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Parenting
BubblyToes
member
How old were you when you learned to read?
BubblyToes
member
in Parenting
I think I was around 5.
I need some reassurance that my four year old isn't doomed for a life of failure because he can't read yet.
Kill all my demons and my angels might die too. -Tennessee Williams
You take my ovaries, I take your yarns.
You take my ovaries, I take your yarns.
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Re: How old were you when you learned to read?
my 4 yo can't read! There is one kid in his prek that apparently can but I don't think that's the norm by any stretch.
I think I must have been 5 or 6 (Nov. bday and I wasn't red shirted)? It seems like 1st grade was when we really started to work on *reading*. I don't remember for sure though.
I am thinking the same age as you.
I actually talked to A's preschool teachers on how to get this going. I have no idea on how to teach someone to read.
She is catching on when we spell words now, which is good and bad. "Mommy, what does c-r-a-z-y spell and why is gma R c-r-a-z-y?"
I read going into Kindergarten, so not quite 5 (I have a September birthday and the cutoff was later).
That said, I wouldn't say my 5 1/2 year old is a confident reader right now. But, as far as his classmates, he's right where he needs to be. Knows his sight words, can sound things out when he tries. He's just not fluid about it.
Yours will be fine.
I was 5 almost 6. My brother was 4. I love reading and read alot to this day. Plus I was an A/B honor roll student in the gifted/college prep classes, etc. Whereas my brother was a D/C student, hates to read, paid me to do his homework (and I am 5 years younger btw) and to this day he doesn't like reading and barely even reads articles in magazines.
So I don't think earlier is necessarily better, I mean I don't think my example of my brother and me is standard either, but I wouldn't sweat it.
DD was 5 years 1 month when she learned to read and this past 6 weeks she was put in the highest reading group "C" (college).
I don't remember when I learned to read but I remember having a hard time in language arts (writing) and spelling but I caught up and surpassed my peers in 4-5th grade.
Not a clue. Yet, strange, I do know how to read. This ranks up there with talking for me -- it's just one of those things that WILL come. Really, it will.
Well, unless of course, you are my friend T that graduated high school w/out being able to read. But I think that's not the norm.
He is not. I have spent the past two weeks meeting with educators and learning experts to confirm this after being told that DD needed to be held back in pre-k by her pre-k teachers because she struggles in this area (and only in this area). They all agree that there is a wide range of normal for this, it means nothing long term for IQ, and that she will do fine in kinder. I learned to read at 6.5 years, probably a year after the kids in the private school I went to.
I did order hooked on phonics pre-k for DD. She was resistant to being taught by me, but she loves this program. It has a bunch of different exercises you do with them around letters, like you do some workbook stuff, then color the letter, then finger paint the letter, then think of words that begin with the letter, then make the letter out of something like cherrios or celery, then sing songs with the letter (DVD led), then play an online game with the letter, ect. It takes about 30 minutes each session, but you are constantly changing what you do, so it is fun. She is proud at the end. You can get 50% off coupons on Slickdeals.com
I think I could read small words - more like memorized than reading - when I entered kinder at 5 yrs.
DS had a hard time learning to read. He wasn't really reading until 1st grade, 6 yrs old. But he caught up just fine, in 3rd grade his reading level is on point, he doesn't stutter over words when reading aloud and his teacher says his comprehension is better than most his age.
David "BD" 2/8/07 Spencer 9/12/11Why do you laugh? Like you said, some kids are more into it, some are not...
Sorry did not mean for that to come off snotty. DD is an early reader she started at right before 4 and has not stopped since. I don't laugh at her love for reading or that she is good at it, I laugh at the fact that so many parents think that because their kid is an early reader they are so bright or going to be the next einstien. I think like everything else kids learn at different paces and reading is the same. I more laugh at the snub attitude I see about early readers. I am pretty sure DS will not be an early reader he is just not into things that DD was, he is 2.5 and every color is yellow DD knew her letters by that age. He is however really good at all things physical and rides a bike at his age better than DD does now. Reading is great I am a huge reader and my kindle is my best friend, but I am not worried about what age a child learns to read, I am more worried about instilling in my children a love for books and learning.
That makes more sense!
I have learned that you can't force learning or an interest to learn something. I can spend months trying to teach DS something he isn't interested in vs waiting until he expresses an interest and him getting it in minutes.
I could not agree with you more. DD was and is into reading, DS is more active so might not be. I am okay with that, he is an in his own time kid to, and to be honest with you I see things in DS that make me think he is probably going to be smarter than DD even though I am sure he will read or do anything academic later than she did.
I started reading just before 4. I was into it, and apparently mostly taught myself. I've always read above my peers, and that's good and bad. Good, because being a good reader is positive, of course. Bad because I often read things that were probably too mature for me, but things that were age appropriate just didn't hold my attention.
Jackson really has very little interest in reading right now. About a year ago, he was into it, but it waned and I didn't push it. I figure he'll get back into it at some point soon and we'll go from there. He's actually much more into simple math, so we'll see if he ever really gets into reading the way I did. I kind of doubt he will, honestly.
I can also agree that my DS1 learned academics skills much slower that DD. DD knew her colors before age 2; DS was 3 when he learned these. DD learned the alphabet & her numbers faster than DS. DS1 still has trouble counting to 10. DD was 3.75 when she could write her name. DS can't write any letters (DD seemed to learn this out of the blue) so he still has a chance. to learn at the same time..he is starting to make straight lines. DS1 learned how to ride a bike earlier, he is pretty amazing at figuring out how to get something out of reach, he learned computer skills faster), etc. Different kids do things at different rates and boys (overall) seem a bit slower on the academic stuff.
DD has always been in memorizing and learning things. DS1 has always been much more content to play and run wild : ) He likes for me to read him a book but never more than 1 at a time.
I can't even remember. I know it wasn't at 4. I was a reading teacher and I read a book or two a week.
Reading at 3 or 4 is not an indicator of future academic success. Kids who are pushed into stuff really young can also burn out early. DS isn't reading, I am not concerned in the least. I don't want him to lose his love of learning because I rammed reading down his throat before kindergarten.
DS - December 2006
DD - December 2008
Honestly, this post is just bizarre. I love you Bubs, but c'mon- you can't possibly be stressing about a 4 y/o not reading, can you?
I don't really know when I started reading, but I imagine I was 5-6-7 years old. I do recall struggling with it at first, then in 2nd grade something just "clicked" and I went from hating reading to devouring every single Nancy Drew, Little House and Ramona book I could find, lol.
My dh was reading at 4 but as an adult he NEVER reads for pleasure. He reads instruction manuals and short bits in magazines, but he's never been one to actually enjoy reading.
Ds started reading right around 6 (due to birthday cut-offs he's an old kindergartner, started school 8 weeks before his 6th birthday) and he's still nowhere near a fluent reader, but he is making very steady progress.
I would have said the same thing 3 weeks ago, but when DD's teachers suggested I hold her back in pre-k because she doesn't get letters (doesn't really try to either), I had to do a lot of research to get to the point where I believe they are wrong. Not that I wouldn't hold her back if she is still doesn't know letters at the end of kindergarten, if that is what she needs, I am not opposed to holding back for legitimate reasons, but I know now that at 4.75 that is not a good reason, if a child is otherwise developing at a regular pace.
Ah, the joys of parenting!
Ditto Cleo. Are we really supposed to worry that our 4yo aren't reading? DS knew all of his uppercase and lowercase letters by the time he was 18 months, and he's still not reading. I'm pretty confident he won't learn until he's in kindergarten, hell, first grade even, but I'm really not worried.
I want him to develop a love of reading, and I'm happy that he seems to be on that path. I have a friend who discourages her DS from reading books she thinks are too easy for him (he's 4!). I want reading ot be only fun at this point. We just started reading chapter books this month, but he still likes to pull out the old baby books too.
so she doesn't recognize letters? that's a bit different than not reading. she may fall behind in kindie these days. kindie is what first grade was for us. may fall behind if she cannot recognize letters. not to say she's not developing properly b/c I think it's redonk that we're pushing 5y/os the way we are now... but she may find kindie stressful. ???
but I agree... why should we stress about 4 y/os not reading? don't push it. you'll make him resent it and hate it.
I remember reading exercises in 1st grade. like the *** and jane books. so I was by 6. dd read her first book to us a month shy of her 5th bday. she was recognizing the letters at age 2. she was just into it.. .drawing? forget it. but reading, yeah. ds is the opposite. fine motor, drawing, building , yeah... reading ... eh. he's 3.5y/o and knows most letters, but gets many mixed up or just says "a" if he doesn't know it. not worried. most will start to read somewhere between 4 and 6. but as others' have said, it's no predictor of future success.
damn we're gonna have some stressed out school kids and anxious future young adults. and we're not making them any smarter. we're pushing them to read and write younger and younger... but then when they get to h.s. we don't make them write... here, fill in a bubble. our education system is so backwards.
Thanks. I imagine all kids in Kindie find some aspect of it stressful. I have had her evaluated by education experts, as well as, the school she will be attending. They have no concerns.
I did not go to kindergarten. I started 1st grade a few months before I turned 6. (This was back in the 70s.) I did not have any problems, and I was one of the best readers/spellers/writers.
My son is almost 5. He can only recognize some small words--and I mean small. Like the words on, the, go. He was just evaluated because of prior speech issues, and they said he is more than ready for kindergarten and that he is "a smart boy."
Don't worry.
When a child can read at the age of 4, why is it assumed reading is being crammed down their throat?
If you introduce things to your children and they show interest in those things, why not continue to expose them? They have to be introduced first.
Children are much more capable than most people think. I do not get the mentality of letting kids be kids and not pushing them to their fullest potential. Learning can be fun if you make it that way. You don't need to use flashcards and drill them daily and learning has everything to do with being a kid. I am seriously starting to wonder what if anything some kids are even being taught.
Gosh, you caught me. I just let him sit in a corner with his finger up his nose and hope that he teaches himself calculus.
DS - December 2006
DD - December 2008
I think pretty early. And DS started reading a little after he turned three. Let me tell you: genius he is NOT. lol. And we didn't teach him to read -- in fact, as a former teacher, I thought teaching him would probably not go very well. So we just do a lot of high interest reading and we "pretended" books are the most fascinating thing on the planet. Aside from that, he has always loved letters, reading and writing -- no fricking clue why.
The funny thing is -- he hides his ability to read in school. No idea why. And it's fine, I certainly wouldn't force him.
Even though I was an early reader, I am a complete dumbass in a number of academic areas. And DH was a late reader and is amazing with numbers and geography.
I think this all depends on what you define "pushing them to their fullest potential" as. When I hear that, at least for a really young kid, I see a stagemom-ish parent sitting down and drilling a 3 year old with flashcards. I'm guessing you mean something more along the lines of encouraging them in the areas that they naturally excel at or are interested in. I just don't think you need to push a 3 or 4 year old into anything.
Annelise 3.22.2007 Norah 10.24.2009 Amelia 8.7.2011
I was 6 and in 1st grade. I think that is pretty typical for our generation. Noah can not read, but knows 50 or so sight words. he can sorta sound words out and can read words in isolation. Give him a book and that is a whole other ball game. We work with him a ton and he plays lots of reading games on the computer and itouch, like reader rabbit. His downfall is fine motor skills. He is just starting to write his name.