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Original poster

To be a bit freaked out about some of the reading levels some children have

103 replies

theWomenInTheWoods · 23/08/2015 21:14

DS was very slow to take to phonics and reading. He's nearly 6.

I was feeling pretty pleased as in the last month he's gone through book 1 to 4 of the Peter & Jane books and were starting on book 5 tomorrow.

He can also use his phonics to sound out a lot of phonic based words

However sometimes when I read threads on mumsnet I feel like maybe he isn't making such good progress. I saw one post where someone said their child was done with all 12 of the peter & jane books by the time they were 3 and a half. DS started school just before he turned 5 and he didn't know a single letter. I would have taught him letters if he seemed interested but he was too busy playing - and didn't seem to naturally absorb them or have any interest.

When people say their children are reading books like Harry Potter at age 6 are those children still sounding out words or do they somehow know a huge amount of words by sight?

OP posts:
xavierfondue · 23/08/2015 22:00

children reading books like Harry Potter at age 6

Yes - but can they understand it????

This is something DS's headteacher said to me, when parents boast about their child's reading age and it's absolutely true.

My DS is 8 and has a reading age of 11.6. I tried him on some more advanced books, suitable for an 11 year and guess what - he hates them. The subject matter is not suitable for him, so he's zooming through books for 8+ kids and is loving them. Thank goodness for the local library.

A reading level is more than just words - it's comprehension, subject matter, a story that is age appropriate. Keep your DS on books aimed at 5-7 year olds, read to him a lot and I'm sure he'll be fine.

bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 22:02

Never did phonics with mine, hopefully DD won't either.

SeldomAthleticFC · 23/08/2015 22:03

I had Oxford Reading Tree for my DD (now 7) and she did really well with those but my DS (5) has absolutely no interest. At his age my DD was already reading fluently.
I got DS some books that would interest him - his only interest being superheroes - and he's really enjoying them.
I got this box set which is really a bit too advanced for him but he can read some of the simple sentences and is at least interested enough to make the effort. Marvel box set
You can also get superhero phonics sets. I don't have one but I've seen them on Amazon. Might be worth a try.

VirginiaTonic · 23/08/2015 22:04

So he has just completed his Reception year? I wouldn't worry yet, especially as he is making progress.

Sallyhasleftthebuilding · 23/08/2015 22:07

I would say ... look at your friends, family, neighbours ... do you think you can read better/worse or about the same? Do you look at DH and wonder what age he passed x test? No? Then dont worry.

PedantPending · 23/08/2015 22:08

English, the language, is not phonetic like Italian or German. I think it is wrong to teach children phonics because this will not help with reading or spelling.
The most important thing is to get the child's interest and gently teach them, in context, how things are read and written.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 23/08/2015 22:08

I've got one DS1 who was a very late reader. He was an October birthday as well, so one of the oldest in the class. He eventually caught up. In fact he (rather surprisingly) managed to get an A in his GCSE English. My method was to read to him every night, those books that his friends were reading to themselves. So, yes Harry Potter, but at 7 or 8, not 6. Lots of well written, exciting books whose language was beyond his reading ability but which helped maintain his love of books. Eventually he was reading books on his own. Jeremy Strong was a favourite author at 8 or 9 and Captain Underpants books.

DS3 was borderline hyperlexic. Reading at 3, before starting school, seemingly self taught?! He's no brighter than DS1 nowadays.

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 23/08/2015 22:08

Just because a child can read doesn't always mean their comprehension levels are there.

bigcomfyduvet · 23/08/2015 22:09

I agree pedant.

I think phonics suck the joy out of what should be pleasurable.

EddieStobbart · 23/08/2015 22:14

Phonics don't suit every kid, not great for DD1 but she got there in the end - have just prised one of the "how to train your dragon" books out of her hot little hand after an hour and a half of sneaky reading.

I was reading a thread the other day which referred to reception class as far more play based than P1 in Scotland (where we live, no reception) and it freaked me out a bit because everyone was talking about how there was little formal learning, mainly play-based yet my brother's DCs at the end of reception were far ahead of where DD1 was when she finished P1 in terms of reading (yep, DN1 had read every Harry Potter book by the time he was 7).

Your son sounds like he's at around the same stage as DD2 though
(6 and has just started P2) and I know she's in the "top" reading group in her class. IME at this age it really doesn't mean anything or make any difference.

Charis1 · 23/08/2015 22:15

Don't worry about it. If you look at a room of one year olds, some will be barely rolling over, some crawling madly, some cruising round on the furniture, some running unaided.

By the time they are two, they will all be up and running.

Same with reading, each at their own pace, no hurry, no pressure, everyone will get there.

Desertedislander · 23/08/2015 22:17

How are they assessing reading ages in Y1/2? I assess my secondary students Termly using a multiple choice style paper.

Eg: The flower is...
A) beautiful
B) benevolent
C) bureaucratic
D) bellowing

The more they get right, the higher the reading age. It's a snapshot and obviously you can get some extra points just by guessing.

I have 12 year olds who will score 7:06 one day and 11:06 the next.

(There's no way a 4yo would score age 12 on the reading (and comprehension) tests I'm referring to)

noblegiraffe · 23/08/2015 22:18

My just-turned 6 year old could probably 'read' Harry Potter, he has read some novels of a similar length. However, his vocabulary isn't good enough to understand all the words, even though he could read them. He would get what is going on, but not the finer points. He prefers to read simpler books as he doesn't have to skip over so many words.

I have no idea how he learned how to read, school thought he was being coached at home, we thought he was being taught at school. He did a bit of phonics, something clicked, then he was away. He could read words that he hadn't been taught how to read using phonics, from very early on in reception.

It will come with time.

If it's any consolation, DS's handwriting is terrible!

Postchildrenpregranny · 23/08/2015 22:19

I am an old librarian and have always been a voracious reader-the sort of mother who told my Dcs to 'go away, I'm reading' . I or DH did read to them every night until they were about 9/10 - you can read them things they would not so easily comprehend by themselves . . I think if you yourself evidently value reading and enjoy books, they will learn to do so too. Both mine were able to read very young, though I never so much as taught them their letters pre- nursery, and both have achieved much academically . I certainly think being good readers extended their vocabulary and therefore their ability to express themselves . I don't think they read Harry Potter until they were about 10 though ..But as previous posters have said ,how early you learnt to read does not signify later in life and is not necessarily an indicator of ability .IMO it's more important to truly enjoy books .Both my DCs, now free of relentless exams are returning to reading for pleasure again. Hopefully it will be a life long habit

YouTheCat · 23/08/2015 22:19

I hate phonics so much. It might help those in the middle but it's of no benefit for the more able kids and it positively holds a lot of the less able or dyslexic children back.

Don't worry about it. They all even out. Make sure you're reading him plenty of stories so he enjoys books and doesn't see them as a chore.

fastdaytears · 23/08/2015 22:21

Desert I can do that one! Go me! Do I get a sticker or anything?

I can't help with your question though. I saw an education psychologist and I can tell you what room I was in, but what she actually asked me is a blank. She had nice shoes. I was Y1 though I think it was Jeff I think who was 4, and hopefully has a better memory.
I love the analogy with the 2 year olds walking. I also think about driving- some people (not me) get it in 6 lessons, some people retake their test 10 times. Most of us can do it well enough to get to tesco.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 23/08/2015 22:27

DD has just finished Year1 and is 6yo this week. She's okay at reading, can sound out but prefers to guess incorrectly! However we're trying to encourage enjoyment rather than being top of the class

She wasn't even sounding phonics this time last year. She has other talents though so we also promote everyone being different and having different gifts.

Try not to worry, go for happy child, encourage, practice and he'll get there at his own pace.

CJCreggsmyhero · 23/08/2015 22:28

Honestly, the 'I was reading age of 12, when I was still in nappies' posts get on my tits. The OP isn't asking how bloody clever you are

DS 5 - just at end of reception can read Oxford stage 4. This is unusual, 4 other boys I know in his class & other schools are on stage 1+

Google Oxford reading tree and they have a chart which shows stages by recommended ages.

Biff and Chipper books are ok, Julia Donaldson bit better but too rhythmic for my DS. There are some great comic books ones for about stage 5 that have superman etc - i'd recommend those

fastdaytears · 23/08/2015 22:31

CJCreggs sorry if it came across like that. I used myself as an example because I know that I was rubbish in so many other ways. I wouldn't want to say that about anyone else, so although it seems very stealth boast it wasn't meant like that. If you'd let me as a child you'd understand why not!
Superman sounds fab. All the reading schemes were so badly due an update.

SouthWestmom · 23/08/2015 22:35

Creggy your post is very funny for its irony.

JeffsanArsehole · 23/08/2015 22:39

Bit rude to half quote me without the full paragraph where I said there were loads of things I couldn't do Hmm

I assure you I didn't say it to look 'clever'

Allisgood1 · 23/08/2015 22:39

My dd will be 7 next month. One of the oldest in her class and I've moved her at home to stage 7 books. She will prob be stage 5 at school. It's hard not to compare. She has peers who are well beyond her. I feel for you as I'm in the same boat, onlyIRL.

Moln · 23/08/2015 22:40

I remember my DS1 didn't read all until 7 (so your DS is steaks ahead of where he was!!) there was a boy in his class reading Harry Potter at 6 too, so I can identify with how you feel. I used to co-read (mostly though was me) with him, and he'd listen to audio books a lot and then he suddenly just got it. Did a read-a-thon last year and won the prize for most books read!!

dS2 still struggling, he's been diagnosed as having dyslexia recently. Lots of audio books for him too, and the listen/read books He's taken a big of a leap in advancement recently

I went to school, at 4, reading well. My DH didn't read until 6/7 (he can't recall) and now his comprehension and spelling ability is far advanced to mine.

Honestly they all learn at their own pace, best you can do is make sure books are fun and don't become a task to them

Pigeonpost · 23/08/2015 22:43

My DS is 6 and reading Harry Potter without sounding words out BUT he is nearly 7 (Sept birthday) so almost a whole year older than your DS. He definitely was not reading things like Harry Potter this time last year.

unlucky83 · 23/08/2015 22:47

Give him time and don't stress.
I taught DD1 to read before starting school (mainly cos I wanted her to learn phonics and I thought they were still teaching sight reading) - it did her absolutely no favours. She had a reading age of something like 8 when she started school. It had been part of life and she found it easy. So she still (now 14) thinks she can't do maths ... she can -but she had to try whereas for the first few years she didn't need to try in reading. She was streets ahead of her peer group but to stop her feeling like a freak she was put in a reading group - she even started pretending she couldn't read some words to fit in - copying the others and she was very convincing (except she chose a word to struggle with she had just read on the page before without thinking and then breezed through much harder ones Grin). And the teacher said she was worried that for such a good reader DD spent no time in the library corner - I asked DD why and she said because they are boring baby books...
(And she did have good comprehension - she would have understood Harry Potter superficially at 6 - biggest problem was (as PP said) finding age appropriate books -she read one of the Jaqueline Wilson books aimed at older teens (I didn't realise JW wrote books like that) - at age 8 -so she read about 'Magda the Slagda' or something thinking she was going to be raped Sad)
By the end of primary she was still one of the best readers but others had caught up. Now she is good at English but others are as good and better. (Happily she does still read for pleasure at home)
DD2 I did nothing before she started school - if anything discouraged her. She wasn't in the top group for the first few years - has steadily made her way up - was surprised to find out at the end of last year (Yr3) she is now in the same reading group as one of the fantastic readers in Reception (one who I know has a pushy parent).
Just let the school do their job - as long your DS is making progress and enjoying reading don't worry about anyone else!