My 6 year old daughter has been asked to go into a program for below average readers. What should I do?

Question

She reads at an above average level at home and we had to ask her teacher to send home more difficult books as she could read the books she was being given. She even complained the books were always the same.

We spoke to the teacher about it and subsequently got harder books which she can still read fine, but the teacher now wants her to go into a special program because her reading is below the average.

This makes no sense to me.

It's definately for below average, we even have to take time off work to attend the class with her.

We got a whole brochure about it, and it is a program to helps kids with educational problems.

Answer 1

It sounds like your daughter got bored with the easy books and maybe this has caused her to lose interest in reading altogether. And her teacher is probably not helping your daughter realize her full potential. Maybe the teacher is overwhelmed, inexperienced, or just doesn't care.

Encourage your daughter to regain her interest by providing her with plenty of good, challenging books to read at home -- you and mom should read them also -- and then you can discuss what you've read and really share the experience... like a little book club. Make reading fun again and hopefully that will spill over into her school reading as well.

Answer 2

You did not mention anything about your daughter's disposition or demeanor. If she is healthy and happy you may want to wait and spend some quality time with her. During this time make a game out of sounding out the names of her favorite places, street signs while driving, names of friends etc. Create a learning activity that you feel both she and you will do and feels comfortable, never push or get angry as she will pick up on the issue and maybe shut down every time she feels your intensity. Also, if you think she is aware of the topic and has an opinion, you might ask her what she thinks of the idea. The important thing you should know is that at 6 years old every healthy developing child will be at a different reading level, which is normal. Soem of the most intelligent children at this age can tell you the most amazing things but may not be able to REMEMBER how to figure 2 + 2 or how to spell the word c-a-t. My 6 year old is bright, aware, happy and creative, but not in the best half of her class in reading. The teachers told us that this is normal and as long as she is getting and keeping some of what reading is all about then she most probably will get there at her own time and should be just fine. We all worry that we are not doing exactly the right thing for our children, but each child is a world of their own and unique; singleing a child out for "special" remedial treatment that removes her from her peers can do more damage than good. My best advice would be to be patient and take the time to get to know your child and her learning abilities and drawbacks before worrying. If you find that there is definitely a problem and you cannot work with her to catch up, then give the program a "trial" period and see what happens.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Could it be a comprehension problem? Sometimes teachers do not explain that much of what is important in reading is comprehension of material. Fluency is great, but some children read aloud beautifully, but are less able to answer questions about the text. Ask your daughter's teacher to explain herself. In any case you have the right to know why she is suggesting a reading program.

Another issue may be standardized testing issues. If the school gives any tests and your daughter fell below a certain percentile (which could just mean she had a bad day, was not feeling well, or just doesn't test well at this age) she would be targeted for improvement programs whether or not she truly needs them. Due to the No Child Left Behind Act, this is happening more often.

Please talk to the teacher. As a parent you have every right to ask questions and the teacher has the responsibility to answer them reasonably.

Good luck.

Answer 4

This happened to me several years ago...I had a meeting with his teacher and a resource specialist who recommended they hold my first grader back a grade...They said he was behind in reading level...I knew otherwise...I knew he read better than they said, so I made the teacher go and get a book he was supposed to be able to read for his age. In front of the teacher and specialist, he read just fine with no mispronunciations. Needless to say, I told the teacher and the specialist that they could shove that book up their *&##@#. My son is now going into fourth grade and in the advanced placement classes.

You have to understand the most important thing about your child's education....You as a parent must remain the most knowledgeable person with regard to her education...at the beginning each school year call the district and get the grade level standards that she's expected to achieve by the end of the year and YOU make sure that you as a parent, the teachers, the principals, etc... are all on the same page. It's a real problem in America that the beginning teacher salary does not attract the best and brightest for the job...the teaching profession itself should be held in higher regard and we as Americans should dictate that it is, but unfortunately districts around the country are hiring just about anyone to fill a teaching slot, and our children are the ones suffering...I, as a parent, am going to make damn sure that my child gets the proper education...I know the teacher my son has, I know the principal, and when something goes wrong or I feel he's not getting the right education, I speak up!!! I hold the teacher and the district accountable for my son's education and I think more parents should do that.

As far as your daughter's reading level, you know better than they do if she's on target...encourage her to read at home as much as possible...get books that are a level higher than what she's supposed to be reading at. I've learned that children rise to the occasion if given the opportunity...encourage her to read the street signs to you in the car...the grocery aisle labels, etc... Forget the "special programs" and start using your voice in the school's office. Maybe she's bored in school and doesn't want to do her best...that's what I think my son's problem was...he wasn't beng challenged enough... I listened to the teacher who said my son wasn't doing well enough in reading at first and enrolled him in an expensive summer reading program at a university and guess what?? I should have listened to my gut who said he was reading just fine because the university determined he was actually reading 3 grades higher than every other child...so the teacher was wrong!!! I hope this helps!!! and don't let any teacher ever tell your child they're not good enough...tell her she's gifted and she'll rise to that level!!!

Answer 5

You should keep talking to her teachers about this and tell them about the concern that you have. If you know that her reading is above average then she does not need to be in that program. Being in that program will not only hold her back but could cause her to get bored with reading all together. So keep talking to the teachers and see if you can get them to understand where your coming from. Maybe make suggestions as to what kind of books you would like to see her moving onto. Seeing as the more difficult books they are giving don't seem to be difficult enough.

Also in the meantime keep getting her harder books to read at home that she would like and take matters into your own hands. That way she continues to enjoy reading and continues to develop her reading skills at the level she is at. And make sure she isn't just reading the books but understanding them as well. Even if the teachers fair to acknowledge that she's an above average reader.

Another thing that could be going on is that she could be reading well at home but not at school in front of her classmates and teachers. This happens to alot of kids, they can read but they get scared or shy to read in front of other people so this might also be why the teachers want her in that program.

Answer 6

Ok, if your daughter is 6 yrs old and reading books well, and can read books above her grade level and understand them, then she's an above average reader. There's no reason for her to go into a special program for below average. Are you sure your understood her teacher right when she said BELOW average program? If this particular teacher still thinks this is the right move for your daughter, and you feel it's not and that she will be bored in a program like this due to she's above this level, I would go to an assistant principal or the principal yourself and discuss this issue, or check into any other people or resources at the school who can help offer the best advice and make the best decisions for your daughter.

Answer 7

It could be there is more to the recommendation than how well your daugher reads. It may be she is reading advanced books, but if she is unable to retain what she reads, respond to questions or discuss the story, there could be other educational issues. The first thing to do is sit down with the teacher and find out why they feel your daughter needs this program. If this program is through the school, there should be a meeting to discuss he placement in it as she would need (more than likely an IEP or 504 to go to it. If this program is a private tutorial program, than the school has no say in weather she attends or not. But definitely find out why they are recommending it. It will help you with any decisions as well as giving you a better idea on what you may need to work on with her at home over the summer.

Answer 8

My DD went thru this too. She is 8 now but when she was 6 she was reading at a 3rd grade level, now she's barely at a 5th. Not bad, but there has been a change.

My assumption is she reads well, but does not test well on the books the teacher is sending home. My DD could read anything, but comprehending it was another matter. Does she grasp upper level vocabulary yet?

Ask the teacher for clarification. Is she not reading well in front of others in class (stage fright) or is she not testing well (some just do not test well & need extra attention or studying) or does the teacher just see something you don't see or vice versa? Communication is key here, definately arrage a meeting to figure it all out.

Answer 9

Just tell the teacher that you feel that she's doing just fine at home with reading. You could even talk to another teacher who teaches the same grade to see how she feels about it.

Is she possibly acting up in class when you aren't there? Some kids do act poorly in school for emotional reasons or because they think it's "cool" to be below average.

Talk to your daughter also. Try to see what's going on in the classroom while you aren't there. Ask her what her teachers like and if she has any clue as to why her teacher recommends this. Best of Luck!

Answer 10

Yeah, you're right, this makes no sense whatsoever. You need to investigate this further.

Some possibilities:
--Maybe your daughter is bored at school and not paying attention, and thus has scored below average. If this is the case, you need to have her retested AFTER talking to her and telling her what is at stake here...
--Have you had her read these harder books aloud to you? Are you SURE she is reading these above-average books at home, or is she just pretending to?
--Is your daughter too shy in school to speak up and read correctly?
--Is it a comprehension problem? The way to tell this...have her read something silently then ask her questions about it.

Also, if your daughter is 6 then she is just finishing kindergarten, and 'most' kids that age are not even reading, or at least are not reading much.

I would love to know what happens here!