6th grader reads at 5th grade level. Any suggestions?

[pocjets]

I just gave my daughter the online lexercise quiz. She passes the z-screening but "failed" the reading level test. It said she reads at a 5th grade level. Is there anything I can do to help her improve her reading level? Thank you.

[EKS]

First, when you get results like this, it is good to pause and reflect on whether the score accurately describes the student's achievement day to day.  Does she struggle with reading?  Did you have her take the test because you were concerned about it?  Or do you think that she reads well but has trouble taking reading tests?

 

Assuming that the score is accurate, I'd tackle the problem in two ways.  First, I'd have her read aloud every day, working up to a half hour at a time.  Start with books that are very easy for her to read aloud and then gradually work your way up to grade level.  When I say gradually, I mean that this may take a year or more and that's ok.

 

The other thing that might be worthwhile is to use REWARDS.  There are two levels, Intermediate and Secondary, and it sounds like your daughter may be on the border between the two.  She'd probably benefit from either one.  Anyway, REWARDS teaches strategies for decoding multisyllable words.  Each level has 20-25 lessons that you can easily get through in 1-2 months.  It is extremely powerful.

[EKS]

Ok, I just looked at the Lexercise screener here.  Is that the test she did?  

 

If so, what that test assesses is ability to decode nonsense words and isolated words.  Both are difficult for dyslexics who tend to rely heavily on context cues.    

 

A fifth grade result simply means that your daughter did as well as an average fifth grader on those particular tasks.  It does *not* mean that she is reading on a fifth grade level.

 

For a somewhat more rounded assessment of reading level, you might want to have her take the DORA.  But the best way to assess reading level is to look at the reading level of the books she reads.

[pocjets]

First, when you get results like this, it is good to pause and reflect on whether the score accurately describes the student's achievement day to day. Does she struggle with reading? Did you have her take the test because you were concerned about it? Or do you think that she reads well but has trouble taking reading tests?

 

Assuming that the score is accurate, I'd tackle the problem in two ways. First, I'd have her read aloud every day, working up to a half hour at a time. Start with books that are very easy for her to read aloud and then gradually work your way up to grade level. When I say gradually, I mean that this may take a year or more and that's ok.

 

The other thing that might be worthwhile is to use REWARDS. There are two levels, Intermediate and Secondary, and it sounds like your daughter may be on the border between the two. She'd probably benefit from either one. Anyway, REWARDS teaches strategies for decoding multisyllable words. Each level has 20-25 lessons that you can easily get through in 1-2 months. It is extremely powerful.

Thank you for your help!! What is REWARDS?

Edited August 31, 2017 by pocjets

[EKS]

Thank you for your help!! What is REWARDS?

 

Here's a link.  

 

You can get the teacher book used on Amazon.  Here's a link for a used secondary teacher book.  It's probably best to get the student book new because it is consumable (and it's not too expensive).

[ElizabethB]

The program I use with my remedial students averages 1.7 grade levels of improvement and is free to print. The first 5 videos are online, the next are set to release one a week over the next five mondays, but there is a transcript if you want to finish faster, I just read the transcript on the videos. There are also links to some reading grade level tests and reading diagnostic tests.

 

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

 

I would make sure you do the optional nonsense word document for a student that old, they generally need more nonsense words. I am working on a nonsense word fluency tracking document to go with it to track and chart WPM improvement.

Edited August 31, 2017 by ElizabethB

[ElizabethB]

The other thing that might be worthwhile is to use REWARDS. There are two levels, Intermediate and Secondary, and it sounds like your daughter may be on the border between the two. She'd probably benefit from either one. Anyway, REWARDS teaches strategies for decoding multisyllable words. Each level has 20-25 lessons that you can easily get through in 1-2 months. It is extremely powerful.

Rewards is good, I also like mega words, Marcia Henry's Words, and Webster's Speller for multi syllable word work.

Edited August 31, 2017 by ElizabethB

[pocjets]

This is great. Thank you! How quickly should I progress through this? I see that there are 10 lessons.

 

The program I use with my remedial students averages 1.7 grade levels of improvement and is free to print. The first 5 videos are online, the next are set to release one a week over the next five mondays, but there is a transcript if you want to finish faster, I just read the transcript on the videos. There are also links to some reading grade level tests and reading diagnostic tests.

 

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

 

I would make sure you do the optional nonsense word document for a student that old, they generally need more nonsense words. I am working on a nonsense word fluency tracking document to go with it to track and chart WPM improvement.

[ElizabethB]

This is great. Thank you! How quickly should I progress through this? I see that there are 10 lessons.

 

 

One motivated mom finished in 2 weeks, doing a lesson a day, and her child gained a bit over a grade level.

 

It is reasonable to do one per school day, but you could do something a bit lighter on Fridays if those are usually a lighter, more fun day.