What is "average" for a 4 year old in learning to read?

[Mommy22alyns]

Moms... educators... dads, even... Can anyone give me good advice? I'm trying to get an idea of where Becca falls on the spectrum of development, particularly in reading, of 4 year olds. It's kind of a hard question to ask on my usual mommy board, which is why I'm asking here.

[auburnchick]

Is your daughter actually reading? I don't believe that either of my children read when they were four. They really started reading in kindergarten. My son was reading after the first week...and writing. It was amazing.

[Mommy22alyns]

She is actually reading! She's got a lot of sight words down and she's very good at sounding things out in her head before reading them out loud. She isn't just reciting from memory either, because I can give her a BOB book that she's never seen before and she'll read it. She loves to read signs and is always asking me what something says and means. I even gave her a few Level 2 "reading with help" books for Christmas and she did - she read with only a little help from me. I usually have to remind her to read only what is on the page and not "assume" a word from the beginning letter. And I have to help, of course, with those weird words that defy phonics or why "read" is sometimes pronounced "reed" and sometimes "red." Fully expected.

It's a little for me to ask...where other 4 year olds are for the most part. She won't be 5 until March, and she's been truly reading for more than a month.
I know I was reading before Kindergarten, and it was a goal of mine to have her reading before K as well, but I am shocked at how fast and how well she picked it up!

[Knitting_Guy]

It varies a lot among children. I was reading at the age of 4, but my younger brother didn't read until well into kindergarten.

A combination of aptitude, interest, and fun parental involvement makes a big difference IMHO.

[alleusion]

It does vary. I was reading at 3, my DD at 4-ish and my son just before he turned 4....but although he "could" he didn't really do anything with it until Kindergarten. He preferred instead to have other people read for him.

[Songbirdy]

There is a movement that puts reading along the lines of learning to walk. There is such a wide gap.

My son didn't learn until Grade 2. That was with an extreme amount of participation on my part, the school, and his part. It was one of our reasons for pulling him to Home School. But, within 4 months he was reading at a late Grade 3 level according to the school specialists tests.

Whereas, my daughter has learned to read at a Grade 2 level and is a new age 6 year old.

But she still can't ride a bike without training wheels and my son was riding one without training wheels by 18 months.

Go figure!

But either way, I'd rather deal with learning to ride a bike than deal with trying to help a child learn to read!

[KnittingNat]

I had trouble reading until 5 or 6, i think. But after that there was no one to stop me. I've read it all... And now I have a B.A. in literature.

[susi]

it really depends on the child as everyone has said.

i have a 4 year old (5 in may) and he can't read anything other than the odd word he chooses, with him he hasn't got the interest yet. i know he can as he shows me at times he gets it.

he can write words he chooses to write also. but on his terms big style. he's home educated at the moment, he's going to school in september when i move to england.

susi

[auburnchick]

She is actually reading!

Sounds like she's ahead of the game. That is just amazing! You know...it all depends on the child. I stayed home with my children, and we read a gazillion books...reading every single night. And my children have always been great students in school. So, regardless of parental involvement, although I do sincerely believe it helps, something is just wired differently in some kids. Puts them ahead of the game. Involved parents provide outlets and opportunities for growth.

Keep up the good work, and don't be afraid to talk about her (I'll assume that's your hesitation about bringing it up in your other forum).

[Sandi]

Between my two boys, they were totally different. The oldest was reading at 4, and could write all his letters, the youngest not at all. They both seemed to go at their own rate.
All through shcool I really had to be on top of them to do what they were assigned. Now they both read like there's no tomorrow. I've always been a reader, and hoped that they would be, (which it turns out, they are)they both read stuff now that I would never pick up or would never have thought they would be interested in.
So there really is no "average", sorry to say.....