How well should a seven year old read? - Page 2

[guest^]

Yeah, your ds(aside from health issues) sounds a lot like my nephew....he has always been extremely verbal and a great conversationalist...my sis read to him like crazy...he never wanted to learn to read-and didn't-until he was close to age 8. He also hated(and still does) writing. Now? He is a very well read 13 yr old....and he reads SUPER FAST.
I would give it more time...and maybe after a few more months,think about taking him in to get the eye-tracking issue tested. You don't have to approach it like he is being tested for his reading skills...it's just another way to make sure his eyes are working as they should.
In the meantime, I see nothing wrong with giving him a straight answer when he asks what a sign(or whatever) reads...my dd has been doing this for awhile and I just give her the answer.

Your ds sounds very bright! And the knee slapper is my dds favorite too!!!

mamapoppins

[member234098]

Harry Potter is third grade +. Each volume advances a year.

Have your ds read alittle each day. Make sure he enjoys what he reads. Do not make it arduous. Do make corrections, because he needs to learn the right way from the beginning.

Read with him...maybe switch off every other sentence....that way it is a shared experience and you are modeling for him how it should sound.

I enjoyed Eric Carle's books because they were very colorful and repetitious. Children usually love that kind of thing in a book.

Go to the library every day and let him pick a book and try to read it or guide him. The librarian could help you out here if you become a regular. MOst school districts now rate books by grade/month level, so maybe you can start w/ 1.0 (First grade)
and move on to 1.1 (First grade first month) , and so on.

This may sound sexist, but it is definitely my experience after 30 years of teaching/tutoring that boys learn to read alittle slower than girls, so just be sure he is reading something he likes, and he should eventually take off.

[Alexander]

Check out the archives. (3am here so should head for bed!)

Basically, if the kid is not reading by 17, worry. But until the day b4 that day, care not a jot.

a

[Openskyheart]

Off Topic, I know, but FWIW, The Lexile Framework for reading is a statistical method for determining the difficulty level of children's books based on vocabulary and content. Thorough statistical research has been done to determine these Lexile levels. Each book is given a numerical rating based upon level of difficulty.

Charts are given which help parents, teachers, and children choose books that will be enjoyable for them to read (i.e. not too difficult, not too easy) based on the child's lexile level. (Determined by the books the child can comfortably read - 75% decoding accuracy with good comprehension).

Charts also rate the books by "grade level" but they are clear to point out that in any given grade, children's lexile levels vary widely. Still, a range of 300 or so points is given for each grade at the mid-year point for the "average" reader in that grade (note - the average reader is still given a wide range).

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is given a Lexile level of 880. On the statistical chart, this would put the "average" reading level at late 5th to mid 6th grade reading level for this book.

For anyone who's curious:

www.lexile.com

I'll say it again, reading Harry Potter in 1st grade is *exceptional.*

Cheers!

Laura

[erika]

just keep being creative

My 6-1/2 yo dd has also been making "slow" reading progress, in contrast with her incredible oral vocabulary and grammar (at age 4 she was correcting people who used lay/lie or who/whom incorrectly). I assumed that she would just learn reading by herself (as I had), but we are finding it a little more challenging than that. She gets bored and frustrated easily when we work on reading. Yet she desperately wants to be able to read, and is irritated that she can't yet. If she didn't care, neither would I, but since she does, we are trying to find something that works.

To my dismay, I am finding that we are needing to take a more systematic approach with phonics (ugh). The good news is that we happened upon Explode the Code, which she seems to really like - I think she enjoys it because the reading has a purpose: she doesn't just read words to practice reading, but has to figure out which word goes with which picture, and practice writing the words. I think it's like putting together a puzzle, or doing a maze book. She really enjoys math, so maybe it taps into that part of the brain. For whatever reason this approach is more appealing to her than Bob books or other easy readers.

Anyway, I think if you just experiment with different methods you'll find something that works and is enjoyable for your son. (a good resource for games is Peggy Kaye's: Games to teach reading)

[hahamommy]

My DD is 6.5 and is just beginning to have an avid interest in reading. She's also loosing her first tooth any day now (we're sooo excited!) I've put NO pressure on her about the reading process; merely made myself available to answer questions. We play sound games a lot, driving down the street ~ ya know rhyming nonsense words, reading words on signs backwards (they think I'm soooo smart ), etc. There are lots of places to go (including here ) to find out that your child is your child and he'll read when he's ready to read, whenever that is for *him*. You can watch for physical signs of reading readiness, but they're not guarantees. I'd recommend standing back and just watching... watch your boy blossom into the reader he's meant to be. Check out this website, too Learning to read naturally it's from my unschooling guru on the unschoolingdotcom list on yahoo... infact, you can check out their archives for reading discussions, I'm sure you'll find some!

Good luck & Enjoy!!
~diana

[mommy22]

My oldest son turned 9 the day before Easter, and has recently started reading Harry Potter. My 7 1/2 year old son reads Junie B. Jones. What really got them started reading ALOT were books that really interested them. Their favorite in first grade were the Captain Underpants books. Yes, they are potty mouth books, but they absolutely could not put them down. They each have a full collection of these books, and the Junie B. Jones books.

Comic books are a great idea. Both my sons like the Rugrat Comic books. We had to order them, but they really enjoyed them. They were reading those in first grade. My oldest also liked the Sunday comics.

And just like most things we have mastered throughout our life...practice, practice, practice!

So take him to the library, and let him check out several different books that might interest him, even if it's an Atlas. He will find something, and once he does, I think you will see that his reading skills will sky rocket.

Good Luck!

[berryMO]

hahamommy~ I read your article link. Wow! Now I am really scared. I hope it doesn't take my child till 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, to learn to read!

Does that mean these kids that learn to read late have no math skills either?

I can't imagine if you sit down and read to a child every day books that are interesting to them that they wouldn't pick up at least the basics by 8 or so.

I have apprecieated this thread and learned a lot the biggest being don't push reading, they will do it when they are ready.

[Alexander]

Originally posted by gardenrn
hahamommy~ I read your article link. Wow! Now I am really scared. I hope it doesn't take my child till 8,9,10, 11, 12, 13, to learn to read!

Aww! Why? What's the hurry? There is nothing to be scared of. Do you imagine that those of us that got into reading after ten y/o are somehow disadvantaged?

Originally posted by gardenrn

Does that mean these kids that learn to read late have no math skills either?

Do you mean Math (the ability to add up and almost redundant skill)?

Or do you mean Maths (the ability to do mathematics. And very useful to some)?

If it is the former, then there is nothing to worry about. It is about as intelectually challenging to an adult as a Collumbo Movie, and can be picked up in a couple of hours.

If you mean the latter, then again, almost certainly their ability has been preserved from damage and vandelism that comes in the Industrial Age Education Model that is still prevelent in America today.

Indeed, I'd go far as to say, if children's abilities in Maths are to be preserved, best leave them alone. To nurture these abilities requires a very special understanding of mathematics, and how children relate to it.

a

[DaryLLL]

You guys have covered most of the topic, but I will add my $.02 anyway.

We unschool. All 3 of mine read "late," even tho I read at age 4. They read at 8-9 yrs. Then they could read just about anything. We had my oldest tested just after she learned to read at age 9. She tested 6th grade reading level. She also tested 9th grade in general knowledge. There is a lot she picked up from conversation with me, her dad, other adults and peers, nature walks, hands-on museums, being read out loud to, and even TV.

She knew all her letters and the sounds they made at 18 mos. She hated reading b/c it was too slow to figure out the words, when she just wanted the story. I read chapter books to my kids for years. I still have to read H Potter out loud to my ds, 12, when he will sit still for it, which isn't often.

[mamaduck]

heartmama -- I have nothing new to add to this thread, but thought I'd chime in with a reassuring word. Your son sounds *so* normal. My son is in 2nd grade in an alternative learning environment. The kids in his class range from 6-8 years old. Some of them are reading Harry Potter. Some of them are stumbling through BOB books. The teachers are highly trained and totally relaxed about all of the kids. The are adament that it is perfectly normal for this age group to fall all over the spectrum regarding reading skills, and that none of them are developmentally lacking. They are all bright eager kids, and they are all learning tons no matter their reading level.

Unless he is distressed about it, then I wouldn't worry about it if I were you!

[berryMO]

Well I'm learning a lot ya'll since we started K this year with ds 5. I now understand the meaning of "don't push"!!!

I also realize that math skills have little or nothing to do with reading skills. That it is also a don't push issue and I'll get much further.

I am learning, some things the easy way and some things the hard way: