Reading

CoffeeQueen · Guru

RE: Reading

CoffeeQueen · Guru

happylib wrote:

E is sounding out letters and can read some words. She has an interest and will ask, so we do it then. We read to her a bunch. At this age I am more concerned that she develops a love for reading.

FWIW, reading is not just being able to decode letters and recognize words. Story plot, sequencing, vocabulary, and so many other things go into reading that even though a child may not be looking at words on a page and pronouncing them, they may still be learning reading. Each child develops various areas at different times, just like anything else. (I am not saying those that are reading are not doing this too, just that there are many aspects to "reading".)

Here it is pretty standard to start reading in kinder. Also from the testing I have had to do with kids, generally around age 5 kids are considered emergent readers, which means that they are on cusp of being able to read independently. Some of the things that they will look for in kinder screening are:

does the child hold the book in the correct position (not upside,etc.)
Can the child tell which is text and which is print?
Does the child follow the left to right progression in reading?
Can the child point to a word?

That is what I can remember off the top of my head. I am sure some of the others here that teach little ones can better fill in the blanks. But if your little one is doing those things (which obviously some are way beyond this), then they are most likely sitting pretty for kinder.

yeah, I think that is why in the preschool here they do not call it reading, but learning to decode.

Michele · Senior Member

Lauren can read quite well. It is not something we work with her on at all. She was reading 2-3 word phrases around 2.5-3 yo and by 3.5 - 4 yo she could read full stories with help once in awhile on more difficult words like "beautiful".

She reads books to Anna now and it is so cute to watch them sit together and read.

Cuppycake · Guru

Not exactly, lol. I think she's really close, and just waiting for that lightbulb moment.

She knows a few sight words, and she knows all the sounds that the letters make, so I'm definately not worried about it.

Sometimes she'll "read" words, but I'm not sure if she's actually sounding them out, or just sounding out the first letter and guessing from the context of the story/pictures. For example, I was going through the dvr and she said, "That says "Delete this show?" but I think it was more that she knew the word on the screen started with a D, and she knew I was deleting programs, so she just assumed. But, anyways, I'm not concerned about it - although I'm glad this was asked because as we approach her kindergarten testing, I was curious to know what other kids were doing.

Here, there is a LOT of focus on sight words, that I don't think should really be sight words. I'd rather she learned how to read from sounding out everything that she can, so I feel like she's right on schedule for learning to read when she's ready.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Cuppycake wrote:

Not exactly, lol. I think she's really close, and just waiting for that lightbulb moment.

She knows a few sight words, and she knows all the sounds that the letters make, so I'm definately not worried about it.

Sometimes she'll "read" words, but I'm not sure if she's actually sounding them out, or just sounding out the first letter and guessing from the context of the story/pictures. For example, I was going through the dvr and she said, "That says "Delete this show?" but I think it was more that she knew the word on the screen started with a D, and she knew I was deleting programs, so she just assumed. But, anyways, I'm not concerned about it - although I'm glad this was asked because as we approach her kindergarten testing, I was curious to know what other kids were doing.

Here, there is a LOT of focus on sight words, that I don't think should really be sight words. I'd rather she learned how to read from sounding out everything that she can, so I feel like she's right on schedule for learning to read when she's ready.

It is done very differently it seems in every district, but there are sight words that you really cannot teach, but they just know like the, and, etc.

Lizzy · Guru

Ivy is not reading. She does want to learn what the words are and tries to "read" the book...so I don't have any concerns. Like someone else said, I really want to foster a love of books and i think it just as important that she has lots of books and also, that she sees adults (don, me) reading. that was what i remember most....my mom was always reading and we went to the library all the time.

muffy · Guru

Lizzy wrote:

Ivy is not reading. She does want to learn what the words are and tries to "read" the book...so I don't have any concerns. Like someone else said, I really want to foster a love of books and i think it just as important that she has lots of books and also, that she sees adults (don, me) reading. that was what i remember most....my mom was always reading and we went to the library all the time.

:sonya

ITTTTTA agree! and sometimes i wonder if we don't pressure our small children to do too much too fast?

daisy · Guru

Lizzy wrote:

Ivy is not reading. She does want to learn what the words are and tries to "read" the book...so I don't have any concerns. Like someone else said, I really want to foster a love of books and i think it just as important that she has lots of books and also, that she sees adults (don, me) reading. that was what i remember most....my mom was always reading and we went to the library all the time.

god, i remember my mom reading ALL the time too.

i always ask her "how on earth did you get us to leave you alone for that long?" and she says "when my book was open, you knew better" - lol.

i have to say, i dont love reading, at all. i have to read for work all the time. i dont enjoy fiction anymore. sure there are books i ADORE, but overall i am not a bookworm.

i also am not a strong reader, which is probably why. it's an effort for me. i am VERY slow. i hope my kids are different than i am.

-- Edited by daisy on Friday 22nd of January 2010 06:11:45 AM

Lizzy · Guru

daisy wrote:

Lizzy wrote:

Ivy is not reading. She does want to learn what the words are and tries to "read" the book...so I don't have any concerns. Like someone else said, I really want to foster a love of books and i think it just as important that she has lots of books and also, that she sees adults (don, me) reading. that was what i remember most....my mom was always reading and we went to the library all the time.

god, i remember my mom reading ALL the time too.
i always ask her "how on earth did you get us to leave you alone for that long?" and she says "when my book was open, you knew better" - lol.
i have to say, i dont love reading, at all. i have to read for work all the time. i dont enjoy fiction anymore. sure there are books i ADORE, but overall i am not a bookworm.
i also am not a strong reader, which is probably why. it's an effort for me. i am VERY slow. i hope my kids are different than i am.

-- Edited by daisy on Friday 22nd of January 2010 06:11:45 AM

Kelly...I don't like to read that much because I have to read so much for school too, but when I was younger (14-15), I read all.the.time and reading really gave me a wider understanding of the world....it is that "curiousity" that I want to foster in Ivy.

but, with an exception...when I was young, my mom was really interested in politics, history and especially, reading about the holocaust. she and i watched that movie and when she would get books on the topic, i would, of course, read them. i remember being so disturbed by them that it stayed with me and i had nightmares and thought of it at school. I remember being like 10 and I was outside on the playground thinking of the holocaust (not something I want to do to ivy...) but when she is old enough to understand, yes.

sappy · Guru

mikey knows all his letters and just about all the sounds they make.

he isn't reading though - i think it's a little much for him right now to understand that you put each sound together to make a word. he has trouble with multiple step instructions - he forgets.

having said that, i'm super proud of him and i think he's doing extremely well based on everything he's been through and all the radiation and chemotherapy his brain has endured.

side note - the radiation oncologist told us he was really smart and that though the radiation would have an effect on his IQ (as will the chemo in his spinal fluid that he's had approx 70 times in the last 4 years) that basically instead of being a Bill Gates type of genius he will most likely be a B average student.

CheleLyn · Senior Member

Lizzy wrote:

daisy wrote:

Lizzy wrote:

Ivy is not reading. She does want to learn what the words are and tries to "read" the book...so I don't have any concerns. Like someone else said, I really want to foster a love of books and i think it just as important that she has lots of books and also, that she sees adults (don, me) reading. that was what i remember most....my mom was always reading and we went to the library all the time.

god, i remember my mom reading ALL the time too.
i always ask her "how on earth did you get us to leave you alone for that long?" and she says "when my book was open, you knew better" - lol.
i have to say, i dont love reading, at all. i have to read for work all the time. i dont enjoy fiction anymore. sure there are books i ADORE, but overall i am not a bookworm.
i also am not a strong reader, which is probably why. it's an effort for me. i am VERY slow. i hope my kids are different than i am.

-- Edited by daisy on Friday 22nd of January 2010 06:11:45 AM
Kelly...I don't like to read that much because I have to read so much for school too, but when I was younger (14-15), I read all.the.time and reading really gave me a wider understanding of the world....it is that "curiousity" that I want to foster in Ivy.

but, with an exception...when I was young, my mom was really interested in politics, history and especially, reading about the holocaust. she and i watched that movie and when she would get books on the topic, i would, of course, read them. i remember being so disturbed by them that it stayed with me and i had nightmares and thought of it at school. I remember being like 10 and I was outside on the playground thinking of the holocaust (not something I want to do to ivy...) but when she is old enough to understand, yes.

I LOVE to read! Besides crochet, reading is my most favorite past time.

I'm so glad that my 3 older kids also enjoy reading. 2 Xmas ago, one of Zach's gifts (he was 13 at the time) was a box with like 6 books in it...one of which was a BIG book of the Douglas Adams series (Restaraunt at the end of the Universe; SO long and thanks for all the fish: etc---british sci-fi series...I was looking for the Red Dwarf series but couldnt find it) ANYWAY, He read the DA book in a matter of days...then zipped through the other books. By the end of Xmas break, he had already read all the books!

I tell Don's kids all.the.time. that if they would just read moe....read ANYTHING, their vocabulary will improve, their use of the English language will improve, they'll just over get SMARTER. But they all hate reading so much (the exception is that 2 of the girls got sucked into the Twilight series LOL)

I wish more young people who don't like to read would just do it...I really feel like my whole view of the world is enhanced because I read so much. And it keeps the brain sharp.

On the downside, because I have a pretty strong vocabulary, MIL and Don sometimes look at me like they don't understand what I say....and MIL will sometimes tell me to talk to her like I'm talking to a 2 yo.

CheleLyn · Senior Member

sappy wrote:

mikey knows all his letters and just about all the sounds they make.

he isn't reading though - i think it's a little much for him right now to understand that you put each sound together to make a word. he has trouble with multiple step instructions - he forgets.

having said that, i'm super proud of him and i think he's doing extremely well based on everything he's been through and all the radiation and chemotherapy his brain has endured.

side note - the radiation oncologist told us he was really smart and that though the radiation would have an effect on his IQ (as will the chemo in his spinal fluid that he's had approx 70 times in the last 4 years) that basically instead of being a Bill Gates type of genius he will most likely be a B average student.

Mikey has come such a LONG way...no doubt bc he has such a wonderful mother

Erin · Guru

Im kinda wondering if my comments in the thread about kindergarten brought this up. Specifically where I said that I was worried about K not reading yet.

But, she still isnt reading. No big deal, its not that she isnt, its that she has been THIS close to reading for almost two years. She had a change in teachers about 6months ago, and she doesnt get the one on one time she used to and I noticed a significant drop in her learning curve. She does not focus, she will read the first letter of whatever it is, and then just guess. It is maddening. I am afraid that if she isnt reading by K, she will have a tough time in public school kinder. Backwards right? Its that she is so bright, and gets the letters and sounds, etc, Iam afraid she will be ignored in favor of the kids that are much further behind. And without a teacher encouraging her, she will make no progress. I think she is a lot like I was.... lol.

I just want to reiterate that I dont actually care that my four year old isnt reading yet. Its just that for HER, she has been an "emergent" reader for almost two years. Like Leah, I keep waiting for the light bulb to go on, I just hope it happens before her environment changes to one that I think may not foster HER learning style. Kiera is very smart, and capable, but not very independently motivated. She loves to teach though, so, I can totally see her doing well in an environment where she is called on to "assist" others and learns in the process.

-- Edited by Erin on Friday 22nd of January 2010 08:56:51 PM

Joyce · Senior Member

I voted no because Madi can not read all words. She does know quite a few site words and I play word family games with her like "What rhymes with cat?" Then I will say "if cat is spelled c-a-t then how do you spell rat? or I write cat, ask her what it says and then write other words in the at family and have her figure them out.

She can sound out some small words, but not words with long vowels, double vowels, or irregular spelling patterns.

I think at this point as long as they have correct reading behaviors then they are fine. If they know how to hold a book, turn a page, know that the story goes left to right, point to words ...etc. then they are fine.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Erin, I did not start this beause of your comment about reading.

I was wondering when most kids begin to read. Allie just started reading and bringing home little readers. The whole process intrigues me.

I wondered if parent were working on it or not.

Juni · Guru

With regards to Gavin - I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to just start reading practically overnight. Not that I think it will be soon but so far he has been consistent in waiting until he can absolutely do something and then just doing it really well. He has been that way with pretty much everything and I was thinking about the reading today and the light bulb went off that he will probably be the same way with this as well.