When a child is working behind "grade level"

[FindingMyWay]

I'm starting to look at options for next year, and realizing that my ds8 is not really going to be working at "grade level" in language arts or probably math. (I put grade level in quotes because I realize it doesn't matter as much for homeschool purposes.) As I look at 3rd and 4th grade samples, I am seeing he's at a beginning 3rd level right now, half-way through his 3rd grade year. We've had a pretty relaxed year because that's what he's needed - he's a very young 3rd grader - but I had thought that we would start to step it up a bit in 4th grade. While he'll progress between now and this coming August, I can't see him being ready for 4th grade work.

 

I'm fine with giving him work at the level he's working, but it's very important to *him* to be in 4th grade. How do I handle this? If I give him books with a big 3 on the cover he's going to know what's going on. He's a bright boy, but wiggly and still very much a concrete thinker, and I don't want to make him feel like he's failed or like he's not smart. 

[Rosie_0801]

My dd is working behind, and we're quite frank about her having learning difficulties because they are not character flaws. She's still grade three because that's the grade that corresponds with the age. 

 

Does the book have Grade 3 written on it? I tell dd it is Level whatever rather than Grade whatever, which is true if not the whole truth.

[FindingMyWay]

I thought about telling him that. Then I realized it would be more than one book, and I thought he might get suspicious. :) He may not, though. 

 

So your dd knows she's working behind grade level? Does it bother her at all? Maybe I need to start talking about how we are able to work at our skill level as homeschoolers and not worry about grades ... grades are just for Sunday school. 

[HomeAgain]

That's why, for my oldest, we gave up grade leveled books.  We used materials meant for a range of ages or leveled in a different way - Math U See, Writing Strands, Writing Tales...I wasn't going to play into the 'you're ahead here, but behind here' explanations.

[FindingMyWay]

That's why, for my oldest, we gave up grade leveled books.  We used materials meant for a range of ages or leveled in a different way - Math U See, Writing Strands, Writing Tales...I wasn't going to play into the 'you're ahead here, but behind here' explanations.

 

I've been looking for options like this! Can you share what you used for grammar?

[HomeAgain]

I've been looking for options like this! Can you share what you used for grammar?

 

Sure, but our goals may be different.  My goal was exposure every year to basic grammar, to include diagramming sentences after a time.  Once I was confident of abilities (8th grade) we dropped it in favor of grammar in writing/foreign language.  Writing Tales has grammar built in, so did one of our history programs, but we also ended up with these:

Scholastic's activity book along with Schoolhouse Rock.

Grammar Land - with a Montessori influenced activity book

Editor in Chief - more all encompassing language arts, but grammar thrown in.

Harvey's Grammar - it's dry, but there is a workbook set at Rainbow Resource that goes with it and makes it so much better.  For some reason, out of everything, this one was my oldest son's favorite and sits on his shelf still as a reference.

[Rosie_0801]

So your dd knows she's working behind grade level? Does it bother her at all? Maybe I need to start talking about how we are able to work at our skill level as homeschoolers and not worry about grades ... grades are just for Sunday school. 

 

She doesn't know it in that she would put it in those words, but she knows she has learning difficulties and isn't as good at learning some things as other people. Most of the stuff we use doesn't have grade level predominantly displayed, which is co-incidence, but when it does come up I point out that of course she's only doing grade one grammar- we didn't start it until grade 2 and haven't had enough time to finish it yet. Of course she's only doing grade one maths- that's because she has dyscalculia and can't learn it as fast as other kids can. There's no perfectionism here. We keep working until we get it, then keep working on the next thing until we get it.

[ElizabethB]

My struggling students like Webster, the progression eventually gets them to above grade level work, the Webster excerpts is specifically labelled "4th grade level," "5th grade level," etc. Since they have felt behind and, if coming from school especially, stupid, they really enjoy being able to work hard and master above grade level words and sentences. Once they stall out, you can go to the regular Webster which is unlabelled and work at their challenge level.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/WellTaughtPhonicsStudent.html

[Ellie]

I'm starting to look at options for next year, and realizing that my ds8 is not really going to be working at "grade level" in language arts or probably math. (I put grade level in quotes because I realize it doesn't matter as much for homeschool purposes.) As I look at 3rd and 4th grade samples, I am seeing he's at a beginning 3rd level right now, half-way through his 3rd grade year. We've had a pretty relaxed year because that's what he's needed - he's a very young 3rd grader - but I had thought that we would start to step it up a bit in 4th grade. While he'll progress between now and this coming August, I can't see him being ready for 4th grade work.

 

I'm fine with giving him work at the level he's working, but it's very important to *him* to be in 4th grade. How do I handle this? If I give him books with a big 3 on the cover he's going to know what's going on. He's a bright boy, but wiggly and still very much a concrete thinker, and I don't want to make him feel like he's failed or like he's not smart. 

 

You let him be in fourth grade. As much as possible, choose instructional materials that don't have specific grade levels on them. When they are, just do it and move on without making a big deal out of it.

[My3girls]

I have one working a grade level behind in everything, except math, where is she is 2 levels behind.  We use books that do not have grades on them such as MUS, SotW, RSO, IEW, FLL, SpellWell, and ETC.  Next year in "6th", we'll add History Odyssey in there to up the challenge for history.  I let her be the grade that her age designates not her abilities.  We would have a very tough time going back to public school.

[alisoncooks]

My daughter is in fourth (by age). She's probably a grade or two behind in all language arts subjects. (She finally learned to read mid-yr, 3rd grade).

 

We use what we use. Some items are leveled, some products have actual grade levels on them, some don't. It doesn't seem to bother DD -- she realizes that other children her age generally are working "ahead" of her. But she also sees that she is progressing.

[Raifta]

DS is in 3rd by age but would be very much at the younger end of the age spectrum for his grade.  He just now started doing grade 3 work for math (I try not to think about LA - he reads fine but pretty much refuses to write himself).  He has never asked/complained but one thing I have done is to pull out the pages from his math books and just hand him the pages he has to work on that day.  

 

We use one book with the grade listed on it and we also use Miquon which doesn't list grades on the cover.  I also have always had both him and DD (who is not behind in math) work on the SM Challenging Word Problems/Intensive Problems workbook a year behind the grade in math they are working on as a refresher, so he realizes that people work on all sorts of different books for different reasons.

[sweetpea3829]

My eldest is quite a bit behind "grade level" and we have tried to minimize the whole "grade level" thing while also discussing how we work on what we are ready to work on.  For her, there was the added challenge of having a brother, 11 months younger, that is quite a bit ABOVE grade level.  That was a bit of a sting.  

 

One thing that I do is I minimize their exposure to the actual covers of their workbooks, lol.  All of their work pages are three-hole punched, and they complete them in dry erase pockets using wet erase markers.  If the grade level is written anywhere on the page, it's usually at the bottom and in small print.  They don't generally even notice it.  And because they don't typically see the workbook it came from, they don't really know the level they're in.  

 

For the most part.  

 

Now...my middle son completed first grade last year and he really had a hard time.  I made the mistake of asking him what he thought of repeating first grade and he was mortified.  It REALLY bothered him.  My mistake for not realizing ahead of time that his personality type would be bothered by that.  So even though in MY mind he is repeating first grade, and he is working from a first grade math book...to HIM, I reaffirm to him that he is 2nd grade.  Again, though...we talk about how we are working on the books that we NEED to be working on, regardless of what number level it is.  

 

And of course, we talk frequently about different strengths and skills, etc etc.  

 

 

 

 

[FindingMyWay]

Thank you all. There were many helpful thoughts here! I will do some more exploring of choices that are not assigned a numbered grade level.

 

My eldest is quite a bit behind "grade level" and we have tried to minimize the whole "grade level" thing while also discussing how we work on what we are ready to work on. For her, there was the added challenge of having a brother, 11 months younger, that is quite a bit ABOVE grade level. That was a bit of a sting.

 

One thing that I do is I minimize their exposure to the actual covers of their workbooks, lol. All of their work pages are three-hole punched, and they complete them in dry erase pockets using wet erase markers. If the grade level is written anywhere on the page, it's usually at the bottom and in small print. They don't generally even notice it. And because they don't typically see the workbook it came from, they don't really know the level they're in.

 

For the most part.

 

Now...my middle son completed first grade last year and he really had a hard time. I made the mistake of asking him what he thought of repeating first grade and he was mortified. It REALLY bothered him. My mistake for not realizing ahead of time that his personality type would be bothered by that. So even though in MY mind he is repeating first grade, and he is working from a first grade math book...to HIM, I reaffirm to him that he is 2nd grade. Again, though...we talk about how we are working on the books that we NEED to be working on, regardless of what number level it is.

 

And of course, we talk frequently about different strengths and skills, etc etc.

Sweetpea, this especially was tremendously helpful. I think your ds and mine must have similar personalities. :) I will keep your strategies for minimizing exposure to the book covers in mind!

[sweetpea3829]

Thank you all. There were many helpful thoughts here! I will do some more exploring of choices that are not assigned a numbered grade level.

 

 

Sweetpea, this especially was tremendously helpful. I think your ds and mine must have similar personalities. :) I will keep your strategies for minimizing exposure to the book covers in mind!

 

I just realized that your 8 yr old has a sibling that is only a year younger?  Mine too.  

 

That may work in your favor.  One thing that I explained to my middle son (he'll be 8 in April) was that I thought he might find his schoolwork to be a little easier if he had a learning buddy.  This was actually totally true, as my middle DS tends to have anxiety issues when he is working 1:1 with me.  And, in fact, he has done MUCH better having his younger brother as a learning buddy.  

 

So the two of them are working at the same grade level and DS7 doesn't see it as so much of a sting.  It's all in the phrasing.  Phrasing it as, "What do you think of doing 1st grade again?" was a huge mistake.  But phrasing it as, "Would you like Talon (our youngest) to be a learning buddy with you?  And you both can work on the same school work together, how's that sound?"  That was SO much better.  

 

Part of it could be that my oldest two buddy for language arts, and always have.  So my younger boys have always seen that.  

 

Just an idea, though.  

[FindingMyWay]

I just realized that your 8 yr old has a sibling that is only a year younger?  Mine too.  

 

That may work in your favor.  One thing that I explained to my middle son (he'll be 8 in April) was that I thought he might find his schoolwork to be a little easier if he had a learning buddy.  This was actually totally true, as my middle DS tends to have anxiety issues when he is working 1:1 with me.  And, in fact, he has done MUCH better having his younger brother as a learning buddy.  

 

So the two of them are working at the same grade level and DS7 doesn't see it as so much of a sting.  It's all in the phrasing.  Phrasing it as, "What do you think of doing 1st grade again?" was a huge mistake.  But phrasing it as, "Would you like Talon (our youngest) to be a learning buddy with you?  And you both can work on the same school work together, how's that sound?"  That was SO much better.  

 

Part of it could be that my oldest two buddy for language arts, and always have.  So my younger boys have always seen that.  

 

Just an idea, though.  

 

What an intriguing idea. My younger two are best friends in a lot of ways, but there's a lot of competition when it comes to school. In fact, I think that's why grade level matters so much to ds8 - it measures how far ahead of his brother he is! :D But I'm wondering if I could adapt it somehow to make it appealing to both of them ... will definitely be thinking on that! Thanks!

[almondbutterandjelly]

I've been looking for options like this! Can you share what you used for grammar?

Language Smarts has levels B, C, and D.  It's by Critical Thinking Company.  http://www.criticalthinking.com/language-smarts.html

Grammar Tales is really fun grammar with no grade level.  http://www.rainbowresource.com/proddtl.php?id=035303

The Sentence Family is also really fun grammar with no grade level.  http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/058940

 

Writing with Ease has levels that IMO do not correspond to grade level.  They do say Level 1, 2, 3, and 4, but absolutely do not correspond.  At least for my kid.

Edited January 21, 2016 by perkybunch

[IsabelC]

Learning buddies sounds like a good concept to me. 
My kids do ask sometimes about their levels. For example all the kids are doing the same spelling; and Ms. 10 (5th grade) and Ms. 7 (3rd grade, but would be 2nd if she were at school) are both working on MM4. I usually tell them some variation of "Grade level fits your age, but book level fits where you're up to right now", sometimes adding how lucky we are that we can work at our own speed, which you can't always do at school. 

Edited January 22, 2016 by IsabelC

[Junie]

My dd9 is behind where she should be; dd7 is ahead.  A few months back, the older one actually told the younger one to hurry up so that they could be together!