Is white level ok for year 3?

[scot1984]

DS1 has just moved up to white level. Deep down I know it is but ds1 is having self confidence issues due to ds2 being on the same level.

How do I convince him?

How old is ds2? I think that the confidence issue is more serious. It must be hard when the younger child is brighter than the older child. I hope some wise mumsnetters will give you advice.

I am sure white level is fine for his age. My son wasn't a free reader until the middle of year 3. Its only in mumsnet land that children are free readers in reception. My son got put back a reading level when he went into year 3 because his year 3 teacher disagreed with his year 2 teacher.

Could you not to the year 3 teacher and see if its possible for your son to use books without band stickers on and from a different reading scheme to his brother.

Ds2is in year 1.

Thank you reallytired.

DS got moved back a level when he went into Y3. The teacher told him that the levels were different in juniors. I did originally think she was saying it so he didn't feel bad about himself, but actually they are looking for different skills in reading in Y3 to in earlier years. Would this explanation work (as long as they are not getting precisely the same book)?

No idea on White level ... We must use a different scheme.

Theres exactly the same age gap between ds and dd ..they're in year 5 and 3 now.

DD has read all of ds's books ( and often gets over excited and tells him what happens which goes down like a proverbial lead balloon)

I do get them to read their homework books in separate rooms.

Not much you can do other than boost the elders confidence in other ways .. Ds is very good at cricket so gets extra praise for that.

will watch thread with interest

White level is approximately equivalent to a reading age of 8 years to 8 1/2 years so fine for Year 3.

And I think is about a NC level 2a...so yes, fine for the start of year 3.

Maybe ask the Y3 teacher. DD1 was on white sticker books at the start of Y3 but the books were nothing like the white level that DD2 is now on in Y2 (quite a bit harder I think). Might be different in KS2.

Thanks. I wish that was the case but ds2 has to go to ks2 corridor to collect the books so they are the same.
I do praise ds1 for other things but it is so sad to see him disheartened. Even though he is doing fine academically.

I have the same issue as you and when I spoke to Ds1's teacher recently she suggested encouraging him to read Jeremy Strong books and he's really enjoying them and it's taking the focus off the reading levels. I'm also getting Ds2 to read non-reading scheme books at home so they can't compare. Also I find it a help to get DS1 to read when DS2 is either out at an activity or reading to himself upstairs so that DS1 feels less under pressure. I'm also trying to get DS1 to focus on things that he's better at and trying to get him to understand that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.

Thank you.

I think there must be moreto your ds1s confidence problems that just this.

As posters above said, he is reading at age level and your ds2 is reading above age level - so many of ds1s classmates will also have been overtaken by your ds2!! But ds1 will probably be aware of this which is why I think there may be something else going on.

Its absolutely fine. Several of the boys in dd1's Y3 class are not on White yet - but they are catching up rapidly now, it just took them a while to 'take off'. (I know this because I've read with them all since Reception)

My dd2 can do more now than dd1 did at her age, but I do think some of that is just down to being a second child - she copies her sister, is motivated by seeing what she can do, accepts schoolwork as normal and 'big girlish' and I am far more relaxed with her so she resists less

I would have a quiet chat with your ds1, maybe say something about how it must be quite annoying to see your kid brother reading books you've just read/are reading, but that its very common for second children to learn to read faster because they have the wonderful example of their big brother to look up to. Or somesuch. And find things he does that ds2 doesn't do, and beef 'em up