Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

5 year old reading level

55 replies

Whatatado · 19/01/2018 20:28

DS’s school seem happy with his reading, he is actually “reading” rather than spelling out and decoding books like the example attached. (Pretty basic but he’s only 5!)

MIL (retired teacher) is constantly on about it. Saying her class (and DH!) was much more advanced and reading more complex books at that age. She is convinced he should be reading chapter books.

She blames the fact we live in the countryside and believes expectations would be higher if we’d stayed in a city! She has offered to come over every Saturday morning to give him “intensive one-to-one catch up lessons”.

I feel a bit overwhelmed by her concern. Please tell me if this reading level is similar to that of your Reception child.

5 year old reading level
OP posts:
FullSpoon · 19/01/2018 20:31

That's perfectly fine for a reception child.

TractorTedTed · 19/01/2018 20:32

Perfectly fine. He's doing well Smile

headintheproverbial · 19/01/2018 20:33

My reception aged DS is quite near the top of his class and he's not reading chapter books. At least one of his peers is mind you.

He's still getting the odd Biff, Chip and Kipper book but the ones with 20 or so pages and 3-4 lines of text per page. However I know that there are plenty others in his class at the same sort of stage as your son. I'd say it's entirely within range!

Your MIL sounds a bit hysterical.

Quartz2208 · 19/01/2018 20:35

Reading is not a race, as adults most of us have a similar reading level. Understanding what you are reading and context is far more important

He is fine and where he should be for a reception level child

Didiplanthis · 19/01/2018 21:04

My ds is 5 nearly 6 in yr 1. He is one of the more advanced readers in his class and is no where near reading chapter books ! My dd is 8 and would prefer not too. Dd was a very able reader and was pushed too fast by school resulting in complete loss of confidence and enjoyment of reading. Her friends who were MUCH slower are now more confident readers who read for pleasure. Ignore your mother in law. She sounds bonkers !!

thepatchworkcat · 19/01/2018 21:06

That’s fine, my 5 year old is on the Biff, Chip and Kipper ones too. Ignore MIL.

thepatchworkcat · 19/01/2018 21:06

And we’re in a city, not sure what that’s got to do with anything Confused

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 19/01/2018 21:08

You’re mother in law is bonkers. Ignore her.

If he can sound out simple words and sentences using the sounds usually taught in Reception, he’s doing fine. Very few children will be reading chapter books at this stage. Even in schools in the city or with very good reading results.

blueCanvas · 19/01/2018 21:09

this is fine for a reception child.

MissT84 · 19/01/2018 21:11

is he reception or yr1???

for 5yrs I think he's doing just fine.

My dc is yr 1 and the teacher says they do NOT rush through books and levels as it is more important for the children to understand and real fluently rather tha just blending letters/sounds and reeling off words. The children in my dc class have to read the books 3 times before it will be changed. we have to read, ask questions,, discuss the story and pictures and make sure the dc actually understand what is being read.

eg.... Why is floppy tired?
What does miserable mean? Can you think of another word for miserable?
Why is kipper miserable?
What could we do to make kipper happy again?

AdidasGirl · 19/01/2018 21:13

Mine has just finished level 10 on the Oxford reading tree.

Swirlingasong · 19/01/2018 21:17

It's absolutely fine. If your MiL is retired it is likely she was teaching at the time I was in reception. I did read chapter books at five. I was definitely not normal (I am now distinctly normal) so I think your MiL is a bit mistaken in her memories of times gone by. Oh, and I lived rurally too. Definitely don't inflict extra classes on him every Saturday!

LemonysSnicket · 19/01/2018 21:24

I could read by the age of 3... but even I didn’t read chapter books in reception Hmm

Ellieboolou27 · 19/01/2018 21:41

My dd who's 5 (summer born) and in yr1 is reading at a similar level to your ds.

She has chapter books read to her at night, few chapters each night, currently horrid Henry Blush, she loved the twits too.

I'm a book worm but didn't read chapter books until I was 9 or 10.

MIL needs to enjoy spending time with him rather than intensive reading sessions as unless she makes it super fun he'll get bored and dread seeing Nan Grin

catkind · 19/01/2018 23:40

That book concerns me a little. It doesn't look like it comes from a decodable reading scheme. In decodable schemes the books with that few words on a page would normally also have short, easily decoded words. By the time words like miserable come up there would also be a lot more to the text, longer sentences etc.

You say he isn't decoding - but can he if he needs to? That's the most important thing at this stage. If he can reliably decode words like "tired" and "miserable" then he's doing brilliantly for reception (but I'd wonder why they don't give him books with more words on the page). If he's learning them by memorising or guessing from the first letter and the picture etc, I would be concerned about the teaching. They should be giving him books with words he can decode.

Norestformrz · 20/01/2018 06:54

The book would concern me too. It definitely isn't a decodable reading book and like catkind I would be wondering if he has the skills and knowledge to tackle unfamiliar words (or even miserable) in a different context. The books encourage rote reciting from memory and I'm afraid lots of guessing which could be the reason you say he isn't decoding and appears to be reading.
Mother in Law is talking nonsense about city and countryside schools having different expectations (they both follow the same EYFS curriculum) and I honestly doubt that every five year old in her class could tackle chapter books (or want to) most simply don't have the stamina to read at great length even if they have the skills.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 20/01/2018 08:14

In my sons year one group there is no one reading chapter books at the moment.

SpaghettiAlphabetti · 20/01/2018 08:19

Your MIL sounds like my Mum who is always saying 'DD isn't as clever as you were' (obviously I think she is a genius) before inserting a completely made up claim such as 'you were reading War and Peace at 3'.

I think time distorts memories.

Afreshcuppateaplease · 20/01/2018 08:21

Ds2 was the first in his year to move to chapter books and that was at the start of year 2

Dd is 4 in reception and on stage 2

Roomba · 20/01/2018 08:38

DS2 (5) has just gone onto stage 6 of the Oxford reading tree books, but he's Y1. I hear a lot of Biff Chip and Kipper still! I just checked his old reading diary after reading your OP, and he was not at the stage your DS was at this point in reception. Your DS is doing really well, honestly. From my own experience:

  • DS1 was a very able and voracious reader from starting school. One of the more advanced readers in his class.
  • DS2 is 5 (in Y1) and is one of the more advanced readers in his class too (further ahead than DS1 was at this stage, slightly).
  • When I was 5, my teacher told my mum I was 'The best reader I've ever taught'. I was reading pretty fluently, silently rather than aloud at this age (shame I'm not now Stephen Hawking!).

None of us were reading chapter books at this age!

Your MIL is either misremembering, or had a class full of genius children Grin

My childhood best friend is a well known author. She could barely read a word until she was almost 9 and suddenly 'got it'. Please don't worry.

Roomba · 20/01/2018 08:44

Also, yes, it's not a fully decodable book. I've seen loads of MN threads where people are surprised schools use these and urge parents to complain about it to schools. I asked a question about it at school and was basically told 'Yes, all books should be fully decodable. But we have to use the books we have or we wouldn't have enough for everyone to have one book a week let alone two'. And my kid's school isn't particularly deprived of funds and books compared to many.

earlylifecrisis · 20/01/2018 08:46

My DD is the best reader in her reception class and she is on Orange (stage 6?) - not chapter books at all.
Most children are reading red and yellow books which it looks like your DS is reading there. Your MIL is misremembering!

Shimmershimmerandshine · 20/01/2018 08:49

Oh take no notice of her. My dd is 6 and in year 1, her reading is well behind where her sisters was at the same age (who is 8 and ploughs through spooks books...!). But y'know they are all different, dd2 is actually cleverer in many ways than dd1 so as long as she's meeting expectations in reading they can't all be advanced readers can they? FWIW dd1 didn't read chapter books in reception or year 1 either so I reckon MIL is talking nonsense anyway.

mumof2sarah · 20/01/2018 08:56

You're son is doing wonderful for his age. Those books are perfect for him. Right now he has to learn to enjoy reading and not feel pushed into it where he will start to not enjoy it.

MIL is probably thinking she's helping but she won't be. Reading expectations and practice has changed dramatically over the last few years and is more focused on Read,Write,Inc and phonics work. Perhaps just explain to MIL that you appreciate the fact she wants to help but that you're more than happy to leave him working at the pace he is as he's happy doing it and enjoying the reading as it is. Also speak to class teacher and ask how he's doing with his reading they will reassure you OP,

wonderingagain21 · 20/01/2018 09:04

Your MIL is bonkers. I work in school & your child is doing fine. One of my DC was by far the best reader in her reception class & she didn't get onto chapters until midway through year 1. None of her peers were reading chapter books for another year after that so your MIL's memory is definitely off.

Swipe left for the next trending thread