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Aside from any initial adjustment, should I ever lower a student’s level of material or goal?
Occasionally, you may need to decrease a reading level or a goal. Usually, you will make these adjustments in the first week or two of the program if the initial level and/or goal are incorrect.
The reading level may be too difficult if the student has any of the following problems:
- The cold-timing score is consistently more than 30 wcpm below the goal for students below fifth grade, and more that 40 wcpm below the goal for students in fifth grade and above.
- The student needs to practice the story more than 10 times.
- The student's hot-timing score is below his or her goal.
- The student does not answer most of the questions correctly.
- The student seems disinterested or frustrated.
Later you may need to make an adjustment if a student begins to make many errors in an attempt to read faster. If simply drawing attention to the increased error rate does not solve the problem, you may need to temporarily lower the rate and attend to accuracy.
You and the student should discuss the situation whenever you adjust reading levels or goals. Students need to become aware of their successes and challenges so they know what needs their attention.
