Reading reception

[Mumofcrazy2]

What is your opinion on children starting school already reading?
Is it a hindrance?

Just asking as a concerned parent.

Ds4 has been incredibly interested so I've followed the letters and sounds phases and taught him. He's reading and understanding quite well I think and still keen.

But I'm concerned I've made the teachers job harder

[gokartdillydilly]

Both mine could read at three. Other parents were upset by this but the teachers loved it! Our little girls could read articulately, which made a refreshing change to them, and they could also help out with the non-readers.

Make sure you let your teacher know. We didn't (thought it was normal!!) with D1, and then we got called in to say she was reading all the signs around the classroom and they were very surprised!

The only downside to reading so well, is when it comes to writing first sentences, the children were a bit bored due to the subject matter because the writing ability was so very behind the reading

[Mumofcrazy2]

Thank you for sharing your experience gokart.

Did your children get bored at any point? Did they join the others for phonics?

He is just starting to have a go at writing sentences, I have worried about his writing too.

[spaghettipeppers]

It totally depends on the child.

Some children are very clearly tutored, and while they can read, I'd really rather their parent had played with them because they have no social skills.

It can also be very frustrating trying to re-teach poorly taught children, especially when they think they can do it all already. In my last reception class, I had a little one who was very difficult because he (being 5) couldn't see the difference between practising the correct letter formation and identifying initial letter sounds.... ('I ALREADY KNOW THIS'.)

I think you do have to anticipate that they will have to listen to things they already know. Yes, differentiation is important, but it simply wouldn't be feasible for the teacher to have an individual child on Phase 5. You cannot expect individual lessons, only differentiation within a lesson.

[spaghettipeppers]

So, for example, he may have a higher band of reading book, but he would still take part in whole class lessons for the sound s, a, t etc. If his letter formation was good I'd expect him to write sentences with lots of s words. But it would be impossible to teach the rest of the children s and him o_e.

[SoyDora]

DD1 is in reception, she could read fluently before starting school. She’s in a phonics group with the year 1’s, it helps with her spelling more than anything else. She hasn’t been hindered in any way and loves reading.
DD2 is 3 and will start school in September as a summer born. She has just learned to blend and is reading basic books.

[SoyDora]

But it would be impossible to teach the rest of the children s and him o_e

DD’s school have got round this by letting her join the advanced year 1 phonics group.

[Mumofcrazy2]

Thank you for your opinion spaghetti.
I certainly haven't sat him at a table and tutored him. If fact I think he would of lost interest a long time ago if I had done that.
He wanted to learn about reading and I helped him. He knew most of the phonic sounds for months and months before i even considered showing him how to blend or segment words. He then wanted to take over when I was reading to him. Should I have said no?

I think it would be good for him to do phonics at school, I think he will enjoy learning the actions to go with the sounds he knows too. He's also keen to write.
He will hopefully be joining a mixed yr group class so I was wondering if they would include him in the yr 1 phonics.

Preschool tell me he's pretty advanced all round so I don't think he lacks sociable wise. He can walk into soft play and make friends within 10mins, he can take turns and share. His speech is good and he does all his self care.

[Mumofcrazy2]

He knows most of his phase 5 sounds, his name ends with 'e' and asked why the vowel changed sound. So he picked up that quite easily.
His favourite game is junior bananagrams which we play as a family.

Thank you soy, I was wondering if it was possible for him to join yr1s. With it being a mixed class anyway

[SoyDora]

Mumofcrazy2 yes DD is in a mixed reception/yr 1 class. It has been ideal for her.

[gokartdillydilly]

Mine were really well looked after and any boredom concerns were addressed. They were sent into older classes for reading lessons, and sometimes given different homework.

They have grown up completely normal and sociable, not straight A students, but still keen readers. My little Matildas

[Naijamama]

Dd is 3 and in preschool. She's currently learning to read, as are a couple of others. The first books she brought home had no words, and she was encouraged to tell a story about the pictures. After that the books have started to contain more words and gradually more complex words. She's really enjoying it and was clearly ready. I see no problem if your DS is too.

[Brown76]

I was an early reader and think it’s important that children are challenged, I was told I was clever/good for being ‘ahead’ but I don’t think it did me any favours in terms of learning to work hard and deal with difficult work.

[junebirthdaygirl]

My dd was reading novels for children when she started school. I didn't tutor her. My older ds is dyslexic and needed a lot of help. She picked it up listening in. She literally never learn phonics or sight words just headed off reading. Luckily her teacher just let her read away on any books she wanted and write lots of stories. She is still an avid reader and writer of stories.
She was teased a bit by older children but she didn't care as it was normal life to her.
She was a quiet child and never acted bored in class just went along with things. She particularly always loved the social side of school.