It’s so important to STOP MOVING YOUR EARLY READER INTO BOOKS written for older children. Here’s Why-
The thing with early readers is that just because they can read the words DOESN’T mean they understand the content. I see a lot of parents moving their children into middle-grade novels because the books for their child’s age are “too easy”. I always try to slow them down. At some point your child WILL know all the words. But the reason Middle Grade novels are challenging isn’t because they are teaching a ton of new words. It’s because they are:
1. Longer; they require a more mature attention- focus that can follow a much longer storyline.
2. Filled with MIDDLE GRADE CONTENT; they have emotional depth and conflict- your child may not be prepared to understand or handle the story line of a middle grade novel. YOU MAY NOT WANT THEM READING THE MATERIAL IN A MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL.
Just because your child knows the words in older selections does not mean they are prepared for middle-grade novels. Let them read MORE of age appropriate material. Or …
Want to give your early reader an age appropriate reading challenge?
Your early reader is a developing reader that is progressing faster than they are aging and the books for their age are “too easy”. You don’t want to move them into middle-grade novels, so what do you do? Give them NON-FICTION options. Non-fiction books are contextually challenging. Because they are fact-driven rather than emotion-driven, they can be harder to follow and harder to engage with. I often suggest going down a level with choosing a non-fiction book because of the comprehension challenges non fiction presents. So if re-reading or simply reading more still doesn’t feel like enough, start introducing non-fiction to the pile. It will also give you a better understanding of the different levels in which we can measure a child’s true reading engagement. How do you promote advanced reading with your child?