They're kind of two different skills, OP, especially when you're first learning.

OP here. I just recently found out that he can recognize many sight words, and I was amazed. I was reading a parent magazine, and he came sitting next to me & started reading a page. I have been hands off at parenting because of a new baby. I never teach him those sight words, so he must learn it from daycare.

I will stop teaching as PP suggest, and just let him be reading on his own. He does not like the spelling part, but he likes to ask me how to say those words.

Eat isn't even an easy word. I don't think you really know what you're doing. I think you should stop and let him be.

He's 4. totally normal.

Anonymous wrote:My 4 year old can recognize a lot of sight words without any pictures. They could be random single words or words within a sentence. He can tell me what those words mean. However, when I test him about spelling, he cannot spell any words, including simple word like "eat or his name". He can spell words when he look at them but not from his memory. He knows all letters & phonics. And, he does not know how to write any letters, except letter o & i. Are these all age appropriate for 4 year old can recognize many sight words, but not able to spell or write at all? I have tried to teach him to memorize spelling about some simple words, it does not work. I think my approach is wrong.

And, any kid friendly books highly recommended for rhyme words?

I suggest you stop trying to teach your child before he starts being frustrated, thinking he "can't" do it, and dislikes learning. Read together, give him lots of paper and different writing tools to draw, write, or play with as he chooses and relax.

He's 4. Just stop. Please.

Entirely age appropriate — a teacher

Reading almost always comes before spelling ability. Also, you’re pushing pretty hard on spelling if your child doesn’t know letters. Regardless, these skills are addressed in K.

We're enjoying the Bob books!

Don’t worry for now. When he goes to kindergarten, lean into the school’s phonics program.

My 5yo is going into K in 2 weeks-he can write and spell his name and he recognizes the word Stop from stop signs. That’s it on the reading front. He’s right around average from what I remember from his older sister who was st roughly the same place going into Kindergarten. She was way ahead of benchmarks when they did PALS testing. She was behind some kids in K on reading (one if the youngest in her class) but is completely caught up and in the top half of the class 3 years later. Reading at age 4 is unusual (despite what people may claim) and early reading conveys little about longer term academic success.

He’s 4.

This doesn’t seem like a big deal.

My 4 year old can write all letters and her name, but doesn’t know many sight words. This is something they’re going to be doing in kindergarten so it doesn’t matter at all. Your kid has another FULL year of preschool before kindergarten so you have so. Much. Time.

I think that 4 is young to expect kids to write and spell. You can work on writing his name but I wouldn’t worry about the rest of it yet. In terms of books, check out BoB books to start with. They start off with the most simple words like “sat” and get harder. Most importantly, though, only do it if it is fun for your son! Kids do not have to go into Kindergarten reading.

He’s only 4, it’s perfectly fine for him to be where he is right now. He will write when his brain and body (hand strength) allows him to. Stop stressing and enjoy the rest of summer break!

-preschool teacher

My 4 year old can recognize a lot of sight words without any pictures. They could be random single words or words within a sentence. He can tell me what those words mean. However, when I test him about spelling, he cannot spell any words, including simple word like "eat or his name". He can spell words when he look at them but not from his memory. He knows all letters & phonics. And, he does not know how to write any letters, except letter o & i. Are these all age appropriate for 4 year old can recognize many sight words, but not able to spell or write at all? I have tried to teach him to memorize spelling about some simple words, it does not work. I think my approach is wrong.

And, any kid friendly books highly recommended for rhyme words?