Reading fluently at 4yrs and starting Reception soon

[apsmum]

DS is 4 yrs old and can read fluently. He can also count to 300 and can do basic addition. I went on teaching him as he seems to thoroughly enjoy it. He is starting Reception in Sept 2006, where he is not expected to know much more than 4 to 5 letter words and only basic numbers at the end of the year. I am worried that he will get bored and lose interest in school. Any ideas as to how I can keep his little mind occupied and challenged?

I'm no expert but I would say that teh school experience is about so much more than reading, writing and sums, that you've got a while at least before he gets bored. Reception seems to be very much about social skills - learning to play together, take turns etc, learning empathy for your peers; then its about learning about the world around us - something from which each child can learn according to their ability - if he has an inquisitive mind he will ask intelligent questions, he'll have the opportunity to write and draw about what they are learning - again he'll be able to do this at his own level; and its about using words and drawing as tools to express ideas. ime it's only when they start concentrating more on actual writing and on sums and counting that you might find he get bored, and that doesn;t really happen much til year one. My advice would be to encourage inquisitiveness (is that a made up word?) - it's such a valuable tool, for being able to learn, and for being able to learn at your own level.

I am sure they will find ways of keeping him interested and engaged. They will do some form of assessment in the first weeks to assess capabilities and where they are at at all 5 areas of the foundation for learning. So they may get your DS focusing on other areas that he is less adept at, in addition to continuing with his literacy and numeracy.

There will be lots more useful advice here, I'm sure, but DS2 (5 in August) was in a similar position to your son when he started last September.

Firstly, there is a lot of play, creative activity and topic work in Reception, so your son might find all these fun and interesting. Mine did.

There is also a huge social aspect to Reception - learning behaviour codes in school, becoming more responsible for oneself, etc - and DS2 has learned all that this year as well.

Secondly, as far as reading goes, most schools are quite happy to put able readers on books suitable for their level - DS2 has been reading Y2 books since September and is now choosing what he wants to from home/school/library.

As far as maths goes, I've not been convinced that my son has learned much this year, but I just carry on teaching him concepts, either incidentally as we notice things or by computer games etc. There is lots of real life stuff you can do with money etc. Reader Rabbit is a good series, and your son can work as many years ahead as he wants.

Do talk to your son's teacher about what he can do. I had told DS2's teacher he could read, but I think a lot of parents say that, and it took her a few weeks to discover what I meant.

She has been quite flexible about his abilities, and, though I haven't been completely satisfied he's been challenged in all areas at school, he's certainly had a great time and learned lots of things. He has recently begun to say he is bored sometimes, but I'm not sure how true that is.

Sorry for long essay, but hth.

also they have a huge amount of free time in reception - with carefully selected/rotated things to play with - excellent for learning through "play" - for kids at all levels - the cleverer ones get a huge amount out of this. Out of interest what kind of things can your ds read?

My dd (now 6) was similar - especially with reading - and I would echo what the others said.
She had a lot of fun in reception. It did take a few weeks for them to really understand that she really could read - but I kept sending in her chapter books in the book bag and they soon realised. Dd flourished in reception and turned in to a happy confident school girl. Her social skills came on in leaps and bounds. Perhaps she didn't learn much more academically than she would have learnt at home but there is so much more to learn at that age.

There's a lovely boy in ds1's class who was able to read well in nursery and was, of course, way ahead of the others in Reception. The school responded really well - got him the year 1/2 Oxford reading Tree books which the teachers read with him just as they read the Reception ones with the other children, they made sure that his library book each week was a good meaty one, and he has progressed well and not been bored. What's nice is that the others kids are not aware of any difference - X reads one book, ds1 reads another, there's no competition as far as they are concerned. (Obv, the mothers can't help the occasional check to see what level their child is on, but that's another thread! )

thanks a ton everyone! I'll look for the Reader Rabbit book, singersgirl. thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat, ds reads everything right from signs on public transport to all of Mr Men books and books abt Dinosaurs, solar system, etc. He read about a page from Harry Potter and the philospher's stone becasue he wanted the whole story! I have never tired to 'get' him to read. Its seems more like a hobby.

Its just that he is my only and I have no idea as to what kids his age do. I was a bit concerned when the showed me reception curriculm and thouhgt he'd get bored.

didnt mean to list out ds's reding habits....just the mum in me doing all that....

Apsmum, the Reader Rabbit series are CD-Roms for the computer - DS1 really enjoyed some of them.

"where he is not expected to know much more than 4 to 5 letter words and only basic numbers at the end of the year."

who says>

anyway you may find that altho he can read etc thatt here are ltos fo things he CANT dot hat weil wear him out so his progree my slow
like socialise, change fo pe, art, take turns
s reception is more abotut all thta than academic achievement adn LONG may it last

thankyou again singersgirl. Hello Poisson, its the Reception culrriculm that I was shown that says what it does. I just want to make school a very happy and exiciting experience for ds, especially as my own experience with school was one of boredom and disssatisfaction.