Reading Levels - 5 year old

[OneMellowLemonExpert]

I'm not sure whether to be concerned about my 5 year old or not.

I have 5 year old twins. Twin 1 is really good at reading & writing. Her writing is very neat and her reading skills are fab. She loves rules and needs to know what is perceived as "right and wrong". I'd say that at the moment things academically seem to be fairly easy for her to pick up without too much trouble.

Twin 2 - Writing is nowhere near as good (she is left handed if that makes any difference), she sometimes still puts her letters backwards, such as a's or y's. She can't write on a line and instead goes diagonal. She has very little interest in reading, wants to give up 5 minutes in and often says she can't do it. However she absolutely loves me to read books to her. She has the most unbelievable imagination, the stories she comes up with are truly amazing. She can draw better than I ever could. We regularly watch you tube kids video's on how to draw a certain animal. She only has to watch it once and she can do a fairly good version of it by herself.

I know it sounds like I'm comparing, but I do honestly absolutely love how different they are. They clearly have different strengths at the moment but the reading thing is bothering me for some reason.

We're get sent home phonics books which we should read 3 times a week. Honestly we can barely make it once per week, she gets visibly very tired after a couple of pages.

Would you just back off a bit at this age, not put too much pressure on or is this something we should try to persist with?

If she's left-handed, then basically her brain is having to learn every single thing 'the wrong way round' for her, if you see what I mean.

They clearly have different strengths, and I wouldn't be concerned yet, although it might be worth reading up on dyslexia in younger children, just in case.

That's great she loves being read to, That's likely to help her in the future. I would aim to read 3 times per week but a couple of pages, not the whole book. You could also do a page each. Maybe aim to read it all once over the week. As it becomes easier, she should enjoy it more.

My 5yo enjoys reading but finds the writing exhausting and hates doing it. His writing is actually much neater and better spelling than his DDs was at that age, but he just finds it hard work. He's also left handed. I'm assuming he will build stamina in time.

Thank you for your replies

I’ve spoken to the teacher, they’ve also noticed that her concentration levels are dipped quite a lot when it comes to reading. They’re going to do some 1:1 in class and we’re just going to do 2 pages at a time so it’s not as overwhelming for her.

just out of curiosity if though, is it worth getting her eyes tested just to rule out any issues?

You should be taking your kids to an optician for an eye test every year.

I think the fact that they are reading and writing at 5 is advanced. Many are just recognizing letters and some sounds. Drawing shaky circles and sticks for letters.

My 5 yr old grandson was just visiting, and he can pick out 3 letter words, cat, sat, mat, and knows what all the letters sound like.

Are there other books that interest her more? DS is in Reception and has no interest in phonics books but will read quite fluently when it's other books that interest him. Sometimes we do alternate pages for example.

Are they reception or summer born year 1?

They are reception and turned 5 just a few weeks ago. They were also premature, my DD was just 3lbs and for a long time had the label of “failing to thrive”

she is doing so much better now, I just get very anxious that she’s falling behind

They've just turned 5. Abroad they wouldn't even start with learning to read or write yet for another year (or 2 in some countries).
This sounds completely normal to me. DD wasn't and still isn't keen on reading (I love it and was very advanced as a child so found that hard to get my head around). She's 10 now, in year 5, and "exceeding expectations" in pretty much everything. I wouldn't worry, personally.

She loves all Julia Donaldson books, we’ve just read we’re going on a bear hunt tonight before bed. But she has no interest in reading them, she’ll join in with books she knows but when I ask her to read she gets very upset. She’s read a couple of pages tonight of her phonics book but deployed all the delaying tactics she could think of 🙄

I would spend a couple of minutes getting her to read everyday day. Max of 5 mins a day.

Ah in that case, I wouldn't worry. If year 1, I would worry more.

Her writing sounds very similar to my 4 year old in reception. He is also a bit skittish about reading at home - best thing I have found is getting him to read a few words or to do a particular character in a normal book, rather than a phonics book. He is in the top group in his class for phonics but still won't do much reading at home.

I don’t think you need to worry. So
much variation At this age. They are still so small! Some take to reading so quickly and it is wonderful to see, but other take longer and most of them will catch up. The main thing is to keep reading to her.

Thank you I think this is the best idea.

we’ve also decided to take our girls into separate rooms to read. My other DD smashes a phonics book in 5 minutes with very little help, which is great but I think it may be having a disheartening effect on my other DD

I have a 5 year old (not yet at school Scotland is later) he csn recognise certain words but gets frustrated at reading.
We got a box of phonic books and started with basics getting him to recognise and read 2 words in the books like fox or pig and the and I would read until that word and he then tries to read it. We have been building it up from there (giving him 3 then 4 words to be reading) and its making a big difference to his confidence with it and also his response to it.
My friend recommended it to me to try as a technique (also a teacher!)

It might work for your DD? I wouldn't worry at this stage though, Scandinavian countries start from 6ish in proper schooling and are highly recognised.

My DD1 found the predictability of reading every night much easier. If your twin who struggles secure in her phonics? It could be better to start with that if she isn’t sure. Alphablock is also really good.

My DD didn't start school in the UK. Where we lived, they begin the September after they turn 6. DD's class didn't start learning letters until they went back in January.
Definitely get her eyes tested but other than that, read with her and don't force it.
What would happen if you start reading a book, say you need to pop to the loo and whilst you're gone she should read the book to [favourite toy or pet]? Do you think she would try if no one is listening? She's probably hyper aware her sister can and she can't.

One of mine was awful learning to read. Writing took time, etc, etc. Now a Russell group, very academic. One had to be bribed to read, bright but lazy even now and did best of the 3 in SATS at the end of primary. The other read the fastest and seemed fluent and on it. Least academic now, probably dyslexic. Just keep reading with her and encouraging her, she’s 5.

As others have said, I really wouldn't worry too much: she is very young. Having said that, do you have scope for her to read to you before school rather than after? I did this with DS1, who didn't find learning to read particularly easy and absolutely struggled with reading before bed. He was just too tired by that point. It was much more productive to read first thing while he was fresh.

I am a ks1 teacher.
I would do some pre reading skills to boost her confidence before reading the book.
Try and do 5 minutes daily but don't read book until day 3. So make little flash cards (pen and little simple drawings on paper) of the three letter words that are nouns (cat, dog, hat)
And practice them with her on day 1

On day two practice the tricky words in the book (the I my) again on scrap paper

On day three hunt for the words in the book but don't read the sentences

On day four read the book for 5 minutes (stop at 5 minutes even if this is one page)

Day five repeat and hopefully you'll get further in the book

Day six and seven repeat and the idea would be that she can manage the entire book in one sitting by the last day.

You can flash card the words each day if you like at the beginning and match to the correct page. You can race to find the word in the book to make it more fun (obviously letting her win most of the time. 🤣)

All this will build confidence and fluency. Could also get stickers to make more fun.