How much should 7yr old be able to read?

[toffeecrisp]

DH has 7yr old daughter from prev marriage and I'm a bit worried about her reading.

She never reads books and we've got loads. She is good at spellings with practice and can read if you help her make the words up etc but it doesn't seem to flow naturally.

I'm not sure at what level she should be at and am a bit worried that she is a bit behind where she should be.

[nell12]

Dont worry too much, all children progress at different speeds and it sounds like you are doing all the right things at home.

Is she on a reading scheme at school? What level is she at?

It will come in time, just keep practising, but dont make too big a deal of it, or she will get put off.

[toffeecrisp]

I don't know about her reading levels. DH's ex isn't too forthcoming with her school reports in case DH critises her.

Thanks for advice

[bozza]

Could you try reading to her. That is always supposed to help. I read to my 7yo DS (well not this week because of bad cough) even though he loves reading just really to widen his horizons - so that he sees that there really is a world of good books beyond Captain Underpants. If you read with her then it might encourage her to have a go on her own.

[cory]

Dd was reading Lord of the Rings at this age- ds had barely got to the stage of putting the letters together into words. Both are completely normal children, just developing at different rates.

[bozza]

You see cory I think DS could read lord of the rings but am a bit less sure about his comprehension and keeping up with the plot - it took me all my time and I was 30 - prganant though so that might explain it.

[toffeecrisp]

Thanks so much

I don't know many people with children the same age hence why I asked on here!

I read to her but know her mother doesn't and she loves nothing more than to cuddle up with a story.

[AbbeyA]

I should keep reading to her, what a shame that her mother doesn't. When she is happy and relaxed with it try reading together-she will do much better if she finds it pleasurable.

[mrz]

Reading together and sharing books is really important. It is also important that children see the important adults in their life reading as it sends the message that reading is something everyone does. There is nothing nicer than cuddling up together with a book it's a social time as much as a learning time.

[VictorianSqualor]

DD is seven and has just surprised DP at how she can pick up a book and read it, at seven I'd expect most children to be able to read common words.
Can you ask her what books she has read lately from school t get an idea of her level to give you a better chance to help her?
DD is on the ORT and if I googled the books names I can see the level (if I needed to find out that way).
We have reading time when DD/DS both just read books (DS is 3 so it's more pictures though!)
I think it's great you want to help her btw.

[uptomyeyes]

When my children reach that point where they could take the leap and become free readers, i let them pick an age relevent book say Michael Morpurgo's Butterfly Lion and we read it together. The child may read a paragraph and then I'll read a few pages to get the story moving along again. Sometimes I'll say oohh I think you'll enjoy reading this bit, if its got their fave charachter in. My DS1 struggled with his reading, but he and DH read the Hobbit together using the method above when he was 7 (yr 2) - he would never have been able to do it alone and he got to spend lovely time with DH and get an understanding that there is more to reading than Biff and Chip. DS2 (6) and I are doing the same with Carries War at the moment.

[cory]

bozza on Sat 21-Jun-08 21:47:44
'You see cory I think DS could read lord of the rings but am a bit less sure about his comprehension and keeping up with the plot - it took me all my time and I was 30 - prganant though so that might explain it.'

Me too, but after I had read the Fellowship of the Ring aloud to her at age six (thinking every evening 'she doesn't understand a word of this, she just likes the sound of me droning on'), dd launched into an unprompted discussion of the author's intention that I thought was pretty damn good. Things like 'I think the reason the fellowship is split up at the end of the first book is because Frodo is the hero, and if he is alone, it makes you feel more sorry for him'. So she had actually been keeping track of all these hobbits and whatnots. Sooner her than me .

Ds on the other hand has the attention span of a triops and is constantly interrupting to be reminded of the previous sentence.

[bozza]

I see your point. DS does tend to look like he is paying no attention - fiddling with his toenails or whatever - but when questioned knows the answers. But I still tend to read more challenging books to him than he reads to himself.

[bozza]

Also toffeecrisp I agree with uptomyeyes at sharing the reading being a good idea. Great though, that she likes you reading to her. Will also help the two of you to bond.

[Romy7]

does she stay at weekends?
maybe your dh could suggest to xp that she brings her school reading/ weekend homework to yours to do, to save xp doing it on a sunday night?

i know my sis and her dh have no idea of his dcs education as xp relationship is not good. i always think it is v sad - it could all work so amicably but so often is v messy.

[lljkk]

Hum, is she y2 or y3? If Y2 I'd say she sounds only a bit below average -- nothing to worry about. What you're already doing sounds good.

If Y3, she sounds far below average, I'd make a big effort on reading w/ her.