Songbirds and Biff & Chip

[Donethat16]

Hi

My daughter was reading the Level 5 Biff and Chip books and only had one more book left to read in the series but came home today with a Level 4 Songbirds book. I am generally not fussed about reading levels but is this a good thing? I am not sure what to make of it.

Thanks

It depends why it's been done really. If she has gaps in her phonic knowledge and the level has been chosen to fill that gap, then it's a very good thing.

Were the school using the older style Biff and Chip sets or the Floppy's Phonics ones?

I should mention that my daughter is 4 years and 5 months.

The Biff, Chip and Kipper books. She does not have a problem reading the books and they always praise her in the note book that they record their feedback. At a recent parent-teacher meeting, they did not raise any concerns. I also check for comprehension and she is fine. So was just puzzled by the new book and what it could mean.

I could ask but I do not want them to get the impression that I am overly fussed about reading levels (I truly am not as I can get her books to read at home - I need not rely on the school to stretch her reading, if you see what I mean).

I'd wait and see what comes home next. Could just be someone picked the wrong thing or a book got in the wrong box. If she stays on the lower level you could ask why, it may be there's something specific they want her working on.

I'd just wait and see. There is some overlap in book levels as far as I can see and we have had the odd wrong level book home or my DC have just decided they want that one. Ours have some freedom of choice

Thanks. I think you all are right. I suspect it might be a mistake but was scratching my head wondering if I there was something to it.

I was told Songbird Level 4 is taking her to the next level vis-a-vis Biff, Chip, Kipper Level 5. It does look easier though. I'm not a teacher so I'll have to trust them on that?

I think songbirds are more difficult than BCK, but that is just my observation as a parent.

Are they OUP levels or book band levels?

Hi Mrz, I really don't know. If I gave you examples of the books, would that help? For the Biff, Chip, and Kipper Level 5, one of the books was Hungry Floppy. An example of thd Songbirds Level 4 is Queen Anneena's Feast.

Hungry Floppy and Queen Anneenas Feast are the same book band

Thanks Mrz I'll need to find out what book bands mean because I'm not sure how they differ from book levels.

If you look on the back of Queen Anneenas Feast there is a small pale blue semi circle indicating the books are blue band (pink- red- yellow - blue - green - orange- turquoise- purple - gold - White - lime).

Thanks, very helpful. Have a nice day all.

I also think songbirds are less boring more challenging.
my dc's school throws in one of these in between, they are more for reading together but fun.

We certainly found songbirds fun, but always thought they were easier than similar level biff and chips, particularly at the higher levels - less words on the page, shorter sentences. Maybe it depends on which B&C series.

The older B&Cs can span several book bands in a single level. That might explain it slightly catkind. The newer ORT stuff seems to have been written to match one book band per level.

If you take 2 similar level texts and one is decodeable and one isn't that might make a difference too, depending on exactly which level and what the child is able to do.

Hungry Floppy is a Read at Home book it isn't intended that the child reads it independently whereas Quern Anneenas Feast is a decodable independent reading book.