Let's Talk Grade Level

Grade Level. Sounds so definite, doesn't it? As if it was the admission price for 2nd grade or 9th grade. As if it was the admission charge to your school.

First of all, the word 'grade level' is a misnomer. We really should be saying Minimal Grade Level, because it is not a good thing to have your child "on grade level." Children who are on grade level feel like they are not good readers. They know from classroom observation that they are behind many other children.

And unfortunately, grade level is really a very general term. The criteria for each grade level changes somewhat depending on whether it is the textbook definition, the local school board's definition, your school's definition, or even the national government's definition.

The term "grade level" addresses a wide range of skills: number of sight words, ability to fluently read phrases, understanding of sentence structure, phonics skills, eagerness to pick up books, ability to preview pages, etc. etc. I find myself wanting to list every skill I notice in children at different ages and grade levels. But of course, that is counterproductive since most readers of this blog do not deal in those specifics on a detailed basis like I do, and the list does go on and on as well!

Fortunately, the fact that grade level is such a generic term works to our benefit also. Is your child on grade level? Well, yes, I could make a good argument that he or she is if they have achieved several of the criteria for each specific grade, even if your child has not achieved ALL of the long list of criteria.

We human beings like boundaries and rules and definitions and we tend to get sooooo carried away with them. Such is true of reading grade levels.

So let's cut to the bottom line. What do we want for each child?
1. To get to the point of liking books a lot.
2. To be able to read (or somewhat read in the case of a young child) a book that catches his or her interest when an adult is not around to help out.
3. To not even think of the word 'grade level' and to picture himself or herself as just a part of the reading community in school and at home.

We want each child to take reading for granted.

Is your child on grade level?

Jodi Heaton Hurst