Reading - Children learn to read at different rates/plateaus

[carieann77]

My six year old is doing 1st grade. We are on day 69 or so. She is doing well and yet.... Here is the deal: She reads the stories from the Bible reader very nicely. However, if I pull out a book from another program which is actually much easier in terms of the complexity, she guesses at many words.

I am constantly reminding her, "What is your vowel, remember what that vowel says, okay, start with the first sound you see," etc. Once she does that she gets it very well but she hates that process and doesn't do it with any fluidity at all.

It is frustrating because she is SOOO capable. But the motivation is not there. The stories need to be interesting to her. IF they aren't she shuts down completely. Yet on some level she has to do the drudgery drill. She is not bad or a behavior problem about it. Her attitude is: I don't like this but I will do it mama.

Thanks
Connie

Connie,
I had a somewhat similar problem with my younger ds, who was 5 when we did MFW 1st grade. He is a very fluent reader now and loved the program (he is almost 7).

Maybe take a break, reinforce what you have already learned and then pick back up where you are. In my opinion it is better to move slowly than to have a child that hates to read (my older ds was a very slow reader until this year, he is now 9).
Blessings,
Carie

[mamaofredheads]

Connie,

Speaking from experience (sigh! LOL) I would recommend sticking with MFW but perhaps slowing down the pace.

When our 9yo was doing MFW1, when he got frustrated I switched curriculum (several times!) to try to find something else, but in the end I would have been better off to stay with MFW & just slow things down.

With our 7 yo when we reached a point where the lessons were overwhelming for him we only did half of the workbook page per day. After we did that for awhile, he was ready to do the lessons as written.

My personal experience is that slow & steady with the same program is better than jumping around, especially when it's as well done as MFW is.

Just my .02, :)
Glenna

[caod]

Thanks to those who have written in. I really do appreciate the experiences and thoughts.

I have another phonics program and may try that again. She tends to dislike, howver, anything with lots of words on a page. Word lists make her cringe.

I think MFW is a great program. Any more thoughts are appreciated. As I said, she LOVES the drawing in the Bible notebook and the bible stories and does well retelling them. I hate to stop doing that!!

Connie

[cbollin]

Connie,

I want to suggest is that maybe you call the MFW office and ask for their suggestions as well. Maybe David Hazell has a missing piece of the puzzle for you about the reading issues. One of his children was a late reader.

Here are some things that I did with my dd. We only did the Proverbs for handwriting practice and not really as memory work. And we spread it out over the week. Older sister was in RTR and whatever Bible the first grader got from that was "good enough". There was no way to keep up the pace of memory work in her case. I thought about just doing every other Proverb. did that for a little while and it worked too. We would tape the handwriting Proverb page on the kitchen wall. At least we were reading it together 3 times per day. Even if she didn't remember all of it, it was there to read aloud together and practice.

Try covering up the rest of the page of the blue book with a blank piece of paper. That was a trick that my daughter's speech therapist recommended for me.

Are you using any of the suggestions in the games section (p. 222-223) to help with review and/or retention? are they working?

--crystal

[LizCT]

Connie -

We are on day 81 of MFW 1st. My dd has just turned 7 this fall. We have very recently seen a transformation in her reading - both in her ability and her interest. I attribute it in part to the program, and in part to her maturity level - I don't believe she was ready to read earlier, for whatever reason.

I want second Crystal's suggestion to make use of the games for reading in the MFW 1st manual. Make it fun - start with games! If you need to, take a break from the workbook & phonics - your dd might just need to slow down & absorb what she has learned so far. You can even do exclusively reading games for a while to reinforce what you have already covered - make it fun for her!

I'm not familiar with the readers you mentioned in your post. I will share that I made our own reading program (like libraries do) with prizes ($1 or an ice cream cone - I let my dd help me make the chart, and she chose what prizes to place on the chart....) at intervals. I let her read me very easy books at first - Bob Books and HOP readers - as long as each day, she chose a different book that she had not previously read to me. This was a great motivation for her to read aloud to me, and the chart was a visual reminder to us all to have her do that each day.

Now, she reads at a higher level. She will still trip on some words, but I just help her to move along so she doesn't lose her train of thought in the sentence.

You mentioned that your dd has trouble with lots of words on a page - my dd gets overwhelmed sometimes when she looks at the workbook page too. What I do is cover the bottom part while we are doing the top part, and if necessary, I just slide the paper down to uncover only a line at a time. This has helped us.

I hope that this is helpful to you and that you are able to find some solutions that will help you and your daughter.

Liz in CT

[MattsMom]

Hi!

I'm new to MFW and just sort of cruising the boards to get familiar with everything - I certainly didn't plan to post yet, but I just had to respond because your post describes my ds word for word!

You got some great advice and I agree that you need to slow down. I remember feeling like it was a personal failure somehow that my ds couldn't read when he was six and we really pushed him. After all, don't they teach them to read in Kindergarten and First grade when they go to school? So I should be able to teach him, etc. Well, not all kids learn the same way and that is why homeschooling is so great!

My ds just turned ten and is reading now, but he is still a struggling reader and I'm convinced he probably will be for some time to come. This is just not an easy area for him. He loves books and will spend mass amounts of time looking through them and we go to the library every week. He loves to be read to...so much so that I have started getting a lot of audio books from the library because I just can't handle so much read aloud time. Ever read so much you feel like your throat is raw? Not much fun!!!

I've accepted that it's ok that he is not a great reader because he LOVES to be read to and the reading is coming along slowly. If he hated books and hated to be read to and just threw fits about doing school and it was all tears all the time I would be very worried. That is not the case, He is simply ten years old and would rather be out playing in the dirt!

It is more important to me that he LOVE books right now than that he can breeze through them quickly. Now that I have a few years of experience behind me and see that he does make progress each year even though it is slow...I know we will be ok.

We were concerned enough about his reading that we jumped around and used a lot of different things to try and teach him. If I could go back and do it again I would have just stuck with one good program and "waited" for him to grasp what was needed. Because sad to say that while many programs are packaged differently...they are extremely similar when you get down to the bottom line.

I would suggest getting just one inexpensive book to supplement and dropping it immediately if your dd doesn't like it.

I don't know if I helped, but I hope you feel encouraged and know you are not alone!

Melissa
MattsMom

[Julie in MN]

My six year old is doing 1st grade.

Hi Connie,
I will use my grandmotherly voice here: "Dear child, she is only six years old."

I waited until my kids were 6 (or nearly so) until I even started them in kindergarten. And yet, this did not hold them back but helped them race ahead!

I know some kids, especially girls, seem able and willing. But sometimes they are really just interested in doing something with mom or being exposed to something new to learn about, rather than a deep desire to absorb abstract symbols on a flat piece of paper, which stand for sounds, which make up words...

It seems you have tried 2 or 3 reading programs on the child, and if it were my grandchild, I would hope she is not about to get moved over to yet another reading program right now. You are not letting your child down if she does not fulfill her reading potential at age 6. What we are able to do is not always what we should be doing at the time. Instead, could she enjoy a kindergarten program for a while? Or do parts of older sibling's schooling as she shows an interest? Or making a "preschool" Bible notebook is okay for now, too -- she can compare her eventual 1st grade one to "the one she made when she was little" :o)

Said only in kindness & concern,
Julie

[TammyB]

Thank you, Julie, for your words of wisdom. Sure wish I could sit down with you and have a good chat!

Tammy

[Julie in MN]

Sure wish I could sit down with you and have a good chat!

Ah, wouldn't that be nice?! Moms who are all interested in math books and wall maps and such, just sitting around chatting :o)

Julie

[Sahmamma]

Hello!

This is my first post here, so I apologize if it sounds like I am venting. I have no one else to talk to about this but my dh. I am having problems with my dd and need some advice. A little background, we started homeschooling this past fall/2010. Both my oldest son and dd were having problems in school. We have three children ages 9, 6.5, and 3.5.

My dd turned 5 less than 2 months before starting kindergarten. She did well at first, learned her alphabet and the sounds of the alphabet letters. Then, they started sounding out words....great! She got it! Then, yep, then introduced sight words and sent home a list of sight word to memorize. It completely ruined her. At the end of kindergarten if I even mentioned reading a book TO her she would break down in tears. That combined with my oldest son's issues we decided to homeschool.

I started using hooked on phonics with dd this past summer and she did great. I then transitioned into the My Father's World first grade curriculum and she did well with that. However, she still really struggles with reading. She is a slow reader, really has to think of the words, but I KNOW she can do it, I KNOW she can read the bible reader, but she just doesn't want to. What do you do when a child just doesn't want to read? My children are all very stubborn children. Most days I love homeschooling, but days like today are just horrible, stressful and make me want to throw in the towel. She needed to read the Food in the Desert story in her bible reader. She did well for the first two pages and then just melted. She started wiggling, flopping around, not holding the book, she never wants to point to the word she is looking at, she guesses the words and doesn't blend the sounds, starts whining and not trying at all. It took her 1 hour and 15 minutes to read it. Way too long.

I just don't know what to do. She is progressing, just very slowly and I am starting to wonder if it is too much information too fast for her? She does forget some of the reading rules we have learned. Has anyone been in this situation? My son was completely different, he took to reading like a fish in water. I am really struggling with my daughter. I feel like she isn't even on first grade level and I worry that she is going to be behind.

I already break things up for the kids, so if I break things up any more I don't think we will get everything done. FYI, I also have a little boy that is going to turn 4 soon. My kids are all very active and they all get distraced very easily, my oldest has ADHD. I can't even read a book to them all together because they start poking at each other and aggrivating each other, so I have to read to them all individually. I feel like I don't have enough time in the day to get all of this done.

UG. Thanks for reading if you got this far and sorry for venting.

[cbollin]

This is my first post here, so I apologize if it sounds like I am venting. I have no one else to talk to about this but my dh. I am having problems with my dd and need some advice.

A little background, we started homeschooling this past fall/2010. Both my oldest son and dd were having problems in school. We have three children ages 9, 6.5, and 3.5. My dd turned 5 less than 2 months before starting kindergarten. She did well at first, learned her alphabet and the sounds of the alphabet letters. Then, they started sounding out words....great! Then they sent home a list of sight word to memorize. It completely ruined her. At the end of kindergarten if I even mentioned reading a book TO her she would break down in tears.

I started using hooked on phonics with dd this past summer and she did great. I then transitioned into the My Father's World first grade curriculum and she did well with that. However, she still really struggles with reading. She is a slow reader, really has to think of the words, but I KNOW she can read the bible reader, but she just doesn't want to. What do you do when a child just doesn't want to read? My children are all very stubborn children. Most days I love homeschooling, but days like today are stressful and make me want to throw in the towel. She needed to read the Food in the Desert story in her bible reader. She did well for the first two pages and then just melted. She started wiggling, flopping around, not holding the book, she never wants to point to the word she is looking at, she guesses the words and doesn't blend the sounds, starts whining and not trying at all. It took her 1 hour and 15 minutes to read it. Way too long.

I just don't know what to do. She is progressing, just very slowly and I am starting to wonder if it is too much information too fast for her? She does forget some of the reading rules we have learned. Has anyone been in this situation? My son was completely different, he took to reading like a fish in water. I am really struggling with my daughter. I feel like she isn't even on first grade level and I worry that she is going to be behind.

I already break things up for the kids, so if I break things up any more I don't think we will get everything done. FYI, I also have a little boy that is going to turn 4 soon. My kids are all very active and they all get distracted very easily, my oldest has ADHD. I can't even read a book to them all together because they start poking at each other and aggravating each other, so I have to read to them all individually. I feel like I don't have enough time in the day to get all of this done. UG. Thanks for reading if you got this far and sorry for venting.

((((hugs)))) and welcome along!

Even veteran homeschooling parents have seasons like this. so it's ok. and many of us have active learners. It's normal. you're normal. hang in there!

I'm going to start with a link to a "classic" thread on this forum written by David Hazell. Called:Advice when kids hit a plateau in learning to read
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3313
It's a classic around here, but it's a common thing to happen with many children learning to read. It's like it gives us permission to repeat lessons, slow it down a bit.

Set a timer for your dear daughter's reading out loud time. 15 minutes tops and say "let's just see how far you can get today on this."
Do the reading games in the manual.
I let my children play on something like starfall.com and computer games like jumpstart and reader rabbit. I don't even know if those still are sold. I"m really old. LOL

It's ok if MFW 1st grade needs to be finished in the student's 2nd grade year. The phonics in MFW 1st is very accelerated. 6.5 years old is still early for many children in the learning to read stage. You might use books on CD from library that come with the picture book and snuggle on the couch together and point along with the words and enjoy story together

Hoping to hear lots of encouraging dialogue on this thread.

blessings,
-crystal

[Kelly1730]

Agreeing and just wanted to reiterate that at 6.5 some children (mine included) are only doing K work so be assured that your daughter is not "behind". Reading is one of those areas that some kids have a slow go until all of a sudden the light bulb comes on and they just "get it'. Hang in there, it will all work out.

[1974girl]

All the other ladys probably gave the "right" advice. I am just going to give some other suggestions. Maybe she could read and not really know it. My girls love www.uptoten.com It is a free site (well you can pay for more games but I didn't!) Click on the free one. Then find "Boowa and Kwala" I know that sounds funny but it is two animals that have animated storybooks, songs, etc. I have a daughter who HATES to read. (She can do it...just doesn't want to) But she will stay on that site all the time and she is reading...just doesn't know it.

Next, here is a site that helped mine. You do have to pay a one time fee but they have a free sample lesson your daughter can do. It is phonics by like a video game. I used it to suppliment when she was in public school. It says guaranteed to work for struggling students. So you can get your money back if it doesn't work. www.clicknkids.com/

Just two options that might make it "funner" for her. Yeah, I know that really isn't a word, but I like it. : )
LeAnn

[WindDancer]

My oldest son, now 19, is dyslexic. I used a book called "At Last a Reading Method for Every Child". It is fantastic! I took the time to read it and learn how to teach reading by her method. It seemed unusual but was soooo effective! The author, Pecci, will personally answer your questions. She helped me put together a reading program specifically for my son based on his problem areas ( at no cost).

My son was 9 years old before he could really read independently and I was thrilled. He reads all the time now and you would never know it was a struggle for him.


Lisa

[TriciaMR]

My only other thought... 'cause my dd (and one of my ds) could read, but she read slowly and wouldn't sound out words, reversals, get wiggly... she may be slightly dyslexic... But, slow down, go back, and set the timer. "If you work your best for 15 minutes, then you can go jump on the tramp for 5 minutes." Then switch subjects (math, play a game, etc), and come back to it again.

-Trish

[fearnot]

I'm hesitant to post as I am just a first year homeschooler myself and came to these boards to learn. I will share though, that your experience sounds similar to my son's experience coming out of "school". He ended up hating reading and anything to do with phonics. He did not learn to read even after 2 years of K in 2 different schools. So we started the year out struggling from the beginning. I ended up backing off. He needed time, and I think I have read elsewhere that just reading a lot to children that are struggling really helps. We read books that he liked, lots of Dr. Suess for example. We smoothed into a phonics curriculum that was very different from the private school method. It focused on just a few sounds and some short vowels. We did earobics for phonemic skills. Finally he began to blend and sound out words and started to like the idea of reading again. My son meets the criteria for LD in reading and writing. He will be 8 in July and I plan to do MFW 1st w/ him. So by no means do i think it is a problem for a younger child to do MFW 1st or to do it slower or repeat. My youngest is almost 6 and will be doing K. I can also suggest throwing in some phonics games. That will seem like playing, not learning to read. I have started this w/ my 2 boys. i am using Rocket Phonics (written by a doctor w/ ADHD and dyslexia), but I am sure there are lots of phonics games ideas out there. Just focus on making things fun, read aloud lots and make it enjoyable, and relax. I have learned to let my son learn at *his* pace, not mine. It is not the end of the world that he is 8 and still struggling to read. (I also have 2 older children that just picked up reading as easy and as natural as could be, so I understand!) I know that he will catch up, and will be fine as long as I find ways to teach him that meet his learning style, and allow him to develop confidence at his own pace. I hope I have been able to be of some encouragement and given you some ideas to add to all the great ones already on here. I wish you the best! ~Angie
p.s. - I also have an older child (10dd) and will be doing ECC w/ her and adding in the younger boys as they have interest! I plan to read aloud for the youngers, and perhaps have my 7yo follow along in the book to help build his reading skills (another MFW mom gave me that idea). I think it will work out fine, and my 10 yo will likely enjoy some of the science in MFW K and 1st!

[jhagberg]

I started homeschooling my oldest when he was in third grade because he was still not reading independently--and falling behind in school. Once he was at home, I had to read much of his school work aloud to him. I required him to read out loud to me every day for several years. He didn't start reading "chapter books" for literature until 7th grade, and his first year of writing book reports was in 8th grade! So you could say he was "behind" every year K-8. This year he is in 9th grade and he is finally "caught up". He is doing all of his high school work on his own, he reads fluently, and I am so pleased!

So don't be discouraged. Some children catch on to reading later than others, and my son was an extreme case, but it will happen!

[Wendy B.]

You already have received some very good advice.

Setting a timer, playing all the games, starfall, etc.

I also split the reading with my child. He reads a page then I read a page.

Re-read sections that you have already read until they are easy for her.

If I see that he is having trouble with certain words ( forgetting the rules), I will write the words down and ask him questions before they sound it out. For example, if the trouble word was queen. I would ask him if he sees any vowel or consanent teams (digraphs if you prefer) and have him circle them. Then using the Reading Chart in MFW 1 I would ask him what sound does "ee" make. Then ask him to read the word. We do this a couple of times per week. My son is 8 and we still do this for trouble words.

You can't be behind using MFW 1 with a 6.5yo. I used it for 2nd grade! For the record, we weren't behind.

Are you willing to take a break? Spend some time reviewing the rules you already have covered. Re-reading the stories you have already worked through. Perhaps spending some time looking at trouble words. Play the games. Let her have some time to develop a love for reading.

HTH

[shaffer96]

Does she enjoy when you read to her? I would take a little break and find books that you can read to her that interest her. You really need her to develop a love of reading and maybe a little break is needed right now. You could also play games like Bingo with words that she knows to develop confidence.

[Sahmamma]

Thank you so much for all of the terrific replies! Dd is doing better, but progress is slow with all of the spelling rules she has learned. We will be done with My Father's world curriculum in several weeks, then I am going to take the summer to review the spelling rules, do TONS of reading, play more reading games, and do math.

I do suspect that she has dyslexia and right now I have thought about getting her tested.

[gratitude]

I read through your post a few days ago, but I still have only had the opportunity to read a few of the answers you are getting; so my jumping in is incomplete as far as your answers go.

She is 6.5. This is very young. Many 6.5 year olds are in Kindergarten.

If she is wiggling, flopping around, not holding the book, etc. it is time to stop for the day - or at least for a few hours. One of the Hardest things I have had to learn as a home school mom is to stop when my children are emotionally 'Done'. I am very task oriented, and want to complete the task. This doesn't work with young children, as I am sure you already know from being a mom. Children well show signs when they begin to be emotionally overwhelmed by a task at hand, or by reading books aloud to them. It starts subtle. Extra movement, taking longer to complete an assignment, etc. This is true, by the way, with students who are sitting with a teacher too (I taught piano for 8 years). By the time they are completely on maximum it is rolling around, flopping, over the top behavior,etc. This can happen in stores, bedtime when overly tired, dinner tables, and yes with home schooling.

My hardest task as a home schooling mom is to not do too much with my children. To not push them too hard. To allow them to be where they are at, whatever level that is. To shut a book mid-chapter when they are showing signs of being done (this is so difficult for me!); but it is so worth a peaceful end!

Sometimes review can help when it is too much information. You have a child with ADHD so you know much more about that angle than I do. What I would say with reading though is in my experience it moves along and then one day clicks like a light switch being turned on in a room. It sounds like your ds was like that too. The light switch though can happen at 4 and as late as 10. Kids in school fall behind who have it happen later. Home school children don't need to fall behind, they just need to keep working at whatever level they have achieved until the light bulb moment. Does this make sense?

I wouldn't worry about her at all. She sounds like a very healthy normal 6.5 girl. I saw many children ages 5,6, & 7, & even 8 wiggle and fuss and spin on the piano bench when it became too much for them. At that point I usually had to back down and review what they knew. It is at that moment of the wiggles that they are no longer teachable. They are unable to take in new information once they reach over-load. Besides children LOVE review! I never met one who didn't, especially when they are K - 3rd. They love the familiar, the knowledge they have learned, and the feeling of confidence that comes from using the knowledge they have learned. Perhaps have her re-read the Bible reader from the beginning for a week or two or more for review and watch her confidence soar. I know I did that with my ds at one point in MFW1. He was tired of having to work at it. So we started at page 1. If I remember correctly it was that review period that flipped the light switch.

Blessings,

[Sahmamma]

Thanks everyone for all of the support! I really needed it today as it has been a struggling day for me.

I had the kids portfolios reviewed and it went ok, but I am going to find another teacher next year. I just don't think this teacher understood and she was a bit demeaning (spelling?). I don't think she thought that the kids did "enough". And I think it surprised her that in 1st grade dd was still a beginning reader. *sigh*

Anyway, dd turns 7 in a few weeks, she is progressing, although it is slow. She is having a hard time with math as well and I think I have come to the conclusion that she just needs time to mature. Does that make sense? We have another 50 days or so of the MFW grade one because we have taken breaks, reviewed, and slowed down a bit.

If anyone asks me what the hardest job in the world is, I will tell them it is being a homeschooling mom!

[bethinga]

My 7 yo dd in 1st grade is having struggles with reading. She just turned 7 in February. She is on the Ruth story in the Bible reader and read that really well. But when I took her back to the first story (creation) to show her how far she's come (to boost her confidence), she struggled with the word "water" on the first page. She kept saying "way-tear" (as in crying "tears"). So my attempt really backfired there! Today she read a story from Dick and Jane and kept saying "there" for "where" and "this" for "a". It's sometimes like she just can't decode the word, and other times it's like she's rushing too fast over it and guessing the wrong word. My son at this age was reluctant to try, but when he could read, it gave him confidence and everything flowed smoothly. I'm not comparing them, I'm just wondering when things will begin to flow more easily for her, and if I'm doing something wrong. With both kids, I used 100 Easy Lessons as an occasional supplement. She's progressing ok there, but still doesn't seem to flow; has to carefully sound out each word, rather than reading fast. I hate to even use the word fast, I don't wish her to be a speed reader. I'd just like to see it come more easily for her.

[TriciaMR]

My 7 yo dd in 1st grade is having struggles with reading. She just turned 7 in February. She is on the Ruth story in the Bible reader and read that really well. But when I took her back to the first story (creation) to show her how far she's come (to boost her confidence), she struggled with the word "water" on the first page. She kept saying "way-tear" (as in crying "tears"). So my attempt really backfired there! Today she read a story from Dick and Jane and kept saying "there" for "where" and "this" for "a". It's sometimes like she just can't decode the word, and other times it's like she's rushing too fast over it and guessing the wrong word. My son at this age was reluctant to try, but when he could read, it gave him confidence and everything flowed smoothly. I'm not comparing them, I'm just wondering when things will begin to flow more easily for her, and if I'm doing something wrong. With both kids, I used 100 Easy Lessons as an occasional supplement. She's progressing ok there, but still doesn't seem to flow; has to carefully sound out each word, rather than more easily.

It could be she needs more time. Just keep being patient and working with her. Focus on blending. Remind her that "er" says "er". She'll get it, eventually.

You might check out Susan Barton's website for a list of dyslexia symptoms (it carries over into other areas of life - like remember left and right, learning to tie their shoes, etc). Might be, might just need more time.

There is also eye therapy. If she isn't tracking well, sometimes kids do things like you describe. (But, it is pricey and insurance doesn't always cover it.)

[Julie in MN]

I totally agree with Trish that many kids need more time. My grandson is 9 and is just becoming fluent, and his steps have felt totally normal to me. Whereas my youngest taught himself to read before kindergarten and I had to backtrack when I brought him home to school for 3rd grade -- he could memorize quickly but was missing many foundational skills.

She kept saying "way-tear" (as in crying "tears"). So my attempt really backfired there! Today she read a story from Dick and Jane and kept saying "there" for "where" and "this" for "a". It's sometimes like she just can't decode the word, and other times it's like she's rushing too fast over it and guessing the wrong word.

It actually makes total sense to take a stab at "water" by trying "way-tear." Often an A in that position would have a long A sound, as in "late." And the whole "er" thing is counter-intuitive and takes much practice, as Trish mentioned.

The "there" and "where" mix-up is likely because those are stored near one another in her brain. When I was a tutor, I noticed all kinds of little things the brain did, but really most kids don't have anyone listening all that closely to notice

When learning to read, there is a balance going on between understanding all the phonics patterns vs. memorizing which English words fit with which pattern. I may be biased because of my youngest's bad habits of memorizing too much at an early age, but I also tutored many kids in reading at a busy tutoring center, and I noticed rushing too quickly often meant more memorizing and less understanding. Eventually, I think we do start memorizing a lot when we read, but a foundation of understanding means we memorize more efficiently or something like that, from what I've seen.

She's absorbing a lot this year. I wouldn't worry about it being easy yet at this age, myself.
Julie