Reading level assessment

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

My daughter just turned 4 a few months ago. I had her reading evaluated last fall at a local public school, and she was reading and comprehending at a mid-1st grade level. I think she has progressed quite a bit since then, so I want to get her tested again. However, the teacher who tested her said her principal won't let her do it again. Are there any reliable sources on the internet that I can use to test her reading level? Or any good books that might help me out?

[Jen500]

Why do you want to test her reading level again? To participate in something that's requires a certain level, or to find appropriate books for reading?

[nmoira]

Unless you have a reason, I wouldn't do it. I don't worry about at what level DD is reading, I just make sure there are plenty of books around. FWIW, you can look at the books she's reading (or can read) and deduce from there. For example, Magic Tree House books are about second grade level. Many books have the grade level written on the back.

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

Kind of both. I did a test online that tests for words only, and it shows her at a 4th grade level. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but I'm pretty sure she's beyond the 1st grade stuff by now. She started reading The Boxcar Children one day when I had left it in her room. I'm not sure that the comprehension was there, because she was stopping to sound some of the words out.

 

I don't want to hold her back by forcing her to do reading and phonics activities that she obviously doesn't need. So, I would like to have an idea of where she is at, so that I can choose appropriate materials for school and library books for fun reading.

[NewHomeSchoolMarm]

Our local library has an assortment of reading assessment kits that I have seen--quite honestly I have never used them.

 

JMO--NHSM

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

Our library is who sent me to the school reading teacher. I'll ask our childrens' librarian again if she has any other ideas.

[EKS]

Here's a link to an online test that tests more than decoding. http://www.letsgolearn.com/

 

I think it costs $20.

[Mama Anna]

Here's a link to a test recommended by someone from the K-8 Board. I haven't used it yet, so I can't tell you if it costs.

 

http://http://www.readingkey.com/athena/en/trialTest.php

 

HTH!

 

Mama Anna

[K&Rs Mom]

I don't want to hold her back by forcing her to do reading and phonics activities that she obviously doesn't need. So, I would like to have an idea of where she is at, so that I can choose appropriate materials for school and library books for fun reading.

 

I stopped the reading/phonics programs when dd was obviously fluent - she could read something clearly and quickly, without stopping to sound out. Now I try to incorporate some reading that will "stretch" her skills into our other subjects and daily life. I also notice her reading along with me when we do a read-aloud together (just finished Heidi - the sentence structure was a stretch for me!).

 

As far as choosing her fun reading, let her guide you. One way some teachers advise is the "5-finger test" - open a book at random, and read that page; every word you can't read easily, put up one finger; if all 5 are up by the end of the page, the book is too hard. :001_huh: That's too much work for me. I let K choose her own books at the library, and if she gets frustrated she can ask for help, or quit and come back to it later.

 

HTH!

[sarahberry]

Once F. was fluent in reading we went on to novels and commencing work in vocabulary, grammar, spelling, etc... I didn't do those things before he was fluent. You might try bookadventure.com for some book ideas. If she is stopping to sound out words you might try a somewhat easier level because that one is likely a little hard for her yet. You can also get the book lists off Sonlight's catalog of what they read at each level too and that can help as well. You will probably also do well with the I can read level 3 and 4 books as a starting place and then work into the chapters if you are wanting to spend more time on gaining comprehension skills and having meaningful discussions about the content. I guess a lot can also depend on what your educational goal for her is too and your style of homeschooling. If you are more structured then wanting to know a level will make a lot more sense at this stage in the game. Later, it will matter less because the same novel that could be read by a fourth or fifth grader could also be one that is studied by and 8th or 9th grader but what you do with that reading might be a little differet at each level.

 

As for phonics, we only did a little initially and then he took off with the reading. We don't do phonics workbooks and such. The closest we have come to that is Rod and Staff spelling books because some of the exercises in each lesson use some phonics knowledge to complete. So, if you fear borign her to death with phonics but you want to make sure she has the concpets you can just get it in with a spelling program rather than a phonics program. Also, I am finding that we are likely going to complete several levels of spelling this year...I still suspect ds has a photographic memory. I present the lesson and in the afternoon the whole list is already mastered.

 

I hope this helps :)