Please reassure me that my slow-to-read Reception child will catch up....

[NormaSnorks]

DS2 is still 4 (August baby).

It's nearly the end of Reception, and he is still struggling with reading. Against national average he is OK (ORT level 3) but compared to his class mates he is at the very bottom.

I am struggling so much with this. We do reading every day. We have all the key words on a board and try to play games with them.
But he just doesn't seem to 'get it' really.

We can read a sentence with a word like 'down' in - he'll struggle, we'll sound it out, say, it, repeat it, read the sentence again etc. And then if it's on the next page again he doesn't recognise it!

My eldest son was such a fluent reader at the same age - we didn't ever really need to 'teach' him.

Will DS2 ever catch up?
Will he be left behind forever?

Should I be doing anything else to help?

I need reassuring stories and noises here please...

[Blu]

It's madness! Children really do not need to be reading in Reception - some do, all well and good, but it means nothing if they are not!
Next people will be feeling anxious that their child is not reading in nursery (just because some do).....

[DrNortherner]

My ds was 5 in April and brings home a mixture of ORT 1+ and 2. It had never occurred to me to think he should be any higher. His teacher has no concerns, neither do I.

He will read THE on one page and not get it on the next and it drives me bonkers! I do not have the patience I should have I feel. He is too busy looking at the pictures and trying to guess the story.

All I am doing is nurturing his love of books and stories. The rest will come when he is ready imo.

[mankyscotslass]

All kids are different...DS is 5, May born boy...war reading in Nursery, DD a december born girl at the same age is not interested, she will be later to read....all kids are different! Can see that clearly in ds reception class, a real mix of those who are and arent reading, and the teacher is not worried...

[handlemecarefully]

I'll read this thread later since I also have a 4 year old (5 in July) Reception child who is not reading yet. So far I have been suppressing any niggling worries and telling myself that she will read when she is ready.

Must confess though - I rarely find time to do much 'coaching' outside school hours with her. Perhaps this is something I ought to work on in summer holidays

(she seems bright in most respects)

[Twiglett]

I'm not well .. please put all the right phrases and words in place in my post ..

I thenk you

[Twiglett]

now wondering what bottom socks are

[Twiglett]

early reading is not a sign of intelligence

I will bet my bottom socks that he isn't at the bottom of his class ... but that you're imaging it

learning to read does not come in an even way but in fits and starts .. something clicks

by the age of 8 children equalise with reading

DS couldn't read till near end of the first term of Year 1 .. he was sounding out phonics but didn't get it .. just didn't .. then suddenly something clicked .. now in last term of year 1 he's ORT 10

he's 4 .. don't push it you'll put him off

[Smithagain]

DD1 is in Reception, her teacher has told me she is one of the best readers and she has only just gone onto level 2. She is a summer birthday as well. Are the rest of your son's classmates highly literate geniuses?!

[fennel]

4 is very young, as everyone says. My dd1 didn't start reading til the summer holiday after reception, she was 5y5m then.
We did buy a few simple books (ORT level 2 and 3) and read them with her over the summer holidays, that might have helped. She started the summer holidays at ORT level 2 (which is really basic) and in September of yr 1 was suddenly at ORT level 6 - it just clicked.

And now at 7 she's a good keen reader, and reads for hours every evening.

[Dottydot]

Yes, ds1 is fantastic with numbers - seems to be able to work out sums in his head that I know I was clueless at at his age. Only today he told me two 10's are 20, which I knew he already knew, so I asked him what two 20's were and he thought about it for a second or two and then said 40. HUGE PROUD EMOTICON!!!!

[francagoestohollywood]

Norma, ds is the same. actually he is even more behind your ds. I veer from feeling very stressed out and rather blase'. When I have bad days I think that if we were somewher else, he'd be still enjoying another two care-free years at nursery school.

[lucykate]

agree with rhubarb, dd is not so interested in reading atm, but loves writing, numbers and drawing

[Rhubarb]

He's only 4!

I think you are trying too hard. Constant pushing on one subject will hinder rather than help. Give him a complete break, read to him by all means but don't ask him to read, then come back to it.

He could be great at numbers you know. Why not focus on the positives rather than the negatives? Pushing him will not do his confidence any good at all.

[lucykate]

my dd was 5 in jan, is on ort level 3. until i read the op it had not occurred to me that she might be behind with her reading, and i still don't think that is the case.

children all develop at different rates, better for a class to all be on different levels and them all going at an individual pace, than some being made to struggle and loose their confidence by being pushed too hard imo.

no-one gets asked on their cv, at what age did you walk?, when did you learn to read?, and when were you potty trained? do they!

[Rhubarb]

My dd spent the first year of her schooling in another country. When we moved here she went in Year 2 hardly able to read. She was waaaaay behind the others. But we started slowly, she came home with very very easy books, just to boost her confidence, then after a term of these we (us as her parents and teachers) eased her up a level and she just went from strength to strength.

I think they key is encouragement, lots of praise and confidence building. Don't compare, it'll just make you anxious and that will pass onto your child.

[katelyle]

My ds is in year 1, and can read practically anything I put in front of him. At Easter, he coudn't read at all. It all came together last half term and he went from non reader to reader in 10 days. Don't worry, keep reading to him and reading in front of him. It will happen. .

[eucalyptus]

ORT level 3 is aimed at Year 1 term 1 as it says here so they are doing fine

[Dottydot]

ds1 is 5.4, in reception and soooooo hasn't got it yet! He's trying to read now, which is a step further forward than a couple of months ago, but he'll work out a word and then will have forgotten it by the next sentence and have to work it out all over again. Most words are done by complete guess work.

I think it's something they 'get' - hopefully it'll click at some point and all fall into place. I'm not stressing - although it's a bit heartbreaking that he's not got 'the sticker' yet on a Thursday - they give out 1 per week to a good reader and he's very aware of the fact that he hasn't had it yet. Last week they had a supply teacher in and she gave reading stickers to all of them - I was really chuffed for him but he was cross because it wasn't the same that they all got one!

[slalomsuki]

ds 2 is 4 (september) and hasn't even started yet!!! so you are well ahead

ds1 is about to finish yr 1 and at the end of reception he was on level 2 of ORT and now 1 year later he is on level 11.

I find it goes in stages and just clicks from time to time and no amount of brow beating will make it happen any faster.

[Roobie]

You've now put some seeds of worry in my head about dd who also finishes reception next month - I thought she was doing OK with her reading but she's only on ORT level 2. Are they meant to get to level 3 or higher by the end of reception then? Seems like your ds is doing fine.

[Ecmo]

my ds is 5 (also an august baby) he is in year one. He was kept back a term as he was so far behind and I dont really think he can recognise any words yet. I read with him every night but he is very stubborn and can and will throw a wobbly if he gets stuck and you try to get him to work words out. He is at the bottom of his class. However all 3 of my others were the same and they have caught up eventually. I just wish they wouldnt have to struggle so much in the first place. So don't worry I think he will catch up quite easily when he puts his mind to it.

[Noellefielding]

my ds is 6 (end of yr 1) and he is starting to get the hang of reading.
Some children (particularly boys so I'm told) just do develop a bit more slowly.
Apparently the best thing to do is to be really positive and not be stressed because the child picks it up.
Easier to say then do of course, I got very stressed out about it but wish I hadn't! I think I made it worse. I'm still trying to be positive and just praise praise praise wherever they are and keep the fun up and keep thinking of new ways to play with words!
Not easy I know but the WORST thing is for the parent to be full of panic - I know that having BEEN a parent full of panic!!!

[Blu]

You have nothing to worry about at all. If your DS is on ORT3 in Reception, he is doing well, IMO.
Don't succumb to pressurising him unless he is really enjoying reading!

[EffiePerine]

A friend of mine didn't learn to read till she was about 9 - went on to get all As at A-level and a good 2:1 . Children develop at really different rates, and it doesn't make much difference later on.

[WendyWeber]

DD1 started Reception in the January, turned 5 in the April, didn't even have books with words in by the end of the year (the school used to use a whole series which just had pictures, the child had to try to tell the story in their own words, it was agonising) - stuttered through basic books in most of Y1 but suddenly got it just about when she turned 6 and never looked back.

HTH