Reading / writing

[Butterfly Dawn]

At 7 what can your child read and write?

I know I will need to work with ds1 when we get home to catch up at school in English. But Im wondering how much.

[Trillian]

It will vary so much, so don't worry too much if he's a little behind. He will catch up quite quickly if you just take the time to sit and listen to him read because that makes all the difference - the more they read the better they will get. My older 3 have all been freaks with reading and writing so what they could do at 7 was way, way above the average and not useful to you really. Maybe even have a special trip to a book shop and let him pick out some books that he would enjoy reading. If you can find a topic that interests them then it makes it so much easier for them to want to sit and read kwim?

[chody47]

If you're talking reading levels, by the time a child is at the end of year two we generally hope they are around level 30 (independent reader). Of course, there is a lot of variation between kids.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Ok. He doesn't know his abc yet. He can write his name and recognise it.

I have to wait til April to start abc and will do it with both boys.

His math is ok that will be a saving grace for him. I know he's gonna feel overwhelmed

[Butterfly Dawn]

So how many words can year 2/3 recognise/ read

[nothing2lose]

In grade 3 my DD was reading Harry Potter. She is a good reader though. I would say most children would be reading chapter books at that age though.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

For Niece's 7th birthday I bought her Clarice Bean and expected she would be able to read it alone. Liebling is fast approaching 6 and reads short, simple books and comics. He can read his Angry Birds annual, for example, with a little help. The Julia Donaldson "Songbirds" series has been a hit with Liebs and he loves reading those.

Age 7, I was reading The Hobbit, Jane Eyre, maybe Anne of Green Gables and the longer Roald Dahl books. Other children my age were still on Topsy and Tim books, so it does vary.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Oh boy. He's going to have trouble at school for a few months then

well, we will just have to work hard. I know he'll love reading when he can. He reads basic Chinese but the stories aren't as good as ours and they certainly don't get the cool little books to read -its read and remember this poem etc.

[Liz]

My nearly 7 year old is a pretty fluent reader as well. But don't stress.. I have a friend who's son is going in to grade 1 this year at an independent school, and they don't even start teaching reading until they are 7, so he is still doing abc's. They are at such a ripe age for grasping it, I'm sure it won't take him long to take off. They do rely a lot on reading with their work in general I've found. But there is reading recovery for those that need to catch up, and you can probably volunteer to help with that to learn how to get him reading.

[Trillian]

Don't worry about it, really. If he's having trouble at school they will help him and make sure that he gets lots of intensive work to help him. And ask his teacher how you can best support him at home too. The difference between the kids who have parents ready and willing to help at home and reinforce what is done in school compared to the ones who don't is HUGE and I'm sure he will pick it up quickly.

[Butterfly Dawn]

thanks. its been stressing me out a bit but I feel better now. he will have lots of help at home. I love reading and hope my kids do too

[chody47]

thanks. its been stressing me out a bit but I feel better now. he will have lots of help at home. I love reading and hope my kids do too

As a teacher I totally agree that the students whose parents who are willing to help and suppose what is done at school do really well. Just make the teacher aware you want to do extra at home and ask what you can do to help reinforce the school curriculum. You sound like a dream parent. I wish there were more of you!