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Original poster

Blue reading level in year 2...

42 replies

Crazycatsandkids · 09/09/2017 08:06

My DD was at the expected level in all areas according to the year 1 report but throughout the year I was told she was behind in reading especially.
I got a friend to tutor her once a week to help with her fluency and speed as she is very stubborn and refuses to read with me sometimes but was always happy to do it with the " tutor "
But they've just been benchmarked and she's been placed on blue level which is 2 levels behind where she should be ( teacher wrote this in her reading record )
What else can I do and is this a big concern?

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TheNext · 09/09/2017 08:21

You can read with her for 15 minutes a day. Don't leave it to the tutor once a week - it's too important. Bribe, cajole and encourage with stickers or TV time if necessary but getting this right now is hugely important for your dc to be able to access the curriculum in KS2 next year.

LiveLifeWithPassion · 09/09/2017 08:31

I agree with TheNext. Try to get into the habit of reading with her.
Do you read to her as well? Make reading a relaxed and cosy experience. Get a blanket on the sofa or get into your own bed with her with a couple of books.
Go to the library and have a reading session there. Ours has volunteers on a particular day to listen to kids read.

What about some sites like Reading Eggs?

Wait4nothing · 09/09/2017 08:35

Definitely little and often - in my school we are targeting all children in year 2 at this level so they make rapid progress by Christmas. Did she pass her phonics screening? I'd read school book every night (but only a few pages if it's a fight) then choose a new book at the library to share each week (looking for something that she could read some parts of - even if it's only a few simple words).

mrz · 09/09/2017 08:56

Bench marking is based on Reading Recovery (a failed invention for struggling readers) so not a useful measure of reading ability.

user789653241 · 09/09/2017 09:26

I am not sure about bench marking, but reading once a week to a tutor isn't enough at this stage.A lot of children are doing it everyday, or doing at least 5 days a week. Gap will widen if you don't change what you do, imo.

therootoftheroot · 09/09/2017 09:28

she needs to read with you EVERY DAY
tough if she doesn't like it

everyday is the only way

Original poster
Crazycatsandkids · 09/09/2017 10:08

Oh gosh sorry I didn't explain well.
We do 10 minutes of reading every day apart from Sunday's ( as this is the tutor day )
It generally is a fight but she does it.
She passed the phonics test 38/40 but she can read the same word in a book over and over and then forget it the next day.
Sorry Mrs what is benchmarking then?

OP posts:
Original poster
Crazycatsandkids · 09/09/2017 10:09

Sorry I meant what is reading recovery?

OP posts:
Maya12 · 09/09/2017 10:35

What does the teacher recommend when you speak to them? Are they worried and have they got a plan to support your dc? It looks to me as if you're doing a lot at home and have done for some time, so I'd ask the school for more help

catkind · 09/09/2017 11:19

Benchmarking is also a generic term for evaluating something compared to a standard. I wouldn't assume they've done some technical RR thing unless the teacher says so.

Any idea what it is she doesn't like about reading? Does she find the books hard or easy? Is she sounding out most of the words still or reading some automatically? Does she enjoy being read to? I'm wondering if you can find a way of doing some reading that she will enjoy more. Maybe her reading the odd sentence from what you're reading to her. Or writing each other silly notes. Or a different kind of book, cartoons or something if she can.

Computer reading games, or real life games, can be good for improving their speed at the technical bits of decoding without the pressure of a whole book to be read. Real life games - reading the chance cards in game of life for example, or names on top trumps; DS used to like making silly sentences with (decodable) flashcards and reading them back to each other.

If she can do the decoding bit, I would bet that at some point soon she will start to click and read more automatically, and then it'll be a lot more fun for her. Maybe see if she wants to try decoding in her head instead of aloud? Then she can start reading quicker without feeling put on the spot to "just remember" a word. I'm just thinking try doing things a bit differently and see if you can find a way to make her happier about reading.

Also good suggestion from maya. School are the professionals, what do they say?

jamdonut · 09/09/2017 11:44

Make sure she understands what she is reading. Don't assume she knows what unusual words mean. Many children read amazingly well, but when it comes down to it, don't actually understand what they have read. It could be that which is holding her back. There is quite an emphasis on inference too, eg what might happen, etc. For instance: Sally smiled slyly....why did she smile slyly, what could happen next? What does slyly mean? (Not a very good example, but you get the gist).

TeenTimesTwo · 09/09/2017 15:36

What time of day do you do reading?
DD2 always was willing before school, but too tired after school.
(Also, has she had an eye test?)

Original poster
Crazycatsandkids · 09/09/2017 18:04

Eyes have been tested a few times and always fine.
She won't read before school and point black refuses but after school is better but still not great.
She doesn't find reading easy like she does writing and maths so I think it's almost self preservation to just not do it.
School have only ever said at parents evening she needs to work on fluency however my sister is a year 1 teacher so I know she's quite behind hence the tutoring

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 09/09/2017 18:07

Download oxford owl app

Read to her if she won't read

user789653241 · 09/09/2017 18:12

If your sister is the ks1 teacher and tutors your dd, she is the best person to ask.
If only problem is the fluency, then only more reading and practice can fix that, imo.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/09/2017 18:12

Sorry to ask a question rather than offer advice, but which number is blue level?

I only ask because DD has just started Year 2 & I know which colour band she is, but not if that's normal/average for her age! Assuming you have the same scheme, her books have a colour & a level number. Can't remember if she's had blue or not!

user789653241 · 09/09/2017 18:13

Let her read something she wants to read, rather than school books.

user789653241 · 09/09/2017 18:16

www.readingchest.co.uk/book-bands

mrz · 09/09/2017 18:16

"Overview
Benchmark Kits are an essential resource to accurately track and assess pupils’ reading progress across the whole school, ensuring consistent and accurate levelling in reading.

It is used in schools for guided, shared and independent reading as well as being the only reading scheme that the Institute of Education endorse for Reading Recovery."

Pibplob · 09/09/2017 18:17

I think blue is generally the first stage of year 1. My daughter has just gone into year one and is on blue and I had a little google and it looks like the average year one pupil will start on blue.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 09/09/2017 18:20

Thank you irvine.

MrsHathaway · 09/09/2017 18:26

The teacher can only assess what she sees. If DD isn't showing fluency and comprehension above Blue at school then she can't be assessed above Blue at school.

You could bribe her with half an hour with a good book / TV/ tablet / Milky Bar for every ten minutes with the school book. Although staged reading is important, a love for books more generally is more important.

BelleEsme · 09/09/2017 18:28

I'd say take the pressure off, don't make a big deal of it and stop the tutoring.

Reading should be enjoyed, not be a chore and 'forcing' her is not going to help.

She's been on this earth for just 6, maybe nearly 7 years, give her a chance.

The fact she got 38/40 in her phonics screening shows that she's doing ok.

IME, books from school are boring and tedious. Like others have suggested go the the library or charity book shop and let her choose something she likes the look of, even if you think it'll be too much for her. Also look at other things than books. Magazines, comics, the back of a cereal packet, it really doesn't matter.

Stop comparing her to others as well. Children are human beings not robots. She'll find her passion for reading soon enough 😊

piefacedClique · 09/09/2017 18:35

Mine hated biff chip and bloody kipper and reading was always a massive ball ache but then I realised he was reading procycling magazine and ice hockey programmes in bed! I could hear him sounding out words so he was using the reading skills used in school but was finally interested in the text! Once I read those with him his reading came On leaps and bounds. So long as they are reading something that's the most important thing! I used to write in his reading record what he had read and they started to failed the books they gave him in school to suit his interests more..... otherwise bribe, bribe, bribe! Good luck!