As a teacher, you know how important it is to help your students develop their reading skills. But how do you communicate with parents about their child's reading level, progress, and challenges? In this article, you will learn some effective ways to share information, feedback, and resources with parents that can support their child's reading journey.
Reading level is a measure of how well a student can read and comprehend texts of different complexity and genre. It can vary depending on the purpose, context, and motivation of the reader. Communicating with parents about reading level can help them understand their child's strengths and areas of improvement, as well as the expectations and goals of the curriculum. It can also help them support their child's reading development at home by providing appropriate materials, activities, and strategies.
Communicating with parents about their child's reading level is paramount for stimulating a collaborative and supportive educational environment. This dialogue ensures a shared understanding of the student's literacy development, allowing parents to actively participate in targeted literacy interventions at home. By aligning home and school efforts, parents can reinforce instructional strategies, provide tailored support, and contribute to the overall literacy growth of the student. Regular updates on reading levels empower parents with insights into their child's progress, fostering a sense of partnership and promoting a cohesive approach to literacy development.
There are different ways to assess reading level, such as standardized tests, informal inventories, running records, and observation. You can use a combination of these methods to get a comprehensive picture of your student's reading abilities and needs. You can also use a reading level system, such as Lexile, Fountas and Pinnell, or DRA, to assign a score or a range to your student's reading level. However, you should be careful not to label or limit your student based on their reading level, as it is not a fixed or static attribute.
Assessments, such as the DRA, are used between grades 1-3, in which they will read a passage with the teacher for a bit, and then the teacher will leave the student alone for some time to read the rest of the story. Once finished, the teacher will ask them some comprehension questions based on what was read. Between grades 4-8, the CASI assessment is used, and is a bit different from DRA, in the sense that emphasis is placed more on the cognitive side of reading in terms of comprehension.
When you share reading level with parents, you should be clear, honest, and respectful. You should avoid using jargon or acronyms that might confuse or overwhelm them. You should also provide context and examples of what their child can read and understand at their current level, and what they are working towards. You should emphasize the progress and growth that their child has made, and celebrate their achievements. You should also acknowledge the challenges and difficulties that their child might face, and offer suggestions and support.
Feedback is an essential part of communication, as it can help your student and their parents know what they are doing well and what they need to improve. You should give feedback on reading performance regularly and consistently, using various formats and channels. You can use report cards, portfolios, conferences, phone calls, emails, or apps to communicate feedback. You should make sure that your feedback is specific, constructive, and actionable. You should also invite feedback from your student and their parents, and listen to their concerns and questions.
During negative feedback, you need not only to say the problem, you need also to participate in problem solving and give options. For positive feedback, you will need to give options for maintenance of positive level of reading
Another way to communicate with parents about their child's reading level is to provide resources that can help them support their child's reading at home. You can share books, websites, apps, games, or activities that are suitable for their child's reading level and interests. You can also suggest ways to make reading fun and engaging, such as reading aloud, asking questions, making connections, or creating projects. You can also encourage parents to model good reading habits and attitudes, and to praise their child's efforts and achievements.
At parent-teacher interviews, it is important to point out what the student is doing well in terms of their reading skills, and also, what can be improved. Depending on the student, they may have trouble with pronunciation, or trouble retaining what they read. Possible resources to help with this could be interactive phonics charts, reading comprehension workbooks, and even recommending good books for them to read on their own time, and implement those same strategies.
Communication is not a one-way street. You should also collaborate with parents for their child's reading success. You should establish a positive and trusting relationship with them, and respect their values and perspectives. You should also communicate your expectations and goals for their child's reading, and align them with their expectations and goals. You should also involve them in decision-making and problem-solving, and seek their input and feedback. You should also appreciate and acknowledge their contributions and support.
Be sure to keep parents updated on their child's progress. Encourage them to also come to you for advice, and comment on progress at home, and what is being done to ensure student success in reading. Teachers and parents must work together in shaping students into excellent readers, so that they will be prepared for the next grade level, and for the future!