not sure they exist in the oct scheme? God that sounds twattish, I didn't want to have to change names again so soon!

Her self-diagnosed 'brightness' has maybe shaken her a little so I'm cautious of further labels, but you've made me wonder whether it is actually a 'thing' that would be useful.

Sorry for the thread hijack op

[user1475501383]

Reading levels vary a lot in the early stages of education. I find it hard to believe that all the kids get sent the same books home! That's just unbelievable. Is this really the norm?!

[user1475501383]

Cat, very true! Balance is essential. Pushing kids too hard has a whole other set of unwanted consequences.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Inspired by this thread, I wrote a note in dds link book yesterday to enquire why the books she gets sent home with are far below her standard of reading. The teacher has responded with they don't want the children to struggle through these home books, sounding out words etc. They want them to read them easily, to encourage a love of reading.
So, kind of the opposite to what lots of people on this thread are saying.

[YouTheCat]

True, user. But there's also plenty of stories about gifted children who were pushed to hard, too young who ended up melting down.

There has to be balance.

My dd was given those awful picture only books many years ago. She'd describe everything in a few minutes and was bored. She was already reading anyway. Luckily for dd, I volunteered in her class and was often given the task of changing the reading books. Her teacher was great and listened when I asked if she thought it was time for the next level. She was at purple at the end of year R and a free reader by half way through year 1.

I think if she'd been held back at yellow, or something, she'd have lost all her enthusiasm for reading.

[user1475501383]

A child who is at the equivalent of an adult at Mensa level, ie in the top 2%, is considered highly gifted. That's 1 kid out of 50. So it's not like they have to understand the theory of relativity at primary school age in order to be considered 'gifted' in education.

At least 1 kid in every 2 classes is therefore likely to be highly gifted (statistically).

And that's highly gifted.

Even more 'common' is gifted, which is about 10-20% of kids. Enough of a cognitive difference to set them apart from peers, and to require tweaks in approach with regards to giving them challenge.

If you read research about adult who were gifted children, you commonly find very sad stories about underachievement and waste of talent. Just a word of warning. There is a lot of research out there which will clarify this.

[user1475501383]

Dearmside, I think her realising that she is 'the clever one' is actually holding her back from trying new things, and if she were to be labelled as 'gifted' it would not be a positive thing for her self confidence at her age.

I think what is holding her back based on your description is the common problem gifted children face, which is not getting appropriate educational material (ie challenging enough). If she completes tasks faster than others, she needs more difficult tasks. The label will be helpful in mobilising teachers to take notice. And I work in an education-related field

[catkind]

I think her realising that she is 'the clever one' is actually holding her back from trying new things, and if she were to be labelled as 'gifted' it would not be a positive thing for her self confidence at her age.

I think this is true if it's just a label for the sake of it. If the label is a means to the end of school actually doing something about giving them new things to try on a regular basis and expecting them to work hard like any other child, I think it can be a lot more positive. The child doesn't need to know about the label.

[Notonthestairs]

Just on the topic of the reading records children bring home...I read with children at school. I only write positive things in their reading records. But I write copious notes (ex-lawyer, I love a good note!) in the teachers records - sometimes to the effect please move this child up/down! Occasionally I've said it's urgent especially when the child is clearly bored. But reading records are written with the idea the child might read them so it needs to be very positive and encouraging - it's possible (although unlikely in the cases described above) that you might not be getting the fully picture of how your child is reading at school.

[TenaciousOne]

NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle It was a serious question but I also see your point. DS quickly realised the same not at all helped by the fact the teacher left him to get on with work with little intervention. I've also noticed the fact he will show off, which I'm quick to point out how nasty and unkind it can be but sometimes being seen as gifted could make a difference especially if they have the ability to mix up classes so it's down to ability rather than age and other classes as a mix just because.

[confuugled1]

Could you turn it around and say that they are failing him, he is getting disillusioned, thinks that his teacher doesn't want him to learn, is so bored by the baby books that they want him to read that he doesn't see the point when he knows he can read so many other things that he does enjoy etc etc... So what are they going to do to get your ds reading happily in school instead of killing off his love of reading and see what they say.

[NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle]

I would say that it indicated good taste . Seriously though, I'm not a teacher and don't know really where you would technically draw the line between gifted and bright. Is there an 'official' definition? I just meant that I would be cautious of declaring that op's son is gifted due to his reading level, which is very good but not exceptional. I also wouldn't want to label a child that age as behind/naughty/anything really.

The reason I said what I did to the op though is my dd (5yrsold) has recently picked up on the fact that she is the 'clever' one in her class. Despite constantly telling her that it is effort that counts and that all children learn differently and are good at different things, I think her realising that she is 'the clever one' is actually holding her back from trying new things, and if she were to be labelled as 'gifted' it would not be a positive thing for her self confidence at her age.

I hope that came across how I intended it (supportive).

I do have confidence in dd's class teacher though, op I hope you get through and feel like you are being listened to eventually!

[Flumplet]

We have the same. 5yo ds is reading and enjoying books like Horrid Henry at home - fully comprehending the plots, using a book mark and chapters appropriately, but is sitting at level 19 in school - has been for months and months (left reception at level 21). He's read all the books he brings home from school at least twice. He now refuses point blank to read the school books and just reads his own books.

[TenaciousOne]

NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle What about a four year old reading Harry Potter? Would you classify that as gifted?

[jagua]

My daughter is in reception and is reading simple books at home but her teacher is only letting her have picture books because of comprehension. Her understanding is fine, she's just bored senseless of having to explain the boring stories! I don't blame her, they are tedious.

[catkind]

OP, if your DS is reading well, that's great. What more is there to prove?
Reading at stage 6-7 is not the end aim, there's a lot of learning to go still which they are not doing if they're reading level 2 all the time at school. And even for the home reading, I always found reading books home from school are a useful resource when they're pitched right. Why shouldn't OP's child have sensibly pitched home reading books like anyone else?

Gifted is not an on/off switch, a 1 in 1000 level child is going to be far more different from a 1 in 10 level child than the 1 in 10 level child from average. Some schools use "gifted" to describe 1 in 10, some people are referring more to the really exceptional 1 in 1000 type ability. In this case it's not clear if OP's child is even ahead of his class - he's in year 1 not reception, I'd expect a few level 6-7ish readers. That doesn't matter though, however he compares to his peers he should still be given work at an appropriate level of challenge for him.

[MariamaMay]

Thanks sooo much for all your comment. It does help to get lots of perspectives and also a sense of other people's experiences :)

I just think of him as bright. I know other Year 1s in other schools who can read similar. So wasn't thinking of him as gifted particularly. Just he is relatively able in reading. And possibly Maths!

Hilarious - I totally agree. I just want him to be able to read well. My concern is that the school aren't listening (especially as they go on about the school/home partnership) and that they seem to have misjudged his Maths too. Reading is easy to work on at home. Maths a bit less so!!! Though I can be creative!!! :)

[Hillarious]

OP, if your DS is reading well, that's great. What more is there to prove? As he moves through the school, reading levels become irrelevant and quite honestly once children can read, it doesn't matter how they got there. I used to volunteer to hear children read in primary school and was shocked to have a Year 2 who could hardly read at home, and by Year 2, the children depend so much on their reading to be able to do work that is set for them. I was happy to spend a lot of time helping him and he certainly came from a home environment where he wasn't helped or supported. When it comes to reading you can easily help and challenge with books at home, in a way you can't so easily in Maths or Science being done at primary school. Just keep his interest and enthusiasm for reading going and let the reading levels go.

[NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle]

User, I'm not sure that labelling children as 'gifted' is particularly helpful at this age. Sure, there will be a few truly exceptional children in year 1 in the country, however absolutely no offence to the op or her son but nothing she has said suggests he is anything other than bright. And good for him. Reading level 7 books as the op said is great, but it's really not exceptional for year 1.

[user1475501383]

OP, your DS is definitely gifted (sorry for belated reply) - I studied early years teaching at some point and learned this along the way. I mean, you said it yourself, your DS is reading books about 6 levels above his peers. (I also found out retrospectively in my studies that I had been a gifted child myself, in this way.)

I recommend you google 'gifted children', there are quite many American websites that should probably be helpful.

[Normanpriceisnotarolemodel]

My DS is in year 2 and this has annoyed me for the whole of his school career so far. I was told by his reception teacher that they don't like putting them up the levels too quickly as they then finish the KS1 books too quickly and some of the topics of the KS2 books are unsuitable for younger children. But crikey it irritated me when he would get the same book home that he had read fluently twice already! He started reading full length novels like Swallows and Amazon at Christmas in YR1 and after that I just ignored what official level he was on and just supplied him with a range of novels and magazines to read. We read the school books together but despite being on Lime at school now, I know his reading is well above that level, and I'm pleased he is a capable and enthusiastic reader.

[AppleAndBlackberry]

This sounds terrible. DD is in year 1 and on gold level, teachers are always happy to assess a child at our school and they should expect a wide range of abilities. Some in DD's class still on red, but they will be the ones who are mainly sounding out and blending and may not know all the year R phonic sounds etc.

[NonFatTofuttiRiceDreamsicle]

My DD reads her school book in the car on the way home, I sign her record, and then she reads whatever she wants at home (total bookworm). I did the 'too easy' thing too in the reading record, and often still do. Her teacher is well aware of her level of ability and she brings home higher level books, but she is still not challenged at all by any school book and never has been tbh. It can be infuriating if I let it be, but having been reassured that the teacher 'gets' her and challenges her in class, I have had to let the reading level slide. I suppose that's the key, if you are otherwise confident his needs are being met or not. Your son's teacher sounds like she has yet to convince you in that respect?

[altiara]

I would keep asking the teacher before/after school if she's had time to check his reading. Really just keep asking. Waft book he reads at home in front of teacher and say he's reading this at home.
I found year 2 was when the teacher told us the focus was on comprehension and reading fluently, in year 1 they said decoding was the focus.