Answers:
Many children, especially boys are not developmentally "ready" to read in first grade. Consider the ages of the students you are concerned about. Do their birthdays make them among the youngest children in the class? Being as little as a few months younger at six years of age is a big difference. Often boys start school up to 18 months developmentally behind little girls of the same age, and if this issue is handled sensitively they usually "catch up" by middle school.
Don't be too quick to think learning disability. Very few children truly have learning disabilities, and at first grade it is very difficult to identify anyway because of developmental issues that usually resolve themselves by about 8 or 9 years of age.
Reading "on level" is a rather arbitrary definition in any case. Are these students showing progress? Are they being read to at home? Do they own books? Is reading seen as important in their homes? As a previous poster suggested, can you suggest a summer reading program, or a summer "being read to" program? That should help.
Most of these kids will do just fine, given a little more time. Discuss the issue with the parents and encourage the home support of reading, going to the library, etc.
And all of us who are, or were, educators, or parents, thank you for your concern.
They might be LD. Have them check and get them in resorce classes. At one time my husband taught at Job Corp. Most of the young men could not read. And because of the pride issue (Which you probably don't have.) They didn't want to start reading with govt. issued 1st grade level readers. So Bill, my husband bought comic books. And if the student came across a word he couldn't read, Bill would tell him what the word meant but also would write it down to share and learn with the other students in order for them to get the story line when they got that particular comic book.
I commend you in caring about our future leaders! I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. Read a lot over the summer and encourage the child to read with you. My grandson didn't do real well in reading last year (1st grade). He just had a progress report (2nd grader now) and is at the top of his class in reading and math.
If your child is still struggling by the middle of the year next year, have him/her checks for dyxlexia. I would focus more on 2 aspects:
1.-Is their reading level affecting any other areas of their learning? You should be worried if they have trouble completing individual tasks because their fluency is affecting their comprehension level, otherwise give them some time and motivate students and parents to read throughout the Summer.
2.-Do your students like reading? This is the right time to nurture love for reading in students. I am a 2nd grade teacher and I have begun "reading time" in my class; I set an alarm clock to ring at a certain time every day, when the clock rings everyone -including me- must pick up a book and read for 15 minutes. It is better if you read too, setting the example is the best motivation. Your students should also try reading aloud since this is the way in which they will become more fluent. HI
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