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I was an early reader, started kindergarten at the typical time (never attended preschool), read well ahead of grade level through most of my schooling, and was never bored. I didn't care if we were going over something I already knew. I just breezed through it and got extra free time to read on my own, do art projects, or whatever else interested me. Because I was well-behaved, rather than a bored hellion, I got a lot of leeway and freedom.
I think it's a personality thing. I was the eager beaver forgetting to raise my hand and just saying every answer. Once I understood that I couldn't do that, I got frustrated. I didn't act out; I tended to just turn inward and doodle or read something else during lessons. That's when I was allowed to skip a grade. I was still a bit bored through elementary school, but the gifted program helped. By high school, things had mostly evened out and I found the honors and AP classes appropriately challenging.
My grandson can read fluently (K level), and will not be 4 until next month. I've been working with him all summer, and he's been doing My Baby Can Read since a toddler. He can spell also. Worlds like "mountain", and his first and last names. Problem is, he misses the cutoff of Kindergarten for his school by six weeks and can not enter Kindergarten until he is almost six. That is in TWO years. By that time (with the way I am working with him) he'll probably be at second grade level. He can recite the alphabet FORWARD and BACKWARD.
What do you think we should do? His dad knows the school superintendent. Testing to get him in Kindergarten early is my opt, but they probably cannot do it. Or wait a year and skip Kindergarten to get into first grade? There is a local Montessori, but it is beyond their means financially. Daughter wants to home school him to keep him from "dumbing down", but I think he needs a classroom setting with other kids.
I spend a lot of time with him, and he does seem to enjoy learning (we make it fun). He LOVES reading, numbers, and letters, and spelling. He plays UNO. At three!!!
Should I cut back on my teaching and let him watch TV? Am I making him go too far too fast? His Mom read at age 4, and I took her to the library, but I didn't seem to push her.
My thought (and the way I'm raising my kids) is to keep them at grade level. Teach him other things aside from reading (like sports or building with legos or coloring or cutting out shapes...) since he's good with that.
Also, KG is about more than reading, so if you can't skip it or afford another school, send him. It's about learning to make friends, get along with other kids, motor skills... so if you can't get him into 1st grade, I'd just send him to KG.
I'd agree with the hypothesis that early reading means potential deficits in other areas. When I was two and a half, my parents managed to catch me "reading" from my father's medical school textbooks (I would actually think they were exaggerating except for an old school video of it.) In essence, I was picking out every "and", "the", "a", "but", and "in" I could find. Fast forward 40 years and I discovered I was what is called a "stealth dyslexic". I learned to read essentially through memorization and literally have zero phonemic awareness - even as an adult. Despite the fact that I was reading chapter books by Kinder, I was always an abominable speller and usually the first person out in the class spelling bee. Vowels are particularly tricky for me and despite studying spelling tactics intensively, I just can't retain it. I may have 3 graduate degrees and be relatively successful in life, but I spell on probably a 2nd grade level (at best.) In this day and age (of spell check!) you might not think that's such a bad deficit, but when you write out checks for 10 years as "fourty" instead of forty, you feel pretty dumb . Often, in early readers, deficits are seen in the social-emotional realm, but thankfully, I was spared from that. However, I am cursed with the spelling ability of someone who is barely literate and that remains a thorn in my side to this day.
Kids develop at different rates and sometimes, developing quickly in a certain area means delayed or impaired development in others.
I'd agree with the hypothesis that early reading means potential deficits in other areas. When I was two and a half, my parents managed to catch me "reading" from my father's medical school textbooks (I would actually think they were exaggerating except for an old school video of it.) In essence, I was picking out every "and", "the", "a", "but", and "in" I could find. Fast forward 40 years and I discovered I was what is called a "stealth dyslexic". I learned to read essentially through memorization and literally have zero phonemic awareness - even as an adult. Despite the fact that I was reading chapter books by Kinder, I was always an abominable speller and usually the first person out in the class spelling bee. Vowels are particularly tricky for me and despite studying spelling tactics intensively, I just can't retain it. I may have 3 graduate degrees and be relatively successful in life, but I spell on probably a 2nd grade level (at best.) In this day and age (of spell check!) you might not think that's such a bad deficit, but when you write out checks for 10 years as "fourty" instead of forty, you feel pretty dumb . Often, in early readers, deficits are seen in the social-emotional realm, but thankfully, I was spared from that. However, I am cursed with the spelling ability of someone who is barely literate and that remains a thorn in my side to this day.
Kids develop at different rates and sometimes, developing quickly in a certain area means delayed or impaired development in others.
That is very interesting. I was thinking about that because memory is in the decline and other mental disorder are expected to increase. Of course you are going to hear from most of the "all knowing" scientifically inclined people that that has nothing to do with reading early. It's amazing to me how much faith people have on science given its history. I have other ideas of why this is happening beside early reading, which is probably only small part of the problem, but few people are open minded enough to listen.
I checked another website [dementia.org] to see if they know the cause of dementia: Dementia is generally caused by damage to or disruptions of brain cells.
That doesn't explain anything. This is the type of thing that SHOULD be ridiculed. Everyone can assume that a person with dementia has something not quite right with his head, the question is Why? not how it is reflected in the brain.
To the OP: is your grandson currently in any type of preschool setting where he is able to socialize with other children? Does he have other outside activities? Regular play dates at the park?
My youngest was a very early reader and his preschool teacher encouraged us to enroll him in Kindergarten while he was still 4.5. She was concerned he would get bored very quickly if he had to do another year in preschool. He was taking swim lessons and a "Dad & me" soccer class, so his motor development was fine. Keep in mind this was prior to California changing the age cutoff, which is now September 1st, I believe. Back then, it was December 5th, or thereabouts.
Fast forward 8 years, and he is a a great academic student who clearly loves language. He is small for his age and his pediatrician has determined that he will have a delayed puberty based on a bone age x-ray. So THAT is his biggest challenge since his buddies are all bigger/taller/stronger. He is fairly mature and generally seems to handle it all with a great sense of humor. But I can't deny that my heart doesn't ache for him when I see them all huddled together and he looks younger in comparison.
We definitely made the right decision at the time with the information we had. However, IF I had known he would have a delayed puberty, I might not have made the same decision.
Let's hear them to see how they relate.
If you know somebody who learned to read at 3, is 60 now and has a very good memory then that would seem to refute my hypothesis. Although that wouldn't prove anything since I am talking about the possibility of a tendency.
Kinda like if you were to test two groups of 60 years old people. One learned to read between 3-4 and the other 7-8. Which is more likely to have better memory. Most people would say there is no correlation. I am saying maybe there is. It's just an idea.
No need to act like we're in a mosque and I'm disrespecting Muhammad.
Yes ,I do, me.Only thing you have proven is you haven't a clue to what it is others are discussing.
That is very interesting. I was thinking about that because memory is in the decline and other mental disorder are expected to increase. Of course you are going to hear from most of the "all knowing" scientifically inclined people that that has nothing to do with reading early. It's amazing to me how much faith people have on science given its history. I have other ideas of why this is happening beside early reading, which is probably only small part of the problem, but few people are open minded enough to listen.
I checked another website [dementia.org] to see if they know the cause of dementia: Dementia is generally caused by damage to or disruptions of brain cells.
That doesn't explain anything. This is the type of thing that SHOULD be ridiculed. Everyone can assume that a person with dementia has something not quite right with his head, the question is Why? not how it is reflected in the brain.
Yes ,I do, me.Only thing you have proven is you haven't a clue to what it is others are discussing.
Two persons have commented that early reading may not be good and could have affected other areas. Those are the people I am writing to, not you. I know you can't get I'm not trying to "prove" anything, but discussing a possibility.
My friend's son read at age 2 and he has Aspberger's Syndrome. He's 15 now and like a little professor when it comes to talking about trees (his favorite topic). Unfortunately he has a huge deficit in math and cannot do even the most basic addition/subtraction. He also has no concept of how much common items cost.
My sister read at age 3 and is very intelligent but is content to work as a waitress because she doesn't want a high-stress job and likes what she does. Her main passion is writing.
I read (according to my parents) somewhere between age 2-3. I was bored through much of elementary school and middle school. Luckily in high school, I got into the gifted program. I attended pre-med for 1.5 years through a scholarship but had to drop as my family needed my income full-time. I ended up going back to college years later for the degree they offered part-time which was business administration. I don't really like what I do but it's better than not working.
Well, you're a girl. School is more suited to the typical temperament and behavior of girls. I just didn't have it in me to sit through 13 years of schooling and not learn anything. It is not a moral failing. I did well after I went to the better (much better) school.
Why would you not learn anything?
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. Often, in early readers, deficits are seen in the social-emotional realm, but thankfully, I was spared from that. However, I am cursed with the spelling ability of someone who is barely literate and that remains a thorn in my side to this day.
