AR levels going down over summer - is this usual?

[whatatip]

My very competent reader of a dd, in Y4 now, did her STAR test this week, and despite reading every day of the summer holidays with enjoyment, has seen her reading level go down.
Her friends' levels have all gone up, and she said she had assumed hers would too because she knew she had read lots. There was a bit of teasing on her table, I think, albeit fairly mild.

I initially thought it strange but mentally moved on, but as time has ticked on, I think it absolutely idiotic and demotivating. She reads enthusiastically and in great quantity so reading has never been something I have worried about. Now she thinks she is stupid - her word.

Surely teachers should take a more holistic view of a child's ability and utlilise some common sense rather than just deferring to the computer's evaluation?

Is this a common thing that goes on in schools?

couldent agree more.

I read loads with dd over summer we did libary challenge and we read books for fun that she picked as she was fixated with levels and said thats not healthy let read to enjoy.

Las term one of her class mates said she was reading baby book and that he was way beyond that!Even at 6 they quite competative.

We on had 2days of school so far and shes been put

on bottom table for numeracy and literacy:(

pushy mum whogs been bragging she brought entire oxford reading tree and done loads this summer her struggling dd gone from level 2 to level 6.
she said she met with teacher and told her what level she should be on!

my dd ended on level 3 and could read with ease-did wonder is she at right level but at that point was sick of blooming levels.

dd says shes on 5this term wont know for sure until bookbags come home today.so shes behind pushy mums dd and on same table and pushy mum volunteeres for reading im sure its just to be nosy and find out what levels other kids are to compare feel sorry for her child.

Im hoping theres room for movement throughout year and no one says anything nasty this term. will keep doing what im doing as want her to love books not loathe them.

I advise you go in and speak to teacher find out for sure, discuss concerns.
I dont always take my childs word for it they can get confused.
Also try an avoid overcompetative parents.

Also trying to be fair maybe the teachers will acess new class fisrt month and see if they agree ith what computer says as some teachers better than others.

It is very normal for children to go backwards over the summer holidays. Teachers expect it and I am surprised that so many of her friends have gone up tbh.

You say she is reading a lot but how is her comprehension? I don't know what this STAR test is (I have a DS2 in yr 4 but have never heard of it). Maybe her comprehension has let her down or maybe she is out of practice with being tested in this particular way.

Either way, I wouldn't worry about it. She'll be back on track in a week or two.

The STAR test is the testing for the accelerated reader program. I am fairly new to it as we only started at this school in January. That is why I am trying to find out how normal it is.

Staying level I could understand, but I suppose I can't get my head around the idea of going down and in reading of all things. It seems a bit odd.

From what I can see it tests comprehension.

Accelerated Reader

Maybe she was just having a bad day. Did ur DD say what happened in the test?

Oh right. I don't think they do that in DS's school.

My betting is that your DD has slipped up somehow taking the comprehension. Reading for pleasure isn't quite the same as reading to be tested and for detailed understanding and if it is computer based test you probably have to be quite specific in your answers.

I would speak to the teacher. Imo (and in DS's school) assessments should be done by a teacher and computer assessments are only used to confirm what the teacher already knows. The teacher shouldn't be rely on a computer and then you wouldn't get weird blips like your DD has had to put up with.

Wigglywoo, I'll look at that link in a moment. She told me it was a few questions where there was a sentence and a word was missing, they had to choose the correct word to fill the blank, she said it was tricky. (I am afraid that is as much as I could get, as I have a certain number of questions I can ask before she gets bored and irritated, and I'd reached my limit!).

Just looking at the STAR thing as I am nosy (also a school gov so was interested in assessment and all that stuff) and I found this on Wikipedia.

Don't know what you think but there does seem to be question marks over it's reliability in some quarters.

BigBoobedBertha, I agree. My impression of the school is that the computer assessments are valued too highly.
I'm chilling about it more as time ticks on actually. I think it is a bit crazy, but I just need to ensure she doesn't feel disheartened and a failure.

I did mention it to the teacher in a very hurried exchange this morning and I asked her to try to make sure that dd understands the system and she isn't 'stupid' because of this test.

btw we cross posted there and I was agreeing with the last paragraph of your previous post BBB

That's the danger isn't it. New teacher, new class and it hasn't got off on the right foot. If it had been a blip in the middle of the year the teacher would probably recognise it as such and ignore it, but this test is a benchmark for the rest of the year and without teacher assessment too it looks like it might be inaccurate.

I think you are right to chill about it a bit though. She will probably be tested again in a few weeks and hopefully, it will reflect her hard work much better and she will be looking like the one who has made progress while her friends probably won't.