1st grader not on grade level with reading...

meghans30

Trev was exited from special education last spring. He was receiving services for a severe speech delay (he didn't speak until 3.5). He attended a special ed kindergarten last year with only 13 students. I know they were working hard on the reading skills.

I sent a letter to the teacher earlier this week introducing Trevor and giving his history. Got word today at drop off that she has concerns, that he is not on grade level with his reading.... This is so hard to hear. I mena, I kind of knew he was going to be behind. He had to catch up on other areas. He has overcome SO MUCH, but alas, here we are again seeking remediation and perhaps a tutor. Cried over it a bit this afternoon. I just want him to be a typical kid.

 

Any words of wisdom? Any elementary teachers out there with insight? We have a meeting on Tuesday. We are only 4 days into the school year. 

MrsSR

Just practice at home as much as possible.  He should be reading out loud to you for about 5-10 minutes a day.

If he can get it, I'd have him go with a tutor or aide at school to read out loud several times a week.

Look online for "reading fluency passages".  These are short passages that he can read out loud to you maybe once a week.  It's for a minute...

I teach 3rd, so I can't comment as to how many words per minute is required in first to be considered a fluent reader.... this is something you can research or ask the teacher.

Try not to stress.  It's only been a few days and the teacher is on top of it. 

KellyMichelle

Does he know his letter sounds?  Those and then learning to blend them are the most important part of reading and will give him a strong basis. 

I would also try starfall.com.  It has alot of fun interactive reading activities to get him started.  Reading to him and having him practice sound out words regularly is the best way to build a strong reader.  I'm sure he will get it, it just takes a little longer for some kids.  Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

JOEBunny

My only advice is that I did not even start to learn to read until 6.5 years.  I find it really interesting that a child in 1st grade can be "not on grade level" for reading.

Exactly when should he have perfected that?  

nire99

DD tested below reading level at the beginning of first grade. We made sure to do twenty minutes of reading each night and lots of practice with her sight words. She ended up testing above the national average by the end of the year.

Have you asked how he was assessed? Some children don't test very well and that influences the results.

meghans30

JOEBunny:

My only advice is that I did not even start to learn to read until 6.5 years.  I find it really interesting that a child in 1st grade can be "not on grade level" for reading.

Exactly when should he have perfected that?  

I know, seems kind of ridiculous . I mean he hasn't been in school for 8 weeks, and is has had 3 days back in the classroom. They gave them all an assessment and apparently he is having trouble blending and didn't recognize all the sight words. Seems a little quick to judge/assess right now, but this is what high stakes testing has done. There is no wiggle room.  

meghans30

nire99:

DD tested below reading level at the beginning of first grade. We made sure to do twenty minutes of reading each night and lots of practice with her sight words. She ended up testing above the national average by the end of the year.

Have you asked how he was assessed? Some children don't test very well and that influences the results.

Yup, this is what we are going to do. Daily drills and LOTS of reading. Not that we don't read to him now, but we will be uping the amount. 

MrsSR

JOEBunny:

My only advice is that I did not even start to learn to read until 6.5 years.  I find it really interesting that a child in 1st grade can be "not on grade level" for reading.

Exactly when should he have perfected that?  

What year was it when you were 6.5?  I ask because back when I was growing a child entering first grade would be equivalent to today's preschooler (learning/education wise).

There are levels that kids are expected to be at... my students are formally assessed for fluency three times a year and comprehension wise about every four weeks.... 

meghans30

MrsSR:

JOEBunny:

My only advice is that I did not even start to learn to read until 6.5 years.  I find it really interesting that a child in 1st grade can be "not on grade level" for reading.

Exactly when should he have perfected that?  

What year was it when you were 6.5?  I ask because back when I was growing a child entering first grade would be equivalent to today's preschooler (learning/education wise).

There are levels that kids are expected to be at... my students are formally assessed for fluency three times a year and comprehension wise about every four weeks.... 

I know, things are so different these days.  

MrsSR

And really, it's a catch 22... if we don't formally assess right away, and there is a problem, parents would be pissed we didn't mention something sooner.  Also, the longer we wait, the hard it is to get services as they get busy with other students.

But when we test too early it can mess up the results, but better safe than sorry.  It's not like he'll never be tested for his reading level again.

Carol*Brady2

My DD is in 1st & has tutoring 3 days a week plus we do 20+ min of her reading out loud a night. She also does a program called Lexia & Earobics plus handwriting w/out tears (2nd book) at home. She had trouble last year & flatlined in her testing for the year-so we had her tested for Dyslexia & all signs point to her having it. Speech delay is a sign (she had one too but not as severe as your DS)--She was in ST all last year. She's being tutored in the Orton-Gillingham method. She can read ok very basically in K but didn't know anything beyond basic phonics (& really struggled with nonsense words). Her fluency has improved a ton & now she knows a lot of the tricks (magic e, etc). Everyone says get help sooner than later so I would definitely do what you can now so he doesn't struggle for many years later. Wait & see is not ideal for this particular thing. They compare to peers not us when we we kids (because I certainly couldn't read worth a crap until 2nd grade)-LOL.

meghans30

carol*brady2:

My DD is in 1st & has tutoring 3 days a week plus we do 20+ min of her reading out loud a night. She also does a program called Lexia & Earobics plus handwriting w/out tears (2nd book) at home. She had trouble last year & flatlined in her testing for the year-so we had her tested for Dyslexia & all signs point to her having it. Speech delay is a sign (she had one too but not as severe as your DS)--She was in ST all last year. She's being tutored in the Orton-Gillingham method. She can read ok very basically in K but didn't know anything beyond basic phonics (& really struggled with nonsense words). Her fluency has improved a ton & now she knows a lot of the tricks (magic e, etc). Everyone says get help sooner than later so I would definitely do what you can now so he doesn't struggle for many years later. Wait & see is not ideal for this particular thing. They compare to peers not us when we we kids (because I certainly couldn't read worth a crap until 2nd grade)-LOL.

Wow, thanks for replying. I have been concerned with how his speech delay would effect reading. I was told that reading could be more difficult for him. We will certainly be doing everything we can. I am already in the process of looking at tutors and I am sure some remediation will be offered. I am a high school English teacher, so everyone has all these high expectations. They ask, "well, you should just teach him to read." What they don't understand is that teaching a child to read and teaching students how to analyze literature are two totally different things.  

ali-1411

DS started 1st grade and was barely able to read.  He just didn't get it.  He thought he was supposed to memorize every word in the world.  But by the end of the year he was reading above the grade level. 

Joenali

Instead of drill and kill at home, make reading fun! Also, ask the teacher what the expectation is for reading level at the end of each trimester. I would not expect all children at the beginning of the year to be "at first grade level', isn't that what first grade is for? Also, how far behind grade level are we talking? One reading level, two, three or more? Is he reading at a beginning kindergarten level (then as a first grade teacher I would definitely "red flag" this child) or end of kindergarten level (as he should, he just started first grade!). What kind of leveling system do they use, Lexile, Fountas and Pinell (A, B, C, D, etc leveled books), Accelerated reader etc?

And, first graders can analyze books! When you read with your kiddo I'm sure you discuss the text you both are reading?

Check this out www.corestandards.org this may help you when you want to talk with your child's teacher.

meghans30

Joenali:

Instead of drill and kill at home, make reading fun! Also, ask the teacher what the expectation is for reading level at the end of each trimester. I would not expect all children at the beginning of the year to be "at first grade level', isn't that what first grade is for?

And, first graders can analyze books! When you read with your kiddo I'm sure you discuss the text you both are reading?

Check this out www.corestandards.org this may help you when you want to talk with your child's teacher.

Yes, you are right. I guess I do help them analyze the stories we read!  Thanks for the website! 

CubbyMama

There are some links under "sight words" on the Parents Teach blog in my sig, that have printable emergent readers he can practice with at home. An easy, fun game for blending is "Guess My Word." You make the sounds (for example, /c/.../a/..../t/) with a pause between each sound, and he puts them together to figure out that you're saying "cat." This easily transfers to reading simple words, where they'll make the sound for each letter and then blend them to read the word. That blog also has sight word games/ideas if it helps you any. Don't stress--first grade is still right at the beginning of reading,so it's nowhere near as big a deal to be "below grade level" now as opposed to, say, in 4th or 5th grade. It's good to know early so you can address it now. GL!

kelliannp

Congrats on Trev being moved out into a regular classroom! That's a big step, but of course his language delay is not going to get fixed overnight.

Because he talked so late, and as a result has had less practice with language and spoken sounds, he is likely to be behind on phonemic awareness skills-- the ability to play with and manipulate sounds in words. When kids enter first grade without a strong foundation in phonemic awareness, it makes reading that much harder; kids have to get strong in phonemic awareness before they can apply this to reading and phonics.

So yes, he'll continue to need extra help and maybe extra services for a while. If you have the time, you can help a lot at home. I have an informational site for helping first graders learn (www.smartfirstgraders.com) that has lots of fun reading and language activities you might try. 

In your talk with the teacher, try to stay calm and positive--and most of all, hopeful. Your child has come a long way, and he continues to grow. Ask what you can do to practice skills at home, and see what she suggests. You might also consider having your child carry a notebook back and forth to school, so you and the teacher can communicate each day. If you are able to work as partners this year, your child has a solid chance of succeeding.

 Good luck!

 Kelli