what should a pre-k child's reading level be?

[Anonymous]

It doesn't really matter. They basically all catch up by 2nd grade. It all evens out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is in kindergarten. He entered kinder reading at a second grade level. I formally started teaching him to read when he turned four. I used to teach first grade and I wanted the joy in teaching him how to read. It is amazing to see the progress. I also wanted to make sure he was taught using phonics and not taught to rely on learning sight words. By 4 1/2 he could read easy readers like Are You My Mother? / Go, Dog, Go / Fly Guy etc. If you want to teach him and he wants to learn, go for it. It is a lot easier to teach reading one-to-one as compared to teaching a whole class. Hooked on Phonics will work, you can also get the Bob Books too.

I think it's good to balance sight words with phonics because there are some high-frequency words that it just helps to know so kids can build up their reading fluency.

Most sight words can be regularly decoded. Some kids that learn too many sight words end up guessing at words when reading instead of learning how to sound out words. It is better to teach a kid that "the" can be broken up into "th" and the long "e" sound because it is an open syllable. I would rather my kids go at a slower pace in developing reading fluency and not learn sight words in order to have a really strong phonics base. I taught him how to read because I didn't want him memorizing 100 sight words in kindergarten. The time is better spent on learning phonograms.

[Anonymous]

It really all does even out.

My child came into K barely knowing letters. It just wasn't her thing despite learning them time and time again in preschool and PK. Then within 2 months of K, it all clicked and she's reading independently. She came in at barely an A level. Now she was just sent home with E level books. Her friends who came in at a D are now reading at E and F levels. And just like that, she's caught up.

I've heard of this this phenomenon time and time again from friends.

[Anonymous]

Agree with pp 20:17. My child could not read when she entered kindergarten and did not really start to read until the second half of the year. She is now in first grade and is reading very well. I think your child has to be ready and it should not be forced.

[Anonymous]

My niece did not read a lick until first grade (Long Island public school) and at the beginning of second was reading the boxcar children.

[Anonymous]

OP here... Thanks everyone. This is really helpful!! Glad to know I can just keep doing what I am doing, and reading will come sooner or later. Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

DD could not read a sight word until the end of Kindergarten. Slowly pulled it together through Gr. 1 and 2. Is a voracious reader with very high high reading scores now in Gr. 6.

DD2 read decently by age 5. Still have very strong skills in Gr. 4 but is not an avid reader at all.

Both were read to regularly and have always had piles of books around.

[Anonymous]

"My daughter just turned 5 and does not know how to read. She can recognize a handful of words, but not much beyond that. "

she doesn't like tryign to sound stuff out when we try to encourage her to do so. Does know all the letter sounds if you name a letter, but if you make the sound of a vowel she frequently mixes them up. she loves being read to though. just not sure how to get her to make the jump to giving sounding stuff out a try w/o pushing too hard so we've left it be for now.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the responses but I have a pre-K child (one of the youngest in the class) and there are maybe four or five kids reading in Pre-K but only shorter words like you describe. My son recognizes a few words but that's it. He's right on track, according to his teacher. She said that this year's Pre-K class is ahead of last year's because any of them are reading. I don't think reading of any kind is standard in Pre-K. I wouldn't push - there is no virtue to reading sooner.

[Anonymous]

I'd expect most 4 year olds to know the alphabet and have some pre reading skills. But that's about it.

Some 4 year olds can recognize familiar words, but I don't really consider that reading.

Few 4 year olds are actually reading.

DS1 was knew his alphabet early, was recognizing some words early, and is now reading at the 1st grade level in K. Second DS is almost 4 and knows his alphabet, but that's about it. There is a wide range of normal, and reading is a developmental skill that kids need to be developmentally ready for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my DC is 4.5 years old and he will be starting Kindergarten in the fall of 2013. He knows a dozen 3-letter words, like hat, cat, etc. We haven't taught him reading specifically even though he knows the basics of phonics. When I asked his pre-K teacher, she said there is a wide range of reading levels amongst kids of his age, and he doesn't necessarily need to be able to read at any level in order to start Kindergarten. Just out of curiosity, what's your child reading level when he is/was at around 4 years old? Do I need to teach him how to read? If yes, what materials should I use (Hooked on Phonics)? Thanks a lot!

NO!! You don't need to teach your child to read! Your kid is way ahead of the curve.

[Anonymous]

My DD's K teacher said SHE would teach my child to read - and she did! My daughter came in not reading at all entering kindergarten. She knew her letters, and we read to her all the time.

Fast forward to a 4th grader who is reading well beyond her grade level, in the highest reading, spelling, vocabulary books.

I'd say a good 25% of kids could read when they entered K (at my DD's school). Don't worry about it. They learn to read and as everyone says, they all catch up by 2nd-3rd grade. Neither of my kids could read upon entering K.

[Anonymous]

Your child still has time. I would not worry just yet. Kids have this crazy way of just surprising suddenly. Before you know it she will read..when she is ready to read

[Anonymous]

Hooked on Phonics has several levels to help your child continue to progress in reading from pre-k up through second grade.

learm more about it here: http://helpingkidsread.net

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is in kindergarten. He entered kinder reading at a second grade level. I formally started teaching him to read when he turned four. I used to teach first grade and I wanted the joy in teaching him how to read. It is amazing to see the progress. I also wanted to make sure he was taught using phonics and not taught to rely on learning sight words. By 4 1/2 he could read easy readers like Are You My Mother? / Go, Dog, Go / Fly Guy etc. If you want to teach him and he wants to learn, go for it. It is a lot easier to teach reading one-to-one as compared to teaching a whole class. Hooked on Phonics will work, you can also get the Bob Books too.

Teachers are among those who receive the lowest SAT scores.