Does anybody else have LATE readers?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I am just wondering? I have seen so many posts about how EARLY kids do stuff, but what about late bloomers?

 

My son is 5 1/2 and just is NOT ready for school. He is just not ready. There have been ideas thrown around about ADHD and a possible LD, but nothing for sure, and I personally dont think there is any of that (but Im mom so who knows.)

 

Not just with reading, but everything, or any 1 subject. What age did your late bloomer finally show that they were ready? (and Im curious to see if the majority are boys or not, my girls were EARLY with everything)

[happygrrl]

My son was 9 1/2 when he "got it". He went from a K level to grade level in one month, and now at 13 reads every single day. Looks like the youngest is in the same boat.... he still has so much difficulty. He is showing signs of things clicking, though, and I predict by fall he'll be at grade level. YMMV.

[i.love.lucy]

I've got a 5.5 year old who I have not done much school with at all. He's just not ready. He's learning his letter sounds and numbers, but to sit and do reading lessons...No way. And I don't think he has any learning delays at all. He's fine. He's just a squirrel. They don't sit still much and have a short attention span!

[SophiaH]

What age did your late bloomer finally show that they were ready?

 

I'm still waiting. ;)

 

My son will be 6 in a few days, and he is definitely NOT ADHD as he can spend hours (literally) on his art projects and building constructions. But he just isn't much interested in "school" stuff. But that's okay by me. I'm in no hurry...

 

BTW, the curriculum in my sig for him is what happens like once every three weeks. :D

[Orthodox6]

Another wholly subjective question ! :) I never would consider 5-1/2 "late" for anything "academic" other than general speech and motor development.

 

I can't speak as a professional; however, I don't see how an LD can be suspected or diagnosed until a child has sunk some consistent effort into a topic in the first place. Dh and I could not suspect that dd had math disabilities until she had struggled with math enough for us to detect patterns of difficulty. (Professional evaluation then confirmed what we suspected.)

Edited April 9, 2010 by Orthodox6
typo

[SophiaH]

I never would consider 5-1/2 "late" for anything "academic" other than general speech and motor development.

 

 

Very good point. :iagree:

[Sue G in PA]

My boys were all late readers. But I guess that depends on how you define late! Dsd10 was almost 7 before it finally clicked for him. Ds12 was also about that age. Now, ds7 is starting to read cvc words and some sight words, but you can tell he struggles. Sounds out every last word...even if it is one he has seen a million time. I'm not worrying. He'll get it!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I've got a 5.5 year old who I have not done much school with at all. He's just not ready. He's learning his letter sounds and numbers, but to sit and do reading lessons...No way. And I don't think he has any learning delays at all. He's fine. He's just a squirrel. They don't sit still much and have a short attention span!

 

That is how my son it. I have been told there are problems, but I just think he is a 5 y/o boy. I really dont think there are any problems. He just likes to play and not settle down. He did pick up things when I tried, but he just isnt ready for school yet :D

 

 

My son did have speech delays, but that can also be common when they have older siblings who "talk for him" and that certainly was the case. He did not NEED to talk, everybody was doing it for him.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I can't speak as a professional; however, I don't see how an LD can be suspected or diagnosed until a child has sunk some consistent effort into a topic in the first place. Dh and I could not suspect that dd had math disabilities until she had struggled with math enough for us to detect patterns of difficulty. (Professional evaluation then confirmed what we suspected.)

 

 

That is my thought on the subject. The dr tried telling me that when he was less than 1. :001_huh:. Then when he wasnt talking at 2 that "confirmed it" :glare: in his mind. After a whole 4 weeks of hour sessions 2 days a week he would not stop talking so I think the dr went WAY OVERBOARD even thinking about saying that!

 

Not to mention he can play with his play-doh for HOURS non stop

[savmom]

My dd is 7and is just now starting to read. :blushing: She can read 3 letter words well, but struggles with blending (i.e. st-ar, cr-ab, etc). I am ashamed to say that I only recently really started trying to "teach" her since all other attempts resulted in frustration on BOTH our parts.

 

We are using CLE Learning to Read, Hooked on Phonics (she likes the books) and ETC (all done alternate days since CLE moves so quickly).

 

FWIW, she has Epilepsy which caused some minor delays.

 

Strange thing is she has an AMAZING photographic memory (ahem, she gets it from me :D). She can recall stuff from 5-6 years ago but easily forgets a word she knew yesterday.

 

OTOH, DS is 16 and he started reading at 5 pretty much on his own after learning the letter sounds. He was reading several grade levels ahead by age 7. Now he won't read unless I force him :glare:.

 

Cindy

[MIch elle]

Yes, I read to him and played games, etc. but I didn't teach him the alphabet, reading, or number recognition until AFTER age 6. I was then heavily influenced by unschooling and the Moore's philosophy of education at that time (NO more). He caught up and was reading on level by the end of grade 3.

 

My younger ds, I did start earlier because he asked to "do" school but it made no difference. He read about about the same level as his older brother, reading on level by the end of gr. 3.

 

They both are good readers but reading is not their activity of choice. I haven't std tested my younger ds yet but my older ds tested high on grade 7 IOWA and HSPT reading comprehension.

Edited April 9, 2010 by MIch elle
typo

[JenAL]

My ds will be 7 at the end of this month. Reading is just now "clicking" for him. He still has to sound out many words, but is finally making progress! I bought him Nate the Great books (his name is Nathan :tongue_smilie:) & he can read those with help. He's not quite ready to be on his own with those yet. But he atleast WANTS to read them!

 

My dd just turned 5 last month. She wants to learn to read. But she still hasn't mastered all the alphabet & their sounds.

[LibraryLover]

One of mine was 8 before the first chapter book was under the belt. It was not Harry Potter, either. lol Dc today (teen) is a voracious reader and thoughtful writer. Although, in fact, I do not consider 8 late.

Edited April 10, 2010 by LibraryLover

[swimmermom3]

I am just wondering? I have seen so many posts about how EARLY kids do stuff, but what about late bloomers?

 

My son is 5 1/2 and just is NOT ready for school. He is just not ready. There have been ideas thrown around about ADHD and a possible LD, but nothing for sure, and I personally dont think there is any of that (but Im mom so who knows.)

 

Not just with reading, but everything, or any 1 subject. What age did your late bloomer finally show that they were ready? (and Im curious to see if the majority are boys or not, my girls were EARLY with everything)

 

The dear friend who got me into home schooling shared her story. At the end of her second child's third grade year, my friend was called into a conference with the teacher. The teacher declared that the girl was "slow" since she was unable to read. My friend was devastated at having missed that fact and the label placed on her child. She began homeschooling this child and her other siblings. Fast forward many years later, this "slow" young lady is an All-American scholar and an amazing swimmer. She is finishing her last year of college on a full-ride scholarship and is an outstanding student.

 

Her three younger siblings were all late readers even with home schooling. Not one of those wonderful kids is "slow" or has other learning issues. It's just the way kids develop in that family.

[JenAL]

The dear friend who got me into home schooling shared her story. At the end of her second child's third grade year, my friend was called into a conference with the teacher. The teacher declared that the girl was "slow" since she was unable to read. My friend was devastated at having missed that fact and the label placed on her child. She began homeschooling this child and her other siblings. Fast forward many years later, this "slow" young lady is an All-American scholar and an amazing swimmer. She is finishing her last year of college on a full-ride scholarship and is an outstanding student.

 

Her three younger siblings were all late readers even with home schooling. Not one of those wonderful kids is "slow" or has other learning issues. It's just the way kids develop in that family.

 

Thank you for sharing this. It helps alleviate some of my fears of failing my kids. ;)

[Homeschooling6]

Other than my dd (who took off reading at age 5yrs.) are all what one would call 'late' readers. Josh started reading at the end of his 4th grade year. Went from a low 1st grade reading level to 3rd grade in a few months. I was amazed (i had him take an assessment in June because I was getting worried then he started reading and tested him again in Aug)

 

My now 9yr. old has not taken off with reading yet.

 

They can read but not fluent. My 8yr. & 9yr. boys can read words at a 4th grade level but are not fluently reading at a 4th grade level.

 

My 6yr. old can read cvc & cvcc words. My 5.5 yr old is not interested at all. He doesn't even know his letter sounds.

[Lori in MS]

I have 2 boys that were late bloomers. My 10 yr old is finally close to grade level in reading. Last year he jumped from 2nd grade reading level to 4th grade in a few months. I had been consistently working with him a little each school day since he was six. He struggled until he was 8 1/2. My 8 year old son is still doing phonics. He is reading, but not fluently. For both boys I did not start formal school with them until they were 6.

[Faithr]

My kids have all read late. My oldest didn't read until age 8, two boys were age 9, one age 10 and now my youngest dd is 8.5 year is finally clicking with it. But they have all been diagnosed with the same vision tracking issues. However, my oldest just called from college to say she wants to double major in political philosophy and English. I about fell over! After hearing for years how much she hated reading!

 

So I definitely don't think when one learns to read (be it at age 4 or at 10) has any bearing on literacy in adulthood.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

My youngest was 9 before reading and 10 before reading WELL. Now, he is 12 and learning that reading is fun!

 

I don't think people intend on bragging. But those of us with late bloomers have a lot of insecurities and it hits us the wrong way.

[woolybear]

I do not consider 5 1/2 at all late for learning to read. Now, my ds will be 10 this summer and it is finally coming. I'd say in the last couple of months there has been a huge jump. Almost 10? I'd call that late.:001_smile: 5 1/2? Nope, not even close in my book.

 

Woolybear

[kalanamak]

I am just wondering? I have seen so many posts about how EARLY kids do stuff, but what about late bloomers?

 

 

 

I have a wiggly boy. I started getting him to sit still for 5 minutes at a stretch doing something he liked (Kumon tracing books, counting out counting bears, telling me the names of animals in a book). Once we got the time and location and the time of day seared into his brain, I started introducing some books I wanted him to look at. I think we started with EB math. I mooched up to 10 minutes, never making it a torture. By 6 he could do a total of 30 minutes a day, with breaks between subjects. I did it after a good, hard, solid run with Papa....at least 2 hours good HARD play.

HTH

[Guest]

All my kids have been slow at learning to read. We always work on it, but I never pushed it because I knew one day that it would click. My two oldest children started out in public schools, and when they came home they couldn't read at all! So, I have spent the last two years working on that. They both really took off in their reading skills in the last six months, and they are 9 & 8 now. They are both now reading on about a 5th grade level. My dd(6) will be seven in June, and things are just now starting to click with her. She has did OPGTR up to lesson 80, the complete Headsprout program, ETC primers-3, and she is now doing CLE's Learn to Read program. I heard someone else say before that learning to read is like potty training, you can push and push, but they will do it when they are ready.

Edited April 9, 2010 by Guest

[AK_Homesteaders]

So encouraging to read these posts about "late" readers. One of my sons was an early reader, and the other is almost 6 and doesn't recognize all the letters yet. I do the same things with both of them. We read lots and lots. But, one is just not into the academics yet. He's developing well in other areas and both of them have their strengths. I'm not worried. I've seen the younger one so many times not even start something that he "should" be doing. But, once he decides to do it, it doesn't take long for him to master it and catch up.

 

BTW, I'm so glad to have found this wonderful forum!

 

Jenny

[Lori D.]

JMO, but these labels of "slow" or "early" really seem to be a hold-over of the cookie-cutter mentality of the modern public school system, in which it is easier for a school administrator to have all children of a certain age in a single classroom for management purposes. The bottom line for such a system has to be budget and ease of implementation; it is much cheaper and easier to have a single set of goals for each "grade" rather than a focus on each student and their individual rate of development.

 

I am so very grateful that, as homeschoolers, we do NOT have to be tied to public school curricula -- or that cookie cutter mentality! In that Bell Curve of brain development, we are able to work with each of our students at the level they need to work at in each individual school subject -- which is never "early" or "late", but always at the right time, and (usually) with the materials best suited for that student at that time.

 

Dismounting my soapbox for the day. :tongue_smilie: Warmest regards, Lori D.

[LizzyBee]

Yep. My 8 yo is dyslexic.

[elegantlion]

My son is a late reader. He's never been diagnosed but we suspect he has mild dyslexia. He didn't start reading until 8 1/2 - 9. It was frustrating because I don't remember ever NOT knowing how to read. My mom and sister taught me before kindergarten.

 

He has improved greatly in the last few years but is still not a fan of reading. Thankfully he loves being read-aloud time.

[nukeswife]

I'm glad you posted this because every so often the early reader threads seem to cycle through and they always make me feel like a failure for a while. My oldest son will be 11 the end of next month and although he could read fluently by the age of 7 he simply refused to read anything even remotely at grade level until this year. The beginning of this school year, he was a little over 10 years old and wouldn't read anything harder than Magic Tree House. I bought a bunch of books and told him he had to pick one out of that box and read for at least 30 minutes each day no matter what. Well he picked the first Percy Jackson book and that's what finally sucked him in to love reading, now he's rarely without a book, but it took a long time to get him there.

 

Now on to my dd, she's 8 years 5 months old and is still struggling to keep short and long vowels (long vowels made using silent e is all the long vowels we've covered) straight. She struggles to read everything when she's reading aloud to me. Just recently I noticed she's able to read more fluently but not great when reading in a low voice to herself. It has been a long road full of struggles and lots of tears. I know she'll get it, but it's been hard to see her flounder for so long. She gets math concepts much more easily, so it seems her brain just wasn't ready for reading over the past 3 years I've been trying to teach her. She's a very artistic girl and seems very right brained, which may explain some of her difficulties. The hardest part is that this girl desperately wants to read, I know once she takes off she'll truly fly and will always have her nose in a book.

 

I have a younger son who will be 5 in July, I haven't started anything formal with him, but he does know all of his letters and sounds just by hearing our lessons while playing in the next room and watching leap frog DVDs. I believe it will be much easier to teach him, but he's more like me and dh. Very logical and left brained. I guess we'll see how it goes come fall. He has been asking me to teach him in the last few weeks, but I'm trying to figure out how to teach two at once that are in different spots, so he'll have to wait just a bit longer.

[Laura W.]

My second ds is a late bloomer. Right after he turned 5, I tried to begin phonics with him (his twin sister had already learned almost all of the letter sounds at that point). We spent 2 weeks with me trying to help him learn 2 letter sounds - nothing stuck.

 

Thankfully, he has an October birthday, so he didn't officially start K until he was almost 6. While he can pay attention to detail (spends hours with blocks, was able to sew more neatly than his 9 yo sister when they did a sewing projects, actually has pretty neat handwriting), he is slower at grasping reading and math concepts. I think it's partly maturity and partly that he's one who needs lots of repetition. I've got him working through the pre-ETC books, and they have the amount of repetition he needs. I'm getting a very incremental math program for him, too.

 

Blessings,

 

Laura

[Mommyfaithe]

I am just wondering? I have seen so many posts about how EARLY kids do stuff, but what about late bloomers?

 

My son is 5 1/2 and just is NOT ready for school. He is just not ready. There have been ideas thrown around about ADHD and a possible LD, but nothing for sure, and I personally dont think there is any of that (but Im mom so who knows.)

 

Not just with reading, but everything, or any 1 subject. What age did your late bloomer finally show that they were ready? (and Im curious to see if the majority are boys or not, my girls were EARLY with everything)

 

I have had 3 very early readers( age 3 1/2- early 4 y/o), 2 average age (5) and 2 late bloomers (fluent @7 1/2 - 9 yrs.) Of those 2 who were late: Both have better memory, both love reading and books, both have been way above grade level by the end of 6th grade. Both would not read early readers but preferred to be read to...and were particular that the literature was of good quality. My older who was a late bloomer has a 4.0 GPA in her 3rd year of college and she also did not write even a full paragraph until 11th grade. She is now a journalism major.

 

So, barring any vision problems or LD's, I would not worry about it. My younger dd was not ready for formal schooling until 4th grade....she is now my best student. She works hard and very independently.

 

My 6 y.o who is reading well, is also not ready for formal lessons. I tried really hard, but he is just not ready, so we will hang it up this year, continue to snuggle read, and learn incognito...and I will pick up the formality when he is about 8 or so. Seems to be when my kiddoes are ready to get down to business regardless of when they start reading.

 

In the meantime, keep your home a learning environment. No TV or screen time during the day. Lots of out door play, puzzles, crayons and paper, legos, paint, artist prints, museums etc. Oh, talk...talk...talk...read...read...read...and then talk some more. Most of all love that little guy and have some fun with him.

 

Blessings,

Faithe

Edited April 10, 2010 by Mommyfaithe

[Karen in CO]

Another wholly subjective question ! :) I never would consider 5-1/2 "late" for anything "academic" other than general speech and motor development.

 

 

:iagree:

5 1/2 isn't late for anything academic. My 5 1/2 yo is super bright but just like most 5 year olds, she'd rather play than anything else. Play is the proper thing for this age. I try to follow CM when it comes to when to start formal academics - 7 Easters. Or Waldorf which is when they get their first permanent teeth. I like Singapore math - not supposed to start until age 7, and their kids beat ours on international math tests. My dd is learning songs in English and some in French and even some Kanji characters. She is memorizing poetry, learning about the plants and animals in the world around her, learning to cook and measure and build. She can find her way around the zoo and know what all of the animals are, has a good idea where each comes from and knows what each one eats. She can't read and still gets her teens mixed up when she's counting. She loves to draw and paint and swing and quote Ben Franklin. She isn't behind on anything.

[MelanieM]

:iagree:

5 1/2 isn't late for anything academic. My 5 1/2 yo is super bright but just like most 5 year olds, she'd rather play than anything else. Play is the proper thing for this age. I try to follow CM when it comes to when to start formal academics - 7 Easters. Or Waldorf which is when they get their first permanent teeth. I like Singapore math - not supposed to start until age 7, and their kids beat ours on international math tests. My dd is learning songs in English and some in French and even some Kanji characters. She is memorizing poetry, learning about the plants and animals in the world around her, learning to cook and measure and build. She can find her way around the zoo and know what all of the animals are, has a good idea where each comes from and knows what each one eats. She can't read and still gets her teens mixed up when she's counting. She loves to draw and paint and swing and quote Ben Franklin. She isn't behind on anything.

 

Fabulous post! :D

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

!

I don't think people intend on bragging. But those of us with late bloomers have a lot of insecurities and it hits us the wrong way.

 

:iagree:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

So encouraging to read these posts about "late" readers.

 

:iagree: I for one needed it! I was really getting discouraged by how early so many other kids are! I really dont feel he is late anymore! I REALLY needed this!

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

JMO, but these labels of "slow" or "early" really seem to be a hold-over of the cookie-cutter mentality of the modern public school system, in which it is easier for a school administrator to have all children of a certain age in a single classroom for management purposes. The bottom line for such a system has to be budget and ease of implementation; it is much cheaper and easier to have a single set of goals for each "grade" rather than a focus on each student and their individual rate of development.

 

I am so very grateful that, as homeschoolers, we do NOT have to be tied to public school curricula -- or that cookie cutter mentality! In that Bell Curve of brain development, we are able to work with each of our students at the level they need to work at in each individual school subject -- which is never "early" or "late", but always at the right time, and (usually) with the materials best suited for that student at that time.

 

Dismounting my soapbox for the day. :tongue_smilie: Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

I needed your soapbox! Thank you! I am really learning that with my son! My daughters, while not using the same curriculum for everything, are fairly similar in learning style, but my son is very different! I am having look around for what suits him, being VERY hands on, kinesthetic and auditory! That is him! He isnt going to do well with what my daughters do!

[Jan in SC]

My guys were 8 and 7 &1/2 before they read. They were even older before they enjoyed it! (8-9) I really think my dc weren't interested in what Frog & Toad did or what adventure Jack & Annie were planning next. They want to know how the poison in the stone fish is injected in its victim and what type of speech the 19th president gave. (Which is the complete opposite of me!)

[MeganW]

Another wholly subjective question ! :) I never would consider 5-1/2 "late" for anything "academic" other than general speech and motor development.

 

I can't speak as a professional; however, I don't see how an LD can be suspected or diagnosed until a child has sunk some consistent effort into a topic in the first place. Dh and I could not suspect that dd had math disabilities until she had struggled with math enough for us to detect patterns of difficulty. (Professional evaluation then confirmed what we suspected.)

 

Depends on the LD. My triplets seem totally normal to everyone who meets them casually. But one of them has concerned me since maybe age 3. People who are around her a lot know that something isn't quite right. And it's hard to describe exactly what the issue is. Like she puts on her coat as instructed 3 days in a row, then the 4th day when I tell her to put on her coat she gives me this blank look that says she has no clue. (And it's not defiant - it's truly total cluelessness.) A lot of little random things like that cause me to suspect a LD but no doctor will test before age 5.

[Ellie]

I sent older dd to private school, so she learned to read in first grade. Younger dd, however, never went to school; influenced as I was by John Holt, I didn't push very hard (although I did do Spalding with her for a few weeks each year), and she was reading at her age level when she was 9½. It didn't seem to hold her back at all, however, as she was an over-achiever at college, lol.

[Ellie]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[Lori D.]

I needed your soapbox! Thank you! I am really learning that with my son! My daughters, while not using the same curriculum for everything, are fairly similar in learning style, but my son is very different! I am having look around for what suits him, being VERY hands on, kinesthetic and auditory! That is him! He isnt going to do well with what my daughters do!

 

 

LOL! You're welcome. :)

 

And, from your signature, I see that your children are YOUNG! Too young to be worrying yet, unless there is a very obvious learning disability. It took me the first 4 years of homeschooling our younger DS to figure out what was going on for him, and how best to school him. If he had been in a school system, he would have fallen through the cracks, and esp. about reading (it didn't click for him until between age 8-9) he would have felt "stupid" and then dug his heels in and NEVER have enjoyed reading. Now at age 16, he is a fairly picky reader, but what he enjoys reading, he devours!

 

Has it been difficult! VERY! Have there been times I wanted to throw in the towel? LOADS! Does it take a lot of time researching and trying out new programs to find something to work, or piecing together the bits from here and there to make our program that works? OY VEY!

 

But has it been worth it? Oh, I just wish you could meet this special young man! [insert proud, beaming mama face here]

 

Now as a sophomore, he has repeatedly thanked me for homeschooling him; he realizes that he is just not cut out for sitting in a classroom and using workbooks and textbooks. He is an off-the-charts-smart, big-picture thinker, with an incredible vocabulary. He is very quick-witted, with a droll sense of humor that constantly takes me off guard and cracks me up. He is a wonderful out-of-the-box thinker who comes up with incredibly creative solutions to problems, and has taken our family in directions we would never have even thought to go in. It scares me to think how all those wonderful gifts of his would have been crushed in a schoolroom setting. I am SO grateful we have been able to homeschool with him and for all he has taught us!

 

 

BEST of luck -- and ENJOY that special, different blessing of yours! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[LibraryLover]

:iagree:

JMO, but these labels of "slow" or "early" really seem to be a hold-over of the cookie-cutter mentality of the modern public school system, in which it is easier for a school administrator to have all children of a certain age in a single classroom for management purposes. The bottom line for such a system has to be budget and ease of implementation; it is much cheaper and easier to have a single set of goals for each "grade" rather than a focus on each student and their individual rate of development.

 

I am so very grateful that, as homeschoolers, we do NOT have to be tied to public school curricula -- or that cookie cutter mentality! In that Bell Curve of brain development, we are able to work with each of our students at the level they need to work at in each individual school subject -- which is never "early" or "late", but always at the right time, and (usually) with the materials best suited for that student at that time.

 

Dismounting my soapbox for the day. :tongue_smilie: Warmest regards, Lori D.

[lollie010]

I feel like a load has been lifted off my back after reading this thread. Thanks everyone for the thoughtful and encouraging responses. I have a unique little guy. He was six in November. Between 1 year and 4 years he was learning and retaining so much that it scared me. He was systematically working through phonics lessons and doing what I called reading. His memory was astounding. I wasn't pushing him, but I was definately encouraging him. But, some time around 4 he just decided he was done. He has not really advanced much in the basics since then. I worried about it a lot. He really isn't reading much better now than he was then. He began to hate anything that seemed like learning. But, he has grown in so many other ways. He is so creative and has really developed physically. Now he can climb a tree, swim, do flips, all things he would not try before.

 

On Monday, on his own, he decided that he wants to be a scientist and that a scientist should be able to read, write and do math. Once he figured that out I could not stop him. He did four OPG lessons in one sitting and was begging to continue. He did eight days worth of handwriting. I had worried so much, but looks like he is going to be just fine.

[TracyR]

My oldest daughter was about 9 when reading clicked with her. She fought me tooth and nail and the strange part was she is VERY intelligent. She was beginning to read names on the cubbies at daycare when she was three. But fought me learning to read simple words for the longest time. At first I thought it was the curriculum I was using and tried several and it wasn't until I bought a few Ace Paces that it started clicking with her. Even then it took her until she was 9 to finally begin to start to read fluently where she wasn't sounding out words anymore.

 

As a rule boys generally need a bit more time than girls, but its not a steadfast rule. My daughter was fine with everything else academically , just not reading.

 

My 2nd and 3rd daughters took to reading early. My 2nd daughter was 4.5 when she started reading and my 3rd was about 5. Plus they both have speech issues. My oldest has no speech issues yet she was my late reader.

[ocelotmom]

I get the impression, from threads here, elsewhere, and in real life, that the homeschooling community has a lot of later readers. I think, because we do have the freedom to continue reading aloud and listening to oral narrations, there's less pressure to have children reading at a young age, and parents are more likely to take a wait-and-see approach than intervene heavily, as might happen with a public/private schooled child who wasn't keeping up in reading.

 

My DS is 6.5, and, while he can sound out words, I certainly wouldn't say he's reading well or fluently. I am a little worried, but every step he's taken so far has come as a sudden jump in understanding, and I'm pretty sure that, with continued positive exposure, he'll get there when he's ready.

[Faithr]

I think in the public/private school world there are also late readers, only they get labelled as having LDs. Some of them do and lots of them don't. My sister taught 2nd grade for 10 years in public school and she said many children (esp. boys) come into 2nd grade not reading, by the end most of them are. Lots of the boys have been held back(by that I mean, their parents chose to enroll them late in Kindergarten due to the 'wiggly' factor!) so they are nearly 8 or already 8 by the end of 2nd when reading clicks for them. So I really think it is, as someone else stated, developmentally related. Some kids get it at 4 or 5, some don't get it until 8 (and some even later). I think there is just a wider spectrum than we've been conditioned to believe.

Edited April 10, 2010 by Faithr
need to add explanation!

[Cinder]

Haven't read all the replies, but early in my homeschooling journey I was encouraged by an older mom about how each child is different. She had 6 kids, 5 of which were early readers. Then came the 6th. She just wasn't interested in reading. The mom was bewildered because all her other kids were early readers. She didn't have LD's or other physical difficulties, she just wasn't ready. This girl really didn't start learning to read until she was 9. But by age 11 she was reading at "grade level."

 

I think as homeschoolers we take our kids' milestones more personally. It helps to remember that each one is a different person with different abilities.

 

Cinder

[happyhomemaker25]

Thank you! My daughter is 8 1/2 and I just decided to go back to basic phonics instruction with her. She is just starting to get it. I was feeling like a moron. She is the first child I have had to teach to read and I had no idea what I was doing.

Of course I never thought about the fact that when my oldest came home from PS after her adoption at age 9 she could barely read. I just knew that in my homeschool my 8yo could not read. :tongue_smilie:

[Homeschooling6]

I think as homeschoolers we take our kids' milestones more personally. It helps to remember that each one is a different person with different abilities.

 

Cinder

 

:iagree:I know I did and still do sometimes. I feel like they have to be up to grade level or someone is going to say, "It's because you school them." or at least think that. I'm getting over it now. I think it's been a humbling experiance.

I'm thankful my dd picked up reading at age 5yrs. this has helped with feeling like it was my fault. Sad, I know but it was reassuring when my Josh, still couldn't read well in the 4th grade.

With my other boys who are still not fluent readers, I know now that it will come. I do have them listen to lots of audio books and am amazed at their vocabulary level.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Homeschooling6

[DianeJM]

All mine were "late" bloomers, some later than others, one in particular who was diagnosed with some learning disabilities later on. She did not learn to love to read and is still a bit below "grade level", and my youngest can read pretty well on grade level but does not enjoy it at all. I myself was not really a reader until I was an adult.

 

At this young age, if you know he's not ready to start school-type things, then don't start yet.

Stick with readiness activities and lots of fun and love and reading aloud together -- you will know when to take it to the next level.

That's the beauty of home schooling; I am very grateful I could go at my kids' paces.

[momto2Cs]

My dd just turned 7 (last month) and does not read. She doesn't even know all her letters and their sounds by sight, although she can recite them verbally. She loves copywork, can write her name, her brother's name, etc. without trouble.

 

Truthfully, I have had more than one sleepless night worrying about her lack of reading ability, especially in comparison to her brother, who read at 5 years, and now at nearly nine reads at a 7th-8th grade level. However, I am trying to get myself to realize that with time and practice, she will learn. She is definately bright and has an amazing memory for songs, math skills, etc., just not reading (yet)!

 

What I am finding in the way of what works is that she needs a multisensory approach. I got some phonics videos from the library, she works on Starfall, and we are going through Phonics Pathways. She loves Bob Books, but I suspect that is because she can memorize each one and then "read" it to us.

 

Even though I am trying to get myself to relax a bit on this, I am hoping to at least get her reading somewhat by fall.

[jld]

Great posts, Lori D., as always. Thank you!

 

Ds7 isn't reading yet, either. Can't even remember all the letter sounds. It's gotten better, but he just isn't there yet.

 

He loves to build things, likes to do math, play with legos, that type of kid.

 

We'll just keep waiting, and offering assistance as he seems to need/want it. I'm sure he'll read eventually.