Could your child read before starting Reception?

[imaginaryfriend]

Dd (5 in 2 weeks) has just started Reception and they're learning basic words like 'is' 'it' 'in' etc. My mum said to me on the phone last night that I could read the first stage Ladybird books before I went to school and suggested dd was behind.

To be honest I always thought she was pretty bright. She can recognise and write most letters of the alphabet (slower with numbers) apart from lesser used ones like 'j' but she's nowhere near being able to read words yet. She can write my name, her dad's name and odd words she's written a lot on cards like 'me', 'to' and 'love'.

I'm wondering now if she's actually behind her peers at school. I haven't asked the teacher as it seems kind of wrong to ask about what stage your child is in comparison to the others. I'm not competitive, she'll get there when she's ready, just curious.

so I thought I'd ask you guys instead.

I could read at 3 and a half. I clearly remember pretending I couldn't when I got to reception - I saw other kids hesitating and thought 'that must be the way you're supposed to do it', even though I could read fluently. The teacher soon sussed me out though, and I was allowed to miss out half the reading scheme and go onto the more difficult books.

DD is only 14 months but is already obsessed with books - it'll be interesting to see if she turns out like me. Not sure if I should encourage her or not!

But does early reading matter? So some people's children were reading a large-print glow-through-the-belly copy of Ulysses as a foetus, but so what?

fircone, personally I doubt it. Fine if your child is an early reader, fine if not. Little evidence that I have come across to indicate any significant advantage / disadvantage either way

IF - no, mine couldn't. She recognised her own name and could count, name colours etc. She's now jsut turned 8 with a reading age of 14 so I really wouldn't worry

(did you like how I sneaked my preen in there? )

fircone - I think most developmental research does state that early reading is no indicator to future academic success or future achievemtns. So you are right - early reADING, IN THE ONG RUN, MEANS VERY LITTLE. pRETTY MUCH LIKE ANY EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES.

Ooops -s orry about caps, again!

So parents who do teach their kids to read early do it either because the child is 'asking' to learn (so to speak) or because they want to have a kid who's top of the class? Any other reasons?

I wonder sometimes too if a child who goes to school and is 'best' at something perhaps gets more confidence? That feeling of being 'ahead' while another child who's struggling might lose confidence.

Just trying to understand the ultimate point of teaching a child to read before school.

DS has just started pre-school, reads very fluently (ie Gruffalo/Dr Seuss books etc) and is the only kid reading in his class at all. I was really surprised as he's the only child I have dealings with and I'd sort of assumed it was usual for them to be reading at some level by his age. His teacher is visibly uncomfortable about it, which is really worrying.

We're total book worms and he's copied us and pushed us to read with him so not pushy parent syndrome - honest! Similar reason explains why he is incapable of kicking a football I'd imagine!

[note to self to get out there and kick something pronto]

imaginaryfriend - depending on how old you are, 'Reception' may be something that didn't even exist when you went to school - we went straight into what is the equivalent of Yr1, so your Mum might be thinking of that.

DS certainly could not read before he went into reception.

Meomix - what age is pre-school where you are?

Blu, I don't think we did have Reception. I'm born in May and I started school in the following September after I was 5. So 5 1/2 I think. My mum says I could read the first basic Peter and Jane books but I couldn't write at all, not even my name.

DS is 3.

actually what age is reception in the UK? back in the day we just has form 1-6 or somesuch, I get easily confused with year this and that.

Reception is year they turn 5.

thanks

Although many won't turn 5 until after the summer term in REception has ended. so many go at just 4.

Issy that's exactly what my dd can do too. I'd think that was the average norm wouldn't you?

Like many other posters I could read long before I started school and the teacher complained about it. She refused to beleive that I had finished a reading book in one night, called me a liar and made me take it home again. I used to get 100% in all my spelling tests without even writing the words down to learn them. But I don't think it helped long term. I was also way behind in maths.

My kids didn't learn to read until they got to school. DD was the most advanced because she was very keen - reading by end of reception. DS#1 not really reading until half way through yr 1 and not really fluent until end yr2.

I don't think early reading is an indicator of anything other than early reading iykwim.
dd1 could not read before school (except a few names, common wordss, cvc words), although I think she knew most of the alphabet. Hwr, she clicked with reading in reception, and was a free reader in Year 1. She is midrange in terms of age in her class, but the 'best' reader. I suspect that the rest of the class will catch up sooner than later and in a couple of year's time, there will be little difference between early readers and those who took longer.
I have therefore not taught dd2 to read before she started reception this year, although as she is keen too, I suspect she will pick it up quickly.
Both love and have always loved books.
What I would say is that early reading does give them an advantage - being able to read instructions, able to look things up for themselves etc. dd1 loves scinece and nature, and will happily read fact books, so knows more than her peers about some stuff simply because she has been able to access it...
I reckon a love of reading is the key, and aside from reading to your child, I don't think you can teach that....

No DS1 couldn't read at all when he started in Reception. Infact at the start of yr1 he was still "behind" most of his peers. However he's in yr2 now and doing brilliantly, he's now "above" where he "should" be at the end of yr2

In answer to the OP my DD was four lst month and knows all Recpetion key words and some of year one words. She has been reading since 2.5 and can read quite a few of the ladybird books. reminds me I need to get more.

Despite this thread, I still think that Issy and ImaginaryFriend's daughters are ahead of the norm. Reading and writing a few common words and sounding out simple words is really good for this stage of Reception. Lots of children are still struggling with that in early Y1.

Like IF, I was reading those early Peter and Jane type books when I started school - though I was 4.75 then, as we started as 'rising 5s'. My DSs were both just 4.

I don't think early reading means a great deal except that a child has cracked that code. I taught DS2 because he asked me and because I was interested to see how easy it was to teach a keen 3 year old to read. Turned out to be very easy.

ds1 was reading almost fluently before he started in reception. he was reading roald dahl i think. however ds2 has just started reception and he cant read at all1 depends on the child i think. ds1 was a very 'academic' child and just wanted and needed to learn about stuff. ds2 wasnt like that at all and only had interest for thomas the tank!

Early reading is useful at the time, though, in terms of entertaining yourself and learning things. Not sure that it conveys any long-term advantages. There are certainly other children in DS2's class who can read fluently now, and have been since the start of Y1.

I could read at 4, before I went to school - my mum taught me because I asked to learn.

However, my mil is a headteacher at a girls prep school in London and says the most important thing is for children to be able to get dressed/undressed, put shoes and coat on and know how to put them away etc as that allows the teacher to get on with the job in hand. Some of the nurseries in our area have been asked to stop going too far with their preschool stuff as they have been missing out some of the basics meaning teachers have to start some children all over again. I don't know how that compares with parents teaching their children to read though. Btw as you may have guessed I live in SW London.....