I don't think its very common once you take into account what they are reading. 4th and 5th grade is impressive for a kindergartener but what does that actually translate to. Some stuff at that level is not terribly sophisticated or complicated once you have mastered what is considered appropriate vocabulary for that level. And I think that's what Tallulah's teacher was referring to the idea that you can read but not quite understand it - its what they understand and how use the material is what sets some advanced readers further apart then others IMO.
DeHe
DeHe, I'm thankful for this reply, because in my heart of hearts, I do not feel like DD5 is very typical. Then again, I'm not around other 5-year-olds to know what is "normal" for that age. I swing back and forth on a pendulum of GT Denial and GT acceptance. We have no IQ scores to set anything in stone, even though I know we don't need test scores to tell me what I already know about DD5 -- she's stinkin' smart. Then sometimes I venture on this forum to discover a group of people with infants that are solving quadratic equations, and suddenly DD5 doesn't seem so GT afterall. (Okay, infants solving quadratic equations is an exaggeration, but you get my drift.)
When her preschool started testing her in reading last fall, I wasn't surprised she was able to read the material (they started at a fairly low level), but I was impressed she was passing the comprehension part of the reading tests. Even at the 3rd grade level, she's comprehending what she is reading, and that has been a big eye opener for me in regards to her intelligence.
I will be looking for cues from the both the public and the private schools to see how they feel about DD5's reading and specifically her comprehension.
The private school meeting is tomorrow (unless DD2.5's cold turns into an ugly, feverish ear infection again)!
Hoosier Mommy
