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Original poster

Reading level 26: what does this mean?

66 replies

StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 14:38

Help. My son is in Yr 3 and has significant SEN issues. He hasn’t engaged much in learning but his home school book says he’s been benchmarked for reading at level 26. I have googled and can see at least two systems - I don’t know which his school is using I’m afraid. There’s no mention of any colour band. Can anyone say whether this is age appropriate? He won’t read at home and I’m just curious to know what skills he has.

OP posts:
CakesOfVersailles · 07/07/2021 14:51

Does he ever bring home books even if he doesn't read them at home? The scheme/publishing company could give you some clues.

I'm not sure what level 26 is but it could be reading recovery level if his school offers that programme? Or Engage Literacy - this would be for 7/8 year old readers so would be appropriate.

I think the best thing would be to ask the school.

Original poster
StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 15:11

He never brings books home - doesn’t tolerate the idea! But he reads Dogman at home, and can clearly read in his head when he does.

I will ask the school if I can’t work it out but I don’t want to look like a pushy parent - I’m happy enough that he’s complied with any sort of assessment to be honest.

OP posts:
CakesOfVersailles · 07/07/2021 15:14

I don't think it's pushy to ask the school what level 26 means! Can you leave a note in his homework book or email his teacher?

Original poster
StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 15:27

We’re in daily contact via the home school book so will stick it in there.

OP posts:
cabbageking · 07/07/2021 20:57

It is only relevant to that school.

Lots of schools mix and add another range of books into a system

One school may only have 12 different books in a level whilst another may have 50 or more. Levels can not be used for comparison between schools or any national level.

Best to speak to his teacher about their scheme and what 26 refers to. Only the school can advise you sorry.

Marmite27 · 07/07/2021 21:01

Sounds similar to ours, we’re currently getting books with a school printed sticker on that says 20. It correlates to ‘yellow’ on the reading scheme colours.

Original poster
StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 22:46

@cabbageking

It is only relevant to that school.

Lots of schools mix and add another range of books into a system

One school may only have 12 different books in a level whilst another may have 50 or more. Levels can not be used for comparison between schools or any national level.

Best to speak to his teacher about their scheme and what 26 refers to. Only the school can advise you sorry.

But there are a couple of (slightly differently benchmarked) reading schemes online that have a level 26 roughly where his age would be that seem to be linked to the NC? But one has versions of 26 in three different year groups, and one an absolute ‘26’ so there does seem to be some consistency?

Anyway, have asked.

OP posts:
Original poster
StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 22:47

@Marmite27

Sounds similar to ours, we’re currently getting books with a school printed sticker on that says 20. It correlates to ‘yellow’ on the reading scheme colours.
Yes, the scheme that seems a bit more absolute the meaning of 26 has it as either Lime or Emerald.
OP posts:
Oilyvoir · 07/07/2021 23:05

It sounds like it's PM Benchmarking. We do it at my school and in fact I have been PM Benchmarking my class this week. It goes up to level 30 and about 70% of my Y5 class are at level 30. Level 26 is where my lower but not lowest attainers would be (inner city school with much social deprivation) so I would say he's doing very well. I've just checked and this is emerald book band level and has a reading age of 9 -10.

Original poster
StiffyByng · 07/07/2021 23:09

Oh, that is really interesting, thank you. He is hiding his abilities well if that’s the case, but he does like to do that. Can’t cope with the pressure of any expectations.

OP posts:
Norestformrz · 08/07/2021 08:08

Benchmarking is based on Reading Recovery and now discredited multicueing methods

Original poster
StiffyByng · 08/07/2021 10:59

I’m afraid you’ll have to benchmark me against not understanding your terms!

OP posts:
Nuggetnugget · 08/07/2021 11:01

I think it's the PM readers (teacher here and my dc uses this scheme too)

Oilyvoir · 08/07/2021 12:02

Reading recovery was very effective at getting non readers reading. I'm really not sure what the hang up with using multiple cues are? Synthetic phonics teaches children to decode. Ultimately reading is about understanding. We digress but my Y1 grandson (I parent him) is very young in the year, hates phonics, scored low on a phonics assessment yet can read turquoise book band and therefore has a reading age approximately one year above his chronological age. He reads for meaning and has a huge sight vocabulary. Is he a high functioning dyslexic? Maybe, but does it really matter how he learnt to read, the fact is he can bloody read and he's not yet 6.
But that is not really the point of the OP's question.

Norestformrz · 08/07/2021 16:55

"scored low on a phonics assessment"
Would set alarm bells off in a child who appears to be reading "turquoise" book band. The problem with multicueing strategies is that they give the appearance of reading when they simply encourage guesswork. PM and similar books were written to support these strategies but leave children without the ability to accurately tackle simple unfamiliar words such as those used in the phonics screening check.

Norestformrz · 08/07/2021 18:00

@Oilyvoir

Reading recovery was very effective at getting non readers reading. I'm really not sure what the hang up with using multiple cues are? Synthetic phonics teaches children to decode. Ultimately reading is about understanding. We digress but my Y1 grandson (I parent him) is very young in the year, hates phonics, scored low on a phonics assessment yet can read turquoise book band and therefore has a reading age approximately one year above his chronological age. He reads for meaning and has a huge sight vocabulary. Is he a high functioning dyslexic? Maybe, but does it really matter how he learnt to read, the fact is he can bloody read and he's not yet 6. But that is not really the point of the OP's question.
https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading
Oilyvoir · 08/07/2021 22:15

It's not just guess work though is it. It would be nigh on impossible to guess every single word in a turquoise book band book. He is not guessing because he sees a word a couple of times and remembers what it says. I admit he has a few 'interesting' idiosyncracies - he confuses 'what' and 'that' sometimes if either word could fit the context, leading me to think he has a few dyslexic tendencies but again I say 'so what?' He is practically the youngest in class but in the top third of readers in his class. He doesn't like phonics but clearly employs it at some level.
The cynic in me thinks that this whole 'the only way to read is by systematically learning phonics' has been exploited by Ruth Miskin to sell her programme to the government and to schools. I was teaching in the 90s and many many children in the school I taught in majorly benefitted from reading recovery.

Norestformrz · 09/07/2021 06:47

@Oilyvoir

It's not just guess work though is it. It would be nigh on impossible to guess every single word in a turquoise book band book. He is not guessing because he sees a word a couple of times and remembers what it says. I admit he has a few 'interesting' idiosyncracies - he confuses 'what' and 'that' sometimes if either word could fit the context, leading me to think he has a few dyslexic tendencies but again I say 'so what?' He is practically the youngest in class but in the top third of readers in his class. He doesn't like phonics but clearly employs it at some level. The cynic in me thinks that this whole 'the only way to read is by systematically learning phonics' has been exploited by Ruth Miskin to sell her programme to the government and to schools. I was teaching in the 90s and many many children in the school I taught in majorly benefitted from reading recovery.
Sadly that's exactly what it is. He finds phonics difficult so he's compensating by using ineffective strategies that he's being encouraged to use. The fact that he's sometimes confusing what and that shows he's not really paying close attention to the words and substituting words that might fit. Context is a useful tool for helping with meaning after the words have been read accurately or to distinguish which homograph to use (read/read) but it isn't a useful tool for identifying words. In fact it has been identified as one of the strategies employed by weak readers to compensate for their reading difficulties. The whole RWI thing is frankly nonsense. While being a popular (highly publicised) programme it is by no means the only or best one and schools are free to choose what they use.
Norestformrz · 09/07/2021 06:56

"Oilyvoir -benefitted from reading recovery."

The evidence from around the world shows any benefits derived from Reading Recovery are mainly from 1-1 instruction and any intervention would produce similar or better results. The long term benefits have been questioned with high number of children regressing once they are no longer receiving 1-1. It's significant that New Zealand the birthplace of Reading Recovery are questioning its effectiveness https://nzareblog.wordpress.com/2019/08/21/reading-recovery/

Oilyvoir · 09/07/2021 19:06

I'm not saying that phonics is not important - it is clearly critical strategy....and I am definitely keeping a close eye on my grandson as I am pretty sure that his dad is a very bright dyslexic...and I'm not encouraging my grandson to 'guess', he reads so fluently now that he self corrects as he goes along without any intervention from me and when he really is stuck on a word, I make him sound it out. However, from 30 years of teaching, I am firmly of the opinion that one size does not fit all. Grandson has a fantastic memory and is very observant and I get that for him, he naturally remembers words quickly and has learnt to read by doing that rather than using phonics.

Norestformrz · 09/07/2021 19:25

If he is dyslexic then it's important to focus on phonics as he will find it more difficult than his peers. Encouraging other ineffective strategies will limit his progress in the long term.

Norestformrz · 09/07/2021 19:26

No matter how good his memory it has limits in learning words

Oilyvoir · 09/07/2021 19:47

well it has been pretty effective for him so far...

Oilyvoir · 09/07/2021 19:51

He was a very early talker and has an extensive vocabulary to draw upon and I fail to see how his above average reading trajectory will not continue. He has been taught synthetic phonics (Ruth Miskin style) since he was in nursery. He might not like it but he has it there in case of emergencies.

Norestformrz · 09/07/2021 20:09

You said he failed the phonics Screening Check ... this is based on assessments used by dyslexia screening tools and those used Educational Psychologists to identify children who are likely to require support with reading in the future ...around the time they reach the limit of memory and where they meet more and more unfamiliar words, often linked to curriculum, which they cannot use guessing strategies such as those used in Reading Recovery. Hopefully the school will do as they are required and provide additional phonics support to prevent this.