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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

How do you decide when your child has 'mastered' a reading level?

35 replies

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 21:12

Just that really. For example, the level my son in on at the moment means he is able to sound out and decode 95% of the words on first reading. By the 3rd or 4th read through he will be 'fluent'. His comprehension is good and we discuss the story. Is this 'mastering a level'? Or to master a level should he be fluent at the first read through?

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mrz · 08/12/2012 21:21

I would not expect a child to "learn" their reading book

Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 21:27

Mrz- what would you expect them to do before you moved them up a level?

OP posts:

mrz · 08/12/2012 21:30

I would expect them to be able to read a book they hadn't previously seen decoding words and to demonstrate understanding of what they have read

Tgger · 08/12/2012 21:37

Why are you reading it 3 or 4 times? I think we did 2 max and that was unusual. Normally means that you haven't mastered that level if you are reading more than once!

Tgger · 08/12/2012 21:39

So, I think in answer to your question, you would expect them to be fluent or almost fluent at the first read through. It's the "almost" that is open to interpretation . Also helps if they have a clue about what they have just read...

Marne · 08/12/2012 21:42

I agree with mrz.

Dd2 gets moved up a level when she can pick up a book from the level and read it straight off and understand what she has read.

We only read books once, if she struggles with it then she stays on that level until she doesnt struggle with it. She went up a level last week after being on the same level for ages eventualy they get to the stage where they can pick up anything and read it which is when its time for free reading stage.

simpson · 08/12/2012 21:43

I normally do DD's book twice too (unless by some miracle she has a book she loves and wants to read a third time,but I usually bribe her brother to listen then).

I would expect DD to be getting pretty much all of the words correctly (maybe not on the first attempt of a tough word (she had "gnawed" in her book last week and did not get it first time -but to self correct iyswim) and answer questions on the story ie why did XX happen?? How does this character feel?? What would you do?? Why is XX character doing YY??

Not always easy to get these questions in to some of the school reading books but you get the idea hopefully...

BrittaPerry · 08/12/2012 21:44

Fluent at the first read through, and able to answer questions. Although you might find a schoolteacher will make them be doing that for a full term before 'letting' them move up.

BooksandaCuppa · 08/12/2012 21:48

A combination of all of the above: so 'almost' fluent at the first read and also able to self-correct the small amount (no more than 5%) of mistakes. Coupled with excellent comprehension.

pecans · 08/12/2012 21:48

I consider dd has mastered her level because she reads it through and understands it first time. There is the odd new word to discuss.
We never read it more than once because that would really be boring. Your ds sounds as if he is on the right level, and it's great that he will focus and you will devote the time to reading with him. I wouldn't aim to 'learn' the book though - just read other things once you've gone through the book a couple of times. It's a lot more interesting.

crazygracieuk · 08/12/2012 21:50

My kids only read the same book more than once if they pick a particular book more than once or their teacher uses it as a guided reading text.

They change their book once they read it so daily in KS1.

Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 22:15

I read the books more than once because I wanted him to get to the stage where he wasn't having to sound the words out.

Now I'm a bit confused. If my Ds starts a new book he will need to sound out all the words that he doesn't recognise so he will be a long way from fluent on that first read. When you say that your children read almost fluently the first time on a new book, do you mean that they are sounding out the words quickly in their heads?

I'm beginning to think that I should drop back a few levels, but that will be so boring!

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Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 22:20

Another reason I read the books 4 times is that DS only gets 1 school book per week and he wants to read every day. Our local library isn't great so I have just signed up for Reading chest, but it's not cheap. I should ask the school for more books shouldn't I? Just didn't want to be a 'pushy' mum.

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mrz · 08/12/2012 22:20

I'm quite happy with a child needing to sound out words they don't know. It tells me more about what they can do than having them recite it because they've read it numerous times

Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:21

Yes, you aim for a level where they only have to sound out a few words. This is easier as they get more fluent with reading generally and progress up the levels. Is he finding the books he's got at the moment hard work? It's normally a more enjoyable experience if the level is challenging enough to engage them but also easy enough for them to read pretty well from the off.

Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:23

Of course they sound out a lot more when they first start reading. Yes, ask for some more books, or try the oxfordowl ones?

Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 22:25

Another question I wanted to ask. We read a new book tonight and my son had to sound out about 10% of the words. If he sees these words again tomorrow, would you expect him to recognise them and say them fluently or would it be quite usual for him to have to sound a few of them out again?

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Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:26

Depends on the child, both are normal .

mrz · 08/12/2012 22:27

I would expect most children to have to sound out new words a number of times before they become automatic

Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 22:30

Thanks, he sounds normal then. I'm just so happy that he's enjoying learning to read. I can't wait for him to get to the Enid Blyton level so that I can read all my childhood favourites again. Do you think I've got any hope in hell of getting DS to read Mallory Towers?

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Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:32

Why don't you read it to him ?!

simpson · 08/12/2012 22:33

Check out the Oxford owl reading site.

It has loads of ebooks free to read (cheaper than the reading chest, although my DD only gets one book a week too and is signed up to the reading chest too).

I think as long as they are sounding out the words but understanding what they have read its fine. I have read with a few kids (I read with KS1 kids in my DC school) who have to sound out most of the words but then are so busy doing that that they have forgotten the meaning iyswim. It's worth repeating the sentence once he has sounded it all out (if that makes sense). Or more importantly, getting him to repeat it...

Original poster

Lukethe3 · 08/12/2012 22:45

Yes the Oxford Owl site is amazing. We use it a lot. But I still prefer to actually have a physical book in my hands.

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Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:48

me too . Shame your library has a poor selection, could you chat to the librarians, order any in from other libraries?

Tgger · 08/12/2012 22:51

Is your son YR? Why are they so stingy with books in YR (not all schools but quite a lot!). I bought a lot of books for DS in YR as his school were the same. They will be useful for DD in the future too, but it's kind of annoying that they were all sitting there at school. I know a bit more about phonics etc now so am more confident in getting suitable books from the library.

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