Gates-MacGinitie reading test

[kc4braves]

Are ya'll familiar with the Gates-MacGinitie reading test? The schools we have been at always used STAR testing for reading placement, etc. but this school uses Gates-MacGinitie. I know nothing about it but I was told my ds did really well. His teacher just verbally told me some scores which I can't remember but reading comprehension on that test was several years above grade level. I want to say that they told me based on that test alone, he should be reading 6th grade books. She said that she understands that alot of ADHD kids, because of distractions and fear of too many pages, etc., do not read that far ahead. They are encouraging him to read at grade level, though. HE tends to pick 3.7 or 3.8 books in 4th grade. I think it's more that he is interested in a certain series of books and they are not 4th grade books. I have just been thrilled that he has overcome alot of his reading issues and reads most every night.

I guess I'm wondering how Gates-MacGinitie compares to STAR testing. He always tested almost exactly where he was in school or a tad bit lower on the STAR testing even when he was failing in second grade. Do you know if one predicts or scores anything more accurately than the other? Also, how important do ya'll think it is to push him up to harder books in his reading? At his old school he read pretty much on grade level and that was all he was allowed to check out. HEre I don't get the feeling that he is monitored much on what he checks out even thought they want to push his book levels up.

Thanks. Have a good weekend.
KAthy

[my3texans]

KC,

My kids school uses STAR as well. They use it to give the kids a range of books to pick for AR (this school is big into AR). My 4th grader (ADDer) tested 5.5 on his last STAR, so he is allowed to check out books ranging from 4.5 to 6.5. He occassionally will check out one listed as 7 or 8, but they are usually car, plane, or animal books, something he enjoys. My 2nd grader (DD-non ADD), is currently reading 4.2 books.

I saw that someone over at Schwab recommended George Stanley books, because he writes well & he is also dyslexic.

Continue to encourage him to read what interests him. You might check out bookadventure.com they have tests over content, give points, & the kids earn prizes. It might help him to find titles that are at higher levels than he is currently reading.

[kc4braves]

My son is stuck on the series of books The Secrets of Droon. That is all he checks out. I'm hoping he runs out of options with those books soon. lol

Our last school pushed AR too much ( I think). The teacher once told me that she didn't have time to worry about spelling activities or cursive writing because AR took up too much of the day. WOW! The AR rules were totally different than our previous school or this school. I'm not sure they do it correctly here but I guess he is doing ok. I was under the impression that each child should have an individual goal based on his abilities, etc. Here everyone must have 10 points per 9 weeks. It seems that they are using the % correct as a test grade, too, which I don't really agree with but...oh well.

Our last school also STAR tested like you said and gave the kids a range but they also had to read so many of different types of book like non-fiction, etc and so many books out of their comfort range. They read so many books in one range then moved to another. Everything was color coded.

Anyway, I want him to enjoy reading. In the past if we pushed to hard, we got undesirable responses and things like " I hate reading...etc." lol So was just wondering if he is really reading so far below his potential and whether I should MAKE him choose harder books. For now, I'm just encouraging him and praising him when he chooses well. His last book was in the early 4th grade range ( which is his grade) and counted for more points if he got the questions correct ( I think 3 points). I have tried to make him proud of moving up and making harder choices.

Thanks for the input.

KAthy

[kc4braves]

Just a little happy update. Ds just finished reading "The Magician's Nephew" from the Narnia series. I think it is a 5.7 level or something like that and he finished it over the weekend. He plans to read the entire series. So maybe we have overcome the 3rd grade level books! Gotta be so positive when there are things to be positive about.

KAthy

[Mayleng]

[my3texans]

Glad to hear he's reading another set of books. The Narnia series is a good one, I'm reading it. Just a tidbit for you, The Chronicles of Narnia was the 1st book written, it was followed by Prince Caspian, then I don't remember which is next. Narnia is already a movie, & the word on the street is that Prince Caspian is next, it also has all 4 kids from Narnia in it. You could check the Narnia website for the order written/published if you want him to read them in that order. I'm not sure it matters. I do know "The Magicians Nephew" sets up the rest of the books.

One thought I had over the weekend about him reading at or below grade level. My son sometimes likes books below grade level because they are easier to read, so he is more successful in his reading. I also know my son has reached the point where he is "reading to learn" and no longer "learning to read", which I think makes a bit of a difference in their reading choices. They spend so much of the school day reading for classwork, that reading for pleasure is the last thing they want to do. If they do read for pleasure, they want it to be something they can read easily and quickly.

To give you an idea about overboard AR -- at my kids school every child in the 3rd & 4th grade is expected to get 100 AR points each school year. They want the 2nd grade to reach that goal also, but since many are still learning to read, it is not a major deal. My DD has already reached the 100 points (she's 2nd grade), but DS (4th grade) hasn't -- he's been so busy trying to get the math, that AR is pushed way down on the priority list.

Did you google the Gates-McGinitie test? Their website might give you some insight to the test itself & what it measures.

[kc4braves]

Thanks for the replies. I think it is ridiculous what some schools have done to the AR program. My son read all the time in 2nd grade and never got more than 50 points and he was trying to read so fast that his % correct was low. My daughter did well with AR in kindergarten at our last school but they really don't even do it at her school here in 1st grade. She has taken a couple of tests since thanksgiving and, half the time, the computers are down. Not sure what to make of it. lol

I do think you are right that he reads easier books for pleasure because...well...they are easier and he doens't have to work at it much. I started reading romance novels in college because they were no- brainers and my brain was exhausted from text books. I guess it makes sense. I'm just so excited that he reads! He read for well over an hour last night. frontclap*

Have a good week.

KAthy