Reading levels and 2nd grade. teacher input pls?

[Wisconsin Beth]

My DD is 7 and just started 2nd grade.  She's at a German Immersion School.  As such, they do NOT teach reading in English until 2nd grade. 

They learn reading in German in 1st grade.  My DD and apparently several others started spontaneously reading in English a few weeks after reading in German clicked for them and I'm told that's actually pretty common.  So she's not a genius after all!  lol

Homework for the kids this year is 15 minutes of reading out loud per night, in English or in German.  We have a crapton of kid books in our house in English and some in German so reading material is not the issue. 

I'm trying to figure out how hard of a book DD should be reading.  Her teacher is trying to evaluate approximately 25+ kids so while she'll attempt to guide the kids' choices at library, she clearly hasn't had a chance to figure every kid out yet.  I expect to be able to talk/ask her specifically about DD in a month or so. 

Last night DD started her reading with a book called Princesses and Puppies, a level 1 reader.  She blew though it and she picked out another book and got about 80% done with Dr. Seuss's "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut" and excitedly found her bookmark and said she'd finish it tonight with Daddy. 

I'm trying not to correct her too much but did point out that she needs to make sure she's reading the words that are there and not what she thinks/assumes should be there (pronouns that appear or disappear, stuff like that)  She's sounding out words she's not sure about and if she looked quizzically at me after completing the word, I'd either give her the correct pronouncement or praise her for getting it right. 

But how do you figure out what reading level to suggest to a child?  And how do you know if they're just remembering it from you reading to them verses actually reading it?  The Princess/Puppy thing we probably did read to her.  And it did have a lot of Disney Princess names in the sentences so it's not like it was a super hard book - it's more along the lines of See Spot run type sentences. 

[Deleted]

For that reading she should be reading things that are fluent. You can work at her instructional level, but nothing frustrational. 5 finger rule works off longer works... if they shouldn't be missing more than 5 words a page in a chapter book type page. Let her pick what she likes. Read with her if it's something too challenging.

Eta: I say chapter book page got reference, obviously fewer than 5 misses if it's a smaller page...

[Deleted]

It doesn't matter if she's just memorizing at this point. Even if she's just listening. Exposure, submersion in a print environment is what's Impotant. enjoying books.

If you feel you need to level, or want to see if a book might be appropriate, go to accelerated reader website (ren learn?) and use it to find level. But all leveling systems are only so accurate... It can be a guideline though.

But let her follow HER natural progression. Don't get 'on level' books if they are frustrational.

[tskeeter]

My experience leads me to think that most kids find their own comfortable reading level.  If they have access to reading material at a range of levels, they will be bored with material that is too easy, and move on to other things.  If it's too advanced, it'll be too much work to sound out every other word or they won't understand what they are reading, and they will abandon the reading for something more suitable. 

[Peace77]

Go to the library and ask the librarian for suggestions on beginner reading books ( not chapter books).  Let her pick out what she wants based on the librarian's suggestions.  <br><br>If the books are new to her, she won't remember the words.

[kittensaver]

Sept 15, 2015 11:28:47 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

My experience leads me to think that most kids find their own comfortable reading level.  If they have access to reading material at a range of levels, they will be bored with material that is too easy, and move on to other things.  If it's too advanced, it'll be too much work to sound out every other word or they won't understand what they are reading, and they will abandon the reading for something more suitable. 

 exactly.

A million years ago, my first career was as a first grade teacher. We always put out a wide variety of materials, and allowed the kids to gravitate to whatever interested them. Seriously - we put out everything from picture books to about 3rd grade.

If it's at all possible, arrange for that variety (the library, the bookstore in your town, etc). If something is too "babyish" she will close it and move on because it will not hold her interest. If it is too hard - same thing - she'll put it down and find something else.

Another excellent way to get her to read is by having her read aloud to her baby brother. Even if it's just a picture book, she can point to the pictures and tell/make up a story as she goes along. Lots of kids in my first grade classes had younger sibs at home, and many of them loved going home and reading (or "reading") to them - even the ones who were super-beginners. It gave them a sense of accomplishment.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Thanks everyone. 

Yeah, the teacher is looking for volunteers to be read to by the kids during reading time.  I asked my Mom if she's interested.

[zibazinski]

DD started with the cutest book called LITTLE BLUE and LITTLE YELLOW. I was sure she memorized it but then again, I memorized the doctor Seuss books and it transitioned into reading. I find if they can explain to you what the story is about, it's pretty much right on level. If they can't explain, it's not. They'll tell you if it's too baby-ish but even then, after reading WAR and PEACE, I was ready for Cosmopolitan!

[giramomma]

Sept 15, 2015 11:23:04 GMT -5 oped said:

For that reading she should be reading things that are fluent. You can work at her instructional level, but nothing frustrational. 5 finger rule works off longer works... if they shouldn't be missing more than 5 words a page in a chapter book type page. Let her pick what she likes. Read with her if it's something too challenging.

Eta: I say chapter book page got reference, obviously fewer than 5 misses if it's a smaller page...

This is the same advice we (parents) got from DS's 6th grade language arts teacher.

[giramomma]

Have you seen the Piggie/Elephant books.

I've been reading them to the peanut, and I really enjoy them.  But, they even appeal to my 11 yo. They are by the same guy that writes the Pigeon books, Mo Williams.

Anyway, this was a new series to us.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

They are by the same guy that writes the Pigeon books, Mo Williams

We  the pigeon books in our house.

[ArchietheDragon]

The dragon clan meeting Mo Willems.

[Wisconsin Beth]

AWwwwww.  Cute family. 

Oddly enough, a piggie elephant book is the first book DD read in English.  She picked it out at the library last year and read it to us in the car on the way home. 

[violagirl]

Maybe I was starved for reading material, but I used to like reading my older brothers "readers". Do they still have those? If you had a few you could gauge what level she is reading at. Although for me, once I learned how to read, Dick and Jane and Ben and the ducks were so incredibly boring. Once kids get the concept of reading they can quickly jump up levels. 

My absolute favorite class in school was grade 5. I was in a mixed 5/6 grade class. The teacher had a corner of the room that was the reading corner. If you finished your work you could go in there and sit and read and it was marvelous. The Count of Monte Cristo was my favorite book for a long time. I found it in that reading corner. That teacher would also let us choose our own spelling words. My brother was doing biology so I remember deoxyribonucleic acid was one of my spelling words along with all the parts of a cell. I probably would have been an ideal student for a Montessori type environment. 

But I concur a range of books at different levels and she can read where she is comfortable. Access to books is the key. 

Now that I am an adult, I love that I have the freedom to drop $200 on a visit to Chapters. I used to long so much to buy books when that Scholastic book catalogue would come around, but we didn't always have money for books.

[zibazinski]

Sept 15, 2015 19:40:58 GMT -5 violagirl said:

Maybe I was starved for reading material, but I used to like reading my older brothers "readers". Do they still have those? If you had a few you could gauge what level she is reading at. Although for me, once I learned how to read, Dick and Jane and Ben and the ducks were so incredibly boring. Once kids get the concept of reading they can quickly jump up levels. 

My absolute favorite class in school was grade 5. I was in a mixed 5/6 grade class. The teacher had a corner of the room that was the reading corner. If you finished your work you could go in there and sit and read and it was marvelous. The Count of Monte Cristo was my favorite book for a long time. I found it in that reading corner. That teacher would also let us choose our own spelling words. My brother was doing biology so I remember deoxyribonucleic acid was one of my spelling words along with all the parts of a cell. I probably would have been an ideal student for a Montessori type environment. 

But I concur a range of books at different levels and she can read where she is comfortable. Access to books is the key. 

Now that I am an adult, I love that I have the freedom to drop $200 on a visit to Chapters. I used to long so much to buy books when that Scholastic book catalogue would come around, but we didn't always have money for books.

Do you mean Weekly Readers? Is that what they were called?

[violagirl]

They were think hard covered books with a bunch of short stories for each grade level until about grade 6. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Sept 15, 2015 22:15:54 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

I agree with what people say about kids gravitating toward their reading level.  I read my sister's Nancy Drew books in second grade.  By third grade, I read my mother's best sellers and everything in between.  No one ever told me that I couldn't read a book.  I treated my kids the same way.

I think the real issue is not to have too much competition for reading.  Limit tv and video games so that reading becomes the primary "fun" activity.  Let your second grader see YOU reading for recreation.  

I tell parents that WHAT they read isn't as important as THAT they read.

Yeah my Mom's only "rule" on our books was that she got a chance to read them too!  When I moved out, she missed the books more than she missed me!  lol. 

And trust me, the kids often see me curled up in the corner of the couch with a book or an ebook. 

Right now, she's trying to figure out time management so she can play outside at home and still get her homework done.  Yesterday she was doing her spelling work on the playground after school so she could play with her friend when we got home even though a couple of her classmates were there too.  A couple of K5 parents were hanging out with me/us and they were kind of interested in what 2nd grade homework looks like. 

[giramomma]

Sept 16, 2015 7:01:44 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Sept 15, 2015 22:15:54 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Right now, she's trying to figure out time management so she can play outside at home and still get her homework done.  Yesterday she was doing her spelling work on the playground after school so she could play with her friend when we got home even though a couple of her classmates were there too. 

Yesterday was a crazy day, between two kids there were three kid activities. So DD1 and I did most of her homework before we left for school: spelling review, math fact practice, and another project.  I think that's why I had a hard time getting into work..because the morning shift was all mine. It was like I had a half a day's worth of things compressed into an hour.

[973beachbum]

My son's fav was the Black Lagoon series.  He thought they were hysterical!    He will still read them sometimes even though they are way to easy for him.

I will add that having that choice of imerision schools makes me very jealous!!  We only get the regular public school with Spanish twice a week.  And my son would have LOVED learning Mandarin. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

Yeah, the German one is well regarded not just here but elsewhere including Germany, no idea on the others though.  The 4 Immersion Schools feed into a secondary school (6th-senior in HS) which is only a bit further from our house than the grade school is.  There are some issues with that but I'm not worrying about it yet.  In short, I feel like we stumbled into the public education version of a rainbow farting unicorn.  Because we really had no clue what we were getting ourselves into, we just knew it was a highly rated public school near us that actually had openings - which in and of itself is a unicorn in my area.

Anyway, I pointed out the bookshelf full of books for DD to try out last night.  She's working her way though a Cat in the Hat Quizzer book right now. 

[giramomma]

Sept 17, 2015 8:59:49 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Anyway, I pointed out the bookshelf full of books for DD to try out last night.  She's working her way though a Cat in the Hat Quizzer book right now. 

How often are you taking her to the library?

I'm just wondering. DD1 has a whole book shelf of books. And then she comes downstairs and says "I have NOTHING to read." Of course, this is at 7pm in the evening, as we're doing the bedtime routine.

And, then we'll politely reminder her we bought 4 books at the garage sale two days ago...and she says "I don't like those anymore!"

So, we're getting back to weekly trips to the public library.

[zibazinski]

DS was a fan of Captain Underpants. I was less than thrilled. Librarian reminded me it WAS reading. Sigh.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Sept 17, 2015 9:22:34 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Sept 17, 2015 8:59:49 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Anyway, I pointed out the bookshelf full of books for DD to try out last night.  She's working her way though a Cat in the Hat Quizzer book right now. 

How often are you taking her to the library?

I'm just wondering. DD1 has a whole book shelf of books. And then she comes downstairs and says "I have NOTHING to read." Of course, this is at 7pm in the evening, as we're doing the bedtime routine.

And, then we'll politely reminder her we bought 4 books at the garage sale two days ago...and she says "I don't like those anymore!"

So, we're getting back to weekly trips to the public library.

Not anywhere near as often as we should be.  Her class is going on a field trip there next week I think.  I need to make sure her library card is clear and write her pin down so she can check out books when they go. 

Most of the books on the shelf are new to DD in that she knew we had a bookshelf with kids books but didn't really look at the books individually to see if there's anything there that she wanted to spend time with. 

[giramomma]

Sept 17, 2015 9:27:00 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

DS was a fan of Captain Underpants. I was less than thrilled. Librarian reminded me it WAS reading. Sigh.

We rather enjoyed reading Captain Underpants outloud.

I also Junie B. Jones. From a parental perspective, I so could relate to her parents, particularly when her baby brother was born.

[gs11rmb]

Sept 17, 2015 9:45:42 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Sept 17, 2015 9:27:00 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

DS was a fan of Captain Underpants. I was less than thrilled. Librarian reminded me it WAS reading. Sigh.

We rather enjoyed reading Captain Underpants outloud.

I also Junie B. Jones. From a parental perspective, I so could relate to her parents, particularly when her baby brother was born.

My 7 year old DD likes Junie B. Jones but the appalling grammar drives me nuts!  I know her speech patterns are supposed to be indicative of a 1st grader but it's really irritating when I'm working to ensure my daughter understands basic sentence structure.  If we're reading together I correct the grammar and it really annoys my girl .

[jeep108]

I don't remember what grade my daughter was in.  She was at a 4th grade reading level in 1st grade.  But she loved the Warriors Cat Series by Erin Hunter. 

[Angel!]

DS1 just started 2nd grade as well. His teacher has talked a lot about how to find just right books. Her advice is to read the first page of the book and they know every word, then the book is too easy, but if they struggle with more than 3 words the book is too hard.

What I've started doing is looking up the reading levels of the books that work for him and using that as a guide for picking books. The magic tree house series and A to Z mysteries series have worked really well for him.

[busymom]

DD was reading the "Little House on the Prairie" books in first grade, but I recall the teacher telling me that those books were more appropriate for an older child, maybe 3rd or 4th grade. Didn't matter to DD, as she loved the series!

I agree that your local library probably has those books lists on appropriate books for each grade. Our library had lists up to at least 6th grade.

[CCL]

Sept 17, 2015 9:29:40 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Sept 17, 2015 9:22:34 GMT -5 giramomma said:

How often are you taking her to the library?

I'm just wondering. DD1 has a whole book shelf of books. And then she comes downstairs and says "I have NOTHING to read." Of course, this is at 7pm in the evening, as we're doing the bedtime routine.

And, then we'll politely reminder her we bought 4 books at the garage sale two days ago...and she says "I don't like those anymore!"

So, we're getting back to weekly trips to the public library.

Not anywhere near as often as we should be.  Her class is going on a field trip there next week I think.  I need to make sure her library card is clear and write her pin down so she can check out books when they go. 

Most of the books on the shelf are new to DD in that she knew we had a bookshelf with kids books but didn't really look at the books individually to see if there's anything there that she wanted to spend time with. 

Doesn't your library have children's programs going on? I found that if we made a commitment to attend some of these we found ourselves at the library more and more often. After a couple times they really looked forward to attending. At our library, everything was free. As a bonus, I got out of the house and we all made a few more friends.

Like others have said, provide a variety of reading levels. I would also vary the subject material as much as possible. You never know what will captivate them.