Early reader/gifted reader?

[Warrick1]

Hmmm? How to write this without sounding first world/smug/awful? I will stick to the facts as far I can see them. My son was very standard in terms of his development milestones (walking/using a spoon etc) except that he both talked very early (quickly developed a very large, very mature vocabulary) and that he read very early (2 yrs old) and didn’t stop. Now he is nearly 4 (next week) and can read incredibly fluently. I am a teacher (but not early years) so know a little bit that reading before school is not unusual but also not common. However, what I’m trying to gauge (and think about what to do with the little man) is whether having a reading age (decoding - just reading a list of increasingly longer, more complex words) of 11 yrs old (according to a range of tests we've slipped him that we usually give my older kids at school) at 4 yrs of age and being able to pass the KS1 (for 7 yr olds) reading SAT (comprehension) comfortably at 4 yrs of age is in the sort of “nice one top of your class” camp or whether, as I suspect, it might be “nice one top of the the class two/three years older than you are” camp. The bit we are really thinking about is that both me and his dad were unashamedly nerdy (Firsts from Oxford, Harvard PhD) but neither of us could do much more than write our names and letters before we started our (state) schools. We don’t really want advice about “let him get on with it”, “round him out” or “don’t push him/make him weird” as we are both a bit nerdy/weird ourselves (‘18th century Flemish woodcuts’ is the current bed side reading) and know that it takes all types of people to make a world and don’t mind at all if he goes down the really nerdy nerdy route. What we really want to know is what fiction to give a boy of this age who can read beyond his years? His maths and writing are similar but that is easier to deal with as we just find him the next thing to work out/story to do. Also, has anyone had a similar child and how did your state school deal with him (just to make clear - we have no intention of telling school)? GParents are pushing for prep schools but I can’t see what the strictly academic advantages would be for the money? Has anyone “upyeared” their child in the state system? Good/bad consequences in the long run? When did you do it? Just one year? Two? I know, I know - it’s not a problem - but we just love seeing this little “hoover” so excited about learning (will read for an hour instead of faff about on the IPAD - by choice) and are wondering how best to keep him buzzing about it all for as long as poss. Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.

Could be. Maybe a sneaky way of being able to show progression.

Classic children’s books and factual books would be called for I think (to avoid him reading anything age inappropriate). You really do have to tell the school though, it’s not like they won’t figure it out eventually anyway.

Would also caution ahead skipping. All the people I knew who were skipped ahead were fine but they probably could have benefitted from being amongst peers with similar emotional development. Most of them did fine or good academically but just aren’t quite right iykwim. Either they have trouble socialising full stop or they go overboard, risky sexual behaviour in particular seems a common trait. Obviously it’s not the same in all cases but why take the risk?

My friends DD is like this with reading but is well rounded. Fairly sure that by 4/5 she was on to Roald Dahl, the younger Michael Morpurgo's perhaps?

And yes, go down the Peter Pan etc route, perhaps even Narnia?

My son could read fluently on reception - he teacher used to use him to read to the class, where he took it upon himself to then ask the class questions about their comprehension of the story! Now in year 2. he’s carried on being top of the class - and helpfully they stream children so he is with his most able peers.

We have struggled to get him to read unless he can choose the book and read in his head, so we’ve encouraged that at home and let school work with him on the required set texts.

Thank you everyone for all the posts. He turned 4 10 days ago so we are thinking about school applications for reception 2019 - hence all the handwringing. We are thinking about a very small primary near us where R,1&2 are in a class altogether so hopefully they might be able to move him onto another table or give him another sheet if he needed it without it making it weird that he was doing older work. I think the music lessons would be great - he sings for England and likes my guitar - ukulele perhaps? Plus if he had a couple a week it might get him out of the odd bit in class hes already grasped. It’s lovely to hear other people’s experiences. I hear what someone said about the maths - easier to extend in class in literacy as you can always write more/read more/try something more complex but maths is much more structured in class so we are trying to do tons of drawing, pattern making and writing rather than fuel his maths. As others have said what really gets me is their memory. I know they haven’t exactly got jobs and bills and to do lists like adults but I am staggered by how precise his powers of recall are - both events and general facts/spellings for eg. The other day we forgot the shopping list and he just told me what we had said as we wrote it down in the kitchen. In school I don’t mind him having to be bored - it’s good creative thinking time! It’s more that his level at the mo is so far beyond what you’d expect that I’m (like that other lady experienced) worried they will just miss it because you wouldn’t think to ask a child to read/write etc like that. His nursery manager just changed and the new lady said that he didn’t seem interested in the Phonics cards she had yet but that he still had all year to get the basics - this is no criticism of her - it’s just possibly symptomatic of where expectations are and how he’s moved way beyond them. Anyway we’ll see how it goes. Thanks again.

I think it's so great to be able to read fluently, and also has comprehension as well. That's is fantastic. There's no limit for him to learn what he wants, whatever his interest takes him.

OP, from what you've said, it would be top of the class if he were 2 years (50%) older.
Have a look at Gifted Education - what I wished I knew sooner and also
Levels of giftedness - info here and here
acceleration - here and here
highly / exceptionally gifted children here and here

Our experience was exactly the sa me as catkind so i think it is about showing progress. We ploughed through the phonics thinking they would eventually realise dd was past redoing that, but no. We hadnt covered the few sight words so needed to do that but otherwise. Despite really good comprehension she is not ready for some of the harder books. So there would have been no benefit to progressing quicker in yr r. Seems convenient too that suddenly levels are assessed just before reports etc
At a larger school one advantage is that there are more kids so more advanced ones.

OP, it is interesting that you have decided to hold back on the maths side. I took the opposite view of: If dd can learn maths why not let her? I am not saying one approach is right or wrong. However I did think, if she is going to be good at something she needs to learn it, rather like I would expect a footballer or tennis player to have spent years in childhood building up muscles.

Dd could also read when she started school. I think she read "Whinnie the Witch" which went from picture books to chapter books.

DS wasn’t an early reader (preferred to be read to) but by the middle of yr1 was free reading and had overtaken all of the early readers in his year. By yr6 his reading age was 16+. He was a dinosaur geek from your son’s age and would drive me nuts asking the names of dinosaurs then repeating them over and over. He was given a great many books on dinosaurs and I really believe that the only reason he learnt to read was so he could devour all these books.
We were advised by his nursery teacher to look at a selective primary school (private) where he thrived. He was surrounded by like minded children. He has continued in selective education and although tries to ‘dumb down’ he still does well academically without much effort. He is happy in his skin and ‘fits in’. Interestingly his peer group still refer to him as the clever one. He is also a keen sportsman so is not classified as a geek.
He loved the ‘How to train your dragon ‘ series and anything about mythology.
Harry Potter didn’t pique his interest early on and he preferred the films. We are in the teenage years at the moment and reading isn’t cool. I’ve tried introducing some more adult titles but it’s a struggle. The years of reading well into the night have paid off as he is top set for English and loves the subject.
Being able in English is a real advantage during secondary school. The ability to knock out an essay in all subjects is important. I just wish his handwriting was better, however as he frequently points out to me it is no worse than some of his teachers!

Reading your threat I, too, would have suggested finding a small school that teaches R/1 and 2 jointly, so he has dc in his class who are closer to his level until some of the others in his year have caught up or at least got closer to his level. If you have time to spend together at home, and you have the education, the sky is the limit what you can discuss and learn together. DD has her nerdy sides, too. She is 6 and we have sat through adult lectures on Elizabeth1 and she picked up and retained lots of detail. At 4, we had been to see Buckingham Palace and she read the adult guide book about the history of kings and queens living at the palace, and since she can place most of them in sequence and connect them with major historical events. We had many philosophical discussions, too. She loves exploring ethical dilemmas. She loves the final HP books the most of the series, was fascinated by Harry's death, and his decision to return to his friends and to fight, rather than to be united with his parents. She loved the HPotter play script as she always had been fascinated by Draco Malfoy and had longed for some redemption of his character and begs to watch the play. I don't really know how much deeper anyone would go into these type of books at any age while keeping it fun, not turning it into research. Some dc, if it is 'their thing', they can just run with something and age just becomes a number. But I doubt that any school will make too many allowances. They will make him work his way up the reading scheme, (and an academic prep would do that, too, my dd attends one) and he might even find the odd book on the schemes interesting. It'll teach him perseverance. Would GP help with boarding school once he gets older? He might enjoy a place like Winchester, and a boarding prep like Pilgrims or Horrid Hill for years 7 and 8, or slightly younger? Or could you move to somewhere like Oxford with MCS?

And OP, you are right, music does get them out of class. DD misses about 4 lessons of English and/or maths a week as she has tuition on 3 instruments (including voice) and further ensemble practise. I first was worried she would miss too much but it seems to work well and keeps her focused. She started with one instrument in R and kept adding them on.

OP, I was accelerated by 2 years. Looking back it was the worst of all worlds. The work still wasn't a stretch so I remained
bored, and didn't internalise any kind of work ethic. And socially and emotionally it was an unmitigated disaster. I took 2 years out between A levels and university but was still socially unready for uni and ill at ease at 18.

I would have been very happy at your school for Hermione Graingers, but it doesn't exist. In the real world I tend to think the least worst option for an out of sync child is to focus on social and emotional literacy at school in the early years, and create space at home for delving into the nerdier enthusiasms. Mixed age group clubs like Scouting are good once they're a bit older. Music or sports, to give a social connection point outside academic interests, are well worth encouraging if he has any spark of enthusiasm. Also plenty of opportunities to try things that don't come easily and foster the skills of perseverance, and how to fail and get back up again (a much harder lesson in your 20s or 30s...).

Academically, I don't know the answer. In a small school it is most unlikely there will be an age peer operating as far ahead as your son. But that would probably be the same in a large primary too. Going up a year might work fine socially for your DS as he is autumn born but there is likely to be systemic reluctance.

Unlike your son my DS is just bog standard run of the mill bright. Even so, he currently refuses to engage with the maths activities in Yr R because apparently "it's for babies". The teacher has yet to twig he can do even the necessary basics required for Year R numeracy but isn't worried because he's got the whole year to master it (sound familiar?). So if that is an issue for a regular bright child, of whom there will be at least a few in every classroom, you are right to be wary of your much more able son flying below the radar, and of possible disengagement. But I think all you can do is watch and wait and respond to whatever happens, and support him to manage his feelings about school as best you can. I'm sorry if that's a gloomy message.

In terms of books, my DS (also 4) isn't an early reader so we don't have that problem, but he's a good listener with a wide vocabulary and we've had similar content-related issues with selecting age appropriate chapter books to read aloud. (He will listen to a chapter book in a single sitting if we have the stamina, which is a whole other problem!). DS recommends Roald Dahl, The Magic Faraway Tree and its sequels (I overcame my Enid Blyton aversion), the Carbonel series by Barbara Sleigh, the "Jolley Rogers" books, Dave Pigeon, E Nesbit's "Five Children and It", Swallows and Amazons, and the Jo Simmons Pip Street mysteries, all of which have been fine as regards content (and he's quite a sensitive child). School have got the measure of his interests and helped him pick some good ones from the library, for reading aloud at home, which is nice. The story dice mentioned upthread are great, too - someone gave DS a set last Christmas and it was a surprise hit. And he dearly loves an Usborne factual lift the flap book, or one of the DK Eyewitness series, if it chimes with a current interest.

Personally I would be careful about small school/small class sizes. DS went to a small one form entry school, and struggled socially as there were few children 'like him', ie. a bit geeky and advanced for their age. He struggled with children being very boisterous and not wanting to play his way (building stuff, constructing, reading, playing chess, etc).

He is now in a large secondary school and has made loads of friends who have similar interests. I also think that a large school may have a larger 'pool' of G&T pupils so the staff is more used to dealing with the more able kids.

My jaw has hit the floor in reading your posts warrick1. Considering you are a teacher and ‘nerdy’ Oxford graduate, why are you asking for suggestions in stretching your ‘Little Man’ further. A crass boast if there ever was one.

No idea if OP is still here but Aesop's fables was my suggestion.

I was considered bright (but hopefully not nerdy!)..skipped a year too. But family circumstance fell apart in my teens, so my educational path was cut unexpectedly short. We did not have this level of frenzied interest in what we could or could not do. My eldest is now at a prestigious uni, but was very much a late starter, and has pretty much sailed through school without undue frenzy or pressure. Our youngest had a lot of health issues, spent a lot of time in and out of hospital, and was late to speak due to hearing problems. However once she had her ears fixed, she came on incredibly quickly, and left infant school far ahead of her peers. She is assessed as being gifted, but having seen the success of her (supposedly non-gifted) sister, and their different strengths and weaknesses at play, I honestly think there is far too much obsession over what kids do these days. They have always read or not read..what they pleased, I have never steered them one way or another, at any age. Just let them be children for a while, autonomous in how they learn.. and play! They have years ahead to be hard core students.

I'd go for a range of books, and not worry too much about it. Let him enjoy reading. My 5yo happily switched between Danny the Champion of the World and Oi Dog this weekend. Picture books often have clues and interesting things to spot.

I see you said you don't want advice about rounding him out because you're happy to have a nerd. That's great, but just be aware that a wider range of interests might help socially and mentally. I'm guessing you want him to grow to happy over growing up a genius. Music and playing in the dirt and making mud pies are the things that really matter at this age. Sure, follow their interests and encourage a love of reading, but pushing for him to develop his reading at this stage sounds unnecessary?

I was the same, and while I did do English to MA and have been quite successful I'm not a genius. Readings just my thing.

I was kept in my year and did well, I think if I was up a year I would have been mid top which would've annoyed me. Also you don't want to be 16 as your mates are turning 18 and leaving you behind

For schools, just speak to them. When choosing schools ask how they would handle it. Don't think it will get missed - you will be able to talk to the teachers to make sure he's getting the right support.
You might be surprised at how he gets on- my son loves school even when learning stuff he already knows.

I was an advanced reader. I was reading newspapers by the age of three. This was 40+ years ago mind.

Reading and creative writing were my only skills. I'd have hate to have been moved up just for those abilities - as I was rubbish at maths and most other subjects.

I was a one trick pony.

By the end of primary I was still good, but my classmates had caught up.

I remained a mediocre student in all other areas and was middle of the top set material (English) at comp.

There's no doubt I excelled in one area during my early years. I was still very immature in other areas and moving me up would have made this harder.

Just wait. By all means 'stretch' your son (my parents didn't really bother with education so I'd be the one 'stretching' by reading lots of different library books).

Above all, let him enjoy the fun of childhood.

I’m a now recently retired infant teacher of nearly 40 years, please don’t put him up a year. Encourage his love of reading, fiction, non fiction, anything and everything he wants to read.
Encourage the arts, sciences, join clubs, play sports, but don’t push for an acceleration in school.
All of my own children were fluent readers before hey went to school, one could play simple tunes from memory on the piano, one had a photographic memory, one was a whizz at maths. But they were little boys, they were playing with children of the same age at school, they developed physically and emotionally at more or less the same time as their peers.
All will level out with their peers most likely over the next 13 years of schooling and if they are constantly a year ahead, it means they are too young really for higher education.
I was very proud of their early achievements and continued progress ( now late 20’s and 30’s)
But as an infant teacher I was proud of all my students progress. A good reception teacher will nurture and build on your sons fabulous start.

Ps the son who was a whizz at maths( understood place value at 3) had levelled out with his peers by year 7 and did not choose a career in maths! The early pianist plays music as a hobby but not as a career and the one with the photographic memory works in the tv industry but behind the camera not in front memorising lines!
You and your son sound lovely by the way, please don’t take anything I’ve said as criticism.