Please Tell Me What Your Just Turned 4yr Old Can Do.....

[DanJARMouse]

Can you please tell me what your summer born 4yr old can do in the following areas...

Writing

Reading

Recognising - Numbers/Letters

Counting

I just want to do a comparison after a meeting with the Reception teachers today!
Thank you!
(DD1 was 4 on 24th July)

[tortoiseshell]

When dd started school she had turned 4 in August. She could;

read about half of the reception keywords, but had 'got' blending, so was able to work out a lot more words. Reading books, about level 3, Magic Key levels. Knew all her letters.

writing was very good - could write all the letters pretty neatly, knew about finger spaces etc. Could write her name very securely, and was trying out writing other words.

Numbers/letters - recognised them all, could also spell simple words (c-a-t), and have a go at more complicated ones (j-a-g-n - dragon)

Counting - could count securely to 20, and backwards from 20 to 0.

[DanJARMouse]

thanks tort - ok, so Im worried now!!!

DD1 can....

Write - Mummy,Daddy, Jessica, Rebecca, Daniel and Grandad without any help. Will write all other words if helped with spelling.

Reading - Is reading very simple short phonics books, Hens Pens etc. Will sound out any words she doesnt know ( l-i-k-e-s) and blend them together to make the word.

Recognises written numbers up to 12, and knows all letters of the alphabet.

Can count to 13 reliably, and further with help.

The teachers seemed to think she was very very bright, and they would have to look at giving her some more tailored activities to stretch her, compared to most of the other part-timers that are starting.

I came away feeling very proud that she seemed to be (according to teachers) a bright spark and one to watch and encourage.

Maybe she isnt so clever after all!!!

[tortoiseshell]

That sounds fantastic - dd is very bright too I think - she is in the top groups for everything despite being the youngest in the class. Your dd sounds way ahead of where they expect them to be in reception!

[Zazette]

When my summer-born dd started school, she could write her (one-syllable) name, 'mummy', and 'luv'. She could recognise a few words and knew most of her letters. Knew her numbers I think, could count to 10 and make some reasonable guesses beyond that. There was a really large gap between her competences, and those of the autumn-born children (and frankly, some of the other summer-borns were way ahead of her too).

She's now going into year 3, and is one of the strongest kids in her class in all aspects of literacy. That didn't really click until well into year 2, but then she steamed ahead. She still struggles with numeracy though.

[misdee]

when dd2 started reception at age 5.

she could write her name

read her name.

count to 20 reliably

by the time she left reception she was working at a start of year 2 level.

but she was almost a year older than your dd1 is now when she is starting. dd2 is a 1st sept baby.

[DanJARMouse]

thanks people - this is helping.

Just wanted to try and work out where she is in terms of learning, and whether I can do anything else at home with her.

I dont want to be pushy, but she is constantly wanting to write and read, and I dont want to discourage it.

[Smee]

Hey, my DS is 4 and a bit and he can't read. I'm not worried one bit, as I think that's probably normal and he starts school in January, so he can learn all of that then.
He can write a few letters.
Recognise his name when written down, plus a few other odd words.
Count up to twenty and recognise numbers too.
Your daughter does sound v.bright. I hope she doesn't get bored...!

[TigerFeet]

DD was 4 on 2nd July

Writing - she can write her name (Lucy) but gets the "c" back to front

Reading - she recognised her name but that's about it

Recognising - Numbers/Letters - she can recognise all numbers but only singly, ie she hasn't graped that 10 is ten, she sees it as a one and a zero. SHe recognises about 10 letters.

Counting - she can count to 20

I would say she's about average for reception - I know some children that can do far more and a few that can do far less. I only wanted her to be able to recognise her name - a useful skill for reception imo - she can find her peg etc etc

[DanJARMouse]

I need to get her counting to 20 I think! Naughty mummy!

[misdee]

lol not naughty.

i get asked if i pushed dd2. nothing is further from the truth. i am too laid back to push her lol.

am worried as she is in year now, and has a teacher new to the school. am not sure on her approach to teaching, and how dd2 will find her.

[Fennel]

Mine can read her name on a good day, and about 4 other letters.

She can count to twenty-eleven.

She can write her name so it looks like a series of mathematical symbols. Curl triangle 3 lines and a dot.

She can draw well.

hmm. I think that's about it on the academic front.

[wannaBe]

why are you worried? She is 4. It sounds as if she is bright but she will develop at her own level.

If she is at a good school then they will have steps in place to help her develop at a level that suits her.

But really at this age you shouldn't be looking to push her at home.

If she wants to read/write then get her to do simple things. write a shopping list for you and go round the shop with you and read what you need and read labels on packets etc.

do her regular reading with her which she will bring home from school.

see if she's interested in getting books from the library and read them together, or if she is interested let her read them on her own.

But she is only 4.

[Zazette]

I should have said before that an awful lot of what my dd learned in reception was about things other than literacy/numeracy - and quite rightly, IMO: she learned an awful lot about the world she lives in, getting on with other people, making things, destroying things, etc etc. Reading etc should be a fairly small part of what kids learn in reception - and there should be absolutely NO danger of a child to whom those things come easily getting bored, because her abilities should just facilitate her learning other things.

[GooseyLoosey]

DD was born right at the end of Aug. She can write her own name and a few other words. She can count up to about 100 and recognises numbers 1-15 (ish) and random others. Knows letters and sounds but am not sure she can read anything other than her own name and a few words she likes like "Pig" and "Pink".

Judging by what ds encountered in reception last year, this is pretty much the norm. The odd child can do much more and the odd child much less but most even out pretty fast.

[DanJARMouse]

Im not worried, just came away feeling really proud of her, but wondered if she really was that ahead for her age, or whether the teachers were just being nice!

Its nice to see she is neither massively bright or slightly behind.

Thanks!

[belgo]

My dd1 is four and a half and can write her name. She can just about count to 20 (in flemish and english) and is beginning to recognise written numbers.

In Belgium they don't officially learn to start reading and writing until the age of 6, and when they do, they learn very quickly.

I'm more concerned about getting her to speak english at the moment.

[pagwatch]

My DD is at a selective highly academic school.
They meet all parents pre reception ( pre-prep) and beg them NOT to do anything with children at home.
Reception is about getting used to school without stress or anxiety. You can aid that by leaving them to develop at their pace.
When she did the entry testing she could write her name and nothing else.
Academic outcome has nothing to do with early reading.

When I sent her to pre-prep the only thing I was asked to help her learn was dressing herself for gym so that the whole lesson wasn't just 20 mins getting undressed and then 20 mins getting dressed again

[DontCallMeBaby]

NDTH, you've prompted me to finally look up about the mirror writing as DD does it too (just her name, that's all she writes).

"It is completely normal for children to write "backwards" at this age. In addition to letter and number reversals, some children will truly write in mirror image: going from right to left with all the letters reversed. There is nothing wrong with this. The brain does not completely form the concept of left and right until somewhere between ages five and eight. This means that almost all children will have persistent reversals when they first start writing."

Suitably reassuring, I think.

As to the rest, DD recognises her name, all letters (slightly unreliably) and 'Cbeebies'. She can count to 29 and recognises written numbers up to 12. Chances (genetically) are that she'll be pretty bright, but not showing all that much sign of it yet! She's a natural at applying metallic green eyeshadow though.

[belgo]

pagwatch - I agree - getting dd1 to put her own shoes and socks on in particular is very useful at this age.

[asteamedpoater]

I agree about the self-help and social skills being the most important in reception class. My son (4.5 years) can read books for 6-8 year olds by himself (he is currently emulating Horrid Henry...), can count and recognise numbers into the thousands, do simple sums and number sequences (eg times tables)and write all his letters neatly and the right way round. None of this is because I pushed him to do it - these are his natural interests. However, it has been a monumental struggle over the last year to get him to the position where he can confidently dress himself, go to the toilet by himself, dare ask an adult for help with anything rather than just stand there looking pathetic, and not tell other children to go away if they try to play with him. I suspect (know) he will struggle in reception class an awful lot more than a child who can't yet do any of the academic things he can, but who is physically and socially confident.

[mellywell]

i have just read everybodies messages about their childrens ability.my nearly 5 in november has jsut started school this week.she cant write her name, she knows all colours,cant read,but her social skills are brilliant.i was talking to other mums today whose daughters could write their names,it upset me to knw that mine couldnt,but i know that she can dress herself,put her shoes on,do buttons,and go to the toilet and wash her hands.i was stressing about the whole school thing but i am a sensible grounded person and know she always takes things in her stride,as she has for the last few years.i am proud of her no matter what,she has just had a brother 19 days ago,and is dry at night,herself and has learnt to ride her bike,all in the last month.the rest will sort itself out i think.i felt much better for reading other peoples messages though,as she was my first baby,i didnt know what to expect with regards school.she amazes me all the time how she does,and has dealt with things.i adore and love her to pieces.

[Boyswillbeboys]

I think everyone needs to stop stressing and comparing and just let their children enjoy their first experiences of school!!! They all vary so much at this age depending on what situations they have been in before, eg nursery, at home, with CM etc. The levels of competence will all even out in the end and they will probably all be able to read and write and eat their school lunches by themselves by the time they go to secondary school

[chipmunkswhereareyou]

Boys I disagree that it all evens out - of course pretty much everyone will be able to even out but it's a fact of life that different children have different levels of ability.

Getting overly obsessed with this, I agree, is not a good thing, but thinking about it a bit is natural imho, especially if someone is seeking reassurance.