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Reading

20 replies

S999 · 08/04/2010 11:30

Hi there
My DD is 4 in a few weeks. I had a bit of a shock the other day when one of her friends came round, he is about 5 months older than she is and he was reading aboslutely fluently. All of her books: Spot, Maisy, Peppa Pig and quite tricky words as well.

I know DD's pre-school is not teaching them to read. She is due to start reception in September. She does write all her letters and knows all the sounds. She also writes a lot of her friends' names and our names by herself. But to be honest, she doesn't seem to be overly interested in reading. She very much wants to write and draw.

Is this unusual?

Yesterday, I tried to start reading a simple book with her and she does seem to be getting it slowly. Could anyone recommend any good books to teach kids to read? Jolly Phonics or suchlike?

Maybe I am panicking because she gained admission into quite an academic prep school and wondering whether she will be lagging behind. Or do prep schools just start from scratch teaching reading and writing, and assume the pupils all have different ranges in ability at this point?

Thank you

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NoahAndTheWhale · 08/04/2010 11:33

I wouldn't worry. It is unusual to be reading before starting school. There are quite a lot of posters on mumsnet with children who do read before starting school but that does not mean that children are behind if they don't.

As she has gained admission to a prep school, the school will have decided for themselves that they felt she had potential and so if she isn't interested now, don't worry. Much worse would be to force her into it now and for her to think reading is something that isn't fun.

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S999 · 08/04/2010 11:46

Yes you are quite right. Really this boy that came round is quite unusual in her class, don't think anyone else is reading at that level and mind you, he wasn't interested in writing at all.

God, am I going to be like this for the next 15 years?!

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Eglu · 08/04/2010 11:51

Children at that age will often have a thing they are interested in. For this boy it is reading, for your DD it is writing. My DS1 was hugely into numbers at that age but didn't know any letters except the ones in his name.

And, yes you probably will be like that for the next 15 years.

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Shaz10 · 08/04/2010 11:56

Does he have the books at home? Some children are great at remembering!

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S999 · 08/04/2010 11:58

Ha ha, i did think that! My DD does it all the time! To check, I got him to read from a newspaper too! Hope he doesn't tell his parents what a psycho I am!

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lovecheese · 08/04/2010 12:25

good point Shaz10 - I remember my competitive BIL seeing DD2 (about 4 at the time) "reading" a Meg and Mog book and seeing the look of panic on his face as he has a DD the same age whom is always going to be more advanced than mine, naturally.

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lovecheese · 08/04/2010 12:35

Incidentally, could he read the newspaper??

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S999 · 08/04/2010 12:48

oh he could. you know, I've just finished reading a book called Nutureshock on parenting techniques.

Most of the pre-schoolers in US put on the G&T lists are average or below by Year 3. Brains develop at very different rates.

So ha!

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lovecheese · 08/04/2010 14:11

Quite; It is tempting to compare with other children and to get yourself in a state if another child is doing something much better than your own, but as you say early literacy skills are not always sustained through school, and an early reader may well be caught up or overtaken by several of his/her peers by about yr3. Relax.

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Lizcat · 08/04/2010 16:40

My DD is now in year 1 in a fairly academic prep school.
But cut back 18 months to the start of reception and the look of horror on one mothers face that I had not taught DD to read yet. The even greater guilt I developed when I found that 75% of class could already read. But I had always figured that I am not a teacher and may get it wrong trying and do more harm than good.
So back to today and DD has learnt to read just fine and has overtaken a large number of those children who were reading early. I am glad I didn't rush into teaching her and enjoyed her just being a pre-schooler.
The school started from the assumption that no one knew anything and then worked with them each individually to find who knew what.

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Ineedsomesleep · 08/04/2010 16:44

Don't worry and don't force the issue with her.

I didn't teach DS to read or write before he started school at 4.5. He is now in year 1 and is "doing much better than they would expect at the end of year 2" according to the teacher at parent's evening.

There are so many other things you can do with your DD that she can learn from like taking for a walk, looking at flowers in gardens and telling her the names.

Take her to the park and make daisy chains, she will appreciate it much more than being forced to read.

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DreamTeamGirl · 08/04/2010 22:47

My DS was 5 in Feb so started Reception last September. When he started he could read his own name. And nothing else. Now he can read about 60 of the 100 keywords, so he is doing fine. Honestly I wouldn't puswww.mumsnet.com/images/buttons/post_message.gifh it!!

BUT if you are worried then talk to the school and see what they are using and what they suggest so you dont go off on a tangent and they then have to spend the first 3 months unpicking what you have done

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DreamTeamGirl · 08/04/2010 22:48

Sorry no idea what that weird bit of hypertext in the middle there was- was just meant to say, I wouldnt push it

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MintHumbug · 08/04/2010 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittlePushka · 08/04/2010 23:38

LOL at minthumbugs diverse experience with DC! I agree - my DS1 is 3.6 and can read many words - but can barely hold a crayon well enough to make a mark, never mind something that remotely passes for a picture or letter .

They all get there in the end...I also agree not to push an interest at this stage.

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S999 · 09/04/2010 09:58

Hi there, thanks for all your advice and comments.
I have always been a day in the park type mother rather than day at home teaching type! And DD seems to have learnt to write absolutely fine. So reading is just the next stage.
I'm not going to mention it for a while, we read a lot at home, ie. i read to the her and her younger brother so the love of books is there.
I think I will buy the Jolly phonics books and just read a bit before going to bed. nothing heavy.

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Goingspare · 09/04/2010 10:42

My daughter was one of only two children in her reception class who hadn't attended the school nursery, where early reading was promoted. She'd been at a private nursery 3 days per week, having an idyllic time playing, making things, listening to stories and learning basic pre-reading skills. She was one of the only autumn-born children in reception who couldn't read at the beginning of the year and I don't think her teacher was hugely impressed, but she caught up in a few months. Reading is now a big part of her life.

As it happens, her younger sister attended the school nursery, and though as a summer-born child she got a bit frustrated because her reading books didn't have words in for a long time, she also had a happy time (changes at the other place meant that the staff were constantly coming and going, and she had become unsettled) and loves reading now. I don't think the early emphasis on reading helped her much, but neither did it do her any harm. As she's my second, I actually can't remember if she could read at the beginning of reception...

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mummytime · 09/04/2010 11:01

For various reasons my kids all went to different pre-schools/nurseries. My son is a teenager, barely reads but is dyslexic (is reading "A brief history of time" as his school reading book). My middle one went to an academic nursery, is only just really getting into reading at 11. My youngest went to a totally non-academic pre-school and is a fluent reader at 6.

It will all work out!

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LittlePushka · 09/04/2010 23:36

S999 - I was given a copy of the jolly phonics song book with the CD which incorporates the little rhymes for each letter and sound. both my sons love it. Sometimes they put it on themselves and sometimes we "read" the book as the rhymes come on. Its quite fun and seems to work really well - my 2 yo knows letters only either this book or his 3.5yo brother has taught him...I certainly haven't!!!

Its worth a look anyway.

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Joolyjoolyjoo · 09/04/2010 23:42

S999- my lovely lovely preschool nursery has given up teaching schildren to read, as the schools seem to disapprove of it, and the children who CAN read by the time they get to school are largely (IME) ignored in favour of those who can't. It really doesn't seem to give them any great advantage.

My dd has a reading age far beyond her actual age, and, despite much nudging from my dad (I could read at age 2 1/2, apparetly!) I didn't teach her anything that the nursery didn't before she went to school

FWIW, I could read well before I went to school, and was bored rigid for the first couple of years until the other kids caught up. No real advantage. Enjoy your days at the park while you can!!

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