Reading and Writing before starting Reception

[issy123]

Just wondering out of interest how many of your DS's or DD's could read and write before starting school? DS1 starts school in Sept and I have met lots of mums who tell me their children can already read and write. Not worried about DS1 think he will pick it up at school and my own view was that he will have years in education and did not want to start all this too soon.

DS is going to start in Sep (birthday was in July) and he can read and write pretty well.

Don't worry, some may have picked it up already, some not, but once they start school it won't make much difference....

ds could write his name (and not much else) and knew the letters of the alphabet and numbers but couldnt read before he started school. They soon learn though

Agree with CakeBump.

My son was reading fluently before he started nursery (not taught) and my daughter could write her name (only 3 letters) when she started reception.
As a reception teacher it's very rare for a child to start the school where I teach able to read or write.

Recognising his name is useful for coat pegs etc - anything more is up to you. The school will be expecting to teach from scratch.

Thanks CakeBump I did not want him to start school and feel like he is already behind!

DS has just finished yr R and I was nervous about this too, DS knew some letters and his name but nothing else, and he has flown, school taught it all at the right pace for him (they have various groups) and I was glad that I hadn't tried to do it. I didn't know the sounds properly and would have 'taught' it badly, but could usefully support once he was there.

Interestingly, I know lots of parents who claim their DC 'can read'. I would say DS is learning and slowly getting there but he is on a much higher bookband then these other DC. Not saying this to boast but to point out that a parent saying their DC can read could mean anything.

He won't be OP. The teacher will start from the beginning with everyone, then differentiate as different ability levels make themselves known.

I'm a primary school teacher (although year 2) and I won't be pushing mine to do much more than recognise their own name before reception. If they're interested then of course that's great, don't hold them back, but if not, then there's time for all that once they start school imo....

Great DS1 can recognise his name and almost write it with help! He knows some letters, but like Pinkappleby I don't really know what I am doing and would rather support the experts! Thanks for the replies.

DD is starting in sept too and can also read pretty fluently but not taught although we do now practice daily because she wants to iyswim.

The ideas behind what she wants to write are there (she spelt her uncles name Maffew for Matthew the other day) but her letter formation is very poor but this is due to poor pencil grip because she is hypermobile) but not many of her friends can read but some can copy letters/words much better than her.

DD had one girl in her class who could read fluently. One of her friends also was able.

DD could read simple words like her name, cat, car, dog etc but only because she memorised the words, she still had to learn to read phonetically.

Writing: DD learned printed letters at nursery, the school started from scratch with cursive writing, after Easter she was able to write that you could actually read her writing.

I would also question what exactly it means "My child can read and write", it sounds to me like mums boosting "my baby sleeps through" and you discover it means it sleeps from 11-6.

To reassure you my DD (now year 3) started in a reception class with lots of early readers and all she could recognise was her name. Now they are in year 3 it has all evened out and the early readers are no further ahead than those who couldn't read.

I agree with lizcat. Mine could both write their name at the start and knew some of their letters but definitely not the whole alphabet. There were many others way ahead in reception, and both of my DSs were amongst the last to be given a book in reception (ones with one word in them, in about jan/feb in each case). Perhaps best to brace yourself for feeling a bit behind, depending on where you live ( i am in sw london), and remind yourself this is the 10k not the 100m (so to speak). Mine have just finished yr 3 & yr 1, and are in the higher groups for reading/literacy.

Both of them did a huge developmental surge in year 1. I agree with your attitude, but sometimes it can feel like a minority sport just letting them do things in their own time.

Mine started last year could read and write her name and knew most, but not all of the letters and that was it.

There were a few who could "read and write" before they started. It has made little difference. DD is also in the highest group. She is now reading Turquoise which is the same or higher than the early readers.

Yes, as long as they can read their name and ideally write it, they will be fine

Unless, you actually hear them reading, or see their writing, I would take what these mums say with a pinch of salt. There is always the odd one that can; perhaps you have met these accumulation of these odd ones.

DS3 is 5 and just finished reception. This time last year he knew most of the letter sounds but not all and he started reading simple consonant-vowel-consonant words then. He has always been fascinated by letters and words so I let him lead and didn't push him. I deliberately didn't teach him to write but gave him lots of opportunities for fine motor stuff like playdough, sand, drawing etc. I'd tried teaching my older boys to write before school and they learned some bad habits and both have handwriting worthy of a doctor now at 18 and 14. Now he is reading well ahead of his actual age and his handwriting is much better than either of the other boys' at that age! Many of the children in his class started school with no phonic knowledge etc and are doing just fine. The teacher at his school said she likes them to be able to read and write their own name but even that is not expected.

My DD 4 recognises her name and can spell part of it. She is currently "rhyming" everything...... "mummy, rainbow and ruh rhyme, mummy phone and farm rhyme, mummy duh and dog rhyme.... Get the idea how my day goes........

I haven't pushed her in anything, only helped her with some number recognition and counting etc at the preschools request. She doesn't hold a pen very well yet though.

I agree that there is plenty of time for her to be learning these things.

DD2 couldn't read or write before she started school, she was the best reader in her class at 6 and correcting me and DD1

my eldest coukdent read whens he started reception but she could write her name and recognise it. she could count an recognised leters,

my middle dd is sept b day so starting school late she be 5 wondering if should do bit with her.

only 2kids could read out of 45 in dds class

Mine could write her name, knew her letters (mostly) and recognised a few words. We read a lot together and she is a younger sibling so saw dd1 reading - ie reading was very familiar.

Dd can write her own name and other short words. She can read up to level 4. Shes 5 in sept so one of the older ones, which probably makes a difference.

OP I wouldn't worry. It sounds like what your DS can do is fine.

DD recognised a most letters and could read familiar words (i.e. recognise her own name, her brother's name, mummy and daddy).

She could write her name, after a fashion, but no more than that.

She's just finished year 1 on 2cs.

The focus of reception year is developing these basic skills so it isn't really necessary to ensure they can do this before they start. In many cases, parents can teach bad habits (unintentionally) and it can be quite hard unteaching these.

I'm an primary teacher (early years mainly) and it didn't feel necessary to teach her anything before she started.

I only mentioned the 2cs bit to show that even though she entered reception 'behind' some of her peers with very committed parents, it hasn't impacted on her progress at all.