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Original poster

When is a child ready for books with words?

30 replies

Mumofcrazy2 · 11/11/2018 22:20

Just that really. I can't really seem to find much info online.
Ds knows his single phonics sounds and a few of the double letter sounds (Can't remember what they are called)I feel he's blending quite well and knows about 10 high frequency words.

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GreenTulips · 11/11/2018 22:21

He'll be learning in the background at school
Some will do them after Christmas

But if you sign up to oxford owl online (it's free but limited) he can listen and follow the words and then play phonic games

Norestformrz · 12/11/2018 06:41

Schools have their own systems for providing reading books. Since the books are there to support learning I'm not sure why they would wait until all the single letter representations have been taught. Once a child can blend the first set of sounds they can apply this skill in suitable decodable texts. Books should match the child's current phonic knowledge and skills.

GreenMeerkat · 12/11/2018 06:42

DD's class have just started bringing books home. She manages them with ease. She turned 5 two weeks ago.

Original poster
Mumofcrazy2 · 12/11/2018 08:11

Thank you for your replies. Ds isn't at school yet (he's 4 this month) but he's obsessed with words and likes to play word games for fun. Just last night he was walking around saying a word, managed to spell it out and then wrote it, no adult input at all. I was just wondering if it was worth buying him a few books.

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GreenMeerkat · 12/11/2018 08:13

If he's keen then I'd definitely encourage him. Maybe have a look at the national curriculum for EYFS and buy him/borrow a couple of books from the reading list. That should give him a head start for reading when he gets to reception.

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Mumofcrazy2 · 12/11/2018 08:24

Thank you GreenMeercat, I do take him to the library every week but our local one doesn't seem to have anything suitable. I'll have a Google later.

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Avebury · 12/11/2018 08:27

The songbirds collection comes up on Book people reduced regularly and those are good for just starting out

Namenic · 12/11/2018 08:48

Avebury - songbirds collection is really good.

motortroll · 12/11/2018 09:02

He's ready now. Find out what the school you want him to go do does a start with those books. No reason to wait if he wants to do it, do it!

My girl is at school and wanted to read before but because she couldn't grasp phonics straight away I just taught her a few words. But now she's frustrated because the stories are boring! I wish I'd persevered with phonics now!

Pigletin · 12/11/2018 09:08

My son is 4.5 in reception. He knows all single and most double sounds so yesterday I decided to check if he can manage a book on his own. I had purchased the Songbird books and he managed two of the Level one's with ease. He only gets one book per week from school and it's the kind I need to read to him. Not sure when he will be getting books he can read by himself from school but I certainly plan to continue going through the songbird books at home. Practice makes easy so just do stuff at home with him if you think he's ready.

Original poster
Mumofcrazy2 · 12/11/2018 09:33

Thank you all.
I'll check out the songbirds books.
I wouldn't want him to loose interest by not providing him with resources to progress but then I wouldn't want to put him off altogether, I suppose if he's not ready for books at least they will be there for when he is ready.

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redcaryellowcar · 12/11/2018 19:50

There aren't many books which lend themselves to these early stages, and some schools take the view that its better that they aren't put off with books that are too tricky. There is a series called dandelion readers which are good as can be decoded (at earlier levels) with just single phonemes. Alternatively I would suggest that you continue to read a lot to him

redcaryellowcar · 12/11/2018 19:54

Sorry posted too soon... that you read a lot to him, and allow him to 'read' the rhyming word eg in a squash and a squeeze, the 'chorus' is often repeated 'wise old man, help me please, my house is a squash and a squeeze' so he could read the squeeze. Also he can probably read most CVc (consonant vowel consonant) words eg bug, pat, Bob, dog, but be careful as a word like car is made up of just two sounds, c and ar (digraph)? I wouldn't worry too much at this stage about having books home, but keep popping to library and read loads to him.

Timefor2 · 12/11/2018 20:20

There’s a first reading library set that has pages where the adult reads and a simple part for the child to read. Your son will only be able to read the first few books in the series but he’ll grow into the older ones - there are books that I imagine will do them into year 1 and beyond. So a good investment. Agree Songbirds are good too.

I also wrote lots of very simple decodable sentences that my DD loved reading (decoding with phonics) when in preschool and not quite ready for most books yet.

SingaporeSlinky · 13/11/2018 19:31

Book People have a great set that my dc also use at school, Oxford Reading Tree - Biff, Chip and Kipper Books. They start at level lilac without words and go up from there.

Original poster
Mumofcrazy2 · 14/11/2018 09:37

Thank you for your suggestions.
I've found some Collins big cat phonics books on Amazon, it's the only ones that show an example of inside. I think he could manage a few of them. I've also ordered a songbirds pack.
I wrote an easy sentence for him yesterday (the fox went to the shop) and just left it to the side. When he noticed it he sat and read it and then asked for another and another! Smile

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FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones · 14/11/2018 09:48

Just have some simple books around - when he's ready he'll just start reading them. You'll also notice him reading when he's out and about e.g. that sign says "stop" that says "bus". Big cat phonics are great as are songbirds. Avoid ORT as he'll do that in school anyway. Don't push reading at this stage whatever you do - be led by him. Have the books available and let him pick them up when he wants to. Jolly phonics and finger phonics are also great. (The jolly phonics magnetic letters are great for the fridge as they have "oo" etc not just single letters).

Original poster
Mumofcrazy2 · 14/11/2018 10:05

He has been pointing words on signs out for quite a while, on Sunday I took him to the local remembrance service and he was picking words out on the service sheet and whispering them Smile. He also went through a stage of wanting the finger phonics books as a bedtime story so I think this is where he's learnt from. He will pick up a pencil and form letters correctly too.
He really baffles us sometimes and he's so chuffed with himself Grin

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FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones · 14/11/2018 10:33

He sounds similar to my eldest, who couldn't wait to get reading. From what you say he sounds ready - what I did was just added a load of readable books to his bookshelf. Sometimes he'd pick a book for me to read to him, sometimes he'd pick a phonics book which he'd read to me. Keeping it relaxed and unpressured has meant that he's always loved reading. Note that he'll probably have to repeat the phonics work in reception but a good teacher will find ways to differentiate so I don't think you should hold him back - just avoid the Oxford Reading Tree books so you don't end up rereading them all!

The kids who are very quick readers tend to sight read so while they have no trouble decoding they are able to read beyond their phonics knowledge if you see what I mean.

AllTakenSoRubbishUsername · 15/11/2018 12:19

We didn't start until the school started reading in Reception, as we didn't want to confuse them with a possible different system. They started on the Biff, Chip and Kipper books - first of all books with pictures, but no words, so they have to work out what is happening, then very very simple words, and progressing from there. Best bits of advice that we found works with ours - never put any screens in their bedroom and have lots of books, also we read to them every night without fail from birth and still do at 8 and 10. Ours are avid readers and writers and above their age in reading, so it worked well for us.

Willow1992 · 15/11/2018 12:49

I like Big Cat Collins pink books, my son who is 4y2m likes them because they do nice non fiction books. Just sentences like 'The cat has fur' which he can read with support on the digraphs and exception words with pictures and diagrams to talk about. There is only so much you can do with fiction books at that level so the stories end up a bit boring!

Hellohah · 15/11/2018 12:51

DS started with books without words, once he could "tell the story" from the pictures, they gave him books with words. I think he got them round about November in reception.

Micke · 15/11/2018 14:58

yes, DS2 who is a determined 'I don't need to read' child has just started getting the books with three word sentences, after a month of no words, then a month of single words.

If you like biff/chip etc. you can buy them for iPad which my kids loved.

April2020mom · 15/11/2018 16:52

I love the little miss and mr men books. My 4 year old girl is currently reading them.

iwantasofa · 15/11/2018 20:21

The best thing is just to read to them regularly from as close to birth as practical. Get picture books with engrossing illustrations and read them together. The Book Trust website has good reviews and advice. I wouldn't just limit it to the graded readers, kids need to develop familiarity with words, books and a wide variety of language from as early as possible.