Ariston Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I see so frequently people post that their dc is reading on some particular grade level but I can't find any tests or guides online that explain what is considered 'normal' for each grade. How can I find out what level my kids are reading on? (Just out of idle curiosity...) And also out of idle curiosity I'll post a poll with this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoonlight Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My two older ones had/have always read above grade level (my oldest dd especially), youngest reads below, but is being tested for dyslexia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoffeeChick Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I think ElizabethB has some reading level tests linked on her website http://thephonicspage.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamamaloca Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I think there are reading tests but I've never administered one to my kids. Many kinds of kids' literature have age ranges or grade levels somewhere on the cover or in the front of the book, I sort of use those to gauge things. I would say my 8 year old is ahead of grade level, based on the books he likes to read, like Percy Jackson. Last year I was worried that he was behind grade level, but he really took a leap forward and began reading constantly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dominion Heather Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 You can roughly determine this sort of thing, or you can pay to have your kid tested. Here are a few web sites you can use: This one has you type in a passage from something your child can read fairly well. The longer the passage, the more accurate the scoring will be: Readability Score This one allows you to look up books by their title or author and check the grade level according to Accelerated Reader: Acc. Reader I prefer the second site... less work! Just put in the title of something that your child has recently read and it will give you a rough grade level, enough to know whether they are *choosing* to read at grade level. Of course, it won't tell you what their ceiling is, but if you child is five and reading The Hobbit, she is reading above grade level. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My best guess is "about on grade level." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 This one has you type in a passage from something your child can read fairly well. The longer the passage, the more accurate the scoring will be: Readability Score I tried this one, but it actually scores according to how well the listener can understand what is read (whether they have read it themselves or someone read to them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I've used the Scholastic BookWizard to get a rough idea of what the books my son reads would be rated. We did The Hobbit as a family read-aloud in the middle of second grade. When he heard there were books beyond it, he wanted to read them. After my ancient copy of Fellowship fell apart, I bought him his own version of Lord of the Rings. I figure he's above grade level since he was able to read the whole LOTR series on his own in 2nd grade. I've never managed to get through the books. I had him take the Book Adventure quiz for reading comprehension and he passed them. He learned to read (on his own) in first grade so he could read Calvin and Hobbes. If I tried to teach him how to sound out a word there was wailing and gnashing of teeth (on both our parts). I'm very grateful to Calvin! It's been the wildest thing to watch how he learned. And it's humbling too - it's got absolutely NOTHING to do with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Reading A-z.com has directions on how to do a running record and find reading levels that way. Their sample books work pretty well for an estimate, even without buying the subscription. This is similar to the DRA test/levels that many primary schools use-with the added bonus that if you do it yourself, you're not stuck starting at level AA and aren't required to stop 1 grade above grade level-as many schools do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I think ElizabethB has some reading level tests linked on her website http://thephonicspage.org/ Yes, I do. The wide range test is quick, but not as accurate as the NRRF test. It has a flat bell curve, a bit high on the low end and a bit low on the high end. The NRRF test is better, but is normed to late 1800's/ early 1900's norms, so scores are a grade level or two advanced from today's norms. (But, the norms are where a child taught with phonics should be, current norms are off because reading is not being taught as well.) http://thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/readinggradeleve.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I checked "below" because kiddo is reading below the level I was at that age. How is that for cutting-edge? AKA: How would I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 We do our annual testing through our virtual academy which uses an interactive computer test. I get their lexile level as part of the results. Their test results fit their actual abilities, though both choose independent reading at lower than their abilities in order to find content that interests them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 There is also a site that will give you the Lexile score for most books that will tell you what the grade level is for the books. Sorry I don't have it readily available but maybe you can look for it. I have six kids and most of them read on or above grade level. The youngest one is lagging a bit but I think that it is mostly due to lack of interest. I work really hard to find things she will like and I win more often than not but she still reads a little slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 My eldest was in school for a couple of years, so I knew from early on that he was reading way above grade level: he was tested in school. Apart from that, I just looked online for the age ranges expected for particular books. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I can't seem to find the actual online assessment I used for my kids over the summer, but it was similar to this: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/060899.htm All 3 of my readers scored at least a grade level ahead, but one still has a little trouble with comprehension, and two stink at spelling, so take that for what it's worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I actually find it hard to say. Thanks to phonics instruction, DD is willing to at least attempt to read most anything (ex: the other day she sat there and read, or attempted to read, the titles of all of DH's new textbooks for the semester), but she doesn't have much staying power (i.e., she'll balk if there's more than a short paragraph on a page, even if the individual words are easy), and she's still so focused on decoding that her comprehension is low. I've concluded that the best cure is simply for her to read more, and I predict that she'll make another leap soon and definitely be on grade level (she's tended to make fits and starts and jumps with things like this, rather than steady progression). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Oldest is reading below grade level Middle is at grade level Youngest is a bit above grade level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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