MacGraw-Hill resources grade level

[Sherry in OH]

Ds1 is bright.  He seems to have a natural aptitude for math and science.  He was an early reader and is capable of decoding at a high level, but generally chooses to read at a lower level.  He is a strong student, but I don’t consider him to be particularly advanced.  His math and language arts materials are designed for children his age.  Yet, when I look at online texts, the levels seem so low.  MacGraw-Hill National Treasures http://www.mhschool.com/reading/treasure_workbooks/national.html, and the California editions of science materials http://www.mhschool.com/instructional_materials/ca/fwo.html, for example.  Are these really at grade level?

 

For second grade (age 7.5) math Ds1 is using MEP year 3.  He has completed LOF Apples through Goldfish, and dabbled in Beast Academy. He wants to read LOF Honey, but I need him to finish some other readings first.  In language arts he is working on Junior English 1, Language Smarts C, and cursive handwriting. 

 

Two of our programs are British.  Are British children expected to be working at a higher level than same age U.S. children?  My son has no difficulty with MEP; he finds many of the exercises easy.  Other than expected written output, which I have had to modify, Junior English is a good fit.  Language Smarts is a U.S. product.  It seems to be higher level than the comparable National Treasures material.  The most difficult part of Language Smarts is again, the amount of writing.  I honestly believe my kindergartener could complete the National Treasures second grade materials. 

 

So are my children more advanced than I think they are, or are the MacGraw-Hill materials remedial?   

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I've only seen the MaxGraw-Hill books my friend's daughter brought home from 1st grade but I was NOT impressed at all with the skill level or their method. Just $0.02 from a Right Start fan.

[mom2bee]

McGraw Hill isn't remedial, but in the lower grades (really in all grades, but especially K-2 or 3) you will have a wide range of abilities and skill levels. Many kids (especially boys) don't read well until late 2nd early 4th grade (based on what I have read and heard on blogs, forums and from elementary school teachers in real life and online). Textbooks that are meant for a classroom audience are leveled so that the majority of kids can experience success and learn something from the material. If you have 18 kids in your class. 2 of whom can't or can barely read. 3 of whom read well above grade level, 10 of who are struggling to read skillfully on grade level/don't like to read/wont read/can't read with fluency and 3 of whom are smack dab in the center then you need a material that those 10 who are struggling w/ fluency CAN read, the ones who can barely read will be able to read as the year progresses and they read more and the book also needs to be suitable for those 3 that are smack dab in the middle can read.

 

In other words, the books aren't made for an audience of one or a small group. They are meant to be leveled in such a way that a "typical" 1st grader who will be in a class all year can read and use the book--even if they are struggling or not a good reader or slow to read. Which is why a lot of the textbooks you see for any grade in elementary doesn't seem to go up in skill level throughout the whole book. I think most textbooks in the 1st-4th grade range tend to be at the Grade.3 or Grade.4 level, THE WHOLE TEXT! So that kids who are progressing much more slowly through the reading/writing process can read and use the books still.