Reading and writing at this age?

Rita - posted on 01/27/2011

Just remember all kids are different. Make learning fun. If by the time they are in second or third grade they are still not reading well then you can see if there is a problem. I sometimes feel like I pushed my daughter too hard because I wanted her to read by the time she was four. I later found out she has dyslexia. She is in third grade now and is reading great. She doesn't enjoy reading like I do, but I try to get her books that interest her. Just let them work at their own pace.

Amanda - posted on 01/26/2011

don't compare your kids to other kids, as everyone learns at a different pace. While my 4 year old knows her ABCs and can count to 100, she struggles with holding the pencil or pen the correct way, so she doesn't write much. And reading, she knows what certain words are, but she couldn't pick up a book and read it word for word. Just keep encouraging her mom!!!!

Frances - posted on 01/26/2011

Please don't worry about how your daughter is doing in comparison to other childen. The most important thing at this stage is that she is enjoying what she is doing. She needs to learn little more at this stage than to love learning. Then the rest of her school life will be a breeze!

Jeni - posted on 01/25/2011

My son's still in prek and he does read some words (he can handle a Bob book with a little help) but writing is still difficult. He doesn't have the fine motor skills to write really well, although I have seen a vast improvement in the past couple of months. This is still a time when kids are very much at their own pace. I've been told that by the time they're in second or third grade things pretty much even out and all the kids fall within the same small range.

Jennifer - posted on 01/25/2011

PS- There are general learning expectations, but different kids are focusing on different skills at different times. Some kids have awesome social skills at four and some are still screaming and biting. Some have advanced large motor skills or are in an art phase. Sometimes it helps to just let them develop whatever skill has their enthusiasm at the moment. If our kids don't know how to read in kindergarten, the teacher will take care of it then.

Jennifer - posted on 01/25/2011

I agree with Tania (the teacher).My 4 year old can spell his name (also does a mirror image which is kind of weird). He knows some of his letters and can recognize a few words (things like Hot Wheels- it is not the same as reading). I didn't even know the alphabet at the beginning of kindergarten, and was done reading the 2nd grade reader a few months into grade 1. I don't think you need to worry unless your child actually falls behind.

My daughter was in French immersion and couldn't read in either language at the end of grade 2. I spent roughly an hour with her over the summer, realized she didn't know the sounds each letter makes and she was doing better than her peers in grade 3. You want to help your kids, but not push them past their capabilities. Otherwise you end up with kids that think they will never be good enough for you to love.

Lauren - posted on 01/25/2011

@Kerri DeLuca - Don't at all feel like you're doing your daughter a disservice by working full time. I work full time and would stay home in a heartbeat if I could, but in no way does this reflect on my son because I choose not to let it. I grew up with parents who were both gone at work from 7 am - 6 pm, and I grew up taking all honors classes, in the top percentiles from grade school through college. And my son is very smart (and can only read some words) even though I'm not at home everyday to work with him. I personally feel that time is precious, and while I'd love to stay home with him, I simply can't right now, so I make the most of the time I have when I am there. I talk to him the same way I talk to adults (long sentences, big words), and gently correct his grammar when he isn't sure how to say something. I completely understand how difficult it is to feel like the world is pushing kids to learn and do faster and faster, but we need to remember that they're just kids. As long as they're showing improvement, there's nothing to worry about. And each kid learns at their own pace. We're all caring parents or we wouldn't be on this site in the first place, so just rest assured knowing you love your children and continue teaching them to appreciate learning and keep trying when faced with a challenge!

Wendy - posted on 01/25/2011

My son who has ASD(Autism) in a mild form. Taught himself his alphabet at age 2.5 and his numbers up to 16 in one summer. As for reading he's now learning the sounds letters make and I'm trying to teach him how to sound out words. He's beginning to write now too and he's showing interest in writing.

Toni - posted on 01/24/2011

My boy is 4, and he recognizes all of his letters, numbers to 30, then he gets a little confused, and he is starting to recognize words also. He is not perfect at any of it. I think that it is fine, and I say not to worry unless she goes to school, and the teacher says worry. :)

Tania - posted on 01/24/2011

As a CT certified Teacher I can reassure you that it is perfectly normal. Your child should be able to read his/her name and maybe some words as well. But not perfectly. At this age he/she should be able to write his/her name in awkward letters. Your child is right on track. Reading and writing will be perfected in Kindergarten. Even then writing doesn't start to become more understandable until first grade. Chill your child will grow perfectly at his/her own pace.

Kerri - posted on 01/24/2011

My daughter will be 5 in May and she can't read. She can recoginze numbers and letters and write her name. She has been able to read a few words in the Fish book by Dr. Seuss. She has a friend who is 4 months older then her and he is a boy and has been reading since he was almost 4 years old. It totally amazes me and makes me wonder if since I work full time and his mother stays at home does that make a difference. I mean I can't spend the day tecahing my daughter to read but I always worried that working is jeopordizing my three children and their learning skills. My three year old can't read and is in speech and has difficulty with words all together. That other mother watches children all day and probably takes more time to teach her kids to read. Then I worry if I teach my children to read now won't they be bored in school where some kindergardners are still learning and then my child will goof off and not listen because they are bored. I guess we all need to know what the norm is for our children now adays. I mean you see ads on TV and children at the age of 18 months reading. I mean is that normal.... is society pushing are kids too much. then again whats wrong with pushing them?

Jennifer - posted on 01/23/2011

i think you are asking a bit much of your almost 5yr old... at this age their recognition and cognitive skills are still developing as well as their pencil grip... to be reading and writing fluently is a big ask, they are just getting ready for formal learning... my son is heading off to school mid 2011 and can write his name legibly, recognise his numbers and letters, sounds and some phonic blends... aside from all this he understands so much it astounds me that my 4yo is so clever and an active learner...

Jamie - posted on 01/21/2011

Kayla can now read her school books just needs help on the harder words, it helps if you sound the words out, shes on her second set of keywords before the others inher class, and if you writea sentence like as such " the cat sat on the mat" which we did today the she will sound it all out and get the sentencex

Ashita - posted on 01/19/2011

my son too goes to kindergarten... he knows all the letters & numbers but cannot read Words per Se. They have their interests & will learn more things very soon, as their grasping power is really high.

Mandy - posted on 01/14/2011

I think there can be a wide range of abilities at this age. Once they start kindergarten, they'll keep on improving. When my son went to kindergarten, he had classmates that didn't know all of their abc's where my son was reading short stories.