Reading

[Kate]

For the kids that are going into kindergarten, are any of them reading yet?

If they are, what grade level do you think they are reading at?

The reason I ask is that last night was Cameron's kindergarten open house. I was waiting to ask the teacher a couple of questions I had when the mom who was talking to the teacher said her daughter was reading a 5th grade level. It just really shocked me that a child that small would be reading at that level. The mom said she was reading Harry Potter right now.

[Connie1222]

Jack wasn't reading at all when he went into K last year.

[magoo]

Anna is 4.5 and going into JK. She can read through the level 1 books, but she has to really want to. For the most part, it's a lot of work for her to "decode" the words, and it's more enjoyable for her to listen to stories being read to her. She does recognize a whole bunch of sight words like I, and, the, of, go, if, and so on.

[Wendy]

Abby is reading on a second grade+ level. Her "reader" at school right now are the Junie B. Jones books and she is breezing through them.

[Cami]

When Addison started kindergarten in England last year (age 4.5) she wasn't reading... she wanted to learn but I hadn't been able to teach her. By the end of the year, she was through the 1st grade books. So now going into K here, she's reading 2nd grade level books... chapter books.

Aubrey will start K next year (she's 4.5 now) and I can't imagine that she will be reading beyond basic sight words when she starts.

I know lots of kids can read a little or a lot when they start K but 5th grade level? That's nuts!

ETA: i haven't read Harry Potter but I'm going to check out a sample chapter and see what I think about how well Addison could read it. Ok, I think Addison could *read* it (except for the long names) but I don't think she'd be able to understand and comprehend a book that big and complicated.

Wendy~ I'm surprised they read Junie B Jones at school! (It just doesn't seem like a "school" book, ya know? Maybe I haven't read enough of it.)

[Wendy]

Cami- Abby has read all the books her teacher has in the class room. What we have had to do for this year (in order to keep her moving forward with her reading and progressing) is to supply her teacher with a reader or her. Since she has a huge collection of Junie B books at home she picks one out to be her reader....takes it to her teacher for approval and that is what she reads. Once she finishes, she takes it to her teacher and reads a couple of chapters to her and then we switch it out. I think for her next one we will find something else just so she doesnt get tired of Junie B. They had some fairy ones that I saw at Borders the other day that she would like.

[Kara]

Austin can't read at all and he starts Tues. He has no interest right now.

[sheila]

Maggie reads, but I have no idea what her level would be. :dunno:

[Bonnie]

Caroline reads, but I don't know what level. I'd say it's an appropriate level for a 5 year old who is reading if that makes sense.

[TtownAnne]

Yes, Caroline can read. For her Kindergarten readiness testing and 1st grade testing since she could already read, they said she tested well into first grade for reading and possibly second grade but they ran out of time. So when she starts kindergarten on Tuesday, she'll be joining the first grade class for their reading. However, if Junie B. Jones is considered second grade level, she reads them, so maybe we're up to 2nd grade.

[Kimberly]

I don't have a reader... yet... but I teach first grade and I just wanted to pop in here and say PLEASE don't stress about this! A kindergartener reading on a 5th grade level sounds fantastic and very gifted, but there is a HUGE difference in "reading" and comprehending/retaining what has been read. I have no idea if this child really is on a 5th grade level, but chances are great that they really aren't. It's not uncommon in our kindergarten classes to have kids ranging from pre-primer all the way to end of 2nd grade level when they begin kindergarten. That's what differentiated instruction is for - teaching to the child. Every child is so different and it will click with all of them in their own time.

[gulp!]

I wouldn't say Emma is reading yet. She can get some words and sound out some, but more often than not she gets mad when I try to get her to sound a word out and refuses to do it. She knows some sight words, but that's the extent of it. However, I think she'll catch onto it very quickly once kindergarten gets under way. She's on the verge of reading.

[kalm]

Neither Connor nor Lilly are reading, though both are on the verge -- they work at sounding out words...just don't get it right all that often! Lilly is so eager, I bet she'll pick it up quickly. Connor's easily frustrated, so it'll be interesting to see.

I have a friend whose son is homeschooled. At the end of his kindergarten year (last year), he was evaluated as reading at a 4th grade level. And I've seen him read fairly complex text. But, like Kimberly was saying, I don't really think he was comprehending as much as he was able to read. Like when you talk with him about what he thinks about the plot or what the characters were thinking or feeling, he just couldn't verbalize any kind of answer. But he's not an overly talkative kid. Who knows!

[Elisete]

Teddy just started Kingergarten Monday and he can't read at all! We should revisit this question mid-year.

[MamaGoofy]

David reads pretty well but I have no idea what his level is.

[Karri]

Aidan is 5.5 and is in K-5 (or SK). He isn't reading at all. He's got some sight words that he recognizes, but that's all. We read to him all the time and he loves it, so I figure he'll do it when he's ready.

[Eleanor]

Isabelle doesn't read more than a couple of words, and isn't terribly interested in learning (I've joked to DH that Rebecca will learn to read first!). Her listening comprehension is very good though (better than average for her age, at least when she was tested in preschool)...so everyone has their own strengths...

[Jillian]

as per some testing last week Janelle reads at a level C, which I guess is what they expect of all begining first graders...she is about right smack in the middle of her class with some kids at a third grade level and some not to level A yet (ie, don't recognize all letters on sight...) which is pre-k.

[Brandi]

Carter read his first word on his own just before he turned 3. BUT, he really wasn't interested in it, so he didn't do it much. Now, as a Kindergartner, he reads a lot! I have no clue what his level is, but he seems to be way ahead of the other kids. Having said that, he is way behind on fine motor skills like drawing. I really think that these skills all average out in the end. Sure, some kids are always going to be talented in certain areas, but I truly believe that they can only concentrate on one area at a time. Carter just chooses the reading area right now.

We know many children who can't read when they enter Kindergarten (or even 1st grade for that matter).

[bunkie68]

Julian *can* read if he chooses to make the effort. It sometimes takes him a while to sound out words, though, and so he often chooses not to bother. He knows his letters and sounds and how to put them together to make words, but if he doesn't wanna, he ain't gonna. I will say I've noticed a big improvement in his efforts since he's started kindergarten, though, and that makes me happy.

And I was one of those kids who read really early, so I often have to remind myself that Julian is not me, that it's not the end of the world that he's not reading the newspaper with his breakfast. :lol:

[Karly]

Tyrus can't read yet. He's somewhat interested. I'm curious to see how the school year plays out! :nod: