anyone with a child aged 7ish on ORT in year 2 - what level is usual

[gigglewitch]

My DS1 is dyslexic as far as we know, and he is still on the level 5 books. c'mon, what do you nice lot know??

(our dcs go to same school!)

ORT Levels and approximate average ages table

bluenosesaint

books my 8.3 year old reluctant reader dd has enjoyed:

ottoline

pony camp diaries

stories from around the world

also the Barrington Stoke books (designed for dyslexics but fantastic for struggling readers)

that reading agte thing is a bit shite

surely first worsd cant be recommended age 3.5??

Oh jeez. I must be a terrible mum. DD in Reception and I didn't even know there were levels. How do you all know what level they are on? Teacher never mentions it at the parent-teacher evenings. Probably means she is a 0.

Actually I think it's crazy that they press 4 year olds to read so I never push the subject too hard. DD is not really a fan of reading. She has to be coaxed into. DS (3 in May), much to my shock and amazement appears to have taught himself the alphabet and all the numbers 0 - 9. Someone must have taught him in my absense?????

Do all schools use these levels? And are they used to place kids or have any impact on their early education? Maybe I should be a little less laid back about reading. I do encourage it. I just don't push it when she is clearly not interested.

DD is 6.1 and is in year 1. She is a free reader, not sure if she read all the levels of ORT or if she was just classed as a free reader before she had finished them?

My DS began year 1 on ORT Stage 4, which felt about typical. My sister is an early years specialist and she is dead against using only one reading scheme, btw.

Can the teacher give you any guidance on where your DS is in relation to his classmates?

CountessD, I think I know who you are now but am embarrassed to introduce myself in case I'm wrong!

Well, as far as the reading schemes go, in DS1's first school abroad they used a mixture of schemes all jumbled together and banded together by colour - which is what they do from Y1 in the current school. This meant that children kept getting different 'sight words' and read lots of books 'across' at the same level - DS1, who was one of the 3 best readers in his class (PFB!), was reading a mixture of books including a couple of Stage 3 ORT at about this time in Reception. By the end of Reception he was reading a band that included ORT 6 and 7. There were 2 children on the next band up.

But in Reception in our dcs' current school, they seem to just use ORT, which means that the children are exposed to the ORT vocabulary and sentence structure all the time (I mean, presumably that's how a reading scheme is supposed to be used - each book or level builds on the next). The teachers seem to have a lower threshold for moving them up to the next level, from my experience of listening to children.

In Y1 in DS1's first school, the 4 best readers (top reading group, if you like) were reading scheme books by the end of Y1 that the top reading group is reading at the start of Y1 in the current school. But I'm sure outside school they are reading at similar levels.

So I suppose I just mean that what level a child is on isn't necessarily comparable across schools.

That is really long and boring and not at all interesting to anyone other than CD - and possibly not even to CD!

All in good time, Athene, all in good time!

Once they start getting reading books sent home you will see what level they're on. But if the school alternates between reading schemes, they all have different levels so are a guide only. There is such a thing as 'book banding' which attempts to take books from all schemes and put them into standard bands, but I don't know much about this.

And Gigglewitch - I don't mean to sound flippant but have you thought of looking in DS1's friends' book bags if they come to play after school.

All in good time, Athene, all in good time!

Once they start getting reading books sent home you will see what level they're on. But if the school alternates between reading schemes, they all have different levels so are a guide only. There is such a thing as 'book banding' which attempts to take books from all schemes and put them into standard bands, but I don't know much about this.

And Gigglewitch - I don't mean to sound flippant but have you thought of looking in DS1's friends' book bags if they come to play after school.

Oh shall we have a code word just in case it is not me?

She does get boks home. And I'm obviously too neglectful of a parent to have noticed levels. Think I'll inspect the cover tonight!

Singers, how much will you give me to tell you what CD looks like. Think I can dig up a pic somewhere buried in my hotmail. Just kidding, of course.

Or alternatively the stranger who is not you could just look at me blankly as I call out "Countess!" We both know Mrs Tweedy, though, so really I could ask her to introduce me.

Or you silly people, CAT each other and swap pics on e-mail.

What is a free-reader?
DC school does book-banding (multiple schemes). I think it works well, not explained to parents at all, tho'.
ORT level is only relevant if you want 2 compare. If you & teacher are happy about their progress, non-issue / not worth finding out.
DS3 has a summer birthday (no known SN or SEN) & frankly I'll be satisfied if he hits something like ORT5 at the end of y2.

DD is a free reader and was 6 last month, I'm not sure what it means exactly?? Just that she can read? She can read pretty much anything now, so I suppose its just that? Its parents evening tomorrow so will find out then.

Free reader just means that they are no longer reading the reading schemes set by the school. So it can mean different things in different schools - different levels of reading to an extent even. However, on the whole, a free reader would be anyone who is able to select their own book and read it with little help/support.

Even basic chapter books, so called "free readers" by likes of Jeremy Strong, Roald Dahl etc, are colour banded so form part of graded reading levels. At ours they follow on from equivalent of the Treetops level of ORT so Stage 13 ish(which are 54 page chapter books). dd(7 in August) is moving onto them now but has been reading their likes at home for about 18 months. Beyond Stage 13 the subject matter is aimed rather older so younger kids can lose interest

DS1 is reading basic chapter books at home on his own - Astrosaurs, Magic Treehouse, Capt Underpants etc - but as I said further down the thread, school have him on level 8 of their reading scheme (ORT + others).

I wonder if it's because they 'assess' children's reading level by their ability to read aloud? DS1 isn't very good at this - he reads with expression and understanding but tends to gabble, mumble and miss out/transpose words.

To add to the confusion I was told at the last parents' eve , when he was 6.8, that he had a reading and comprehension age of 9.something.

I don't care at all btw - he enjoys the books he brings home from school, so whatever level is fine by me. Just a bit confused!

All I can say is that ds1 followed ORT stages religiously (with my encouragement) and was a free reader 1/2 way through yr 2, so he was 7.3 ish
ds2 yr 2 now, who read any book that took our fancy, some ORT, some jolly phonics, lots of information books paying no attention to levels cos I have been so casual 2nd time round, has been a free reader for the last few months so about 6.7
Do not worry about levels, average IME in yr 2 is level 5 - free reader. Just encourage him to read whatever he's interested in at home and I'm sure reading develops quicker. I just wish I'd known that with ds1 and we wouldn't have had to suffer so much bloody Kipper!