At what age did your DCs learn to spell their first words?

[HowAnnoying]

Just that really, trying to work out if DS1 is ahead, behind or average!

Depends. DS1 has been able to write his name since three. He has good phonic knowlege and can spell (by writing and sometimes out loud, iykwim?) cvc and ccvc and cvcc words now that he is four. he knows a few blends and can use those and can recognise high frequency words, but wouldnt be able to spell those HF words if that makes sense? I think he is pretty normal for a 4yr old.

How old is your DS?

Well my dd just turned 5 and can usually tell you what letter a word starts with but certainly couldn't spell anything and I think she's very normal for her age (as did her preschool teacher and an ECE friend!)

We are in Canada though perhaps we are all backwards here

Do they teach reading phonetically in Canada?

Around age 3, just 3 or 4 letter words.

It isn't really a measure of how ahead, behind, intelligent a child is. It's usually more a measure of how interested that child is and how much adult input he/she has had.

I would say your DS has a really good grasp of some of the basics which should stand him in good stead when he starts school if he hasn't already. It is just as important that he can follow a story through pictures, making predictions, offering opinions and describing what he can see.

Some children whizz at the beginnig and then lose interest and others are very slow to start because they find it boring but really whizz when they realised how powerful reading is.

A lot of countries don't bother trying to teach reading until age 6+ which means that more of them are able to concentrate and progress more quickly. I think this is a much better idea having worked with children who have been put off for life by being forced to try to learn too early.

DS has just turned, I taught him to spell his name (4 letters) about 4 or 5 months ago, now he can spell quite a few 3 and 4 letter words. But saying it not writing it, and I'm not doing it phonetically, do you think I should do, will it confuse him when he starts school?

turned 3 that should say!

thank Al1son, I don't force him, as soon as he loses interest I drop it. I try and make it into a game. I just worry because neither me or my DP are academic, but a few people have told me they think DS is bright so I dont want him to lose any potential he may have because his parents are badly educated!

You really need to use phonics TBH. Otherwise he is just memorising what you are telling him, rather than working it out for himself.

Use the 40 odd phonics sounds, and then he will be able to apply those sounds to any word he wants to read or spell.

Why does it matter?

He'll spend most of his school life learning to spell words, why start before school? Just let him play.

my son was reading simple 3 letter words by the time he started nursery school at 3 1/2. He's now 5 (and a bit) and is currently reading books like the Flat Stanley and Secret Seven series by himself. He will begin P1 in August (we're in Scotland so this is the equivilent of Reception) where they will focus on Jolly Phonics and teaching letter sounds and shapes. I am told that the vast majority of children beginning P1 will be at the stage where they will recognise their own names and perhaps a few other words, but that is it. They certainly wouldn't be reading whole books and when they do start reading books it would be phonic books without any words which cannot be "sounded out/blended" in the basic way.

I have a 4 year old and I have no idea what Houseofcrazy is talking about. I think i'm not pushy interested enough .

I agree with Hulababy, but would add that unless you know all the phonics properly yourself don't try to teach your DS, if you teach them wrong you'll only confuse him more (saying "bah" for the letter 'b' for example).

Don't worry about him so much, he's not going to miss out just because you and his dad aren't academic. Just encourage his confidence, security and happiness and you'll give him the best start in life.

C = consonant
V = vowel

CVC = cat, dog

CCVC = stop, drip

CVCC = back, pink

HTH

6
we home educate so he was able to defer learning to read and write until he was ready / wanted to
he is 7 now and i would say his spelling has progressed a lot in the past year, with very little (well in fact i think NO) teaching of correct spelling, just by practising reading and writing through normal activities, he has improved a lot

It can happen at any time between 3 and 7, I've read.

(which is the rationale behind starting teaching to read at 7, when practically all children will be ready. But some are ready at 3).

Thank you Al1son. I feel a tutorial coming on for DD1 tomorrow .

Oi! Niggle! I am NOT pushy!! He did it himself. think alphablocks etc. He is just that kinda kid! DS2 is going the same way - he is three and recognises his name and can write the letter it stars with. No where near DS1 but bless him, he tries to catch his brother!

TBH I think kids learn at their own pace, like someone said it is anytime between 3 and 7.

I think a lot of the boys wanting to read and write comes from me and DH always being surrounded by books and reading to them LOADS ( at one stage I would be stuck on the couch reading 20+ books at a time!!GAHHHHHHHHH!!! Drove me mental!)

My dd has just turned 3. She can write and sound letters. I haven't taught her and am not teaching her as I know she'll be taught a different way at school. But she has picked it up just through reading. Can write her name and read simple words.

Knew Pixie would be here...