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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

When is an average sort of age for kids to start reading to themselves?

32 replies

dollybird · 08/09/2008 22:50

DS claimed he read his school book yesterday, but I know he didn't. He's 6 and just started year 2 - he seems quite keen to get on and do it himself but not sure he's quite 'there' yet!

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Twiglett · 08/09/2008 22:51

ask him questions about it and you'll know if he's actually reading or skimming or word sounding without comprehending

AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 22:52

Why don't you ask him what happened in the book? Ask him some questions and you'll find out if he really read it.

ds was very advanced so I won't say if that's OK. I did the sme thing with him to check he had read the book and understood it.

cornsilk · 08/09/2008 22:52

Is you a teacher twiglett?

GrimmaTheNome · 08/09/2008 22:53

Huge variability. One of DDs classmates was reading Harry Potter by the end of Reception whereas my DD (who is not a dimwit) didn't really start reading books by herself till the start of juniors.

Start of year 2 is probably somewhere about normal.

Original poster

dollybird · 08/09/2008 22:54

I did that! I knew he hadn't read it because it was called 'Doodledragon' and he said it was a dinosaur! Got him to read it (in the end) and he admitted he hadn't realised what had happened. He didn't want to tell me or read it again to me.

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Reginaphilangy · 08/09/2008 22:56

No average sort of age, IME.

Dd1 'clicked' at around aged 7
Dd2 can read reasonable well now - she is 5.

Many of their friends were reading earlier.
Many of their friends were reading later.

Not much help was i? lol

AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 22:57

Get him a joke book. he'll want to read it because he'll want to tell you the jokes.

Original poster

dollybird · 08/09/2008 22:59

good idea - he loves jokes!

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cornsilk · 08/09/2008 23:00

I don't think there's an 'age' as such. My ds2 reads all the time, ds1 doesn't read anything. Twigletts advice seems sensible.Lots of adults don't read much either.

handlemecarefully · 08/09/2008 23:01

I think Regina's answer is on the money

Bringbackmybonnietome · 08/09/2008 23:01

Let him pretend to read it, don't prove he hasn't if he says he has.

Congratualte him on being so clver, write in his record book so the teacher understands what you are saying, get him to practise reading aloud to you with a different book.

Don't crush his enthusiasm and prove him wrong. I'm not suprised he doesn't want to read it to you now he's been 'caught out'.

My DS2 (5yrs can't read)says he can read books, he 'reads' to himself in bed at night, in the morning he often shows me the pile of 15 books he read last night. He says he reads them in his head. I would not say to him 'no you didn't, read them to me then.'

Enthuse with him.

GrimmaTheNome · 08/09/2008 23:01

Oh yes - DD started reading joke books before stories. Not that she always understood the point of the jokes!

And what really got her into the reading habit was what my DH recommended from his experience - The Beano!

AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 23:04

I used to buy ds a new one when we went to the Supermarket every Saturday, he used to walk around the city centre reading them out to me and everyone else who was passing. All the old folk thought it was lovely and they always stopped to listen to him. He made alot of people smile. It was very sweet, embarassing for me but sweet.
He started off reading Mr Men, then Roald Dahl and horrid henry with a few joke books. He's read alot of books now though.

Original poster

dollybird · 08/09/2008 23:04

hope I haven't put him off

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AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 23:05

You could try the "I really love it when you read to me" trick.

twinsetandpearls · 08/09/2008 23:05

I was thinking this myself just last week as dd is a very good reader and has always loved books from picture books as a toddler to easy readers when she first started to read independently at about 5. But once the novelty had worn off she stopped wanting to read to herself and wants dp and I to read to her. Her solitary activity has been her drawing and writing. I thought this was quite sad as I loved my books when younger. But then over the weekend we went to the Oxfam bookshop and she chose a book each ( well actually she had one and I had five!) and we then went for a coffee and cake and to my amazement she got her book out of her bag and started to read to herself ( and told me I could do the same) and earlier tonight she was in her room reading, she is 7 next week.

Bringbackmybonnietome · 08/09/2008 23:07

REad back my post Dollybird, I was tyring to be helpful but it sounded harsh, sorry.

I'm sure you haven't put him off, but maybe next time consider just gong along with it and giving the praise, without the 'test' we always want to do.

AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 23:09

ds either takes a book everywhere or his nintendo ds. I don't mind the book, the nintendo makes me loose the will to live though. I always get the judgy looks when he has the ds, the geek looks when he has the book I can cope with. I'm a tad sick of being asked how old he is and having people say "ohh, he's a good reader".

Original poster

dollybird · 08/09/2008 23:10

no it's ok. think I've just made myself look a tw*t on another thread and pissed off with myself.

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AvenaLife · 08/09/2008 23:11

There's subtle ways to ask questions, ie (the twits), ohh, I find mugglewump so funny. What did he do to the monkeys again? or I can't remember what happened at the end of the book, did they all live happily together?

Original poster

dollybird · 09/09/2008 07:59

Had a nice chat with DS this morning, and we agreed that if he wants to 'read' his book to himself he can but I will put it in his reading diary for school so the teacher knows. I told him that the teacher is likely to ask him what happened! I said if he learns to read really well he'll be able to read long books like Harry Potter etc.. Now he wants me to get it out of the library again to read to him @ bedtime. Will get there in the end

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Hulababy · 09/09/2008 08:17

DD is 6 and just started Y2. She has been reading to herself, in addition to reading to other peole alud, for a few months now. I just ask her about her books periodically to check understanding and comprehension.

I know that this year at school her teacher has moved her on to do some reading to herself in reading sessions, so she doesn't always have to read out loud to the teacher - teacher again just checks comprehension every so often. She does read out loud as well.

Buda · 09/09/2008 08:19

They are funny when they really want to read themselves. We are going through this at the moment. DS is 7 and wants to just read his school reading book to himself. If he has done I just ask to have a look and see if there are any really hard words and ask him what they - he normally knows most of the words.

He has now realised though that he doesn't always know the word - he is football mad and a big Arsenal fan. With the recent take over of Man City there was press speculation that City want Fabregas (an Arsenal player for those of you who have not been forcefed football info recently!) - DS read an article online saying that Fabregas wanted to go to City as it would be "succesful" for his career. I was a bit and had a look - what Fabregas actually said was that it would be suicidal for his career. DS was very relieved and also learnt that he doesn't always know what the word is! (Phew - sorry for waffle!)

ElenorRigby · 09/09/2008 11:43

DSD is 5 and has been reading books on her own for months now. At school she's a year ahead in her reading.

TeeBee · 10/09/2008 15:41

My 3 year-old reads to himself - more from memory than anything - he only recognises some of the words but enjoys doing it. When DS1 was 4 he read books to himself too - he's 5 now and reads the bedtime stories to his little brother and reads to the 'class' when playing schools. So yes, I think there is no reason why he wouldn't/shouldn't at 6 years old.

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