Some children are just gifted and enthusiastic readers. Something just “clicks” for them when it comes to this language skill.

While it is great to have a child who enjoys and has advanced reading skills, it can also be difficult to keep them interested because they are more likely to get bored with reading materials or instruction that are meant for their grade level. 

Often, reading help or intervention is focused mainly for struggling or new readers. However, it could benefit your child to find a first grade reading program for advanced readers that can actually enhance their reading skills and challenge them.

What level should my first grader be reading? 

First grade is where children get their reading foundation and is a critical grade when it comes to reading success.

During this grade, your child is learning and will likely be able to read independently. Advanced readers might already be able to read independently by the time they enter the grade level.

By the end of first grade your child will be able to recognize about 150 sight words. They should also be able to spell and recognize single syllable words.

When it comes to reading comprehension, first graders are completely capable of discussing and answering questions about what they have just read. They should also be able to distinguish the differences between fiction and nonfiction works.

While these are the average reading milestones that most first graders reach, your child might already have reached these before they were in first grade.

Advanced readers often will reach reading milestones well ahead of their peers. The challenge with advanced readers is not necessarily reaching reading goals, but keeping them interested and challenged enough to keep on improving their reading skills.

How do you challenge advanced readers? 

The mistake many parents make when trying to challenge advanced readers is to give them more reading or more work. However, that will only make them resistant to reading and will likely get bored or overwhelmed.

Instead, parents should aim to give their advanced readers materials that are just different from what they might be getting from school.

• Get them books that are different from the ones they are reading in school. 
• Start reading a series together. This is a great way to get them interested in a longer narrative and also helps them to be more motivated to read. 
• Take a field trip to the library where they can choose books to take home that actually interest them. 
• Use cookbooks to help show them a different genre of writing and shows them how reading happens in all forms of life including in the kitchen. 
• Read a book that has been turned into a movie then watch the film version as a family movie night. You can compare and contrast what they thought of the movie versus the book. 
• Let them create their own stories and books. You can have them create their own comic books and picture books then read them to you or to younger siblings. 
• Use a reading program that can grow with them like Readability.

Which reading program can help advanced readers? 

Readability is a great reading program that can truly benefit advanced readers and helps them improve their already stellar reading skills.

Readability is great for advanced readers because it provides:

• Personalized materials that are based on the reading assessment that the app performs as your child uses the app. 
• A large library of original content that is constantly being updated and provides materials at the appropriate reading level based on the app’s assessment. 
• Feedback and error correction so that your child is always improving their pronunciation and fluency. 
• Reading comprehension practice that can help your advanced reader think critically about reading materials and practice important critical thinking and analyzing skills. 
• Practice for reading aloud and listening skills as it gives them the option of having the app read the text to them or they can read the text aloud while the app listens for pronunciation errors. 
• Makes reading interactive and fun to help them continue to read independently.

Advanced readers ultimately need the tools and support that can help them continue to improve their reading skills.

Instead of giving them more work to do, parents and teachers need to provide them with materials that will give them a careful balance of challenging them but also keeps them interested and enthusiastic about reading. Using a reading program such as Readability can help them to continue to read independently and continue to enjoy reading.