When (and how) did reading click for your kid?

[Anonymous]

My son had been sounding out short words for months and a couple of months before he turned 4 I realized that he was actually reading, rather than memorizing some of his very short books (very simple three letter words). I couldn't believe it so I handed him another book that was brand new and he'd never seen before. He read every word.

By the time he turned 4 he was reading regularly. By 4.5 he was reading chapter books with complex language and plots. Something just clicked for him very early and he sped through the grade levels in very quick succession. He's just turned 5 and is now a fluent reader who is very motivated to read all types of fiction and non-fiction.

BUT, don't use him or any other kid as a yard stick for your kid. He was just ready and interested and motivated at 3/almost 4 and other kids don't reach that stage until much later.

[Anonymous]

I heard that in Denmark they don't start teaching kids to read until age 7, when all kids are developmentally ready. Can anyone confirm this?

[Anonymous]

My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

How is this even quantified? Did he take the SAT or something?

[Anonymous]

My DS7 started reading around four and clicked with chapter books at five.

So...this is early for most kids. I want to stress that DS has a long attention span. He learned to read because he's intense and focused (and a total handful). My point is that I think early reading was heavily influenced by personality, not necessarily ability.

I was more/less typical than DS in that I read early, but hated reading and did not take off as a reader until I got to the 3rd grade (ants in pants I love to read, was in advanced reading in ES, and it made no difference whether I read chapter books in preK like DS or in 3rd (me).

More than what you asked for but there are two trajectories for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is encouraging. Our DD is in first grade and she's not there yet. I was looking forward to the end of this year when will hopefully be able to read well on her own (and enjoy it)... I think we just really need to focus on it this year. Problem is, like PPs, she gets so frustrated when she reads with DH and I.

Hang in there PP. I'm the OP of this thread and what you describe is our situation last year. I kept telling myself to be patient and allow things to happen, but it is hard. Even at the end of 1st grade she wasn't really into it, which is why her switchover this summer was so surprising. We read to her all the time, so there was never any question that she likes books. But getting her to read them by herself was a different story entirely. One thing I have learned is that she prefers to read to herself than to us because she doesn't like making mistakes out loud.

Thanks, PP. I have hope!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

How is this even quantified? Did he take the SAT or something?

IQ testing was in educational evaluation context; achievement testing for reading component.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

How is this even quantified? Did he take the SAT or something?

IQ testing was in educational evaluation context; achievement testing for reading component.

DP here, my kid who was reading at 3 and reading chapter books a few weeks later also tested with IQ above 140 (also in an educational evaluation context). I think the point that kids are ready is often determined by their interests and personality. My kid barely spoke until he was 3 and then he was all about letters and numbers, and very quick to gain print understanding. Some kids don't get there until much later and then speed ahead just as fast.

[Anonymous]

Very interesting question, OP!

I learned my lesson with DC1, who struggled with reading until he was 6.5 and he discovered Harry Potter. He wanted to read that book so much that everything fell into place and he was off, and is now reading 4 grades ahead.

Now DC2 is 4 and starting to decode easy syllables and read memorized sight words. She will read when she is ready!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child had fluency at different levels at different times. She first enjoyed reading short Bob type books at 3, but we would have her read one to us and then I would read her a picture book of her choice. She would listen for hours if I let her. At four, she enjoyed reading Frog and Toad, and I read her nonfiction with pictures. At five, she enjoyed reading anything about princesses outloud, and I read her books like Siddhartha and Secret Garden. Now, she will spend hours reading to herself just about anything. But, I still read to her daily - generally a day of a daily Bible (we are agnostic/athiest, but it is a book everyone should know) and a chapter of a book we will both love. For us, it was about piquing both skills and interest at the same time, through different methods, and making sure she understood that there was an amazing adventure to be found in books if she ventured into them.

OP here. We are agnostic/athiest too, but I like the idea of reading the Bible because I agree that everyone should have some familiarity with it. What books of the Bible do you read or have you read?

I am not certain of the exact version that we have (I will check when I get home), as it was given to us years ago by my in-laws in an attempt to convert us to their beliefs. It is an adult version in which every day includes a section of the Old Testament, a section of the New Testament (both in order) and psalms. In total it is three or four pages per day, and the simultaneous inclusion of both Testaments allows us to get through it all but continue to follow a story when one gets slow. As I mentioned, I had already read her Siddhartha and we had discussed it at length while reading it. Then she met a friend who was telling her about her Bible studies and she asked if she could study the Bible. I thought it was a great idea, especially as I too have struggled at times with knowledge gaps, but I have explained to her that we - her parents - believe that it is a great book, but we do not actually believe everything in it to be literally true, that it represents one theory or "religion." Some of it probably goes over her head, and some I don't mind going over her head. I don't skip any, but I linger on some of the stories for discussion. We also skip it on any day in which either of us isn't truly into reading time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is encouraging. Our DD is in first grade and she's not there yet. I was looking forward to the end of this year when will hopefully be able to read well on her own (and enjoy it)... I think we just really need to focus on it this year. Problem is, like PPs, she gets so frustrated when she reads with DH and I.

This is good to hear - our DD is also in first and it hasn't quite clicked for her yet either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

How is this even quantified? Did he take the SAT or something?

IQ testing was in educational evaluation context; achievement testing for reading component.

What test? I'd love to know the test that can tell that by age 7, a child reads and comprehends as well as a high schooler. Comprehension has much to do with experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My super high IQ oldest kid didn't start reading until he was 5, and by 7 was testing at end of high school level reading comprehension. He was NOT one of those "reading at 3!" kids, at all. Clearly his lack of early reading was not indicative of a lack of ultimate ability on that front.


His also pretty darn high IQ brother is now 6 and in 1st grade, and it's just starting to click for him. He's my second >140 IQ kid who was in no way, at all, reading at age 3 or 4, and hardly at all at 5. Age 6 was when he really started. Seems like he will do fine as well, despite probably not even recognizing his letters until age 4.

How is this even quantified? Did he take the SAT or something?

IQ testing was in educational evaluation context; achievement testing for reading component.

What test? I'd love to know the test that can tell that by age 7, a child reads and comprehends as well as a high schooler. Comprehension has much to do with experiences.

Not the PP you were asking, but MCPS does the MAP-R.
There are other tests as well. They are all computerized, have text passages of gradated difficulty, and multiple choice questions that probe for understanding of vocabulary and more complex comprehension such as drawing inferences etc.
It's pretty standard, actually.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know people have said this time and time again but reading doesn't click for a lot of kids until 1st or 2nd grade.
My sister who has a very high IQ and has a Harvard BA, Yale JD didn't start reading until some time in 1st grade. I remember she went from not reading at all to reading thick, 5th-6th grade novels in the span of a few months.

[Anonymous]

Having a requirement in K to read 10-15 min each night and record books read as HW helped push her to do it at all. By doing it she built fluency in tiny steps. When she built up enough DH found the Magic Treehouse books and those were awesome at helping push her to want to do it.

However I would at she became a reader this summer due to the scholastic summer reading challenge and bribery of a reward for x minutes of reading. Now she reads a lot and voluntarily.