Typical Reading Progress - question for teachers/TAs

[EthelAlcohol]

Hi - a quick question - how many reading levels would you expect the 'average' child to make in 5 terms? If, just for example, say, your child was on Orange/Level 6 at the start of last school year, what level would you expect them to be on now, one year and two thirds later.

I know it will vary by child, but I'm just trying to get a rough idea as it seems to me that my child's progress has slowed a lot, but perhaps it just does as the levels get higher - I have no idea!

If possible I'd like to know how many levels you would expect

a) the 'average' reader in the class to move on in 5 terms
b) the best readers in the class would move on in 5 terms
c) the worst readers in the class would move on in 5 term

I've name-changed for this as my other posts may make it possible to identify the school my child attends. Thanks.

I would say lime or perhaps slightly above that. It will depend a bit on whether they were just orange or were nearly ready to move on. Also if they made very rapid progress to get to level 6, they may need a period of time to consolidate and the next few levels might take a bit longer.

How much progress has he made?

The problem I have is I can't really remember which level was when. It was definitely Orange at the start of last year, but I think it had been orange for a part of the previous year too. We had Turquoise before the first half term (so 4.5 terms ago) We've never had a book home that has presented much of a problem - I've been told that a rule of thumb is that if they struggle on 1 word in 10 then it's about the right level: if that is the case we've never had a book that is the right level - perhaps one or two words per book have been a struggle. But perhaps the '1 in 10' thing is nonsense? It's hard when you are not a teacher!

Currently officially on White, but I don't think that has changed this academic year. My child can read these without a problem and with good understanding and, worryingly, seems to have lost interest in reading altogether.

Just to add to the previous, up until a few months ago my child was reading books from the age 9 to 12 section at home, but has lost interest in them now.

Have you tried talking to the teacher? It might be that they are looking for him to be doing something specific before they move him up, or he might have just slipped through the cracks. Pointing out that he's been on the same level all year and asking what he needs to do before he can move up might just prompt them to reassess and move him up if they need to.

Not quite the same situation as yours, but DD is also on White and has lost interest in reading. In the end I took her to the library and asked her to choose some books herself, whatever she wanted, whatever the level.

She chose 5 books, some only Purple band, some Gold and one was Yellow Banana level which apparently is Y3 so possibly a couple of levels above White.

The Yellow Banana one she actually started to read in the library and was the first book she's actually finished in ages. It was a Jaqueline Wilson one 'Bernadette my Brother' I think it was called.

Have you tried doing that? Just taking your DC to the library and asking them to choose? Doesn't matter if it's an easy book, just something to spark their interest.

The teachers actually told me not to force her to read. She is a Summer born and only 5 so they're not worried about her progress. So they told us not to pressure her to read and that they will do the guided reading at school. But having found out that there were 3 weeks in succession that they didn't do any reading with her, I had to try something. And it worked!

you can equate bookbands VERY roughly to the old NC levels (they are no longer in use apart from Y2 & Y6 this year, but it's a rough guide)

eg here

on average children should progress two levels in KS1 & 2 levels in KS2.

It's not really about "best" "worst" and "average" readers - children do not progress in a linear fashion - they progress in fits and starts, something will click and they can make progress very quickly sometimes (even for the "worst" readers)

Also remember reading isn't just about decoding the words and saying them out loud, it's also having the maturity to comprehend what you are reading, make inferences from the text etc.

If you are concerned please speak to your class teacher.