What to expect at different ages
Ages 7-8 (Lower Primary): Children should be able to read simple stories or informational texts and answer basic questions about the main idea or specific details. They begin to make simple inferences based on the text.
Ages 9-10 (Upper Primary): Children are expected to understand more complex texts, including narratives and non-fiction. They should summarise passages, identify themes, and infer meaning from context.
Ages 11-13 (Lower Secondary): Children should handle more advanced texts with layered meaning at this stage. They should evaluate characters’ motivations, identify figurative language, and compare information across paragraphs.
Ages 14-16 (Upper Secondary): Students are expected to critically analyse texts, identify themes and rhetorical techniques, and synthesise information across multiple texts. Reading comprehension becomes key for excelling in subjects like English Literature, History, and Science.
Implications (in class and at home)
Children with poor reading comprehension may:
Struggle to follow multi-step written instructions, affecting performance in subjects like Maths and Science.
Misunderstand texts, leading to errors in answers or missed points in assessments.
Experience reduced confidence, often avoiding reading tasks due to frustration or fear of failure.
At home, difficulties might present as trouble understanding homework directions, disengagement from reading for pleasure, or challenges summarising what they’ve read. This can affect broader learning and limit opportunities to develop critical thinking skills.
Implications of a low score in our test
A low score on the Reading Comprehension Test suggests challenges with understanding and integrating meaning from text. This can impact a child’s ability to learn from reading-heavy tasks and grasp nuanced information. Addressing these gaps is crucial for academic success. However, it’s worth noting that this is one test, in a moment in time, more tests will be required to gain a proper understanding of reading ability.