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Original poster

Can reception children read?

188 replies

ReadingGeniuses · 15/12/2022 16:22

I went to DS' nativity this morning (he's in reception). There were 2 girls narrating the play, they were reading it off a script. I was quite confused. Can some children already read this fluently at that age? They hadn't memorised it, they were just reading. Are they geniuses? Or is this way more common than I realise?

OP posts:
Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 21:31

I was torn to shreds for daring to say ( some) children can learn to read in different ways! By the Queen of the education forum. Glad this is a safe thread to chat on!

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 19/12/2022 21:36

1 in 5 children left primary school unable to write or read properly in 2018.
We are ranked 34 in the world for DC reading.

Knitting... something is going wrong and I know from my own DC experience how easily that can happen.
One got phonics but she would have got anything. For the other phonics was this huge barrier and absolutely nonsensical to her.
If it wasn't for me I'm not sure she would be reading now!
But she shouldn't have needed me to step in
And it's frightening how quickly she came on when we did other strategies because the damage it was causing was already running deep.

BertieBotts · 19/12/2022 21:42

There is some interesting stuff about reading methods coming out of the American school system because apparently somebody has been pushing a look and say type method there in the last 20 years and it's overridden a previous more phonics-based method and seems to be making reading worse.

The problem with look and say for some children is that it can embed poor techniques - guessing from context/pictures for example are poor techniques and that can block them from understanding the phonics method.

Phonics is usually more effective for more children but it can be badly taught. And a lot of children will learn to read no matter the method. But for some it's important which method is used.

Sorry I can't find what I was reading the other day now about the American school reading problem. It's a specific person speaking out and she has some podcasts and articles and a website, but I can't remember the names of them.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Primary education
Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 21:47

Zevite, yes. I taught infants for almost 40 years so was fairly confident about the teaching of reading and recognised the many different learning styles. I complete agree with the principles of phonics teaching but was experienced enough ( and brave enough with the classroom door shut!) to know where and when to intervene and offer alternative methods.
Unfortunately that’s not “ allowed” anymore really.
Dont worry those of you with 4/5 year olds- no teacher in year 3/4/5/6 will ask if they could read before they started school.

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 21:50

And yet phonics training has been ongoing in uk schools for at least a decade ( whenever jolly phonics was born).
Yes, 2 of my young grandchildren in USA didn’t learn to read with phonics methods. However I think they worked out the phonics code for themselves.

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 19/12/2022 21:50

Bertie any pushing of any one system will cause problems!
It should simply be flexible.
Again I don't know the official name but the route I naturally went down with my dd , which also included breaking spelling down into pre fox and suffix and root words, flash cards and Peter and Jane also has a term for it and is apparently used in some intensive reading catching up somewhere in UK.
I think this "saddling" DC into a system is wrong when one can instinctively attune what they need easily if one is flexible .
It was pretty obvious after one week DD was starting to get it.
I got her from a stuttering reader on a very low level, into a fairly fluent reader in 3 months reading the mini books on ort.
She also was able to instinctively get the sounds of tion etc.

ZeViteVitchofCwismas · 19/12/2022 21:52

Well according to some stats somewhere 1 in 5 is leaving primary unable to read and the levels of literacy in prisoners is shocking.

Something is going wrong!

Knitting that's absolutely horrendous to block a teacher from trying to teach.

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 21:53

The catch up was called Reading recovery. I think it’s “ out of fashion” now as it wasn’t purely phonics based.
I personally think that it was a brilliant catch up programme- simply because it was regular intensive 1:1, any method would probably work in those conditions!
But what do I know, I’m old and retired now!

cantforthelifeofme · 19/12/2022 21:57

@Tandoorimixedgrill

"comparison is the thief of joy"

Best saying ever! Well put.

StaceySolomonSwash · 19/12/2022 22:00

My daughter could read at 3.5. Nursery taught her.

Blueskythinking123 · 19/12/2022 22:04

OP please do not worry. Children find their academic level over time. It is not determined in reception.

I have two DC. Both had a similar pre school experience. Both were reading prior to starting reception and were in the top reading group.

Over the years that followed DS was clearly naturally more academically able than DD across the whole curriculum. He left school with excellent GCSE and A level results.

DD was average ability. She was in middle sets and left school with average results. She is currently doing better than her high flying brother.

What I am trying to say is all DC with the support from home will find their path and thrive.

HowCanIPayItForward · 19/12/2022 22:07

I could read (and understand) chapter books before I started reception. The Faraway Tree, that kind of thing. I was onto Dickens by Y2. I'm no genius, I was just an early reader.

Both my DC could only read a few simple words by Christmas in reception. DS was onto Harry Potter by Y1, DD is just getting going with simple chapter books in Y2. There's a huge range
of normal.

NeedWineNow · 19/12/2022 22:11

Mum and Dad made sure me and my brother could read, count properly and tell the time before we started school. I was staggered when in a local cafe recently that one of the waitresses aged about 16 couldn't tell the time on a clock and said she only knew what the time was if she looked at her phone.

SarahAndQuack · 19/12/2022 22:33

Dont worry those of you with 4/5 year olds- no teacher in year 3/4/5/6 will ask if they could read before they started school.

But of course they will.

I think you mean that if a child is reading successfully by year 3/4/5/6, no questions will be asked.

SarahAndQuack · 19/12/2022 22:35

NeedWineNow · 19/12/2022 22:11

Mum and Dad made sure me and my brother could read, count properly and tell the time before we started school. I was staggered when in a local cafe recently that one of the waitresses aged about 16 couldn't tell the time on a clock and said she only knew what the time was if she looked at her phone.

YY, my little brother really struggles with a clockface. He finds digital much easier. My uncle the same. It's how their dyslexic works. Fortunately, these days there's a lot more understanding of learning differences.

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 22:41

Sarah, yes I did mean that.

canyouextrapol · 19/12/2022 22:43

My DD could read fluently before she started reception. The teachers had to stop leaving things laying around. My DS couldn't. They're all different :)

Overthebow · 19/12/2022 22:44

I thought it was normal to be able to read basic words by the time they start school so would assume by December the more able kids would be able to read proper sentences. There’s a whole range of abilities in a class though so not everyone will be able to and that’s fine.

SarahAndQuack · 19/12/2022 22:47

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 22:41

Sarah, yes I did mean that.

It's ok - I thought you must have meant that. It's really easy to think all children will succeed so we can ignore/forget about those who don't. But I think it's really important to be honest. If you mean that parents whose children do well won't remember minor worries earlier on, yes, that's true. But you shouldn't make out that parents who worry are wrong to do so, or that all children have easy paths through education.

NeedWineNow · 19/12/2022 22:52

@SarahAndQuack I agree that digital is great, especially for people like your little brother and uncle, and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I should have added that the one of the other waitresses was equally surprised and the young lady said that she'd never been taught anything different, either by her parents or in school.

SarahAndQuack · 19/12/2022 22:54

NeedWineNow · 19/12/2022 22:52

@SarahAndQuack I agree that digital is great, especially for people like your little brother and uncle, and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I should have added that the one of the other waitresses was equally surprised and the young lady said that she'd never been taught anything different, either by her parents or in school.

Oh, wow, I see! Yes, much more of a worry if someone hasn't been taught anything else.

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 22:56

Sarah, absolutely I agree. My point really was about not worrying if they can’t read before or in the first couple of terms.

Abcdefgh1234 · 19/12/2022 22:59

my firstborn can read by age 4 and in reception he can read fluently like adult.

my second born is 3 years old now and he can read simple sentences.

both boys

SarahAndQuack · 19/12/2022 23:00

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 22:56

Sarah, absolutely I agree. My point really was about not worrying if they can’t read before or in the first couple of terms.

I'm sorry, I'm clearly being prickly without cause! You're absolutely not wrong, and I apologise for being so quick to be critical. I agree there's no reason to worry if a child doesn't learn to read before/during reception.

Hesleepswiththefishes · 19/12/2022 23:01

My first is a June baby

could wipe his bum in reception and hold a pencil in a fist grip
got his pen license in yr 6 🙄

he left sixth form this summer with 2 As and a B…maths/computer science and physics

wr are very proud of how far he has come