Can your rising 1st grader read?

[4kiddies]

And if you answer yes, how well? What type of books--BOB books, chapter books? Thanks!

[Pamela H in Texas]

At the end of Kindergarten, I had one reading anything she pleased, usually chapter books like the old Bobbsey Twin books (considered a 5th/6th grade level currently if you check on Fry's Readability Charts) and EVERY book the library had on dinosaurs.

 

My other kiddo, at the end of Kindergarten, could read a few sight words and sound out some cvc words like cat, dog, ran, cup. He started 1st grade in public school (was there 8 weeks) and was considered middle of his class but in need of both inclass remediation and pull out with a reading specialist. They wanted after school also but I wouldn't hear of that!

[laurad1125]

Barely - He knows most letter sounds and can blend 3 letter words about 30% of the time. I'm trying to be very patient and we're going to work on the blending for as long as it takes. Sometimes it makes me crazy, though! :tongue_smilie:

[MeAndTheBoys]

Nicholas will be a 1st grader this fall, but he has a November bday so he'll turn 7 early on.

 

He loves to read--we did Bob book type reading in PreK and he didn't read for fun; about a year ago, he took off and got up to about a 5th grade reading level--he still loves to read things like Arthur chapter books (which are usually 2.9-ish) but he can devour them in 30 minutes. He can read things like Charlotte's Web and Wizard of Oz and other "real" chapter books on 4th and 5th grade levels when he's willing to stop mid-way and use a bookmark.

 

Since he's out of "naps", he has a 1-hour "quiet time" each day and that's his biggest solid chunk of reading time. WE hit the library every week or so and I try to find him interesting books to read that aren't over his maturity level--that's tough, but there are a lot of 50+ year old books that work well.

 

He comes by it honestly; I always have my nose in a book--on the treadmill, while I'm cooking or cleaning, etc.

 

Betsy

[Guest]

My dd just turned six June 25 and is going to be in first grade this year. She is able to read short vowels, blends, ee and ou combination's, and some long vowels. She is still sounding words out quit a bit...but her fluency is really starting to build up. We have been talking a break from The Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading and she is working on Headsprout. This program has really helped build her fluency and speed up her reading.

[springmama]

My dd turned 6 in March and is not fluent but can sound out lots of words. We just keep working at it and eventually she'll get it.

[Carrie12345]

My rising first grader can read well. My best guess would be a 2nd grade level, but different assessments put her at all different levels. How much she understands is debatable.

She does very well with "I Can Read" type books. She loves to tackle harder non-fiction (Eyewitness, KF, books about animals) and gets a good deal out of them, but she pretty much skips the really hard words in those!

 

For the record, she was the child who had no interest in reading at the beginning of last year. She changed her mind one day and that was that. She's also been sitting along side her sister, a rising 2nd grader, so she's had a lot of exposure to reading and a strong desire to be "just as good as" her big sister.

 

She can't spell to save her life though, lol.

[plansrme]

All 3 of mine read before first grade, though with varying levels of fluency.

 

My current 5 yo (would be a K'er in the fall) can read fairly difficult picture books to me. With all of them, their reading ability was like flipping a switch--one day they were sounding out every single word. The next, they were practically fluent. We loosely use Wanda Sanseri's program, the name of which escapes me right now--Spelling Road to Reading, maybe? I have them work on the phonograms from time to time, starting at 4 1/2, so when the switch flips, they have the tools to read phonetically. They're very different learners, but this has worked with all 3 of them. Even when my kids were in school, I had them reading before first grade because I thought reading was too important a skill to be left up to professionals. :)

 

Terri

[snickelfritz]

dd turned 6 in June

 

We're working through BJU 1st grade readers. She can read books like Frog and Toad, Biscuit, etc....

[EKS]

I've had two rising first graders. My oldest could not read though he knew many letter sounds. When entering 2nd grade he could barely read the first Bob book. My younger son was reading chapter books fluently at the start of 1st grade.

[Marie in Oh]

reads very well-- will be 6 in September. She reads picture books from the library, Henry and Mudge types of books, and just started on The Littles. She recently read aloud to me One Day in Maine with relative ease. I looked it up on the leveled book list and it was late 3rd reading level. Her 2 older sisters were reading very fluently out of K as well. My oldest ds was reading BOB books out of K. He didn't gain fluency until mid 1st when he was 6 1/2. I am guessing my next child in line (dd, 5 in November) will be more like her older brother.

[mafi39]

I have two children a ds 5 and dd 6 who will be starting first grade work. They both know all their sounds and can sound out simple words, but no fluency here :( My ds is very bright, but I don't think he will be as eager to learn to read this year, so I will focus on my dd more until he shows interest. I am going to use alphaphonics, ETC, whatever I can get my hands on to help them.

[TheCoffeeChick]

My soon to be 1st grader can read easy readers. I think a chapter book would just be down right overwhelming for him with all the words on the page, but he could probably do it r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w-l-y. He loves that he can read his beginner's Bible, so that is probably the most difficult thing I have him read. I figure he'll start reading the longer, harder stuff soon enough. ;)

 

On a side note, it is so amazing to me the range of abilities that kids have in 1st grade. How in the world could a public school cater to all these kids with such different abilities? :tongue_smilie: I'm so glad I'm able to homeschool.

[Tabrett]

My rising first grader can read cvc, consonant blends, silent e, ee/ea, words with y or a vowel at the end (so, be, ect...) and oo (as in good). She sounds everything out; no fluency. I am very ok with starting 1st grade with her. I'm going to be using MFW 1st for phonics and she is ahead of what she need to know to start MFW 1. She is a young 1st grader. She will be 6 in the fall. I will also be doing SOTW 1, FLL 1 and WWE 1 with her. Math seem to be her weakness, I'm not sure if I am going to restart RS A or go ahead with B. I am giving her a break over the summer and am hoping she will have a developmental jump come August.:001_huh:

[sagira]

My ds will be six in the beginning of September. He's reading at about a third grade level. He reads for at least an hour a day and he goes to bed with a huge stack of books. He loved the Frog and Toad series, is reading longer picture books and read Mildred and Sam the other day. He surprised me by reading the first chapter of Charlotte's Web a few weeks ago in the car (I had just gotten it and told him he could look at the pictures). However, he would rather get the feeling of accomplishment of finishing a book for now. It's too intimidating for him when the book is too long to read in one sitting. He does read Frog and Toad and other shorter chapter books in one sitting.

 

I try to achieve a balance between giving him a challenge and tend to the fire of enjoying reading. I don't want to frustrate him, but at the same time I want to make sure the material is edifying. He's my first child, so no experience here, but I bet he'll be able to read Charlotte's Web by the end of first grade.

[Elm in NJ]

I had two that were reading books like the Magic Tree House, and my twins were on Bob Books set 1(Pat sat on cat).

[Tree House Academy]

My son started reading at 4 and started doing 1st grade material when he was 5 1/2 this past January. He is reading very well - on about a 2.5 grade level according to the site I looked on based on the books he is reading. He is not quite to chapter books, but he will be reading those by Christmas - no doubt in my mind. He will be 6 at the end of September.

Edited July 2, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[mrsrevmeg]

My rising first grader started Kindergarten thinking he did not need to know how to read. After trying a few other options we got 100 Easy Lessons. He is now reading his Bible (not a standard Bible, a children's version), Frog and Toad, Dr. Seuss, and the like. The kids I know his age at public school aren't doing as much reading as him. I think at this age as long as they are learning, fluency is not the biggest deal. My older two sons could read better than my youngest at this age, but they both were more eager to start early. My youngest has more important things to do, like climb trees and master the monkey bars, whereas his brothers would be happy if they never were made to play outside. As long as you can tell that your child is improving, I would not worry about if someone else's child is reading more or longer books or anything.

[plansrme]

On a side note, it is so amazing to me the range of abilities that kids have in 1st grade. How in the world could a public school cater to all these kids with such different abilities? :tongue_smilie: I'm so glad I'm able to homeschool.

 

This has been an interesting thread, and I agree completely.

 

Terri

[Jumping In Puddles]

No. He can sound out words but he has no fluency at all. He would not be able to read a biscuit or Seus book but he can read (by sounding out) a simple BOB book.

[FO4UR]

I am certainly glad to he HSing too!:iagree:

 

This thread actually makes me feel a little better LOL!

 

My ds6 is reading, but not fluently. We just started going through the Abeka 1st grade readers, and he is 1/2 through the first book. He sounds out words VERY choppy, and then goes back and says the sentence more smoothly.

 

We have been using SWR for the last year, so he has the ability to sound out almost anything......but, he's not comfy sounding out "almost anything." His fluency on an isolated card, or in spelling is much greater than in reading books.

[creekmom]

We use Hooked on Phonics, and he was finished with level 2 at the end of kindergarten. He doesn't know many sight words, but he can read 3-4 letter words by sounding them out.

[Moni]

Chapter books

 

We do

4 years old - Learn to read, read more, read well, read 3 times a day.

That's it, just Reading.

 

5 years old.

Keep reading 3 times a day.

Add the pencil. Daily.

Teach to write manuscript letters, grouped by pencil stroke, not a-b-c order, starting with the 8 c's c a d g q o e s

progress to copywork daily

 

6 years old

Keep the reading 3 times per day.

Keep copywork'ing daily

Learn the math facts, all of them, addition, multiplication, then come back for subtraction then division.

 

So what a student is reading as a 1st grader might depend on how long he's actually been Reading

 

:seeya:

[Zebra]

My soon to be 6yo is reading at a 3rd grade reading level. Easy chapter books, magic tree house, that sort of thing.

 

We used Alphaphonics and Bob books. Before Christmas she was reading Bob books(with a bit of a struggle), and then we took 3 weeks off. When we came back in January, she was suddenly reading at a 3rd grade level. I think her brain needed the time off to process.

[TracyR]

My third daughter turned 6 on June 12. I used K12 for her kindergarden year and by the end she could sound out words (every single word) and didn't remember many sight words at all. She just didn't have any fluency at all. So I purchased Headsprout and she has improved 100%.

I would say she is reading at a 1st grade level already.

Right now we are using the Headsprout Readers and the Bob Books for reinforcement.

[SilverMoon]

Yup. He's reading at a 1.5 grade level. He can sound out anything with a short vowel in it, simple long vowels, and a smattering of sight words. (His three year old sister is hot on his heels too. He's trying to stay ahead of her.)

[Wee Pip]

Two answers, since I've taught 2 girls how to read, thus far:)

 

My 1st dd (now age 8.5) - she could very very slowly read C-A-T and other short vowel words, and suffer thru about 30 sight words by end of K. She hated reading & it was miserably painful. We moved on to 1st gr anyway. We ended up repeating 2nd gr twice, but now she reads quite well. She can read her 3rd gr material without problem (could probably handle 4th gr material) and now reads Bunnicula novels (4th gr) & Rainbow Magic Fairies (2nd gr) books for fun.

 

My 2nd dd (now age 6.5 & starting 2nd gr) had a big interest in reading. She started 1st gr being able to read some Dr. Suess & Frog & Toad type books. She just really wanted to read & she loved the process (different kid entirely!) Now, I must admit we're having some problems - she sees what a jump 2nd gr work is and she no longer likes school. She also is starting to baulk at reading harder things (like her sis's 3rd gr material) even though she used to beg to try to read it, LOL. So I think that is going to be our big challenge this up coming year - getting past this new found "I can't" stage.

 

Every kid is different & they'll get it in time (that's me, echoing the advice every mom gave me while I was tearing my hair out with my 1st).

[sassenach]

My first grader will be 7 in August. He is reading Dr. Suess books and other beginning readers. He is not fluent yet, but getting closer every day! We're still working through ETC and phonics pathways.

[Haiku]

My son is 6 1/2 and we started first grade on Monday (we school year-round). He is reading Henry and Mudge, but not all that fluently.

 

Tara

[4kiddies]

Thanks everyone for your input. You have made me feel better that we are still working our way slowly but surely through OPG and ETC. :001_smile:

[Storm Bay]

It sounds like yours is doing just fine. Mine were all different. My eldest could read quite well, my second would do it only during school (she took off in reading at 6.5 and never looked back, although she didn't have any trouble. She just didn't like it until then.) My ds started phonics at 5 1/2 and it took him a long time. He'd do Bob Books, but it turned out he had a vision issue I'd never heard of--his weak eye was interfering. While he did progress in his reading level steadily, his reading began to take off once we started patching his weak eye; he also saw dramatic improvement in the vision in that weak eye quite quickly that corresponded directly with his jump in reading.

 

However, there is variation. Not every child is ready to read at 5, but if you think that's the case it's wise to rule out dyslexia. Some kids have suffered because parents assume that they're just not ready to read. I stick with the theory that the normal age to start reading varies from 3-8, but I'd never assume that my dc was just not ready. I ruled dyslexia out for my ds when he struggled.

[Ravin]

DD is very much a beginning reader. She can sound out CVC words and some a little more complex than that, and knows most of her consonant sounds and some vowels. We're talking K HOP readers and early BOB books here.

[Heather in VA]

Yes. She has been my slowest to start reading. My other two were reading chapter books in Kindergarten but #3 took her time. She's now doing quite well but not quite to chapter books yet. Nate the Great type would be the most challenging she has done. If I sit with her to keep her focused she could do a more advanced book but on her own - Nate the Great type.

 

Heather

[Chris in VA]

Oldest son (now 19) could not read until Oct/Nov of his first grade year. He was 7. He was so proud of that first Bob book!! He read most of the second set of Primary Phonics books by the end of the year. He really hit his stride in 3rd grade and read all the Great Illustrated Classics he could get his hands on.

 

Middle child (17 now) could read in K, but was taught by whole language with some phonics --not sure what he was reading by first. Always read slightly above grade level, but never enjoyed it.

 

Youngest (girl, now 9) started blending/sounding out 2 weeks before she turned 4. I remember visiting her preschool in Sept of her 1st grade year; her former teacher asked if she was reading Mr. Putter and Tabby yet, and she wasn't. Three months later, she picked up Little House in The Big Woods, and by the end of the year, read A Little Princess--a jump of about 6 grade levels in one year.

 

They are all so different, and their progress, tho linear, was never at the same rate all the time.

[FlockOfSillies]

Oldest was reading at age 4. Second took off with reading.... umm, I think at the beginning of first. I can't remember, lol. The Flea is my current rising first grader. She's reading short-vowel words with blends, but it's still very slow, and her memory isn't as strong as the others. She'll sound out the word, then forget the beginning sound and guess something else. I need to be more consistent in her lessons, though.

[Guest 4boys]

When Bailey began Gr. 1 he could read Bob books (the first few sets) and was mostly reading CVC kind of words. Someone on this board told me that I would be amazed at the progress he would make in Gr. 1 and you know what, it happened just like she said! Now at the end of Gr. 1 he is a fabulous reader and can read nearly everything I put in front of him.

[mama25angels]

ds will be in Gr.1 when we start in Aug. can sound out words, but likes to guess. He squints alot so i'm going to take him to have his eyes checked. There's no fluency at all, we're using OPG, but i'm thinking of moving to Progressive phonics and keep using Starfall.

 

 

My 13yo was in K when I taught him to read with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy lessons and the Abeka phonics program, and he just took off from there.

[Sparkle]

Short answer: no.

 

Long answer: yes, she can read some of the Dick and Jane books, although not too fluently. That is purely sight-reading though. She has been very slow to catch onto phonics.

[Mandy in TN]

All 3 of my boys were different.

 

Oldest ds is dyslexic. He entered 2nd grade at 7 1/2 unable to consistently blend letters into words.

 

Middle ds left K not recognizing all of his letters. In fall of 1st grade right after his 7th birthday everything clicked and all of a sudden he went from sounding out C-A-T to reading Amelia Bedelia.

 

My youngest will be entering 1st grade in August, but like my middle ds he will turn 7yo in the fall. He can read Magic Treehouse books independently in an afternoon. Most recently he read The Littles and Stone Fox.

 

HTH-

Mandy

[yslek]

B turned 7 the fall of 1st grade. He was able to read beginning readers (Frog & Toad, Mouse Tales) out loud. When he was 7, he wanted his Daddy to read Desperaux to him again (had just finished this as a read aloud), but was told that once was enough & he'd have to read it on his own. He sat down, sounding out the words & reading out loud to himself. About halfway through the book he started reading silently and has been a voracious reader since. :)

 

T was a youngish 1st grader (6 all year); his reading was fluent, but slow, and he wasn't crazy about reading. He started reading on his own in 2nd grade (also age 7:)).

 

D is just starting to learn. The concept of blending seems to be taking her much longer than it took either of her brothers, so we'll see. She'll turn 6 this fall, which will be her K year.

 

When I went to grade school in Germany, reading instruction didn't even begin until 1st grade, BTW.

[NancyNellen]

Yes, he can read level 1 and some level 2 readers (like Frog and Toad.)

[Mom22ns]

It is fun to see the variety. Its so nice to be able to work with your kids where they are. Both of my kids were in ps in first grade. They both were reading chapter books, ds any chapter book, dd Little House and Ramona type books.

 

Our ps require kids to be reading independently in order to go to first grade. That doesn't mean fluently though. That just means they can get through Level 1 readers sounding out the words. They spend the whole year in first grade on phonics instruction and almost all of those who are choppy do smooth out and get fluent.

[lydiasmommy]

My oldest is a bookaholic. She's been reading since she was three and reads at about the 5th grade level. Her favorrites are Beverly Cleary books (Ralph S. Mouse, Socks, etc.).

[amsunshine]

Yes -- my rising first grader turned 6 in May and is currently reading through the Magic Treehouse series and others, like the Littles and Cobblestreet Cousins, etc.

[elise1mds]

My DS will be in 1st this fall, but he's older, too, and will be 7 in October. He's reading very, very well. He started reading when he was 5 after we got him on some ADHD medication that worked. He loves Magic Treehouse and anything nonfiction that I feel he'll be able to comprehend. We'll still be doing oral reading this fall, though, because he still gets some words/sounds a bit mixed up.

[Ali in OR]

My dd turned 6 in December so she will be an older first grader. Her reading has really taken off in the last couple of months. When she read aloud to me in late spring (a "chapter" of Little Bear), it was still pretty slow going. All of us have a reading challenge this summer to read a certain number of books. This is her first time having a reading challenge, and given how she was reading in the spring, I made her challenge 10 books (easy readers, picture books, whatever). She did 4 the first day and finished her 10 in one week! I made a new tracking sheet with 20 slots and she finished that off yesterday and needs another one. I've had her read aloud to me and she's doing fine and understands what she is reading. So I think she has hit that stage where everything is clicking and she's taking off. I would not be surprised if she starts chapter books this fall.

[Mommy22alyns]

Becca turned 6 in March and just got her "promotion" to first grade. She can read things like the Carolyn Haywood Betsy books, Ramona, the easy abridged classics, etc.

[Nakia]

My rising 1st grader turned six in March. She sounds out cvc words easily and knows about ten sight words. She can read most of the BOB books easily. But she is nowhere near fluent.

 

My oldest was about the same at that age. She just finished Black Beauty so I'm not worried. Emma will take off too!

[momto2Cs]

Nope. She knows her letter sounds and can identify some words (sight reading) but apparently has issues remembering how letters look. We're working on that this summer and I plan to start her with good, strong phonics in the fall.

 

She's 6 btw.

 

Also, the K program we used last year (Oak Meadow) does not teach reading in K - that starts in 1st.

[mommix3]

My daughter will be 6 in October and is able to sound out CVC words most of the time,and knows some sight words.

 

Angela