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Primary education

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Original poster

Dropping reading levels after the summer holidays

33 replies

Giddly · 09/09/2011 16:49

DD has just gone back to year one. At the end of reception she was on level 7 of ORT which she was managing very well. We did some reading over the hols but not is such a structured way, so I wouldn't have bee surprised to find her dropping a level for a bit, but she came back with a level 4 book and a note saying she needs more practice at this level. She read the book very easily and fluently - not needing to sound out words. She's upset and demoralised by this - is it common for teachers to drop levels to drop so sharply over the summer?

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NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 09/09/2011 16:55

They haven't got her confused with someone else in class have they?

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 16:57

No, I don't think so. She said she was told she needed to read for a bit at the lower level.

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NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 09/09/2011 17:00

Also forgot to say, it could be to do with comprehension, not just being able to read the text fluenty. But even if it is that it is a big drop and i am not surprised your dd is upset.

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:03

Her comprehension has always been very good - well abover her reading level, so I don't think it's that. Think I might pop in and see the teacher. Don't want to be labelled as the annoying parent though. I wonder if she doesn't read as well at schools as she does at home because of nerves or something?

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Runoutofideas · 09/09/2011 17:05

My dd went through a stage of robot reading "like her friends" when she was in Yr1 as she could read quite fluently but didn't want to stand out. Do you think it could be something like this?

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:07

I don't know Runoutofideas. I think she could be very anxious, but doesn't show it in an obvious way.

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Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:09

Thanks for your thoughts by the way both of you

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Runoutofideas · 09/09/2011 17:09

Maybe she's just reading very quietly, so they think she needs to work on expression, when actually she can do it well but she's not showing it yet?

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:11

Maybe - expression isn't usually a problem (she's something of a drama queen!) but if she's nervous that could be it

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NK346f2849X127d8bca260 · 09/09/2011 17:15

Do go and have a word with the teacher, if they are a good teacher they will certainly not mind you asking.

mrz · 09/09/2011 17:19

After hearing my class read I'm putting half of them back

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:24

Can I ask why Mrz - because of practice over the summer, or because you think they were on the wrong level last year? Will you be doing it as much as three levels? And do you envisage it just being a short-term thing or that they really need to "start again" at this level.

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mrz · 09/09/2011 17:35

Because I know they were on the wrong level last year. I will be doing it by more than three levels for some children and I envisage it being long term.

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 17:54

Interesting mrz. It's difficult for me to know what the right level would be. I would say last year my DD was reading fluently with comprehension at level 7 - maybe having to sound out 10% of words (which she did easily) and needing help with about 4 words per book. Does that sound about right? Sorry to grill you on it.

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MigratingCoconuts · 09/09/2011 18:17

Sounds to me like it would be worth having a chat to the teacher to ask why this has happened. It would be great to get clarification and the teacher is the only one who can do that.

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 19:07

Thanks MC - will do

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MigratingCoconuts · 09/09/2011 19:42

sorry...I hope that didn't come across too abrupt, it wasn't meant to be . Re-reading it, I realised it read wrongly.

I can see exactly why you are puzzled as it seems to contradict you own observations.

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 19:46

No - I didn't think you were abrupt at all! Thanks everyone for your thoughts

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AChickenCalledKorma · 09/09/2011 22:16

Have a chat with the teacher and ask her to explain why. There is probably a good reason, but your DD needs to understand what it is. And the teacher may need to understand that your DD has taken it to heart and feels she is being "put down".

(DD1 was an independent reader in year 2, but put back onto a reading scheme in year 3. There was a very good reason - which was that the teachers didn't feel she was emotionally ready to have free access to the KS2 library, which had some books whose content was a bit grown up for her. But they hadn't explained that to her, and didn't realise she felt like she was being demoted.)

madamarcati · 09/09/2011 22:22

Different teachers have different ideas.Some teachers move children very quickly through the levels, others much slower.Is it just because the old teacher had a 'lower bar' for moving a child onto the next level than the new one ?

LizzyLiz · 09/09/2011 22:35

Last year my DD going into Year 1 dropped 3 colour bands I think and I was surprised. BUT she re-gained her confidence really fast and progressed back through the bands again.

I think it was due to a combination of not doing enoug reading over the holiday and also her being shy with her new teacher when she was being assessed. I think it helped to consolidate her reading skills though and was good for her confidence to be reading books she found easy for a few weeks.

simpson · 09/09/2011 23:06

DS is now going into yr2 and we don't have any books yet as they are still being assessed.

IIRC he finished reception on ORT level5 and we did very little reading over the summer holiday so when he went into yr1 he had dropped to level 3.

It did not take him long to catch up and we have not made the same mistake this summer holiday

Original poster

Giddly · 09/09/2011 23:13

Thanks everyone, I'm sure it probably is a mixture of a different "bar" as Madam says, mixed with not enough reading over the summer and feeling shy and anxious. She insisted on reading three books tonight as she says she is worried that the teacher may move her to an even lower level, so yes, we should ask for an explanation that we can talk through with her.

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simpson · 09/09/2011 23:19

My DS had to do his reading assessment for this yr (y2) on his first day back with a new teacher and as he is pretty shy I do think this will probably have an impact on how he did but as he gets used to the teacher he will gain in confidence iyswim.

RedHelenB · 10/09/2011 08:24

Just get her some other books to read. TBH, level 7 does sound high for end of reception, especially if she is sounding 10% of words out & needing help with others.

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