AR reading level age 8

[flumpasuarous]

Daughter came home today with AR level book 3.9. ( they have just started it today) I have zero idea what this means or if it's good or bad. She really enjoys reading so I'm keen to hear your thoughts

AR level is the school year (give or take, heard it was based on US years, but not sure on that) so sounds about right?

My son is 9 and currently on level 6.8 if that helps at all? I don't know what it means either

It is based on American school years so a 3.8 would be end of yr4 UK. 6.8 end of Yr 7 UK.

@Newuser82 i wish us parents were kept in the loop lol he must be a really good reader then! Good on him! Apparently she got handed this book today and she will see if she goes up a level

With AR they do a reading test which gives a range of levels they should read between. At the start of the year, I always start on the lowest level of the range and as they quiz, move them up quickly if they are achieving 90 or 100%. We do the test every half term and hopefully the levels rise every time. I'm in year 5 and a lot of the children in my class are on 3or 4 levels.

@3WildOnes ah thanks so much. Makes sense now that I think of it. She loves really and is very excited about this so I hope it encourages her rather than becoming too competitive

It also gives a reading age which you could ask about.

@DianaBarry5 thanks for your helpful reply. She is reading 3.9 so from
Other posters this seems average. I wouldn have considered her higher than average personally but if she enjoys the scheme then I suppose that's all that matters

What I don't understand is my child has been given an enormous range. Is this normal?

@flumpasuarous Thanks. He is a good reader but we have issues in that he doesn't get through the reading books very quickly as he chooses to read his own books rather than the school books but that's another issue. If your daughter is a keen reader then she is already flying as lots of parents I know struggle to get them to read!

Yes, it’s normal. The range is supposed to help them identify the books they should be able to read and which will be beneficial to them. The idea is that most of the books they choose to read should be within that range. If the school is just giving them a book without them being given a choice, I’d be challenging/questioning that (but gently - the set up of AR and library accounts and getting the children ready to use it can be a mammoth task in school and it’s a busy time of year, so they might still be sorting out processes).

@NoodleSnow thanks. Mine is in secondary and I think they just go to the library and choose a book in their range.