As my son, Oliver, approaches his sixth birthday, he still struggles with recognizing all his letters. Family members have voiced their concerns, especially since my eldest child was an early reader. They seem to believe that Oliver is lacking in some way or that I’m not giving him enough attention. If he weren’t homeschooled, he would be entering kindergarten without a solid grasp of the alphabet or its sounds, which would put him at a disadvantage before he even starts.
But let’s be honest—this thinking is misguided. My 5-year-old is not a deficient reader; he’s simply a typical 5-year-old.
Our expectations around early literacy are warped. This issue has been developing for years, but the No Child Left Behind Act, introduced during George W. Bush’s presidency, has intensified the pressure on kindergartners to meet academic benchmarks. A report from New York Magazine highlights that by 2010, teachers were 33% more likely to expect students to know how to hold a pencil and recognize the alphabet compared to their 1998 counterparts. I still remember learning my letters through fun songs in kindergarten back in the 1980s. Now, if a child isn’t already well-versed in the alphabet and on the path to reading, they’re deemed behind.
This stands in stark contrast to educational practices in other countries. For instance, Finland emphasizes play over structured academics in kindergarten. According to a piece titled “The Joyful, Illiterate Kindergarteners of Finland”, a significant 80% of teachers in Finland believed in 2010 that learning to read should not be a primary focus in kindergarten. Finnish children don’t start formal schooling until age 6, allowing them to engage in play-based learning. The philosophy of “learning with joy” is embedded in their curriculum, reflecting the belief that lessons learned joyfully are more likely to stick. Most Finnish kids leave kindergarten—at an age when American children are finishing first grade—still focused on the pictures in books.
Despite this relaxed approach, Finland consistently ranks among the top performers in international education assessments. According to Business Insider, their schools are considered the best in the world, and the Huffington Post notes that Finland boasts a literacy rate of 94%, while 32 million Americans—about 14% of the population—struggle with reading, and 21% of adults read at only a fifth-grade level. So clearly, their laid-back attitude toward early reading isn’t causing issues.
As Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a professor emeritus of early childhood education, noted in a video by Defending the Early Years, there’s little evidence to suggest that early reading instruction in kindergarten yields long-term benefits. Research indicates that children who learn to read at age 7 and those who start at 5 achieve similar reading skills by age 11. However, by 2010, American children were 15% more likely to use reading workbooks regularly at age 5 compared to 1998.
As educator Bev Brenna from the University of Saskatchewan pointed out, there’s no single right age for a child to start reading. One homeschooling parent shared her experience with her son, who struggled with reading at age 7 but became proficient at age 9. Another child in the same family was just starting to read at 8. She noted that many homeschooled kids begin reading around the age of 9 and still go on to complete high school and attend college without any adverse effects.
I have a wonderful friend, Max, who was unschooled and allowed to explore his interests independently. He and his siblings decided to learn to read at age 10, using the works of Charles Dickens, and they succeeded brilliantly. Today, Max holds a graduate degree and works as a field biologist.
So, when I see Oliver struggling, I refuse to label him as slow or lazy. He’s simply not ready for reading yet. We’re working through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, a program I also used with my eldest, and while it can be challenging, it’s worth the effort. Oliver sometimes expresses frustration, but he also tells my partner that he’ll soon be able to read like his older sibling. Although he can’t yet identify the letter Z or spell his name, I still won’t call him a slow reader.
It can be tough to hear other parents boast about their children’s reading skills, but I remind myself of the Finnish educational philosophy and Max’s success story. I ask Oliver if he wants to practice letters using glue, buttons, or PlayDoh, and we keep moving forward together. He’s right where he needs to be, and if that doesn’t align with American standards for literacy, then so be it.
I prioritize my child’s engagement, motivation, and joy in learning over the arbitrary label of an early reader. By allowing Oliver to develop at his own pace while incorporating play-based early literacy activities, I believe he will thrive. He’s not behind—he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.
Summary
This article discusses the unrealistic expectations placed on early reading in American education, contrasting it with Finland’s more relaxed, play-based approach. It emphasizes the importance of allowing children to learn at their own pace and highlights that being a late reader does not equate to being behind.
Keyphrase: Child Literacy Development
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