Should I hold back my first grader?

Question

My son's school is strongly suggesting that we hold him back in first grade. He has an August birthday, making him one of the youngest in his grade. He has been struggling with reading all year, but does not qualify to go to "resource". He does qualify for a individualized plan that allows him to sit close to the teacher and have extended time on tests.

They evaluated his reading level as 0.4 at the beginning of the school year and 1.4 now. It should be at least 2.0. He reads 22 words a minutes when they would like to see him at 40. They told me I would be giving him "The gift of time". They say he will do great next year (duh, he would be doing all the same stuff) and then be ahead for second grade and he won't continue to fall behind.

However, he has made honor roll every report card except one. He does great in every other area. His standardized testing, the ITBS puts him in the 16th percentile nationwide in reading but 73rd percentile overall. I don't know what to do.

Answer 1

I would sit down and talk to him.

It may prove harder for him psychologically to give up all his friends from school than to put in more work in order to improve his reading.

See what he'd prefer to do and ask him about the possibility of getting a reading tutor over the summer.

I also find that getting a couple of really good books to read in his free time helps a lot. Find something he's really interested in and let him read it. There are plenty of great reads out there for kids his age (I'd try Harry Potter if he hasn't read it yet). Find out if he likes stories about vampires, inventors, adventurers.. and then go to your local book store and get some advice on which books match his interests.

I'm sure the school will let you have some time during the summer for your decision with a case like this.

I'd say see how much he improves during the summer and then base your decision on his performance and above all on his opinion.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I wouldn't recommend holding him back in 1st grade.  I am not a teacher, but I am very involved w/ all the facuilty in my childrens' school......As a parent you sometimes need to push the schools for more......Are there any speech issues that hold him back from being a better reader?  That was the case for my 8 year old.  I actually tried to bring the speech issue up when he was in kindergarten!!....he is now finishing 2nd grade and almost caught up to the 3rd grade level.  He has had an IEP in place, since the end of 1st grade,  for speech and reading and has improved greatly!!  He meets w/ the speech pathologist 2 x's a week and is in a group reading program w/ other 2nd grade kids in a similar situation.  Call your son's principal, teacher, school social worker....just get someone to listen to you.  It can be frustrating, I know, especially since it is the end of the school year......Hopefully, he will get the help he needs at the begining of 2nd grade. Good Luck!!

P.S.~ Someone mentioned a summer reading/tutor program and I think that would be a wonderful idea given there are only a couple of weeks of school left.

Answer 3

Given the experience of my brothers, I would recommend holding him back.  Reading will affect EVERYTHING he does from here on out and he will only get frustrated from falling behind. In general, boys develop slower than girls, including the brain.  Just the luck of the draw.

Answer 4

Before I pulled my children out to homeschool, I had a son that kept getting in trouble and had to sit next to the teacher.  Turns out he was in love with her and wanted to marry her (he was 6).  Every child is different and learns differently, this is the problem with schools.  We will give each other advice when they are younger that it is perfectly normal for one baby to do things before another one, but the magically have to be on the same level when they hit school age.  This isn't true.  Look around at your adult friends and see how different they are.  I let my oldest daughter be held back, it didn't do jack for her.  They didn't teach the basics, they were too busy with the standardized tests.  They gave her and IEP.  I pulled her out, took her to a psycologist to test her and she was missing the basics.  I taught her the basics and pulled her up from there.  On her 16th birthday she got her driver's license and bought her own car that she bought herself from working all summer.  This was the child they told me was borderline retarded.

Answer 5

I decided to hold back my son in 1st grade.  His b-day is Aug 18th.  We had moved in the middle of the school year and he began attending the new school at the end of November.  He was goofing off a lot and not paying attention.  

He is now in 3rd grade and is doing great in school.  It's better to hold him back now that he is younger and not when he's older, because other kids might make fun of him.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

Ordinarily, I would suggest getting extra tutoring in the one subject that is giving your son trouble. However, reading is fundamental to ALL subjects. He's equal with the rest of the 1st graders in math and science and all that other stuff now, but next year when he is expected to read on his own, he will fall way behind, and he will end up repeating second grade.

Look at it this way -- he probably already knows he is struggling with reading and feeling not so great about that. If you send him on to 2nd, he'll struggle with ALL subjects, and then he'll really feel like a failure. But if he repeats first, maybe with a different teacher so it's not all identical, then he will be successful for sure, and keep moving forward with his success.

Answer 7

in my opinion i would say let him go on he seems OK and plus he will learn a lot more in the second grade then doing first all over again

Answer 8

NOT ALL THE KIDS GET ON THE A-HONOR ROLL,I WOULD NOT HOLD HIMBACK,IF HE'SDOING THAT GOOD,BUT IF HE DOESN'T SEM TO BE DOING TOO HOT IN HE NEXT GRADE,THN I WOULD HOLD HIM BACK,CAUSE I'VE GT 2 IN BEAR CREEK SCHOOL,AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL JUST PASS A KID TO THE NEXT GRADE AND THEY DON'T KNOW HEIR HOMEWORK,CAUSE THE TEACHERS DON'TWORK WITH THE KIDS NO MORE.

Answer 9

If it's only reading his is struggling in I would send him everywhere and anywhere possible to get his reading skills up.  I wouldn't hold him back over one subject even tho reading is the most important....they should have tested him halfway thru the year and let you make a decision then to start him on tutoring.

Answer 10

dear god no let that boy go just get him extra help over the summer  dont hold him back cause the school said to

Answer 11

I wouldn't really alot on acutal grades at such a young age.  It is hard for teachers to take grades on things so they generally have participation grades, causing many children to make "good grades" on their report cards.  If his teachers or the administration at his school is recommending it, I would definately listen to their advice.  Often times one year makes a huge difference.  He will still be the same age as everyone in his class, just now he will be the oldest instead of the youngest.  You do not want him to struggle his entire academic career.  

Talk to other parents online or at your school who have held their child back a year.  See what the results of this were.  

Good Luck!

Answer 12

How does he feel about having to repeat the grade? Can he have someone work with him through the summer to help him with his reading. If so I would think that would be better for him, since he is doing well with his other subjects.

Answer 13

My brother was held back in 1st grade. His reading and comprehension never really got any better. He struggled all through school. Some kids are just like that. It didn't help him. There's alot that you can do over the summer to help him get where he needs to be. You can take him to the library and have him check out books that he enjoys. Have him read at least one big ( for a first grader) book a week. At dinner each night, he can tell you what he was reading. If he doesn't improve in time, go ahead and have him held back. This usually isn't a decision that needs to be made now. You should have a few weeks before the new school year starts to make this decision. Just think about kids who transfer schools last minute. Do what you can at home to help him and see what happens. Kids are resiliant, he may just need some more one on one. Good luck.

Answer 14

Does your child behave less mature than his peers? If he does, remember that when others are developing sexually and dating, he may still be immature then. Perhaps he will make more mature decisions, if he is one of the older ones in his class. With your support and encouragement, he may enjoy already knowing the answers and reading faster than the newcomers next year. And later on in life, he will feel on top rather than feeling as if he is struggling.

Answer 15

Why doesn't he qualify for resource room in Reading????   Because he doesn't have learning disabilities???   You didn't exactly say why.   You need to get him in Resource Room for reading.   Why doesn't he qualify?   My son's reading skills were similar to your son when he was done with first grade but he wasn't doing great in all the other subjects like your kid.   My child also had problems with Math and Writing and received resource room for those subjects as well.  

Within a few years, he was all caught up and didn't qualify for anymore resource room.   He made too much progress.  

He's currently going into 11th grade with all college preparatory classes and a 3.0 GPA.   His reading problems are history and it's been that way for a long time.   Your kid shouldn't repeat first grade.   He needs to go to second grade with more one on one time with reading.   If he has no learning disabilities then he should progress much more quickly in resource room.   Also you can have him independently evaluated to see if those results coincide with what the school district's evaluation  came up with.  

I don't agree with your teacher at all. Push for second grade and get him into resource room for  Reading.   Get him independently evaluated with a developmental pediatrician or another type of specialist that works with kids who have learning problems.   That's my advice.

ETA:   An independent evaluation can take  months for the appointment date to arrive and the school year is almost over.   There is something else you can do in the short run.    I am going to assume that the individualized plan you mentioned is actually an "Individualized Education Plan" (more widely known as an IEP).  I don't know which state you live in but do a google search on your state and then  type the word "Advocacy" right after it.   It should bring you to a website on Special Education law.   There should be a telephone number you can call on that website.   Call this number during daytime hours.   It may sound a little extreme to call an education attorney but I think you are stuck between a rock and a hard place.     Once you get to speaking with an advocate,  the first thing they'll want to know is if your child has an IEP.   Tell them the problem.    Arrange an IEP meeting with the attorney (or advocate) present.    In my state,   it doesn't cost the parents anything for the lawyer to be at an IEP meeting or to talk over the phone.     Also parents can arrange an IEP meeting whenever they feel one is needed.   A parent is part of that IEP team.   The lawyer (or advocate) is not a part of an IEP team but they're experts on special education law.    He/she will let you know if the IEP team is looking out for your kid's best interest or if services (such as resource room) is needed.    

Honestly, I think your son should have had resource room for reading when first grade started and now they want your son to repeat first grade instead of going to second grade with resource room.   The whole thing sounds ridiculous to me.

Answer 16

My parents had the same option with me ( and I have a summer birthday and younger than classmates) they didn't and I had trouble all through school. They didn't want me to feel embarrassed I guess but it would have helped I think. If you don't though you could make sure YOU spend time with him daily on his reading and other skills. If you will work with him he may do just fine with out being held back.

Answer 17

Yes it sounds like it's probably a good idea. I mean look at the huge jump he's made in reading anyways. He's obviously learning but maybe he should be held back to give him and upper hand at education. So often children are moved on from grade to grade without learning a thing. I think he will thrive next year and it just might be what he needs. I have no doubts by the info you gave that it wont affect him negatively at all and you'll see nothing but good things from him. Plus he's going to be the same age as a lot of the kids even if he's held back so I wouldn't worry too much. Good luck.

Answer 18

Make sure your son gets an IEP and has extra time to take tests and still sit close to the teacher no matter what. I can't tell you not to or to hold him back. If you have the time this summer, take him to Sylvin (sp?) Learning Center for tutoring. The only way he is going to improve his reading skills is through practice. This includes mom spending time with him reading as well. Make reading fun!

Answer 19

Well i have to say ask your son if he wants to be hold back and explain to him why you think it'll be ok to be hold back.

Answer 20

I am going through the same thing with me son he has trouble reading and does great in every other subject, but the school wants to hold him back, they keep pestering me about it..but I told the school my son is going to 2nd grade with his friends my son is also the youngest in his class. but emotionally it would scar him to hold him back. so what I am doing is putting my son in a summer reading program..good luck

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 21

Hmmmm... until you said he was on the honor roll, I was going to say hold him back a year. It sounds like the only area he's falling behind on is reading, right? Can you tutor him over the summer, or send  him someplace where he could be tutored in reading? Maybe he could catch up to his peers by the time school starts?

Answer 22

I think, since he's very young, that to hold him back now would not be a big deal. Better now than to let him continue to fall behind and struggle and be frustrated and have the potential to be behind in third or fourth grade when he and other kids will be more cognizant of something like being held back. If you can preempt any lack of self worth later by giving him the extra time to build his confidence in his reading, you'll be saving him a lot of heartache.

I'd personally rather have my kid have the potential to be at the top of his class a year "late" than struggling through school the whole time just to be "on time".  Reading is probably the most important foundation of education since it carries one through their whole life.

Also, the schools tend to not make the recommendation ro hold a child back lightly.  I really think it would do wonders for him later.

I know it's a tough decision though. Good luck to both of you with whatever you decide.

Answer 23

I didn't think they held any kids back anymore for any reason, i suggest a tutor to help his reading, if they were worried about his age they should never have enrolled him in the first place. Sounds as though the boy does well in other classes, so i suggest some tutoring,

Good Luck....

Answer 24

If he is having a problem with just reading try the web site Headsprout.com  it's for kids 4 to 8 years old and it really helps.

Answer 25

My advice would be to speak with your child. I'm sure he has made friends with a lot of kids in class and may resent not being able to continue school with them. If this is the case, as many before have suggested, hire a private tutor to help him over the summer. If ONLY his reading is in need of improvement, why make him do EVERYTHING else again???

If he feels he would benefit and is not too anxious about being held back, let him be. This IS his life you are making decisions for and although he is quite young and still needs a little guidance, you should get his input and feelings on things like this that will affect him deeply. Offer your opinion and together come up with pros and cons of each choice.

Good luck,

I'm sure you will make the best decision.

Answer 26

if he were having other trouble then i would say hold him back but since that is not the case just help him over the summer with his reading.

Maybe you could pick a book and let him read to you for 10min a day till school starts then see where he is at.