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Education

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how well can your five year old read?

58 replies

Kelly1978 · 22/02/2006 16:42

I'm just wonderign as I think my dd may be quite far behind. She is recognising a few words now and spelling out words, but still can't read much at all. I missed the parents evening and so I'm still waiting to speak to the teacher.

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Twiglett · 22/02/2006 16:45

supposedly the average age children begin to read is 6 .. we put false expectations on our children expecting them to read so early

Rhubarb · 22/02/2006 16:46

Mine is 5.5. She attends a French school and they haven't begun to read yet. Their policy is to create a love of books and reading in children first, so that they actually want to read. When she is 6 they will start teaching them.

We teach her a little at home using the BBC website which is very good. She knows a few words and sounds now. No doubt she would be behind in England, but I don't care!

Mistymoo · 22/02/2006 16:46

My ds reads really well but he is a genius

They all learn at different rates but it is hard not to compare isn

Mistymoo · 22/02/2006 16:46

My ds reads really well but he is a genius

They all learn at different rates but it is hard not to compare isn

muma3 · 22/02/2006 16:47

my dd2 is 5 in july . i thought she was behind. have moved her school for other reasons and have found out that she isnt that behind as i thought.
she can read :
mum red
dad up
cat the
dog bed
you
see
book
look
at
i
am
go
to
few more but yswim the basics really
hth

cupcakes · 22/02/2006 16:47

My ds is 5 and in y1 and reading has clicked with him quite recently - he can now read Harry and the Dinosaur books by himself but a few months ago he was the same as your dd. What year is she? If she is reception they will still be learning the basics.

Twiglett · 22/02/2006 16:47

mistymoo .. I think that's a really dumb thing to post on a thread like this to be honest

Mistymoo · 22/02/2006 16:48

Sorry about that ....

it's meant to say

"it's really hard not to compare isn't it"

motherinferior · 22/02/2006 16:49

She sounds fine to me, honestly. DD1 is five and can only do very slightly more, and is apparently doing 'very well'.

cupcakes · 22/02/2006 16:49

And also it isn't so much about recognising words as learning how to read them. She may not have a long list of words she knows right now but once she has gained confidence in the technique of how to read her reading vocabulary will multiply overnight.

foxinsocks · 22/02/2006 16:50

is she reception or yr1?

I think in reception the whole emphasis is more on getting all the letters and sounds right and the emphasis on reading comes in yr1.

It's very hard at age 5 because some children will be fluent and some will not be able to read at all yet both would still be considered fine.

Mistymoo · 22/02/2006 16:51

I am very sorry didn't mean to offend.

I don't really know how to rate his reading to be honest. I know that he reads well and works out words himself very well.

I don't think we should worry too much about their reading at this age as they are all different and have different abilities. I wouldn't worry about her being too far behind until you speak to the teacher.

charliecat · 22/02/2006 16:52

help
in
the
then
they
i
am
she
dad
mum
and about 20 other simple 3 lettered words. Once they have got it thoguh they never lose it and the words just get longer and longer, dont worry

BettySpaghetti · 22/02/2006 16:52

kelly1978 - in reception DDs reading progression , to me, seemed slow and painful but somewhere (after she started year 1 ) she seemed to turn a corner. Almost overnight she improved dramatically, it was really strange.

Hopefully your DD will reach that point soon (DD was just 6 I think when she saw the light! )

Rhubarb · 22/02/2006 16:53

Don't fret and don't compare. Every child is different and learn at different rates, that's how it should be. Just because one child cannot read at 5 and another can read a book by himself is no indication of how they will be in another 5 years time.

Let them be children! They learn more if they want to learn, if you push them they'll rebel.

Enjoy them whilst they are this age.

Kelly1978 · 22/02/2006 16:53

she is in year one. Some of her friends seem to be reading well independantly which is what was worrying me. I'd say her abilities were similar to muma3's dd.

No offence taken, mm!

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puddle · 22/02/2006 16:54

Agree with foxinsocks - my ds is in year 1 and there is a reception child in his reading group (he is in the top set too). But equally there are children in his class who are still at a very basic level. Both are normal. If your dd is beginning to sound out words then she's got the concept of it - so I wouldn't worry.

Rhubarb · 22/02/2006 16:54

And just for the record, my dd compared to what others have written on here, is behind. She's 5.5. But I really don't give a flying toss! She'll learn in her own good time with gentle encouragement and plenty of praise!

Twiglett · 22/02/2006 16:59

the important thing is I suppose whether she's learning the building blocks of the letter sounds and learns to blend

Rhubarb · 22/02/2006 17:00

BBC website schools have brilliant learning tools for this, including blend sounds and just about everything!

katetee · 22/02/2006 17:00

i work in a year 1 class and was reading with them at the end of lunchtime over the past few days. The ability varies tremendously. Some read very well and can work out words they don't know, others are on picture books with no text.

Twiglett · 22/02/2006 17:00

sorry misty .. I came over all harsh and censorious there

Kelly1978 · 22/02/2006 17:09

It does sound now as if I am worryng about nothing. she is recognising sounds and working out small words so she must be doing ok. I don't really want to push her, as it seems to be quite hard for her to concentrate for twenty mins a day as it is! I might just get some of the jolly phonics stuff for her to have at home.

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Mistymoo · 22/02/2006 17:11

No probs Twiglet.

Probably wasn't the right thing to say, I could see your point. I also hit the post button too early

Kelly1978 · 22/02/2006 17:13

well I know dd isn't a genius, so if only geniuses are supposed to read this early then that actually makes me feel better.

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