WHEN IS A CHILD READY TO MOVE UP THE READING SCHEME - ANY TEACHERS

[nevthehamster]

Yet another reading scheme question - Is there any one who can tell me how teachers assess when a child is ready to move to the next level of the reading scheme. Does the child just have to be able to read and understand the books at that level or is there more to it.

Thanks

in the very early stages being able to decode and recall the story is enough but as children progress teachers are looking for more sophisticated skills

Once the child is not sounding out every single word and is quite confident with the phonics, I would move up a reading level.

I am a TA in Y2.

www.sgfl.org.uk/englishandliteracy/primary/app/appteachertoolkit

There's some helpful explanations in the first link there. Reading AFs and QCA.
It is considerably more than phonics that makes a good reader who is able to move to the next level.

I'm not sure either. DS is reading his books fairly fluently (apart from the odd tricky word) but is still not being moved up.

Has been on blue level since summer half term.

Can I ask the teacher why or do I look like one of 'those' mothers.

Thanks for the replies, Downbytheriverside - the site looks very interesting and answers several issues.

Messybessie - Never be afraid to ask - I have asked many times over the last few years as I can usually see from the reading record book that my child has rarely been listened to by a teacher. I have never had any problems until now when I had a full page reply in my childs reading record book which I felt was verging on the offensive and implied only the teacher would decide when the time was right. The teacher had only listened to my child read as I had asked if he was ready to be put up a level.

I felt that my child was ready given that he can read the books fluently and has no problems with comprehension. He is on stage 11 and is bored. He does read a bit to fast but I think that if he found the book slightly more challenging he would pause at the punctuation more !

when he stumbles on only one or two words per 10 (or so) pages. When he reads fluently and with some understanding of the text. When he has read most of the books on that level.

HTH

My son reads his reading books fluently and without error. However, his school say that he needs to read more slowly and with greater expression before they will let him move up. Personally I think a more challenging book is likely to also be more interesting and THAT would encourage him to read it more slowly and with more expression - I think he gallops through it because he finds it dull. But I am not his teacher, so it is not up to me....

Possibly children read differently at home than at school. I have one pupil who's mum swears is reading ORT stage 8 fluently at home, but he's on stage 6 at school (and only just coping)

We have discovered that our ds is reading differently at home and not performing as well at school. He is reading novels (eg Captain Underpants) at home but is on stage 8 ORT at school. The school have applied for special help for him as they feel he is bright but they are not "reaching" him in class.

Could there be a similar discrepancy OP?

I am often guided by the parent. If they say the child is ready to move on I will often move them up a set. Or vary the books with some poetry, non-fiction, non-ORT which are about the same level.

Some parents just want their child on a higher level but they soon stop asking when they realise their child is not actually ready. Most parents have a good idea of where their child should be. In my school, the home books are all supplementary to reading done in class anyway, so any reading at home is a bonus.

Flying Onion - in my son's case the teacher agree that he reads fluently and accurately. Just too quickly and with less expression than she would like.