DD (4) is totally obsessed with reading or learning to read....advice

[simpson]

Hi

Not sure if this is the right place to post so apologies

DD (4) is due to start reception in sept and does come home with reading books from nursery (jolly phonics books which have one word to decode and then you lift the flap to see the picture iyswim).

Anyway she finds these books really easy (although is happy to read them). I have got some reading books from the library which she loves and seems to be reading them pretty well by herself (to me) tbh. The book she read tonight is a yellow stage 3 book (but not ORT - its by an author called Jillian Powell).

Her nursery school (attached to the school she will start in sept) have said she is gifted in reading and comprehension. Although its not a very academic school if that makes sense. IMO her reading is very good but not exceptional but her ability to pick new things up is very quick and she taught herself a lot of the phonic sounds.

My question is what do I do now?? Keep doing what I am doing?? Although am running out of books as some days she will read 5 (and once she has read them a few times she knows them off by heart) or do I speak to the nursery to see if they can give her proper books with a vague/basic story line in them iyswim??

We have exhausted the oxford owl website too as she is not yet ready for the next stage of books.

I have not had a DC so obsessed with wanting to read, it kind of over whelms me (although I know its a good thing!!)

I had the 'oh you must be doing so much with her' too. Which is ridiculous and completely illogical considering she's my second and by the time she was 4yrs I also had a 2yr old. So with 3kids under 6yrs she was in fact getting very little input from me.
By the first term of reception she had devoured the Roald Dahl collection. BUT, as another poster mentioned, once she could read pretty much everything, she lost the enthusiasm. She is exceptionally bright but never does more than she has to. Still a challenge to school though as in reception she was already working at y3 levels in maths.

Anyway, just enjoy her enthusiasm and let her move at her own pace.

She reads on her own as well, though, right? She can spend as much time with her books as she likes? Then no need for her to nag you for reading time - just if she gets stuck or wants help then she will have to wait if you don't have time... Doesn't need to be timetabled, it's just something else she can choose to do in her free time...

She will only read to me and not by herself so it's not like she would just pluck a book off our bookcase and get stuck in. I have to be there to hear her, although actually she is happy to read TO anybody ie my mother, her brother, my brother etc but never by herself. But I guess that will come.

Ah. See, mine were never like that, they just picked up a book and sat down and did their thing.

Has she got a vast stack of books she can get to? We've always had books that were accessible, so it was something that ours always did. They loved to sit down with us as well, but would quite happily just pick up the nearest book and leaf through it.

I'd be just encouraging that tbh. If you are busy and she's nagging, I'd just say 'ooo, have a little look yourself, sweetie' and carry on. Has she grasped that people read silently? That it doesn't have to be 'out loud'?

So she hasn't ever just picked up a book and looked at it?

I wonder if she's so keen on the reading thing because it's shared time then? Rather than wanting to read per se? Just wanting to be with someone and share something?

Not that that's bad, but it's a different thing to picking up books and being frustrated at being stuck, and wanting someone to help? Esp if she has access to books she can read easily on her own?

We have loads of books, I think it's because she wants to show off how good she is tbh, maybe I do need to encourage her reading by herself a bit more and enlist her 6 yr old brother who reads A LOT by himself (although mainly in his room late in the eve before bed) so could ask him to read to himself and as she is desperate to be like him it might work!!!

You might have something on the shared thing tbh, she has seen me do DS's reading for school loads.

But she is happy to play with her alphablocks cards by herself for a short time. Tbh she is NOT great at entertaining herself anyway (whole other story!!!)

She has semi twigged the silent thing, she will blend a new word silently in her head but then say the whole word out loud iyswim.

There is nothing wrong with her wanting to read. If you want to see if she wants to read on her own (without the shared time) I would suggest Letterland. They do books and CDs to go allong with each other so the child basically reads without an adult guiding them.

FWIW, My DS (4.0) can read and write. He can read (and does read adult magazines - I mean not adult magazines but magazines meant for adults ). He loved / loves Letterland.

I would deffo encourage them to sit on the sofa reading silently to themselves whilst you are cooking dinner or whatever... V grown up.

Of course, you do have the issue that once they realise reading silently to themselves is way quicker and more fun, they never want to read to you again.

Pros and cons, pros and cons!

Lol worry, I caught dd2 reading Virginia Woolf at 4. I put paid to that pretty quick. and dh made me put all of my slightly risqué tomes on higher shelves. Apparently a spine which reads 'big black penis' wasn't de rigour for a 4yo.

OP Nursery teacher giving her "Extension work" ? .

I give my DD extension work, if you like, by taking her to the library or choosing from the many, many books we have at home.

I don't see what you are asking, TBH: She is learning to read, at four quite common. Why post on here to ask what you need to do next?

What is wrong with her getting extension work??? If DD wants to do it then there is no problem??

The reason I posted is because I feel that we are running out of basic books to read at the library and wanted suggestions.

Thanks to the people that have been helpful!!!

Madwoman - I nearly spat my drink over my keyboard reading your last post, lol at a 4yr old reading "big black penis"

OP I meant do you really need nursery to be giving her the stuff to do? There is so much you can do at home.

Just did not think it would not hurt tbh, they are the qualified teachers not me.

She gets 2 or 3 little basic books a week from nursery.

Have you looked at Reading Chest? Yes they are scheme books but you can tailor them to her needs or move her on to the next stage by choosing books from the next band up. I would recommend it.

Wanting to read is lovely.
I read at 3, back in the early sixties. I still read avidly, about 3 books a week.

Both dcs read at 4, though ds has not picked up a book since he was 9

I have signed both DC up to reading chest!!!

Thanks for suggestion.

Didn't mean to sound rude earlier ; I know you have an older DS so thought you would know the ropes, so to speak.

No worries!!

DS was 4yrs and 10 days when he started school and had zero interest in reading and it did not click until maybe Easter time of reception (teacher kept saying he was behind in everything) until his reading clicked and he reads all the time but tbh it was the school who taught him not me iyswim.

DD has been reading (ok still fairly basic) since she was 3 and totally loves it, but if she was DS she would have been at full time school by now if that makes sense.

Reading chest looks fab and I went for the silver package so DS can get some books too.

The Usborne Very First Reading set are v. good, and should be available from your local library.

ISBNs should be on here somewhere:
www.usborne.com/veryfirstreading/

NAGC is here:
www.nagcbritain.org.uk/
and on 01908 646433 - they can be very useful.

Go to a different library, you can return them to any in our council.

You can also take out about 25 !!! Thats 75 across three cards, keep you busy for a week or two.

Not sure i understand paying for reading chest, support your library, its free.

Yes agree with last post. I have two DSs and we have done the same with both of them, and the youngest is at least a year ahead of his big brother although he is one year below at school ifswim. DS2 (5 in Rec) is reading more complex book than his big brother (6, in year 1). His teacher is very proud of him and she is supportive without being pushy. He is very confident at school but not bored, not at all.

She has the usbourne first readers (my mother bought them for her). They are fab!!!

Good idea about trying a different library, I can order books from any library in the borough but not helpful if you don't know what you want to order iyswim!!!

Her first 2 books arrived from Reading chest today so she read one straight away!!

I visited a few of ours to look at the different books on offer, the ranges varied considerably, as did the condition.

We also bulk buy at charity shops.

Can never have enough books. I do encourage independent reading though and story telling from the pics. My DD likes to try and change the outcome of the story to suit her!

I have to say she is not great at reading to herself for some reason. I think it's because she likes to be the centre of attention!!!

She loves looking at picture books too and making up stories etc and will do that by herself.