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Reading so fast, skipping words
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My 5.5 yo dd has exploded with her reading skills. She can pick up just about any picture book and read it. We think she is probably reading at a 2nd or 3rd grade reading level. She reads quite fast and comprehends what she reads. However, if she is reading out loud she skips words. We have observed closely and can tell that she is saying the words, but she is saying them while she inhales and therefore we cannot hear them. We have tried having her run her finger under the words to slow her down and reminding her to pause for punctuation. It doesn’t seem to help. We are backing off and letting her read as she is inclined to do for awhile as it seems to be discouraging her. It is a fine balance between helping her learn to read out loud well and not crushing her spirit and love of learning and reading. I know it is a skill to learn to read well out loud. How can we help her with this? Or should we not even worry about it right now as it might correct itself as she gets older. BTW, she is very energetic and I think she only has two speeds – warp speed and asleep.
LOL. Her mouth just can’t go fast enough to keep up with her brain. You will need to do something about this eventually if you want her to be able to read aloud easily. But I think you’ve got the finger on it–if focusing too much on this is discouraging her, then you don’t want to make reading a chore. Let her mature a little. She is VERY young. Incidentally, I’ve always had trouble with the same thing. I can talk pretty fast, but I can read MUCH faster than I can possibly talk. I had to “train” myself to read alound more slowly. I did this by tapping a pencil for each word as I read it. It took a while. 🙂
I don’t think that this is a habit that will be difficult to correct later when she’s older. To me the possibility of making reading a chore and risking her losing interest is much more serious than rushing too much while reading aloud. Give her time to become a lifelong reader first, then fix the minor mechanical problem.
My son (5) seems to have those same two speeds as well!! I have had the same question and I am sure some more experienced mom’s will have better insight (I posted a ? “bad reading aloud habits” about 3 weeks ago – I’d link it but I don’t know how!) but here is what I have done with that at my house. I don’t correct him every single time because I know that would be very annoying. We do have one book (our Pathway Readers) that we use for our “practicing reading” book. That is the only one I really stay on him with – everything else is just for fun. I have read a paragraph two different ways (one of them with whatever I wanted him to work on) and asked him which sounded better, then I told him to try to read it and make it sound like me. I also took a paint stick and taped a stop sign to the top of it. When he would get to a period I would hold it up – we had a lot of giggles, but it helped him get a better handle on the period. If he skips words I’ll say “could you read that sentence again?” or maybe not say anything at all but point to the word he missed and he will go back himself and correct it. And I do tell him to S…L…O….W down and read in a way that makes it interesting and understandable for everyone 🙂 There were some other good suggestions on the post I mentioned above.
Speaking from personal experience, correct it early. You won’t crush her spirit, frustration isn’t the same as crushing a spirit. She has to get used to your corrections and trust you as her teacher because you’ll be corrcting her for many more years and you don’t want an unteachable spirit to arise.
Just gently “whoa” or “stop” “repeat” “redo”, whatever word you choose, when she skips something and have her slowly read the sentence again. Also, a gentle reminder before she even starts concerning slowing down and seeing all the words, or however you choose to phrase it; that way she goes into the read-aloud time being mindful.
Well, I have to go quickly,
HTH,
Rachel
cjwagner77;
I would have to say that the gentle approach to reading is best. I’ve had two different experiences so far. My eldest taught herself to read by age 4 and couldn’t read enough. She is still that way at age 11. Then came along my second daughter who had 0 interest in reading. I worried and fretted when at 7 she still wasn’t “wanting” to read. I had moments of more instruction and moments of stepping back and letting her mature.
I would have to say that it has been the most productive to have an individual book for her instruction time, and then not bother her with critiquing at any other time. I had her read a story or buddy read a story out of the Pathway Readers once a day during the school days. She of course would do her copywork too. This child HATED to read, and she does not like any attention given to her; so reading aloud isn’t her favorite. Then I checked out some audio books from the library and set her up in her room to read alone in place of the Pathway Reader time.
She is 8 1/2 now, and just starting to take an interest in reading. She volunteers to read her Bible at night to everyone. She reads to her siblings that are younger. Her recognition of where a period goes and the spacing of words has become natural.
My point is, your child is very young. It is fabulous that she wants to read. I would not worry too much. A lot will change with maturation. I would just have a small bit of instruction each day, and then provide her with a ton of books at her disposal for whenever. Also, keep reading to her. VERY IMPORTANT.
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