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Below Average Sten score 3
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20-06-2021 2:27am#1My daughter's (10 years old - in 4th class) result came through, and she had a Sten score of 3 in maths & 4 in English. This has got me really worried, even though she gets student of the month regularly.
She got 5 in English & 4 in maths last year.
She started school at the age of 4 and she's one of the youngest in her class.
She's naturally slow at everything or should I say, she takes her time.
I have got her some maths & English books for the summer, but what else can be done to help her?
Her teacher doesn't seem to show concern, she says it's just a test and she does very well in class.
She enjoys drawing and spends alot of her time drawing at home.
Is there a place that I can get her assessed for Learning disability or IQ test?0
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How old is she?
Her teacher doesn't think anything is wrong so why are you worried, the teacher will know better than a test that is prone to lots of other stuff affecting it0 -
She's 10...
I honestly am worried because she's usually sluggish at home, like she could take an hour to get dressed in the morning. She takes her time when doing anytime... And socially, she isn't too great too, I believe she doesn't interact well like her peers that I meet.
I am starting to believe she may have some form of disability, her IQ seems like that of an 8 years old.
Now, I have mentioned all these to her teacher and her teacher says my daughter reminds her of herself when she was a kid, she believes she well mannered and shy and doesn't have any issues.
It's just heartbreaking to know she's part of the bottom 5 in her class, so I did like to help her achieve her full potentialHow old is she?
Her teacher doesn't think anything is wrong so why are you worried, the teacher will know better than a test that is prone to lots of other stuff affecting it0 -
You say she's really young, one of the youngest in the class - that makes a huge difference, socially but also in terms of how much "work" she's able to put in. She's being asked to do things that kids 6 months to a year may find challenging and it's tougher for her than it is for older kids (I mean the volume of work more than its difficulty)
If you really think she's unhappy, maybe think about holding her back a year, as she would undoubtedly be top of the class in a younger group. But OTOH she'd lose her friends in this class, so it's not an easy decision. I wouldn't do it if she seems happy in the class - and if she's getting top student, she probably is.
I personally wouldn't go down the path of having her assessed for disability as long as the teacher thinks she's doing ok - labelling her like that could have all sorts of consequences for her own self confidence.0 -
irishfemme wrote: »My daughter's (10 years old - in 4th class) result came through, and she had a Sten score of 3 in maths & 4 in English. This has got me really worried, even though she gets student of the month regularly.
She got 5 in English & 4 in maths last year.
She started school at the age of 4 and she's one of the youngest in her class.
She's naturally slow at everything or should I say, she takes her time.
I have got her some maths & English books for the summer, but what else can be done to help her?
Her teacher doesn't seem to show concern, she says it's just a test and she does very well in class.
She enjoys drawing and spends alot of her time drawing at home.
Is there a place that I can get her assessed for Learning disability or IQ test?
Maybe ask the teacher how many questions in the test she answered because if you say she takes her time maybe thats the issue more so than getting it wrong if you know what I mean.she may just need mire confidence to just go with an answer than to much time thinking0 -
Her teacher actually mentioned this, she's really improved on her speed and she finished the test on time. I am not good at maths either, but not like being way below average.
I will work with her in the summer and see how she improves, also, her teacher said she would get extra help in 5th class.
Funny, when they had reading tables (groups) she sat with the best/highest group for reading.
Many thanks for the reply, means alot.forestgirl wrote: »Maybe ask the teacher how many questions in the test she answered because if you say she takes her time maybe thats the issue more so than getting it wrong if you know what I mean.she may just need mire confidence to just go with an answer than to much time thinking0 -
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Thanks for your response.
You are absolutely right, she's had the same friends from junior infant and I am certain she would be impacted negatively if I hold her back. She seems happy and her teacher seems OK with her progress. I guess I am expecting way too much from her, but still, no parent wants their kids to be at the lowest level in class.You say she's really young, one of the youngest in the class - that makes a huge difference, socially but also in terms of how much "work" she's able to put in. She's being asked to do things that kids 6 months to a year may find challenging and it's tougher for her than it is for older kids (I mean the volume of work more than its difficulty)
If you really think she's unhappy, maybe think about holding her back a year, as she would undoubtedly be top of the class in a younger group. But OTOH she'd lose her friends in this class, so it's not an easy decision. I wouldn't do it if she seems happy in the class - and if she's getting top student, she probably is.
I personally wouldn't go down the path of having her assessed for disability as long as the teacher thinks she's doing ok - labelling her like that could have all sorts of consequences for her own self confidence.0 -
irishfemme wrote: »I will work with her in the summer and see how she improves
I think this is the best idea. She’s younger than her classmates and may just need some catch-up time after the lockdowns, and one-on-one with a patient parent is ideal (I say this as someone with not an ounce of patience, but has watched my wife home-schooling!).
Best case, you help her keep pace this year, bearing in mind that the effect of being youngest in the class diminishes over time (ie much bigger diff between an 4 and 5yo than a 14 and 15yo) and she might just have fallen a bit behind due to lockdowns. Worst case, you’re in a position to make an informed decision on the type of help she needs, whether it’s maths-specific, social interaction, confidence, or just plain old concentration!
Good luck, and remember that kids are marvellously adaptable little creatures if we give them time and space to find their own way to succeed. The most important thing you can provide now is the support from a loving parent.0 -
How about paying for extra lessons?
We are planning on getting 3-4 hours of a primary school teacher coming to the house to help out my youngest (6) due to the amount of school she missed with schools closed and her teacher was out for a good bit also.
Just to help her with reading and letter formation.0 -
Yes I completely agree with this. My kids are grown up now, and it's realy useful to look back on that and see things that you don't necessarily when you're right in it.I think this is the best idea. She’s younger than her classmates and may just need some catch-up time after the lockdowns, and one-on-one with a patient parent is ideal (I say this as someone with not an ounce of patience, but has watched my wife home-schooling!).
Best case, you help her keep pace this year, bearing in mind that the effect of being youngest in the class diminishes over time (ie much bigger diff between an 4 and 5yo than a 14 and 15yo) and she might just have fallen a bit behind due to lockdowns. Worst case, you’re in a position to make an informed decision on the type of help she needs, whether it’s maths-specific, social interaction, confidence, or just plain old concentration!
Good luck, and remember that kids are marvellously adaptable little creatures if we give them time and space to find their own way to succeed. The most important thing you can provide now is the support from a loving parent.
Not the same thing of course, but one of my friends was really worried about their youngest child, because they'd moved countries and languages, and while the older two got on grand (an international, bilingual school) the youngest was like yours, at the very bottom of the class for several years. But she's 15 now, and trilingual (the only one of the family to have mastered Spanish as well as English and French) and doing really well in school. They were afraid that she was at an age which made the move more difficult for her, and maybe it was true, but longer term it worked out fine. Kids are resilient, and IME being happy and having friends is far more important to their overall success than being top of the class all the time.
So yes, work on it with her over the summer (but don't make it stressful or a punishment, and do give her time to be on holiday too) and you'll probably find that many of the others will have dropped back over the summer, and also you'll know if she has actual weak spots or if it's just about being a bit slower getting things done.0 -
I thought about this, but I am sure the cost would be beyond what I can afford. Something showed on my Facebook and I was quoted €18 per hour... That sounds ridiculous.
Let me know where to find a teacher, I don't mind exploring that avenue.How about paying for extra lessons?
We are planning on getting 3-4 hours of a primary school teacher coming to the house to help out my youngest (6) due to the amount of school she missed with schools closed and her teacher was out for a good bit also.
Just to help her with reading and letter formation.0 -
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irishfemme wrote: »I thought about this, but I am sure the cost would be beyond what I can afford. Something showed on my Facebook and I was quoted €18 per hour... That sounds ridiculous.
Let me know where to find a teacher, I don't mind exploring that avenue.
Right well tbh we are spending €40ph.
That's in Dublin.
Starting off with an hour a day for 2days to asses how things go.
https://www.schooldays.ie/articles/grinds-leaving-cert-junior-cert-tutors-primary0 -
Thanks for this. So, my little brother was like her, he didn't do well in math or English but loved drawing and playing games. He ended up bagging a 1st class degree in software development, and he's a software engineer. I honestly don't remember how he did it... I will have a chat with him later.Yes I completely agree with this. My kids are grown up now, and it's realy useful to look back on that and see things that you don't necessarily when you're right in it.0
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irishfemme wrote: »What? That's way above and beyond my capabilities.... I am civil servant & parenting alone.
Yeah it's expensive but to be fair a teacher is probably on at least 20ph (basing that on a 39 HR week at 40k) and this would be one to one teaching in the house.0 -
irishfemme wrote: »I was quoted €18 per hour... That sounds ridiculous.
Let me know where to find a teacher, I don't mind exploring that avenue.
How much do you think a teacher should charge per hour for one-to-one specialised teaching?
If you think you can help her yourself then work with her with extra reading and maybe getting her to tot up bits and pieces going around the supermarket. Bake, and get her to double the recipe etc. She is still young. Probably over a year younger than some in her class.
But if you are looking for private tuition for her during the summer then I think you are getting a bargain at €18 an hour. You should only need 2-3 hours a week really. Not full day lessons.0 -
Two things.
I doubt any teacher worth their salt would provide tuition for €18 per hour so unless you're getting a mate's rate I doubt the quality will be great.
More importantly, if your daughter had STENs of 5 and 4 last year it means she's around average ability. This year's scores are meaningless. Standardised tests are calibrated based on kids having done a normal year's work. This was not a normal year. Scores should be lower this year. In fact, the tests shouldn't have been done this year.
The teacher isn't worried? It doesn't appear that your daughter is concerned? Let her enjoy her holidays. Encourage her to read but don't push too hard. See how she's getting on in 5th class when things are back to normal.0 -
Yes, you are absolutely right. I will work with her over the summer, just for around 30 mins a day... Like someone said, nothing beats a patient parent.
I honestly don't know what tuition fees was like, I guess I was expecting €13 per hour for a primary school child.
Thanks for your input.
I feel soo much better about the situationkillbillvol2 wrote: »Two things.
I doubt any teacher worth their salt would provide tuition for €18 per hour so unless you're getting a mate's rate I doubt the quality will be great..0 -
irishfemme wrote: »I honestly don't know what tuition fees was like, I guess I was expecting €13 per hour for a primary school child.
You're very unlikely to find a qualified teacher at that price. You might find a student looking for a little bit of hands on experience. But a student teacher is likely to have a summer job, so availability could be very limited.
I think you're doing right. Working with her yourself during the summer. Also trying to encourage more personal responsibility and independence. Giving her a time frame to be dressed in because you need to leave in "20 minutes" then after 10 minutes tell her you're leaving in 10 minutes. 5 minute warning etc and then tell her you are walking out the door.
I have a son who if left to his own devices would never get out the door. Or would go to school without shoes on etc!
I find giving updated 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, focuses him and he's now rarely behind getting ready.0 -
irishfemme wrote: »Yes, you are absolutely right. I will work with her over the summer, just for around 30 mins a day... Like someone said, nothing beats a patient parent.
I honestly don't know what tuition fees was like, I guess I was expecting €13 per hour for a primary school child.
Thanks for your input.
I feel soo much better about the situation
Minimum wage is €10.20, not sure why you would expect a teacher to provide one to one tuition for €13.
If it's real, €18 is a bargain, you won't get any teacher for under €25 an hour
If the teacher says she is getting on fine with class work, then maybe it's not the material, maybe it's her timing. She shouldn't need to take an hour to get ready in the morning. Start setting her time limits to get things done and see if you can help her to become more organised.0 -
I wouldn't be overly concerned about a drop of 1 sten this year as your child has missed alot of school over the last two years and it is to be expected.
I would talk to the teacher and find out how she has been doing in class tests all year.
It sounds like she is going to get some form of support next year so it looks like the school are already monitoring her and she may be attending support teaching next year which is great.
You could look at getting a private educational psychological assessment which would ascertain her IQ and if she is working within that ability but they are very expensive and I wouldn't think your child needs to go down that road just yet from what you have said.
I would see how she gets on next year with the extra support. If she doesn't improve or her tests in class are concerning then you could consider that route above but hopefully you won't have to.0 -
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Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,481 Mod ✭✭✭✭
Join Date:Posts: 12027
Primary teacher here, I work in special education. I will give my few cents.
"Student of the month" isn't about test scores. Any school that gives such recognition should be basing them on the whole child, not who got 10/10 in a spelling test. They should reward effort in all aspects of school life.
"Holding her back" is not a good idea. Studies world-wide have shown that grade retention is at best unhelpful and in most cases, damaging to the child. What would happen if she were to stay back and see all of her friends move on. Imagine the blow to her self esteem if one of the new 4th class was more academically able than her. Being young isn't a valid reason anyhow, and the DES are very strict on why a child might be allowed to "repeat."
The DES have a lot to answer for, they were all about "well being" and then foist these tests on children, which were never meant to be used in this fashion , in an ordinary year, never mind this one.
It's important to know that these tests only test a child at that particular moment in time on . A child may not "perform well" (awful phrase) if they are nervous, tired, distracted or for many other reasons. They are useful to a degree but very narrow in focus too.
The tests were standardized to national norms, ie to what any child in that class standard nationally could be expected to score, but this wasn't done in a pandemic year.
One issue with the tests is that the answers in the newer Drumcondras from 3rd up are not written in a booklet, they are" coloured in" on a sheet not unlike the one at this link https://tinyurl.com/hjzpfttt If a child misses one "dot" they will be wrong from then on. There's no space for rough work on the maths test and even if the child uses a rough ork sheet, it's very difficult to review where they may have gone wrong.
Apologies for all of the following questions, but they are to give me a better idea of the whole picture:
Do you know what tests were used?If the school changed to the new Drumcondra tests, they were designed to be more difficult and have resulted in an average of one STEN of a drop when first used in 2019? Add in the disrupted months over Covid to this and that could be the explanation.
Did you get any indication of what areas of the tests she found difficult (Drumcondra tests, if that's what they used can be brken down into subtests for different)
Had the class teacher discussed a "classroom support plan" for her previously ir have her school reports ever flagged any issues?
Has the teacher said your girl will qualify for learning support next year? (A child on STEN 3 would generally get learning support)
How did she work through lockdown?
Does the school do tests such as the NNRIT /VRT/NVRT as these would give an indication of her overall ability?
Has the class teacher suggested any extra support you could give her over the summer?
Motor skills and organizationally, how is she?
Does she mix well?
New Wave Mental Maths is good, get the 4th class one. Do even ten questions a day, they are meant to be quick to get through, so she could time herself, but make sure she doesn't sacrifice speed for accuracy
Tie each little test to a reward chart- if she gets a test fully correct , she gets a sticker and ten stickers could get her a small treat. I usually correct the test and put a dot by any one that is incorrect. They get the chance to try to correct it themselves, which encourages them to take their time and use what they already know. For 4th class, if she can correct any mistake herself, I'd give her the full score, initially, but then, I'd bring it back to "one mistake allowed."
Think in terms of maths all around us too.
Use the language and vocabulary of maths (e.g. more than, less than, heavy, light, tall, short, symmetrical ,horizontal, etc.)
Board games are super - some free printables here http://www.mathematicshed.com/uploads/1/2/5/7/12572836/21funmathgames.pdf
Play counting games, counting on and back in 1s, 10s, 100s and 1,000s from different starting points, skip counting in 2,3,4,5, etc.
Children sometimes don't see the link between decimals " in the book" and money. Have her calculate how much more she needs to buy something, coins she can use, change she should get.
Understanding position ,on, in, under, behind, next to, perpendicular, one quarter turn to the right etc.
Use the language of chance, such as likely , impossible -card games are great for this.
Time - reading the analogue and digital clock, using a calendar . What time is a particular programme on, how many days until someone's birthday?
Being aware of shapes and patterns in the world around us ,common 2D and 3D shapes name them and help her use them correctly- cuboid vs rectangle etc. You could build 3 d-shapes with mini-marshmallows and pasta. Talk about the number of faces, sides, corners etc. She could use the "nets" here to make little gift boxes as presents . (Click on the "choose model" tab to get different shapes)
https://www.senteacher.org/printables/Mathematics/7/Nets-3D-Models-Print.html
Bake cakes together. Talk about the weight of flour, the volume of milk, number of eggs, the amount of time the cakes will bake for, how hot the oven will be.
Now, maths and reading aside, you seem to have other concerns about her. Firstly you need to ensure her hearing and vision are ok. Does she sleep well?How is her diet? Concentration wise, you will find some ideas here
https://cgscoil.ie/tuismitheoiri/ag-cabhru-le-do-phaiste/developing-concentration-skills-gaeilge/
It's ok for a child to be a little bit "dreamy" but taking an hour to get dressed at aged 10 would be very unusual.1 -
I appreciate everyone's contribution to this post, thank you very much. I have read everything and will definitely implement most of the recommendations to the best of my ability.
In all honesty, no alarm has ever been raised about her performance, this is the 1st time I got a call from her teacher, and the aim was to explain her report and not to alarm me. Unfortunately, it did alarm me.
Also, she goes to after school, as I am often in work until 5-5.30pm, so, all her homeworks are completed there, I barely go over it, except read with her every once in a while.
I believe I haven't done well as a parent, this negligence of mine may have also contributed to this issue.
As for her taking her time, she's always being like that, if not timed, she would take forever to get things done.
Now, I think in the middle of dressing up, she draws, talks to herself, abandons her dressing in between and does other things.
I also agree that letting her stay behind isn't the best option, even though she's one of the youngest in her class, she hit puberty at age 9, which was a shocker for me, another headache to deal with.
I will definitely keep an eye on her and support her as best as I can.0 -
Enquire at your local library about summer reading initiatives which they may be running. The library is free & the children are encouraged to read books over the summer months. They may also have other supports available if you ask. Best of luck.0
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irishfemme wrote: »I believe I haven't done well as a parent, this negligence of mine may have also contributed to this issue.
Get that thought out of your head - she sounds like a very normal 10 year old up against kids that are older than her0 -
The local library just advertised this, I will be availing of it. Many thanksSausage dog wrote: »Enquire at your local library about summer reading initiatives which they may be running. The library is free & the children are encouraged to read books over the summer months. They may also have other supports available if you ask. Best of luck.0
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byhookorbycrook wrote: »Primary teacher here, I work in special education. I will give my few cents.
"Student of the month" isn't about test scores. Any school that gives such recognition should be basing them on the whole child, not who got 10/10 in a spelling test. They should reward effort in all aspects of school life.
"Holding her back" is not a good idea. Studies world-wide have shown that grade retention is at best unhelpful and in most cases, damaging to the child. What would happen if she were to stay back and see all of her friends move on. Imagine the blow to her self esteem if one of the new 4th class was more academically able than her. Being young isn't a valid reason anyhow, and the DES are very strict on why a child might be allowed to "repeat."
The DES have a lot to answer for, they were all about "well being" and then foist these tests on children, which were never meant to be used in this fashion , in an ordinary year, never mind this one.
It's important to know that these tests only test a child at that particular moment in time on . A child may not "perform well" (awful phrase) if they are nervous, tired, distracted or for many other reasons. They are useful to a degree but very narrow in focus too.
The tests were standardized to national norms, ie to what any child in that class standard nationally could be expected to score, but this wasn't done in a pandemic year.
One issue with the tests is that the answers in the newer Drumcondras from 3rd up are not written in a booklet, they are" coloured in" on a sheet not unlike the one at this link https://tinyurl.com/hjzpfttt If a child misses one "dot" they will be wrong from then on. There's no space for rough work on the maths test and even if the child uses a rough ork sheet, it's very difficult to review where they may have gone wrong.
Apologies for all of the following questions, but they are to give me a better idea of the whole picture:
Do you know what tests were used?If the school changed to the new Drumcondra tests, they were designed to be more difficult and have resulted in an average of one STEN of a drop when first used in 2019? Add in the disrupted months over Covid to this and that could be the explanation.
Did you get any indication of what areas of the tests she found difficult (Drumcondra tests, if that's what they used can be brken down into subtests for different)
Had the class teacher discussed a "classroom support plan" for her previously ir have her school reports ever flagged any issues?
Has the teacher said your girl will qualify for learning support next year? (A child on STEN 3 would generally get learning support)
How did she work through lockdown?
Does the school do tests such as the NNRIT /VRT/NVRT as these would give an indication of her overall ability?
Has the class teacher suggested any extra support you could give her over the summer?
Motor skills and organizationally, how is she?
Does she mix well?
New Wave Mental Maths is good, get the 4th class one. Do even ten questions a day, they are meant to be quick to get through, so she could time herself, but make sure she doesn't sacrifice speed for accuracy
Tie each little test to a reward chart- if she gets a test fully correct , she gets a sticker and ten stickers could get her a small treat. I usually correct the test and put a dot by any one that is incorrect. They get the chance to try to correct it themselves, which encourages them to take their time and use what they already know. For 4th class, if she can correct any mistake herself, I'd give her the full score, initially, but then, I'd bring it back to "one mistake allowed."
Think in terms of maths all around us too.
Use the language and vocabulary of maths (e.g. more than, less than, heavy, light, tall, short, symmetrical ,horizontal, etc.)
Board games are super - some free printables here http://www.mathematicshed.com/uploads/1/2/5/7/12572836/21funmathgames.pdf
Play counting games, counting on and back in 1s, 10s, 100s and 1,000s from different starting points, skip counting in 2,3,4,5, etc.
Children sometimes don't see the link between decimals " in the book" and money. Have her calculate how much more she needs to buy something, coins she can use, change she should get.
Understanding position ,on, in, under, behind, next to, perpendicular, one quarter turn to the right etc.
Use the language of chance, such as likely , impossible -card games are great for this.
Time - reading the analogue and digital clock, using a calendar . What time is a particular programme on, how many days until someone's birthday?
Being aware of shapes and patterns in the world around us ,common 2D and 3D shapes name them and help her use them correctly- cuboid vs rectangle etc. You could build 3 d-shapes with mini-marshmallows and pasta. Talk about the number of faces, sides, corners etc. She could use the "nets" here to make little gift boxes as presents . (Click on the "choose model" tab to get different shapes)
https://www.senteacher.org/printables/Mathematics/7/Nets-3D-Models-Print.html
Bake cakes together. Talk about the weight of flour, the volume of milk, number of eggs, the amount of time the cakes will bake for, how hot the oven will be.
Now, maths and reading aside, you seem to have other concerns about her. Firstly you need to ensure her hearing and vision are ok. Does she sleep well?How is her diet? Concentration wise, you will find some ideas here
https://cgscoil.ie/tuismitheoiri/ag-cabhru-le-do-phaiste/developing-concentration-skills-gaeilge/
It's ok for a child to be a little bit "dreamy" but taking an hour to get dressed at aged 10 would be very unusual.
Hi
Can I just jump in here please . Can you ask to look at your child's test paper. My child dropped two places in his English sten and I would like a look at his test to see were he went wrong . Can the school refuse to let me look at these test thanks and sorry for going off topic0 -
Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,481 Mod ✭✭✭✭ Join Date:Posts: 12027
Hi
Can I just jump in here please . Can you ask to look at your child's test paper. My child dropped two places in his English sten and I would like a look at his test to see were he went wrong . Can the school refuse to let me look at these test thanks and sorry for going off topic
What class is he in? 3rd to 6th colour in “ bubbles,” they don’t actually write into a booklet ,in the Drumcondra tests, so looking at the test “ paper” isn’t really helpful.Do you know if he did the older test or the 2019 version ? You could ask the school as to how he did in the subtests , which would probably be more useful to you .0 -
byhookorbycrook wrote: »What class is he in? 3rd to 6th colour in “ bubbles,” they don’t actually write into a booklet ,in the Drumcondra tests, so looking at the test “ paper” isn’t really helpful.Do you know if he did the older test or the 2019 version ? You could ask the school as to how he did in the subtests , which would probably be more useful to you .
Hi thanks for your reply my child said he had to write into a booklet ..
I just taught it would have been a good starting point for his teacher to go through the test paper and explain were he list his marks and what areas need to be worked on .
I just feel that maybe he has fallen behind over the last 2 years and just telling me to encourage more reading during the holidays is not enough to bring back to the standard he was before covid .
Thanks again0 -
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Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,481 Mod ✭✭✭✭ Join Date:Posts: 12027
Realistically , “ going through the booklet” isn’t especially useful for parents . The teacher will be able to tell you the areas where he needs to improve , be it vocabulary, word analysis or comprehension depending on the test .
The other thing I would say is that a child who enjoys good support at home can score quite well when they are younger , but as they get older, their natural ability , even with that support can level out .
Take a child in 1st class , who has been read to very regularly, had plenty of access to suitable reading for pleasure books at home and parents who ensured every scrap of homework was done every day and had an average IQ. The extra help from home might have helped them to get a STEN 7 score . By ,say, 3rd class , the child’s score might now “only “ be 6 , but the child is achieving the best they can .
That said, some teachers place huge emphasis on these tests and go so far as to practice actual words that will appear on that test .This causes lots of issues - the teacher the following year who didn’t engage in this suddenly sees most of the children “ drop” in the test .The children never score as high as that again. Worse still , children who scraped up to a score that doesn’t entitle them to learning support lose out the following year.
Does he read every day ( outside of school stuff?) Is he reading at the right level ? Can he retell it in his own words? Make predictions as to what might happen next or talk about why a character chose a particular course of action?
These tests aren’t like studying for a geography test. In English in particular, it’s not like learning off a list of 20 rivers .0
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