DD will start year 2 next week and her reading and writing is still quite poor.

[sandyballs]

For instance she wrote a card to her daddy yesterday and put "Dear Dabby, lost of love."
As for reading, she hasn't gone near a book all summer hols, despite my pleading and bribing, and even if she did she would probably umm and aah over the word "and", whilst I rolled my eyes and tried to stay calm. Her end of year 1 report in July seemed pretty good, so I can't understand it. I don't think she's daft, just not that interested in this kind of stuff, more physical.

She is 6.5. Is that quite "normal", what are your 6 year olds like? It doesn't help that her twin sister has always got her nose in a book, can read quite difficult words, and her writing is fab. I try not to compare but it's hard. Just want to know which of them is the more usual 6 year old.

[dustystar]

It took dd a while to get into books and this worried me as i was always a bookworm. At 6.5 I had to push her to read but now at 8.5 she's always reading and aften has several books on the go. If the school are happy with her progress then that suggests she capable enough when she puts her mind to it.

[aloha]

I think b for d at 6 is really normal. It's the sort of thing my stepdaughter would have written at that age. She also didn't really read at all at six or seven. She is now 16 and reads all the time.

[Peachy]

IME with mine year 2 is the year that most kids tend to even out (or if not, get the extra help) so I wouldnt worry too much . Give her a few months, if you're still concerned make an appointment to chat with her teachers.

[LIZS]

I think there are plenty in dd's class at the same stage tbh. Reversals are not uncommon and she is out fo practice.

[thirtysomething]

my dd of the same age is pretty similar. She has just seemed to totally need a break from reading etc over the summer, and her reading is less advanced than my DS's was at the same age. she often muddles words up too when writing. Her report was fine and according to her teacher she is bright (i'e' not dyslexic, as all kids at her school are deemed bright unless they have special educational neds it seems to me- not right at all). But she seems perfectly average for her class and we are in an area full of pushy middle-class parents (myself probably included). Your DD sounds well within the normal range to me.

[battlestar]

ds2 who is just six s like this. he cant tell his b's from his d's either.
none of my kids are interested in t books. i am a bookworm. none of my kids go near books, unless corporal punishment is enacted.

[ambercat]

Sounds very like my dd,(who was 6 in july) she will only read with alot of persuasion and still struggles with "easy" words.She also writes Babby for Daddy!

Ds is a year older and was exactly the same at her age but came on leaps and bounds in y2 espcially with his reading, he has read a horrid henry book alone this summer which i thought would never happen!

Your dd sounds fine to me

[seeker]

My bright (11+ passing, level 5 scoring) 11 year old dd was still writing "dear dabby" at the end of year 4 - we've got the Father's day card to prove it!

My 6.5 year old has still not quite cracked reading and his writing is pretty hit or miss. Interestingly, he writes far less flurntly and willingly than his big sister does - but his spelling is much better and he never reverses letters. They are all different - and Year 2 is, I think, where things start to come together for a lot of them. If the school's happy then I wouldn't worry.

[constancereader]

I taught year 2 for years and I would say that your dd sounds normal. Remember that in some countries your daughter would only now be beginning to study a more formal reading and writing curriculum. Children often come on a great deal during this year. B and d confusion is so common, don't worry. Her teacher should have some strategies to help!

[HuwEdwards]

DD's reading (same age) is actually not bad, but from the reaction I get when I try to get her to read, you would think I was asking her to safety-pin her eyelids together and eat dog faeces.

Love reading meself.

[Issy]

DD1 is 6.5 and just about to start Year 2. Thanks to Daisy Bl**dy Meadows her reading has just started to take off over the summer and she has been reading a chapter a day of the Rainbow Fairies (only another 75 formulaeic stories to go) with real fluency. At this age progress tends to come in fits and starts so my guess is that DD1's quite sudden jump in reading speed, stamina and expression will be it for a while. Her writing is definitely not 'fab', although noticeably better at school where she is concentrating more.

[christywhisty]

My Ds (11) didn't really take off until Year 2 either. He caught up all the kids reading fluently in reception, got mainly 3's for his year 2 sats and . He hated reading at that age, and still not keen to read novels, much more interested in non fiction.He does have problems with writing but still managed 5's for everything except writing for his Sats.

[Clary]

Oh sandyballs, my DD (also starting yr 2) is a pretty good writer I would say, but she frequently muddles letters round (eg gilr for girl, flet for felt) even tho her spelling (in tests) is very good. I wouldn't worry about that at all.

She loves reading tho. But DS1 didn't and still at 8 doesn't. Really hard to get him reading anything.

(issy lol at Rainbow Faires - we aare on no 15 now I think )

[Clary]

sorry sandyballs, meant to say that your DD sounds fine as others say, that writing thing is totally normal, and enthusiasm for reading will probably come in the next year or so. DS1 not a helpful example now I reread my post.

[mummydoc]

sandyballs - my dd1 is goging into yr 3 next week and is still poor at speelling and reading , has had extra help in yr 2 which made her progress and her report was very good, but she reall yis only interested in sport/physical type play/activities and when i suggest she reads a book she usually says "why" , we are all talented in different ways , we don't expect adults to all be the same level at all thngs ( otherwise all dhs would be premier league footballers) . your dd sounds lovely as she is.

[Dinosaur]

My DS2 is just about to go into Year 2 and his writing is appalling. It was the same story with DS1 and his writing has improved a lot, particularly over the past year (he's now 8).

[scienceteacher]

My DD started Year 2 with no reading or writing (we had just moved from the US). She was in the top group in her class by half-term, and has beautiful handwriting.

Some kids are ready at different times, and it's important to keep in mind that most of the rest of the world doesn't start school proper until our Year 2.