First grade parents - Reading question

Just curious what is the norm on Long Island. Haven't been too pleased with my districts reading program and wondering what the norm is as I decide to do with my second child..

1. What reading level is your child? How did you know this - did you have to ask or did the teacher just tell you? Does your child get books sent home that are exactly at his or her level? Are the books they read in school the same level? How many days per week do they read in groups or at all? Do they read with the teacher alone ever?

2. What reading program does your school use?

3. Could your child read when they started K? Do you feel like your child learned to read in school or outside of school?

Thanks in advance!

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

1. My DS is reading at a M level. I had no clue until I asked the teacher at Parent Teacher Conferences. He has not brought any books home to read from school (except from his library days) The books he reads in school I believe are level K-O. In his class each students has a certain box they can choose their books from. Which box is determined by their level. In December he wsa told he should focus on Chapter books and he could bring books in from home as well (chapter books or similar)
They have reading groups, I think they usually do them 1x a week. They read aloud to each other, ask questions, basically bounce ideas off each other. In their groups they also read silently and then ask each other for help if they come across words they are unsure of etc. They also read in pairs and one on one with the teacher. They also spend time daily reading silently to themselves

2. I really have no clue.

3. DS could read mainly sight word type books before Kindergarten. He was probably 3 when he learned. He learned from Preschool Prep videos. I think where kindergarten helped he was how to string sounds together with new words he didnt know. So his reading started really taking off. So he learned the basics outside of school, but feel he learned to REALLY READ in school.

I have to say I am personally very pleased with DS's teacher and how she has helped DS move along. DS was in catholic school last year and this year public school, in both areas I have felt there could be better communication.

Message edited 1/31/2014 4:47:24 PM.

First grade parents - Reading question

DD is also at an M level. She does not bring books home from school to read but is required to read at least 15 minutes each night, a book of her choice. At school she reads a level below to a level or two above depending on the content. They do guided reading at school where they work in groups a few times a week. They also have independent reading time each day.

They use a program called fundations for ELA and I think that goes into reading as well. The resource room teachers use a Wilson program for children that need a little extra help with reading or comprehension.

DD could not read before K but did know a lot of sight words. She was actually at an M level at the end of K but we pulled her back a few levels because she was having comprehension issues. She is now completely back to an M level.

They spend a lot of time on ELA and reading at school. Almost everything comes back to it, math, social studies, science and all specials.

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

DD is about an H. District uses teachers college. The only reason I know what level she is is from the boos she brings home about 2x a week after her guided reading group. I also teach first grade and parents are made aware if levels in Nov. jan march and June.

Just curious, what are your concerns and what lprogram do they use?

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

Our school uses Fundations also. I have no idea what level my DD reads at. I know she is above grade level though, as the teacher told me that, and she picks books off the 2nd grade table at their book distribution.

No books come home. We read at home each night for 15 minutes (usually more).

She could read a little before K. Mostly the really easy Bob type books.

They do reading groups, but not everyday she said.

They do not have books sorted by levels. My DD said they pick whichever books they want to read that are in the class.

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

1. What reading level is your child? How did you know this - did you have to ask or did the teacher just tell you? Does your child get books sent home that are exactly at his or her level? Are the books they read in school the same level? How many days per week do they read in groups or at all? Do they read with the teacher alone ever?

The books he brings home is level J or chapter books that say grades 2-4 on them. I know from what it says on the back of the books he brings home. He reads harder text at home on his own. I think he has reading groups twice a week and he brings a book home each of those days and usually a worksheet with the book. I think he only reds in the reading group but he is one of 2 people in his group. I think his group is the highest in the class so not many at his level. I think he should be reading harder text but the teacher said the focus is not getting him higher but on making inferences in what he reads and of course reading comprehension (I think he has very good reading comprehension).


2. What reading program does your school use?
Is it Bad??- but not sure.

3. Could your child read when they started K? Do you feel like your child learned to read in school or outside of school?
My son learned to read on his own somehow. He started reading right after he turned 4 and just took off. He was always interested in letters and books and words early on. I do think his kindergarten teacher was awesome and did recognize his level and pushed him ahead in his reading and writing and comprehension. My older son (9/3rd grade) was not reading much before kindergarten and learned in school. He never liked reading. He's my math whiz. However - he learned mostly in school (although we read everyday at home) and has always been in a high reading group. Second and third grade he is in the top reading group. The teachers always tell me what a wonderful reader he is and that he is above average in this area. This is the first year for him that he is starting to enjoy reading on his own...finally!

Message edited 1/31/2014 9:51:53 PM.

First grade parents - Reading question

I feel like so much math is going on that reading isn't happening nearly as much as I would like.

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

1. My DD is reading at an H independently,which means her instructional level is probably an I. I know this 2 ways. She brings home a book bag every week with 5 books that she has to read 15 minutes each night. Also her teacher let us know at conferences. First graders exit level is J. We were told that at back to school night. She was a D after K so she's made great progress.

2. In K they used Fundations, but I don't see them using that in !st. Her teacher does guided reading with them, but I don't believe there is a formal program.

3. She knew some words before K, but wasn't really reading. We didn't have a wonderful 4yo program experience and I felt it didn't really prepare her. Much of what she knew about reading and books came from home. (I'm a teacher and we put a lot of emphasis on reading at home)

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

I was a 1st grade teacher for 12 years (I now teach 2nd) so I'll answer the questions from my experience.

We never told kids or parents the reading level, it wasn't a secret or anything but way too often (parents especially) would get obsessed with moving levels and comparing their child to others. We tried to read across the level (different genres since you read them differently) first instead of always trying to move on to the next letter. The most important thing about reading is that children UNDERSTAND what they read. Often times parents think if they can read the words (decode) that they are reading but if they read every word beautifully but don't comprehend it, they won't be able to move to the next level.
We would do guided reading groups 4 or so days a week and try to meet with at least 2 groups a day. Periodically we'd read one on one and do assessments to ensure they were in the right group, etc. Groups changed when they needed to.

We used a balanced literacy approach. I will say though- this year with the Common Core, we cannot teach reading and writing the way we want 100%. We have to find a balance between what we are told to do and what we know is RIGHT for kids.

My son is in K now and is absolutely learning to read in school. We always read books and stuff at home and he knew a few words but he is exploding now! I do feel like once the foundation is laid and it clicks for them, reading develops naturally. Of course it is something they need to practice daily.

I will also say that the levels in 1st grade vary GREATLY. At this point in 1st I'd always have some children from a B to an M! Typically they like students to leave at an I/J in 1st grade.

Message edited 2/1/2014 10:38:03 AM.

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

Reading level, no clue, I've never asked. I know she's in the highest group in her class.

She reads the junie b jones books at omen. My teacher cousin was shocked, said its a 2md grade reading level.

She could not read upon entering K, but picked it up pretty quickly. I don't know what program the school uses.

Re: First grade parents - Reading question

Thanks for all the replies. I noticed some comments on the thread re: the fact that kids are doing less reading work now because of the core curriculum? What exactly is the core program focusing on instead? I would think that reading is so important in these foundational yrs especially given that the new math is highly reading intensive as well! It seems like some programs are better than others but, overall, surprised how little time is focused on individualized reading in first grade...