At what age do kids learn to read these days?

[harrogatemum]

This has probably been asked millions of times but how old are kids these days when they learn to read? Is it at school or do parents tend to teach them before they go? My twins are only 19 months so its not a real concern at present, just wanted to get an idea of different peoples experiences.

usually around the 18 months mark

ds was nearly 4 he was very early
DD is 3yrs 8 mths and is starting to sound out words and can read very basic one or two words.

my ex-h was 7.

he's now a very successful engineer.

somewhere between 3 and 8 I reckon

ds 4 but not intested have tried to learn him! but number work he can count and reconize them over 200

Agree with Foxinsocks, between 3 and 8, but most of them between 4 and 6. They start teaching reading in school the year most children turn 5, and most of them can read reasonably well by the end of year 2 (all 7 by the end of that year).

Welshboris - I take it that was a joke?

DS is learning to read at age 5. He is being taught at school with us backing this up at home.

welshboris are you taking the p?

Yes am taking the piss

Should have read 8 months

DS1 is 2 and a quarter and knows the alphabet (capital letters). He's taught himself from Countdown...

Stick 'em in front of the telly more often and they'll learn quicker, that's what I think

when they're ready.

DS knew the alphabet at 2 (he had a puzzle someone bought him for his birthday - like a train from M&S). But he has only just started reading since he started in reception.

dd knew that the shapes on pages meant something at 2.3, and could recognise 'happy birthday'! Can now recognise several letters, but i'm too lazy to bother! next term she'l be in 'early years' at nursery, where she will learn the 3 rs 7 french - she'll have just turned 3!
i'm also deliberately resisting as i have a very pushy mil. i know my daughter's a genius & don't need to prove it!

only kid, middle class SAHM - age 2

big family, f/t working mum - age 6

makes no difference in end, I tell myself.

My dd1 LOVED stories and seemed to want more than picture books when she was still 2. However, she never pointed at words or letters and didn't ask what they were etc. She had difficulties in learning to read and I helped her with a little dyslexic coaching (from an excellent book called Toe by Toe) while she was in year 3 and 4 (age 7 and 8). She now reads as well as her peers in a very middle class rural primary school.

DD2 and dd3 by comparison would/will stop and ask what the letters were on all street signs etc and generally showed much more interest in the words on the page and didn't get so lost in the story as dd1 did. Dd2 was (and dd3 is)also MUCH more into jigsaws which is a good indicator for reading readiness as reading is about far more than just linking letter sounds to form words. Children use skills such as anticipation and picking up cues and clues, they need to understand how the structure of a story might work in order to help them suggest what might happen so they can work out what the next word/s might be.

If you want your child to be a good reader, then read to her or him lots and talk about the story. Do jigsaws. Talk about the world. Make sure he/she knows that you enjoy reading books and newspapers too. Look at letters as they appear naturally in your lives - on cereal packets in the supermarket, on street signs, as well as in the books you look at together.

My step sister was 9 before she could read freely (not reading scheme) and got a first in her English degree.

Remember reading is a pleasure and a window to learning NOT just a mechanical chore. The children that learn first are not necessarily the brightest. You should be putting down solid foundations, not trying to build the house yet.

IMHO. Hobby horse rant over!

I'd heard that jigsaws were a good indicator of pre-reading skills, but DS2 (nearly 5) is hopeless at them and a superb reader.

So don't worry if your child doesn't like jigsaws.

Also, some children have an early natural interest in letters, while others show little interest early on, but then learn it all at the same time.

By Year 3 in my sons' good affluent-area state school virtually all children are reading really well now, however early they started.

Agree Singersgirl - these factors are just indicators and each child is an individual.

Welshboris

my 6yo has always been excellent at jigsaws (and shapesorters and other spatial stuff) but is a mediocre reader.

4yo worse at jigsaws but good at reading.

clearly can't generalise from just these children but am surprised at the jigsaw-reading link.

I would rather swallow a lampshade than do a jigsaw - and I'm a literature graduate.

LOL fistfullofnappies.

Lol "swallow a lampshade"

Jigsaw thing is what i've been told by teachers, playgroups etc. OMG! Perhaps they meant for me to go shopping for clothes...

Well, the reason I posted was that I had heard about the jigsaw link before, and as DS1 was ace at jigsaws and a really good reader, it seemed to be borne out.

So I actually (ridiculously, I know ) got a bit worried that DS2 was useless at jigsaws and in fact had several 'soft' indicators for dyslexia - I saw a list somewhere and, having nothing better to do than worry for a day or two, worried a bit.

But he is the least dyslexic child I could imagine. So I guess that's why they call them 'soft' indicators!

Oh, and can't stand jigsaws myself either.

DS was brilliant at jigsaws, really fantastic. But he is learning to read fairly averagely I would say.

However I was always led to believe that it was an indicator of maths ability and he is doing really well with his maths.

DD has just started taking an interest in real puzzles rather than the wooden board ones. She is 2.1.