When should my 5-year-old be able to read?

My LO is transitioning from preschool to kindergarten next month. She just turned 5, and I’m concerned that she hasn’t learned how to read yet. Should she be able to read by the time she starts kindergarten? Worried she might have a learning issue or be falling behind.

0 Likes 4 Replies

AL

Anisa posted July 12, 2019

Who told you that your child should know how to read in preschool? This isn’t the case. Most don’t learn or master solid reading skills until kindergarten. For some kids, it’s more like age 6 or 7. Are you reading to her at home? The only students I’ve ever known to really have reading down during preschool were those who had parents that really focused on it and would read with them religiously every single day. 1 Like

EP

Elli posted July 12, 2019

Do you have any other reason to worry that your LO faces a learning issue? That sounds like a pretty big stretch if this is the only thing you’ve noticed. It’s likely that one of her preschool teachers would have mentioned if it were a real problem. Ask her preschool teachers what they include in the curriculum to foster reading skills. It’s likely storytime and access to plenty of books to play with/read at their own pace (both provider-led and self-guided). 0 Likes

MO

Morkechem posted July 12, 2019

At her age, most kids are just starting to recognize sight words (short, common words that appear most often) - and, like, so, that, said, you, my, etc. Maybe cat and dog, and the names of family members or pets. Beyond that, don’t expect more developed reading skills until at least the end of kindergarten. 0 Likes

BV

Brooke posted July 16, 2019

It's so magical when things connect and they hit the ground running. For some reason, I too was concerned about this. My daughter transitioned into Kinder and everything just fell into place. It's like something just clicks and they go from learning their alphabet and practicing letters to reading full words and sentences. When it happens, you will see how seamless it is. As long as we make sure they have a concrete learning foundation, we will see the progress in due time. A skilled professional educator should be able to identify with any challenges if there is ever a reason for concern. We have to give them time as they are learning what is truly a new language for them. I strongly believe that early childhood education should be experienced with a dedicated child care provider who utilizes a developmentally appropriate curriculum. 0 Likes