A question and a brag :)

[Truscifi]

Ds5 uses the AR program through the public school's media night. Media nights just started back up today, so we took the reading placement test. According to the test he is reading at a 5th grade level! I know he is a good reader, and I guess that seems right, but I would love some input from others who have used AR - has their placement test been accurate for your dc?

[Brooke3193]

My dds have taken the AR test (STAR). Here's my thoughts on its accuracy:

dd1 took it in 1st and 2nd grade and it put her 2-3 grade levels above. She could read books at the level it suggested, but the content had to be "younger" for her to enjoy them.

dd2 took the test in K. It put her 3 grade levels above. She could read books at the 3rd grade level if the print was big enough. But, she preferred books at about the 1-2 level. The level the AR test placed her at seemed to match the reading levels she tested at on the various tests I have found online.

BUUUUUTTTTT....when I say that they could read at the level suggested, the reading level of the books was also being determined by AR so really all that means is that the test was matching them up to an arbitrarily assigned number, KWIM (except that they seemed to match the online tests) ANNNNDDDD, as the lady at Rainbow Resources pointed out to me, reading level is not the same as comprehension level. dd2 took an online test for comprehension placement and was at the middle of 2nd grade.

[zaichiki]

dd2 took an online test for comprehension placement and was at the middle of 2nd grade.

Brooke,
What test? Do you have a link? I'd LOVE to find something like that!

TIA! :)

[Brooke3193]

It was just the placement test for Jane Ervin's "Early Reading Comprehension" series. I'll look for a link. The best I could tell was that they had her do the first story from each book until she missed a certain percentage and then recommended that she start at that book.

The only other comprehension feedback I received was from the RR lady who said comprehension takes on a whole new level at 3rd grade. She didn't explain, she was just cautioning me that my kindergartner reading at a 3rd grade level may have a much more difficult time comprehending 3rd grade material than 2nd grade material. The Jane Ervin site confirmed that.

[Brooke3193]

OK, apparently I have a bad memory....no surprise there.

She actually took this comprehension placement test:

The Pathway readers placement test which put her half way through their 2nd grade program:
http://www.pathwayreaders.com/
there's a placement link on the left side.

Then, if I can remember correctly (big if), I decided to go with Jane Ervin's series instead of the Pathway readers (because she didn't like the Pathway stories and *I* wanted her to have more variety). So, I used her reading levels, the RR lady's advice, the Pathway result, and the samples at the link below to choose Book A which is classified as 2nd-3rd grade. We've only done 2 stories, but I think it is on the verge of being too hard. But, I want her to be challenged and I *think* much of its difficulty for her comes from it being a whole new experience. She's never really done comprehension in the written form before.
http://www.epsbooks.com/dynamic/catalog/series.asp?subject=64S&subjectdesc=Comprehension&series=600M&seriesparent=rc_level0&seriesparentdescription=Early%20Reading%20Comprehe nsion%20in%20Varied%20Subject%20Matter

HTH

[Truscifi]

I had ds take the reading comprehension placement test, and he placed at 3rd grade. Is it normal to have a 2 year gap between comprehension and vocabulary/word attack skills?

[LexiR]

AR/STAR testing is more vocabulary based than "reading", but that probably applies more in the older grades. It IS very vocabulary based, but given your son is only 5, he's obviously reading quite well. From my experience with the program, a 5th grade level for a 5 year old is very impressive, even if it isn't strictly measuring indepth reading comprehension.

[joannqn]

I had ds take the reading comprehension placement test, and he placed at 3rd grade. Is it normal to have a 2 year gap between comprehension and vocabulary/word attack skills?


In my experience, definitely normal. They require totally different skills. My kids place way higher on vocabulary type skills than straight reading comprehension (as in 5 year difference for my DD), which is why I added Teaching the Classics to our curriculum this year and continued perplexors. It's harder to infer intent and meaning from contextual clues than just understand the words.

[Truscifi]

Thanks for the reassurance! And I know even if he is at a 3rd grade comprehension level rather than 5th, he is still 5 so he's way ahead. The only reason I worry about it is to make sure he is reading things that are apporpriate for him and not boring him. Actually, now that I look back at the paperwork, he is listed at a 5th grade level, but the recommended book range is 3.5-5.5, so 3rd, 4th, and 5th. :tongue_smilie:

[Kuovonne]

Is it normal to have a 2 year gap between comprehension and vocabulary/word attack skills?

I don't know what's normal, but my daughter has insanely asynchronous development in comprehension, vocabulary, word attack, and spelling skills. Her ability level in each area is at least two grade levels apart from her ability level in the other areas.