Was your late talker also a late reader?

[SarahBear]

Good point, but that does mean that children will miss out on reading for longer, but if it makes them better and more willing readers then that's better.

Yeah they start teaching reading at 7 here (1st grade), there will be pre-literacy things in preschool the year before (Maria starts this autumn - she's very excited!)

I love Finnish Spitzs, they are freaking adorable!

They'll miss out on independent reading, but there's no reason they would have to miss out on books. Violet has loved books since just before she was two and Leo is starting to like books as well. I think we need to focus on igniting a love of stories and interest in books and wait until individual kids are ready to read, rather than crushing the desire to learn and interest in books by forcing reading. Forcing reading before the right neural pathways are developed, can also result in kids reading in a less efficient way that then gets ingrained in them and can be difficult to change later on. Seven sounds like the perfect time to start formal instruction. Some kids would already be reading despite lack of instruction and that's perfect because they were given the chance to learn naturally. Others will need more support and they've been given a chance to develop more. And others may not even be fully ready at 7, and that should be considered fine too.

 

[SarahBear]

So, it seems that late talking doesn't necessarily correlate to late reading (very scientific sample, eh? ), but I really do wonder if my son will be a late reader just based on overall patterns I see with him as well as family history. I think he'll probably benefit from homeschooling more than Violet when it comes to having the opportunity to develop at his own pace.

 

[jensonsmummy]

My eldest was very early talker. Cud of had a full conversation at . Hes now almost 7 and has only thislast term caught up wih the rest of the class with reading. His brother is 4.5 and has significant speech delay. He 'shud' be reading this time next yr going by school curriculum but very very unlikely

 

[Natsku]

I do agree Sarah, wish I had read to Maria more these last few years but didn't and now she's not so interested in listening to stories (still wants to read but refuses bed time story)

 

[SarahBear]

I'd keep working at it. My mom was a kindergarten teacher for a few years and she worked with significantly disadvantaged kids. Some of them didn't even know what books were and she had to teach them things as simple as "this is a book. You open it like this and there's stories inside." She started with kids like that and got them to the point of where they were interested in listening to stories. Also remember that bedtime isn't the only time to listen to stories. They can be worked into all kinds of different parts of the day. Another thing to consider is that stories aren't the only ways to enjoy books. You can find information in books. You can create journals or scrap books. Comic books are just as valid as novels. You can learn how to do something from a set of directions. Then there are also games, both board games and computer games that require reading. Stories are a good way to go as they encourage listening comprehension and the development of language and provide exposure to story formats, but reading itself can be addressed in many ways. Oh, do you ever go on long car rides? How about audio books in the car? Violet used to be really into them, but we only had a couple and my husband and I were going out of our minds listening to Pippi Longstocking for the millionth time. We also have Dr. Dolittle, but Violet wasn't as interested in that one... but we did listen to it about half a million times.

 

[Natsku]

I tried audiobooks with Maria but she got bored quickly. I'm hoping she'll like books more once she can read them herself.

 

[SarahBear]

Violet is a really auditory kid and language has always been a particular strength of hers. I don't think most 2 and 3 year olds would be obsessed with listening to chapter books in the car... But Just keep it light and expose her to different types of reading. She's still young.

 

[morri]

Maria was a late talker (no words at all until 19 months) but caught up fairly quickly from by about two and a half. She's nearly 6 now and can't read at all except to recognise her name but that's not surprising as she hasn't started school yet. I've been trying to teach her to read in English using 'The ordinary parents' guide to teaching reading' but haven't got beyond the first two lessons yet. She wants to read (desperately!) but isn't ready to learn yet I think.

I think UK children learn far too young but English is a more complex language so its going to take longer to learn it compared to Finnish for example (they start learning in the 1st grade and most are fluent readers and writers by the end of the first term)

I think it being more complex is an argument to start later. It requires higher cognitive skills than a simpler language. I remembered some country starting formal instruction around 7 and having better results. Was that Finland that starts formal instruction around 7? I encourage reading with Violet and she goes to preschool, but I never put too much pressure on her. I do tell her that I think she's ready to learn to read if she wants to and I've had her decode simple words with help. However, we're missing that last piece of her feeling ready. And that's OK! She's only 4. I plan to go on like this until she's actually ready to learn to read... Well actually, I think she is learning to read. Learning pre-literacy skills IS learning to read. It's just the early stages. But anyway, I will not be putting her in kindergarten, so we can continue with this until she's 6, nearly 7. At that point, we can either continue as we are, or she can go to school. I would like to homeschool, but I have a feeling that Violet will want to go to school and would probably do well there. If not, then we'll just home school and she'll learn at her own rate.

(On a completely separate note, but linked by the country of Finland, I'm getting a Finnish Spitz this year and I'm excited about it!)

Good point, but that does mean that children will miss out on reading for longer, but if it makes them better and more willing readers then that's better.

Yeah they start teaching reading at 7 here (1st grade), there will be pre-literacy things in preschool the year before (Maria starts this autumn - she's very excited!)

I love Finnish Spitzs, they are freaking adorable!

In Germany they also start at 6-7 years of age. so I am not fussed about my lo 's reading yet.(also in germany they dnt expect the children to have any letter recognition skills other than their own name maybe so they start from scratch.

lo can name letters and the sound they make (single letters only) and can write some letters , and also on demand but hasnt got a clue yet that they actually put a word together. (She knows that certain worlds starts with certain letters but no further)

similar to her arithmetic ability which are also average for age, she can count things(up to about 15) but can't calculate things.
She loves me reading books to her, but no chapter books yet(Havent tried them) still plenty of single story books. most are like" the solstice badger" and " the tomten. or gruffalo books this sort of lengths. She likes pictures to look at so if it was a chapter one it would bneed pictures . She hasnt got a problem listening to me reading 10 books of aforementioned lengths to her in one sitting.

 

[OmarsMum]

I tried audiobooks with Maria but she got bored quickly. I'm hoping she'll like books more once she can read them herself.

Try to find books with her favorite tv or toys characters or something she's interested in like dancing or ballet or any sports she likes. My boy loves books but I noticed recently that he's into any book that has to do with army, ancient weapons, soldiers, etc. He likes historical and nonfiction books more than stories.

When he was younger & was into Mickey club house & Thomas he enjoyed books with the tv shows characters.

you can also make the book more interesting by taking her to choose & use some exciting words like wow this book is about so & so, what do you think will happen?

Many of the early readers books are boring, and as she's not into books I'd just leave those to later.

 

[jd83]

I tried audiobooks with Maria but she got bored quickly. I'm hoping she'll like books more once she can read them herself.

Try to find books with her favorite tv or toys characters or something she's interested in like dancing or ballet or any sports she likes. My boy loves books but I noticed recently that he's into any book that has to do with army, ancient weapons, soldiers, etc. He likes historical and nonfiction books more than stories.

When he was younger & was into Mickey club house & Thomas he enjoyed books with the tv shows characters.

you can also make the book more interesting by taking her to choose & use some exciting words like wow this book is about so & so, what do you think will happen?

Many of the early readers books are boring, and as she's not into books I'd just leave those to later.

My son is really into nonfiction, too. I find it so surprising to see the difference in interests compared to myself, lol. I really can't stand reading most nonfiction books, so for him to pick nonfiction almost every time he's given the choice just flabbergasts me. LOL. Jaxon absolutely loves reading about different parts of the world, and animals. National Geographic type books are his favorites.

 

[Bex84]

My daughter had speech delay ( had words but not good clarity) she has struggled with reading. She turned 4 a month before started school. Shes now 5. She struggles with blending ( she shows signs of dyslexia and i am dyslexic so she has higher chance) its starting to click but have had to remind teachers she is one of youngest in class. Doesnt help books are boring. She loves books. It would be better to wait till children ready then they would not need to go through the stage of boring books which put them off ( i was a teacher and have taught a few children through different things such as moving countries and defered entry started later and they did better and had the ability to learn quicker). Natsku i would do games with her. I have discovered a site called nessy.com which has word games (meant to be for dyslexic children 5-8 years old but would work for non dyslexic children) it has games learning blending and strategy vidioes
My daughter absolutly loves and has learnt alot. There is free trial for a month. Its learning without knowing they are learning. Im so glad my ds will be oldest in year, my poor daughter is constantly judged against children who in some cases are neerly a year older and there are very few with birthday neer hers.

 

[coolmommy]

My nephew is 3 years old and not yet talking straight. Though he understands what other people s saying to him already. He also knows how to make us understand what he's saying but he's just conversing with one-two words. He's also too playful. Do we need to worry? How late is a late talker, really?

 

[Bex84]

Coolmommy if your family are worried I suggest getting him refered to speech and language list as its a long list. I got my daughter put on age of 3 and she only started speech theropy at 5. They will asses and soon tell you if issue. My daughter had disordered speech so we understood when others couldent as she found some sounds difficult ( we think may be dyslexic as i am and she shows other aigns to). She has come on so much with speech theropy. My 2 year old is now on list as he had a period of deafness due to ear problems. The speech theropists are great. He may be fine as speech comes on alot between ages of 3 and 4 and there is a wide range of what considered normal.