Child’s reading level- accelerated reader

[GreatScroller]

Hello!

my daughter has struggled academically at school for some time. She is the youngest in the year and did start school during Covid so I believe they may contribute a little. Socially she is absolutely fine and loves school. She is in year 3 and 7 years old.

Recently the school has introduced an accelerated reader programme and her book she had brought home a few months ago was 2.8 and today she brought home a 1.9. Recently I had thought she had become more fluent in her reading (if she can focus) and she answers questions okay. I had asked for a meeting with the teacher as they had said they weren’t sure about my daughter as sometimes she can read fine and they are surprised and other times she can’t. She is very behind in her maths apparently but two weeks ago they said they were not too concerned about her reading and writing. Should I be concerned her reading level is lower?

I feel like this is quite a low reading level considering she will move to year 4 in September and the school aren’t really giving me any signal that they are concerned at the same time saying she falls below the ‘expected standard’.

I just wanted some advice or if anyone has similar children!

Thanks

Her reading level will be between two numbers, so maybe 1.8 to 2.8. At our school they pick books themselves between the numbers, could she have done this?

It's sometimes a wee boost to them if they get a lower reading age one, and can read it quickly and fluently. They realise they can read and it's lovely to see.

Hi! I'm in the same boat, DD Y3 she came home with a 2.8 book today, she's only recently been put on AR..she is behind and had a dyslexia assessment on Monday so waiting for the report.

My DD is also on the SEN register, she has inattentive ADHD for which she is now taking meds for (the meds unmasked the possible dyslexia), her maths is ok though, let me know how you go!

Thanks for sharing, I appreciate it. I hope report is helpful for your daughter! And It’s good to hear that the school are being supportive.

Since my daughter was young I have always suspected ADHD but I know a lot of the time the symptoms are very similar to behaviour of that age group so I’ve just kept waiting to see if perhaps the school notice anything. Last year and early this year she suffered with stomach aches and I realised it was anxiety about school. I believe she started to notice that she wasn’t able to do as well as the other children in school and she was finding things difficult. She finds reading difficult because if she sees it requires any amount of effort she just doesn’t want to do it. I’m not sure if it’s a confidence or focus- or both! But she also really wants to do well. Sometimes she reads fluently and I’m like wow you can read anything and then sometimes she looks at a page and if she thinks it might be too hard she gets distracted after 10 seconds. She had the AR test and she said that as soon at it came to paragraphs she just wanted to finish so she could go on her break. Her teachers can’t quite understand why she isn’t doing well. My question is how did you know your daughter had ADHD and did the school recognise it first? I have been going round in my head for years that she might but I know the school have to say something. I mentioned it to them and they said well that would be years to diagnose etc!

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD at 6. Never had any issues academically, barely slept and was wired all day. Non stop talking, running etc. I was called into school at home time in her very first day. She was diagnosed very quickly but that was a few years ago. For what it's worth, she's excelling at university now.

It’s great that she is excelling as a young adult! I can definitely relate to some of that but she is quite compliant at school. I know that she will be great at whatever she will set her mind. Thank you!

Hi, that's just like my DD! Stomach pains due to anxiety and the reading, sometimes good and other times it's a big struggle!

For the ADHD the school picked up on it in Y1, she had problems concentrating, easily distracted, if she had a fidget toy she got distracted by it 🙈. She's the inattentive type so not hyper at school but chews on things constantly and is restless.

I decided to go private for the assessment, the NHS waiting list is too long and I couldn't deal with it for much longer as I also have a DD in Y5 who has an EHCP for ASD & dyspraxia.

After the assessment I went to the GP and DD (Y3) is to be seen in clinic in November so transferred to the NHS.

She's not had the Star reader test so I don't know her AR reading range yet, it's not in her reading record but will update with it when I get time and also findings with the dyslexia assessment