Do you have a kindergartner that’s learning to read? Kindergartners should read words slowly, elongating each continuous sound, so they can blend the word successfully. For example, a beginning kindergartner should read “sat” as “ssssaaaat.” The child should hold the continuous sounds “s” and “a” and clip the stop sound “t.” This is an important practice, as sounding out words can improve accuracy and phonics retention.
Again, sounding out words is important. However, many educators are alarmed when they hear their student read so slowly, say each sound, and essentially read the word 2-3 times. They try to rush the beginner along by saying things like, “Say it quickly,” or “Let’s go faster.” These comments teach the child, quite erroneously, that fast reading in the beginning years is ideal. Students are already quite shy that they read so slowly. They may hear big sister read quickly and fluidly and they want to be like her. However, fast reading is never something educators should push. Instead, encourage accuracy. The speed will come later as a result of reading LOTS of texts ACCURATELY.
In the beginning, children often read only 4 correct words per minute. That means, it takes 15 seconds to sound out “sssssaaaat” as “sat.” This is excellent work. This shows the child is focused on sounding out words correctly, not guessing at words swiftly.
It’s normal for a mid-year kindergartner to read 20-30 correct words per minute. Again, focus on accuracy. Is the student reading each sound correctly? Is the student blending the sounds together accurately? If so, the child is doing well. As the educator encourage accurate sound-by-sound reading. Expose the child to lots of decodable books.
Reading Elephant offers 120+ printable decodable books in our shop.
Next time kindergartner sounds out, feel confident that they’re doing a good job. Encourage your student to keep going, sound words out accurately, and read lots of decodable readers.
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