posted
I learned at age four, self-taught. My older brother was learning to read in school (1st grade) and he would lie on the floor at night and read his primers, out loud, and I would lie on the other side, looking at the words upside down while he read. Eventually I began correcting him when he made mistakes. My mom thought it was funny - I could read upside down, but needed practice to be able to read right side up.
To this day I can still read words upside down as fast as I can right side up.
My children learned to read at school along with their classmates. Natalie was a fluent reader by Christmas break in 1st grade, she read on a 3rd grade level by the time 1st grade was done, and read on a 12th grade level in 4th grade.
Emily is in 1st grade now, and her reading level is right on target, actually slightly above average. She really enjoys reading, but struggles with it more than her big sister did. She also needs more help and more practice with her spelling words than Natalie ever did. But, she is doing well, she's right where she should be and is reading independently now, which was the goal for 1st grade.
Abigail at four, almost five, is showing interest in reading, she likes sit and look through her books and ask me to say the words she points at. Daniel doesn't show that kind of interest, he still just enjoys having you read to him. He is however, beginning to assert himself in the types of stories he wants read to thim - he complained the other day that all the books were about princesses or ponies and he wanted some superhero stories. So I picked up a couple of books starring Spiderman and the Ninja Turtles.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I learned to read probably about age 3-4. I could read well by the time I was 5 because my kindergarten teacher had me read the nap time stories to the other kids (for the whole 2 weeks I was in kindergarten).
My brother learned to read probably around that same age. I know my parents instilled a love of stories in us and then helped us learn how to read.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have no clear memories of being unable to read. I know I was reading in first grade, and at a very advanced level. So I probably could read a little in kindergarten or before, but maybe I just learned very quickly when I was six.
Posts: 1364 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote: quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Waldorf Scools do not teach formal reading until third grade. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even later than that on spelling, I presume? *wink*
Actually, yes, spelling is not really taught until later. Most of what is learned in Waldorf Schools is learned by mimicing the teacher, so spelling is sort of absorbed until fourth or fifth grade, when formal spelling lists would be given out to study. (However, a lot of that might be related to their reluctance to assign homework until fourth grade...)
And Elizabeth, did you go to a Waldorf School?
(btw, I learned reading long before 3rd grade, and thought it was silly that my classmates were still struggling with the basics. I would finish stories while the class was still on the first few pages, and then be lost when it was my turn to read. It annoyed my teachers. )
posted
Hmmmm, I could read Hop On Pop independantly at 3.5 I know I had a 5th grade reading level in Kindergarten.
My son (5 yrs 5 months) is able to read nearly anything that is basically phonetically correct if he's not thinking about what he's doing. If he's reading on purpose he can read those short phonics readers like the Bob books and Hop On Pop (family favorite).
It's kind of funny when we were at a science exhibit and he looked at the sign and said "Volcano Explorers" We pointed out that he'd read the sign and he said "No I just guessed, and was right!" He "guesses right" often!
He's kinda funny that way. He can do all sorts of things if he's not thinking about it, but freezes up when he's trying.
Posts: 772 | Registered: Feb 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I remember that the first book I remember reading was "The Little Prince." I read it in Spanish and fully understood it even though I do not remember being taught to read in Spanish, besides I heard it was a very hard book and few people could understand it. I've no idea how I got to it at that age.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dragon, I did not go to a Waldorf Scool, but there is one nearby. I actually taught a severely learning disabled boy who had gone there. His parents did not want to hear about his learning disability, so put him in Waldorf. He thrived there until third grade, when it became clear that he had a serious problem. In the meantime, he had lost two years of specialized training. He was reading at a low first grade level when I taught him. He was in fifth grade, having stayed back a year.
So, while I think it is fine for kids who do not have learning issues, Waldorf was detrimental for him.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |