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photo by ProudMommy_wife
It's a question moms who answer "no" to sort of dread. By first grade, there is definitely pressure--both perceived and real--on parents whose kids aren't reading. When your child isn't reading and the other kids around him are, it's just impossible to ignore. It pays to remember that children in the first grade typically read at many different levels.
When an anonymous mom started getting concerned about her 6-year-old stepdaughter who couldn't read her 2-year-old's baby books, she asked other moms what they thought might help. What ChattyWifePlus2 said was great:
"She should read more than one book everyday. She should also be read to each day. Try having her tell you stories and writing them down for her. Then read them to her and allow her to reread from her story journal. She will be familiar with the content and can concentrate on the written words. Try using poems and songs too. Using poetry and songs can really help children become fluent readers. Games that require reading are also useful at that age. Make reading a daily activity and make it fun!"
GreatSchools.net has some other wonderful suggestions for helping first graders become readers. They also provide a reading objectives list to use to determine if your first grader is where he should be by the end of the school year, for example:
- Name and recognize all the letters of the alphabet in order
- Identify beginning, middle and ending sounds
- Read and retell familiar stories
- Read orally with reasonable fluency
By the end of first grade, yes, every child should have some basic reading skills. If yours doesn't, don't give up. Instead, be sure he has had all his medical exams (including eyesight and screening for learning disabilities), and continue to support his reading skills development by constantly reading to him and surrounding him with books, books, books!
Is your first grader reading? If not, how are you addressing it?
Comments (5)
yes he can read but just keep reading with them every kid is different. they will get it
He is starting to read. Some sentences he can get on his own. Others not so much. I don't believe in pigeon-holing kids. He will get it just like he did talking and potty training. He was 4 for both. My daughter is just starting to talk at 3.
Each kid is different...my 6 yr old first grader was reading at 4th grade level at the beginning of klindergarten last yr and my 5 yr old kindergartner is just starting to be able to recognize simple words in writing....each child is different. I dont think there is any ages that kids should be doing something per se..all depends on the child.
My daughtr really struggled with learning to read. The thing that helped the most was figuring out what her learning styles and modalities were (visual/auditory/kinsesthetic). The book How They Lear was a lifesavor for us. It helped me figure out that she is auditory and kinesthetic and that really helped me find approaches that worked with her. The Phonics Game was also very helpful with both my kids. They generally have it on E-Bay for a pretty reasonable price. For my younger one, it helped her tremendously to understand the rules (that they weren't learning in school) like:
The 'magic e' (in like, bake, joke, etc.) makes the first vowel 'say its name'
When c is followed by i, e, or y, it usually copies s (sound)
When when g is followed by i, e, or y is usually copies j (sound)
and all the others...Some of the rules were news to me!
Anyway, good luck to all those parents of struggling readers. It will get better!
I have twins in first grade. They are having a lot of trouble with reading. They entered 1st grade this year reading at an early year Kindergarten level, and so far there has been little progress. I have asked the school for Learning Disability testing, as I truly think they have one. They have denied my request for such at this time, due their age. I am a Special Education Teacher, so I understand the school viewpoint on this. I understand that, even at their current level, they won't be able to test low enough to get a diagnosis of Learning Disability. I am now pursuing this testing on my own, because I want to learn exactly what cognitive areas are weak, so I can address the exact weaknesses. The school doesn't look at prevention, it only deals with the aftermath....