Average age kids start reading
Reading Milestones (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth
Reviewed by: Cynthia M. Zettler-Greeley, PhD
Nemours BrightStart!
en español Hitos en la lectura
This is a general outline of the milestones on the road to reading success. Keep in mind that kids develop at different paces and spend varying amounts of time at each stage. If you have concerns, talk to your child's doctor, teacher, or the reading specialist at school. Getting help early is key for helping kids who struggle to read.
Parents and teachers can find resources for children as early as pre-kindergarten. Quality childcare centers, pre-kindergarten programs, and homes full of language and book reading can build an environment for reading milestones to happen.
Infancy (Up to Age 1)
Kids usually begin to:
- learn that gestures and sounds communicate meaning
- respond when spoken to
- direct their attention to a person or object
- understand 50 words or more
- reach for books and turn the pages with help
- respond to stories and pictures by vocalizing and patting the pictures
Toddlers (Ages 1–3)
Kids usually begin to:
- answer questions about and identify objects in books — such as "Where's the cow?" or "What does the cow say?"
- name familiar pictures
- use pointing to identify named objects
- pretend to read books
- finish sentences in books they know well
- scribble on paper
- know names of books and identify them by the picture on the cover
- turn pages of board books
- have a favorite book and request it to be read often
Early Preschool (Age 3)
Kids usually begin to:
- explore books independently
- listen to longer books that are read aloud
- retell a familiar story
- sing the alphabet song with prompting and cues
- make symbols that resemble writing
- recognize the first letter in their name
- learn that writing is different from drawing a picture
- imitate the action of reading a book aloud
Late Preschool (Age 4)
Kids usually begin to:
- recognize familiar signs and labels, especially on signs and containers
- recognize words that rhyme
- name some of the letters of the alphabet (a good goal to strive for is 15–18 uppercase letters)
- recognize the letters in their names
- write their names
- name beginning letters or sounds of words
- match some letters to their sounds
- develop awareness of syllables
- use familiar letters to try writing words
- understand that print is read from left to right, top to bottom
- retell stories that have been read to them
Kindergarten (Age 5)
Kids usually begin to:
- produce words that rhyme
- match some spoken and written words
- write some letters, numbers, and words
- recognize some familiar words in print
- predict what will happen next in a story
- identify initial, final, and medial (middle) sounds in short words
- identify and manipulate increasingly smaller sounds in speech
- understand concrete definitions of some words
- read simple words in isolation (the word with definition) and in context (using the word in a sentence)
- retell the main idea, identify details (who, what, when, where, why, how), and arrange story events in sequence
First and Second Grade (Ages 6–7)
Kids usually begin to:
- read familiar stories
- "sound out" or decode unfamiliar words
- use pictures and context to figure out unfamiliar words
- use some common punctuation and capitalization in writing
- self-correct when they make a mistake while reading aloud
- show comprehension of a story through drawings
- write by organizing details into a logical sequence with a beginning, middle, and end
Second and Third Grade (Ages 7–8)
Kids usually begin to:
- read longer books independently
- read aloud with proper emphasis and expression
- use context and pictures to help identify unfamiliar words
- understand the concept of paragraphs and begin to apply it in writing
- correctly use punctuation
- correctly spell many words
- write notes, like phone messages and email
- understand humor in text
- use new words, phrases, or figures of speech that they've heard
- revise their own writing to create and illustrate stories
Fourth Through Eighth Grade (Ages 9–13)
Kids usually begin to:
- explore and understand different kinds of texts, like biographies, poetry, and fiction
- understand and explore expository, narrative, and persuasive text
- read to extract specific information, such as from a science book
- understand relations between objects
- identify parts of speech and devices like similes and metaphors
- correctly identify major elements of stories, like time, place, plot, problem, and resolution
- read and write on a specific topic for fun, and understand what style is needed
- analyze texts for meaning
Reviewed by: Cynthia M. Zettler-Greeley, PhD
Date reviewed: May 2022
What's the Average Age to Start Reading? ⋆ Advanced Moms
How long does it take a child to learn to read?
Parents must remember that even though the average child will learn to read between 6 and 7, all children learn at their own pace.
The key to reading success is making it an enjoyable process.
There are various ways to help make reading fun, such as letting children choose their own books, reading aloud to them, and taking them to the library. Additionally, be sure to praise your child for any progress they make!
On the other hand, don’t push your kids to read if they’re not interested. Let them enjoy the learning process, and they will get there in their own time.
What is the average age to begin reading?
Most kids begin showing an interest in reading when they’re around 4 years old.
However, every child is different; some may start earlier or later. It’s important to encourage your child to enjoy reading from a young age, as this will help them develop a love of reading.
At what age should a child read fluently?
Every child develops at their own pace.
However, some general guidelines can help determine if your child reads fluently.
Generally, children should be able to read fluently by the time they reach third grade. This means they can read age-appropriate texts quickly and accurately, with minimal errors.
They should also understand what they are reading and make connections between different pieces of text.
If your child is not reading fluently by third grade, it doesn’t mean they never will.
However, it may indicate a learning disability or other issue that could benefit from intervention. If you are concerned about your child’s reading ability, speak to their teacher or a qualified educational therapist for guidance.
What is the fastest way to teach a child to read?
The fastest way to teach your child to read at home is by implementing a phonics-based reading program.
These recommended programs ensure that every essential reading foundation is implemented, from teaching the alphabet and sounds to progressing through more difficult lessons.
But that’s not enough.
Your child needs reading practice. And plenty of it!
That’s why you must consistently read aloud with your child daily. These daily read-alouds should be interactive and fun. You won’t simply take turns reading. Instead, stop and ask questions, chat about the plot and characters, and even predict how the story will end.
Play!
Play-based experiences in language-rich environments are widely accepted as the best method of teaching a child to read.
These activities help children better understand language, letters, and print. In this way, children are able to learn how to read at their own pace while also having fun. This is especially important for kids in preschoolpreschool or kindergarten.
Your child’s reading development will be more efficient and effective if you combine explicit instruction, daily practice, and play.
Developing a reading habit takes time and effort, but it’s worth it in the long run.
The benefits of early reading
There are many benefits to early reading skills for students, including, but not limited to, improved academic achievement and better preparation for future schooling.
However, the benefits of pre-reading skills extend beyond academics and into other areas of development, such as social-emotional skills and communication.
Early reading:
- Helps children learn to read more effectively.
- Kids who learn pre-reading skills are more ready for kindergarten.
- Helps children develop a love of reading.
- Unlocks kids imagination, creativity, and curiosity.
- Helps children develop empathy and problem-solving skills.
- Aids brain development.
- Help children develop other essential skills such as empathy, problem-solving, and morality.
- Reading stories to young children helps them understand the emotions of different characters and prepares them for possible life situations they may encounter.
- It allows parents to bond with their children over shared experiences.
Should you teach your child to read before they start school?
It’s really not necessary to start explicit reading lessons with your toddler before they’re off to kindergarten.
At this age, kids find formal teaching restrictive and prefer to explore and play without boundaries.
Exploration and play are how toddlers learn best.
So, if your child is starting early, they should have plenty of opportunity to down tools and have fun.
Even though it might be too early for formal reading lessons, it’s recommended to help your little one develop a love for reading and books. And most importantly, it’s crucial to enhance their pre-reading skills.
This makes it easier for them when kindergarten reading lessons begin.
Kindergarten reading research
Here are a few interesting research findings regarding reading in kindergarten.
Interactive stories are an excellent way for children to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills. When children read stories that allow them to interact with the characters, they retain more information and expand their vocabulary.
This helps them become better readers overall.
Children who have had exposure to various past print experiences will have an easier time learning more about letters and their sound correspondences.
On the other hand, children who have few prior print experiences will need more focused and direct instruction. For children to be successful readers, they need to interact with a wide variety of print in their environment.
Playing with children and providing them with good books benefit their reading skills.
Giving them a strong foundation that will help them throughout their education.
Do kids learn to write when they start learning to read?
Though some people believe that children learn to read and write at different rates, research shows that the two skills develop at about the same pace in young children.
They start by learning to recognize familiar words and syllables and understand that reading is from left to right, top to bottom. This helps them understand how writing and reading are related and how they can use these skills together.
Children learn to write their names and a few other words in preschool. They are also introduced to the alphabet and learn how to sound out words.
This lays the foundation for future reading skills.
In fact, many literacy experts maintain that teaching kids how to read and write simultaneously is more beneficial for their development. This way, kids can apply the reading strategies they learn while decoding text to their writing and vice versa.
Get your child reading-ready before grade school
Ultimately, the best time for your child to start reading depends on their individual interests and reading readiness.
However, reading aloud to your child from the earliest age possible is one of the most important things you can do for their development.
You’re setting a solid foundation for future success by reading together and modeling good reading habits. And by sharing your own personal joy in books, you encourage your child to develop a love for reading that will last a lifetime.
At what age should a child be able to read
04/01/2021
The ability to read is one of the basic social skills of a person.
Without it, it is impossible to receive and transmit information, therefore this skill should be developed in every person. Modern parents strive to teach their child to read as early as possible, so that by the time they start learning, they already have some knowledge base. So when should a child start doing this?
Contents:
- When we start
- Learning Too Early - Why It's Harmful
- What the experts say
- Is it possible to instill a love of reading
- Choosing a teaching method
- Are there any downsides to learning to read at home
- Some important details
When we start
Experts don't have a common opinion about teaching children to read early, and neither do parents. Someone thinks that a child should get basic reading skills even before entering school: this will make it easier to adapt to the educational process. Others are sure that a teacher in the 1st grade should teach a child to read, since an unnecessarily early start to school is harmful for children: let them enjoy their childhood for now.
Too early learning - why it is harmful
The development of a child's cognitive abilities follows certain patterns, certain stages, it is undesirable to change or accelerate it, and often it is completely impossible. Until the age of five, children think figuratively - in pictures, and it is difficult for them to perceive information in the form of letters, numbers or other signs. And even having understood the general principle of reading, little students read, but they cannot understand the essence of what is written.
Learning to read early can lead to health problems:
- excessive brain tension;
- unusual blood flow to the cerebral hemispheres;
- visual strain.
Intensive classes can unbalance the development of different types of thinking in a child: the emphasis will be placed on the logical, and the figurative will be “abandoned”. Yes, the child will become better at remembering, speaking, analyzing, thinking logically, but the development of the right hemisphere will be slowed down, and it is responsible for no less important dreams, emotions, understanding of music and color.
The emotional development of the baby will be somewhat retarded, and at an older age this may respond with serious problems in the form of:
- lack of ability to empathize with others;
- difficulties with the correct understanding of their emotions;
- inability to identify one's strengths and weaknesses;
- difficulties with understanding one's own and social values;
- isolation and uncertainty.
It is known that many geeks are developed from early childhood, but most often, growing up, they do not have happiness and are poorly adapted to the realities of the world around them. Therefore, it is more important to raise a socially adapted person from a child than to teach him to read too early.
What the experts say
Psychologists, psychophysiologists and other experts recommend starting to teach a preschooler to read not earlier than he is 5 years old, but at the same time he must be ready to learn.
They say about it:
A healthy five-year-old child usually has all of these skills. And at this age it is time to get acquainted with letters and sounds, then by the time of admission to grade 1, the child will master reading at a sufficient level.
Is it possible to instill a love for reading
It is not enough to teach a child to read - he still needs to instill a love for this occupation. View your favorite books and read them, study the illustrations, get acquainted with the adventures of the characters. It is important that older family members show the child that reading is an amazing learning opportunity, and not a hateful duty.
It will be useful if the child saw people with books in his close circle, then, imitating them, he himself will want to plunge into the world of literature.
The first reading lessons should be conducted in the format of a game: in this way the material will be absorbed by the child easier and better, the child will not have time to lose concentration during the lesson, and avoid stressful experiences.
Choosing a teaching method
Today there are many methods to teach a child to read, it is important to choose the one that suits your child.
Perhaps the most popular method is classes in the classical alphabet (the alphabet itself can be developed by any author). The kid quickly remembers the letter, as it will now be associated with a certain picture. Later, you can move on to another well-known book - the primer and study reading by syllables from it.
Many techniques are based on the use of cubes or tablets. They are convenient and interesting, but are often criticized by school teachers.
It is believed that such training misses a very important component - basic familiarity with the alphabet.
The most famous of these techniques:
- Zaitsev's cubes - the emphasis is on making syllables from individual letters and words from syllables, understanding vowels, voiceless and voiced, hard and soft consonants.
- Chaplygin cubes - learning not only allows you to compose syllables and words, but also develops fine motor skills, and this will have a beneficial effect on the overall development of the child;
- Glen Doman cards - learning is based on the use of visual memory: syllables and words are printed on cards, and the child remembers their spelling;
- "Skladushki" by Voskobovich - 21 cards with syllables, from which you can build houses with whole words.
The Montessori method is another well-known teaching option. Toddlers first master the letter, then move on to getting to know the letters, and then learn to read the syllables.
Are there any disadvantages of teaching reading at home
Lack of consistency is the main problem of independent lessons on teaching reading. In addition, at home, parents usually miss such an important part of the lesson as the sound analysis of the word, and the child may also have difficulty breaking down words into syllables. It is not easy to correct this mistake later, therefore it is better to immediately entrust a professional teacher to teach the child to read and write. It can be either a private tutor or a teacher of preparatory courses before the first grade - such classes are held today in literally every school.
A few important details
If you decide to teach your child to read at home, it is important to follow a few rules. All studies should be built on the principle “From simple to complex”, that is, you first need to learn letters and sounds, then you can start to compose them into syllables and only then move on to whole words.
Put the learned material into practice: look for familiar letters on signs while walking, write them in the sand or snow, mold them from plasticine, lay them out of beads.
For classes, you need to equip a corner with a comfortable chair and table or desk, with the right lighting. The first lessons should not last longer than 10-15 minutes; the student should not be overtired. After finishing them, you should put things in order in the workplace, put away books and study supplies.
Lessons should be regular, but it is not a good idea to have a class if the student is overweight or in a bad mood. For each educational achievement, the child must be praised.
How and when to teach children to read
In today's world, it is generally accepted that the early development of a child is necessary and prestigious. Therefore, dealing with the question of how old to teach a child to read , , some parents are of the opinion that you need to start as early as possible. Thus, it is possible to prepare the baby for school much better, to adapt it to a complex curriculum.
However, the child's psyche is not designed for such a course of events, as evidenced by the conclusions of many psychologists. It is important to remember the natural development of each child, which cannot be accelerated or suspended - it occurs at the genetic level.
What time do children start reading
The child's nervous system is programmed in such a way that the baby has a certain number of stages of brain maturation. For example, up to 5-6 years old, children learn very poorly various abstract images.
The child operates only with concrete and real facts, events that he sees at the moment or those that he experienced earlier.
To figure out what time children start reading, it is necessary to take into account the fact that by the age of 3-4 a child cannot distinguish between the following concepts - sound, letter, syllable, word. Children will be able to put letters into a syllable and mechanically memorize how this syllable is spelled correctly. However, it will be extremely difficult for a child to read a simple sentence and, most importantly, to understand what they read.
When deciding to teach their own child to read, parents must answer one question for themselves: does the child want this? In order for an active learning process to begin, an incentive is needed, without which the baby will perform the assigned tasks without any desire. As a rule, the desire to read a certain text manifests itself in children by the age of 6-7 years (in some cases, by 5 years).
This is a sensitive period - the most favorable time when you need to start learning a new skill.
Benefits and harms of early learning to read
“Parents should engage in early education of their own child in order to quickly teach him everything and at once” - these are the sayings that can be found on many “mom” forums. After all, not every parent knows when a child needs to be taught to read, so as not to miss this very “necessary” moment.
Early development really has a lot of advantages:
- Constant communication with the baby. Despite the complexity of the tasks that the baby faces, he spends time with his parents. Regular communication with the family has a positive effect on the mental health of boys and girls.
- Opportunity to learn new information. In the process of reading, the child discovers many new and interesting things. Of course, he will be able to learn certain facts even without early development, but the use of developing literature will make the learning process as exciting as possible.
- Brain development. When the baby begins to learn new information for him, the brain is trained without much stress - this will help the child to quickly memorize and assimilate what he has read. As a result, it will be possible to reduce the load in the process of studying at school and successfully climb the "ladder of knowledge".
- Obtaining useful skills. If you start teaching a child to read at an early age, you can train his thinking, develop logic, which contributes to the acquisition of new important skills. This is the so-called "foundation" for the further education of the baby. Having at least minimal training, it will be easier for a preschooler to memorize new information.
- Increasing self-esteem. Praise works for adults and children. Noticing the results of their work with the child, parents will be able to praise themselves. In addition, the child will certainly feel the pride of mom and dad, which will push him to new victories.
However, the early development of children has some disadvantages:
- Parents are too keen on the early development of their child.
Such a process can become a way of self-realization, when each parent tries to prove that it is his child who is smart and intelligent. - A lot of effort and time. During classes, moms and dads forget to take time for themselves. In addition, the child also needs free time to relax.
- The baby's interests fade into the background. Early preschool development involves the use of a game method for teaching kids. At this age, children prefer to watch cartoons, play with their peers, with pets, and not constantly sit with books. That is why it is so important to make the learning process in the form of an exciting game.
- Unpreparedness to acquire new knowledge. The child's brain is able to perceive only the information that corresponds to the age category of the baby and its basic needs. When an unprepared child is offered to study a large amount of information, this will not bring any results. In addition, it can cause a negative attitude towards the learning process as a whole.
Given all the pros and cons of early development, modern parents can easily build an optimal scheme for working with their child.
At what age to start learning to read? A preschooler should not only pronounce single words, but also speak confidently in simple sentences. The child must be aware and clearly understand what he pronounces.
- During the conversation, the baby should be free of all kinds of speech therapy problems. If a child cannot pronounce one or more letters from the alphabet, this negatively affects his phonemic hearing.
- A child must have well-developed spatial thinking, he must understand where is “right” and where is “left”.
After all, the process of reading a book is carried out from left to right. Otherwise, the kid begins to read text blocks randomly: he can start with the letter or word that he liked the most.
The manifestation of the above signs is formed closer to the age of 5. But do not forget the fact that every baby is an individual.
How to choose the right method of teaching reading
How to teach a child to read? What methods are considered the most effective?
To achieve maximum results, there are several proven and "working" methods:
- The alphabet, in which there is a certain picture for each letter. Children love bright pictures, which makes it easy for them to visualize new information and remember it much faster. However, you should not get too carried away with pictures, otherwise the baby "attaches" to the image of a particular letter, forgetting how it actually looks.
- Primer is a classic of all times and generations. Despite changes in the design of modern primers, their principle has remained unchanged - letters are combined into syllables, and syllables into words.
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