If your k student is an advanced reader...

ghm

This is never really discussed here, but I know ethan isn't the only one. What do they do for your kid if they are far above the reading level of other kids? Ethan is being formally tested friday, but his teachers have never needed to move a child up, so the county wide reading specialist is coming.he is easily reading the early second grade materials they send home and is reading the magic treehouse series. We read plenty at home but I do feel his instruction at school should be appropriate for his skill. Fwiw, I've hesitated posting this because I don't want to come off braggy, but I really want input from others with similar readers.

gracendantho26

Do they have anything like AR or RAZ-Kids? My kids have logins through school where they can read and take tests online and those scores are accessed by the teacher. So one kid can be reading at level "O" and another at "T" in the same class but based on their reading level they have access to the books/tests that meet them where they are at.  

august06mom

A friend of mine is in a similar situation, and her DD goes into the upper classrooms for reading group. Would they let your DS do that?

gracendantho26

https://www.raz-kids.com/

 

JenniC1135

Once kids hit that kind of level, it becomes really important to focus on comprehension strategies and less on the decoding.  If he's good with literal comp.  - can retell a story with appropriate detail, identify the main idea, problem, solution, etc. - then it's time to work more on inferential skills.  (Not to say that you don't work on the more abstract things until literal is mastered, because you should be doing all of that at the same time.)  There are specific comprehension strategies you can explicitly teach:  good readers ask themselves questions, make predictions, visualize what's happening, etc.  You could have him read a fiction and non-fiction text with the same topic or theme and have him compare them. If they are creating an individualized sort of program for him, look into menus where he can choose various sorts of projects to total x number of points.  My advanced students enjoy those.

 In our school system, they have a GT magnet program that starts in 1st grade.  DD is being tested this spring based on her teacher's recommendation, but I will probably have DS tested too. In the county where I taught, it was the norm to have groups of students at advanced levels so the teachers supplemented with appropriate novels and did literature circles with those kids.

 

 

surprise3rd

In K they didn't do much, he was also reading on an advanced 2nd grade level.  The books they sent home were on his reading level, and he was guided for his selection on library day.  Now in first grade, they group the kids, and he is in the high group with all students who are reading on a 3-4th grade level.  I feel like since the teacher is teaching to a group of first grades who are all advanced, and she is good that he is getting what he needs.

They will do more with math in my district, take over to the middle school for advanced classes etc.  And they will test for the G&T program at the end of 1st grade.

CubbyMama2

When I taught K, we had a few kids who were pretty advanced readers, and they went to a 1st grade classroom to read with that teacher's high group.  With 31 kids and only 4 hours, it was all we could do to pull them aside individually for all of the district assessments and for weekly sight word testing; we simply couldn't figure out how to also fit in a guided reading group, but they did well with the first-grade teacher's group and only missed maybe 30 minutes of instruction they didn't need, anyway.

Littlejen22

My DS in only in PK but I know my district does not do much in the G&T in K and 1st.  I do know someone whose DS is in 2nd grade and does math with the 3rd grade.

What books was he reading at the end of pre-k?

Chapter79

My daughter is above her level- you might have seen that on FB, I think I recall you liked the photo (exemplary/exceeds expectations when she was tested). She's in grade K and they're in groups. Each child is put in the appropriate one and each group reads different books. Some only have one word, some are doing sentences (my daughter)- they bring home 1-2 books a week (plus an extra if they're remedial).

The school/her teacher believe in the groups, and I like that. Kindergarteners are ALL over the place in their skills so I believe that's important, even then. I know my daughter would be bored stiff if she were reading books right now with one word (dog, cat, rabbit) on the page. She wouldn't be learning anything.

Do they do groups at his school, or just all read the same thing?

ghm

I was curious about his comprehension, so I checked to see if he was grasping the storylines, and yes, he is. I've been reading chapter books to him for over a year and we always discuss as we go, do it's something he understood. he's in the highest of four levels and is far above the next best reader. After the test, they woll try to get him in the appropriate group in another grade level, but his teacher said it may not be possible, depending on group size and if someone wants to take on another student. I was very pro half day k until I saw that it doesn't give teachers time to focus on this stuff. They have twice the students and half the time.

jnicks19

My DD is in Montessori and reading at a 4ish grade level (never been tested).  She reads a ton on her own at home and at school she's reading a lot of non fiction things and doing some book report type stuff.  Since it's Montessori, she's able to work at her own level and there isn't a need to pull her out of class.

I'm curious to see how it works next year when she moves to 1st-3rd grades and the type of work they give her.  She's already read most of the titles on the recommended reading lists. 

jnicks19

I know what you mean about coming off braggy, I've wanted to post before because there's been times that I've been SO proud of her but I've worried about coming off the wrong way.  So congrats to you and your little reader!!!  

Angela814

DD's kindergarten class is broken up into groups. There are some kids still working on letter sounds, some reading Dr. Seuss type books, and some in the middle. DD is somewhere in the middle. We are sent books home a couple times a week along with a strategy to use when DD needs help.

We had a parent reading session a few weeks ago, and they did stress that at the higher levels, they do a lot more work on reading comprehension.

Does he have the opportunity to read to the class? DD has brought in a couple books, and her teacher has let her read part of them to the class. She loved it. That might be a way for Ethan to read some more advanced books in class.

ghm

There just isn't time. He's only there 3 hours.

Chapter79

ghm:

There just isn't time. He's only there 3 hours.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of half days and that's one of the reasons. I have NO idea how they have time for anything. Seems they almost go home as soon as they get there. My DD is full day and it's booked.  I would assume they can concentrate on more things (such as reading and groups, and stuff like that) when they are there longer.

Angela814

ghm:

There just isn't time. He's only there 3 hours.

You may just need to continue reading with him at home. We were told that's really one of the most important things parents can do to help their children become good readers. Once he's in 1st grade, he'll be there all day, so he'll be able to move up to a 2nd or 3rd grade classroom for reading.

One more thing I forgot... the reading specialist said that some kids are really good about memorizing a lot of words but get stuck with unknown words. So I'd work with the teacher to make sure you know how to help him figure out words he doesn't know yet. (Maybe he's already doing this.) And I'd want to know what he's doing when the kids are in reading groups.

ghm

Ethan is good at figuring out words on his own. His writing is also great. He can write a story with several paragraphs and several sentences in each paragraph, and it makes sense. Honestly, I just thought I was biased until recently, but he's really smart. He loves learning anything and everything, from knowing presidents and facts about them to geography of states, countries and continents to dinosaurs and if they were a herbivore or omnivore to pretty advanced math (he can do things like add and subtract two digit numbers in correct form without counting). he has some skills average for his age...his coloring isn't great, but he does get m (for mastery) because he rushes sometimes . He definitely needs to work ay doing things he doesn't enjoy and things that don't come naturally to him.

ghm

By the way, we read.a lot at home, like two plus hours a day. They live raging. We read science, history, fiction, non fiction. I'm 100% committed to doing my part and more at home. I don't think the teacher is pushing him before he's ready, because she called in a specialist to determine the need, and she had never moved a child to an older class for reading groups before. I will say I think his school is full of uninvolved parents who don't or can't read at home. I don't think being obe to two grade levels ahead in some areas is uncommon.

jlw2505

Our school district has a program for kids that are gifted in certain areas.  They have someone work with the kid or a group of kids on whatever subject they excel on to make sure they are being challeged.  It works the same way that some special ed services are done - the kids are pulled out by subject for the special attention.  They start this in Kindy and it goes all the way up - it is not a full out gifted program but a subject specific one and they work the kids throughout the year - adding kids or moving them out of the program, whatever is needed.

DandRAgain

This is how both my girls were, we read a LOT at home too.  And they still are top of their class, excellent readers.  And I'm currently frustrated with the school but not sure what to do.  They both were accepted in the HAL program (higher ability learner) and the HAL teacher is ALSO the ELL teacher.  Well, HAL comes AFTER ELL, and she has not had the chance to meet with Tay at all and with Audrey once..the ENTIRE year....not acceptable. 

Well, my girls need the extra challenge!  And I don't think its fair that my kids "extra" is getting bumped because the school has soooo many ELL students.  I think they should hire someone else to handle the needs.  But how do I state that to the principal without coming off braggy.....or like a jerk who thinks that the ELL shouldn't get their services.....

Gah!

superslug

We just had mid-year conferences with Ryan's teacher last week and his teacher wants to focus on comprehension. She's sending home little book report sheets for him to fill out. He kinda fills in the blanks and then draws a picture of what the book was about. We're also going to try out AR, but his teacher isn't a huge fan so we'll see how that goes. He's being tested for GT this week, too. She's going to send home more chapter books because she said once they reach a certain level the only books to pick from are non-fiction, which he enjoys but he also needs to pay attention to characters in a story and dialogue. There's another little girl in his class that's an advanced reader so he's not alone in his reading group, which I think is nice. We read a ton at home, too, and his brother is learning how to read so he gets to play teacher sometimes :-).

ghm

Comprehension is not a problem. I ask him questions throughout and he can easily write give or six sentences without prompting about the story. He understands beginning, middle, end. as I said, we've been eading chapter books for a long time so he gets the process.

superslug

What she's focusing on with him is more detail oriented comprehension, I guess. I think it's building up to when they start state testing. Not so much the parts of the story, but who said what and why, what parts of the story can the child relate to. More of a why is it this way kind of thing, kwim?

FormerlyAK

Our school knows that kids read at different levels, especially in early elementary. In ds' kindergarten class, the teachers hasa a "book bag" for each kid for free reading time. In that bag, she puts books that she feels are appropriate for that child's reading level. Kids struggling with the reading skills get books with more pictures that really tell the story. Kids who are doing great with reading and are ahead of the rest of the kids (ds and his bff fall into this category) get books with more words and more complex stories. All the kids, regardless of the book have to take turns telling the rest of the class the story they read in their own words. Those "reading" the picture books tell the story that they got from the picture in most cases. Kids in ds' group have to work to comprehend what they read and retell that.

I agree with the poster that comprehension needs to be the focus with early advanced readers. Reading the words is great, but they need to learn the skills to retain that. Perhaps the teachers can help your ds with those skills?

 

ghm

There is just really no time to focus on kids who are ahead when so many are behind. We also live in a really small town in a state known for its awful education. I guess it's a little frustrating that there is no opportunity to help continue to grow his skills. If an older grade isn't willing to take him into their reading groups, the school can't do anything. I think part of it just really makes me sad--what if I lacked the time or willingness to do my part at home? Kids who ARE capable of more should be encouraged to do more at school. Not every parent can or will help.

ilovemygirls

In kinder, based on testing they were assigned a certain level of book to read & could choose within that level.  I quickly saw that she was burning through her   level but she was kept there by the teacher.  I finally sent a note to school asking if we could please bump her up since she wasn't being challenged.  Teacher said that was fine- and I proceeded to have to do that for the rest of the year.  Actually I just stopped asking & told her to go to the next bin up.  It was recorded each night on a sheet, so the teacher knew what level she was reading out of.  Now that I have her w/an awesome 1st grade teacher, I realized that her kinder teacher really didn't have a good understanding of her as an individual.

Once DD got into 1st grade I have noticed that they are definitely doing things to make sure she & the other advanced readers in her class are challenged.  Currently, she & 2 other girls are in a "book club" with a reading specialist and they are reading a book together (Little House in the Big Woods) and doing a study guide/focusing on comprehension & such.  

Bottom line, I agree that instruction at school should be appropriate for a child's skill.  Those 1/2 days at kinder are short & hard to fit everything in, but I would not hesitate to 'push things along' if you feel you need to.