I need a little help. I have a 7 yr old daughter and this makes our 4th yr homeschooling. My dd just went through a series of test to find out if she is ADHD (she is not), IQ test(103), and personality test(indenpentant, artistic, creative, outgoing). Then she had testing done to find out where she is as far as reading (4 yr old level)and math (7 yr old level). With no suprise it showed that she is behind in her phonics and reading. I have been struggling with her on this. Now they are telling me that she is a VISUAL LEARNER and I have been using the good old fashion public school way. So I have done a bunch of research on visual learning and I have picked up some neat info about it. So today we start to use some of the info that I have learned and she is fighting me on it. I know it could be just a bad day for her but I feel like if I can't get this under-control then I may have to put her in public school and I DO NOT what to do this. But come on she has to learn to read. I have no problem with her in any other subject. She loves math, science is the boom for her, history is so so, art and home ec. she loves it. But anything to do with reading, spelling, and writing I almost pull my hair out. (She loves for me to read to her.) Help I need some advice and maybe a little direction. I usually have a good handle on this stuff. I love homeschooling and want to continue doing it but I am at a loss. Thanks for any help. Sorry this is so long. Janet
Janet, The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. I know how frustrating (and scary) it is to have your child's education fall on you and you alone. However, you will get through this. There is no reason to panic. Consider this: if she was in ps, she would never be exposed to alternate forms of education. She would struggle for years. Right now, you are ahead of the game. She is only 7. There is plenty of time to teach her to read. If she's been half as frustrated as you are with her reading, she's going to be resistant to any method at the moment. In her mind, reading is impossible and something she probably has little interest in. The first step might not be to immediately implement your new information. Perhaps she needs to be deschooled from reading for a few days first. Let her play reading games (like starfall.com). Let her see that reading is fun, but do nothing for a bit. Let her unwind on the issue. Play games, have fun, go on with other subjects and when she's ready, approach reading again with your new techniques. It sounds like you both need a break. Keep in mind, this is my my two cents. You know her better than anyone else, and that's what qualifies you to be her best teacher.
Hi Janet! Actually it sounds like your dd is doing fine! She's on about normal level, or above, and there often seems to be one subject that each child has a problem with, or doesn't like as well. Same goes for adults---we do and like some things better than others. You're right, she DOES need to learn to read---but who says it has to be right now? The ps? Some kids just aren't ready for reading until they're older! I just wrote something about that in another thread. You say she loves to be read to? Well, then certainly continue to do LOTS of that! That's one way they start getting interested in reading for themselves. Jennifererix was saying how she picks a common word and they learn that word, then they find it as you read out loud, and it's their "job" to read just that one word. That sounds like a great way to start her out maybe being a little more interested??? Otherwise, just read a lot to her, point out certain words on signs and in books and things. She WILL catch on! But forcing her to read by a certain time could cause her to have a huge distaste for reading! Find books on subjects that thoroughly interest her and have her follow along as you read. Do fun and interesting things, but don't FORCE her to read until she's ready! Honestly, she's got lots of years to learn! And once she DOES start reading, she'll catch up to others her age in no time! Oh, and if you don't want to send her to ps, PLEASE DON'T!!! Just some thoughts. You, of course know her best! I pray that things go well for you and her!
I agree with Deena. While I have a very avid reader, it wasn't until recently that she actually "got into" reading. You can try some phonics games www.adrianbruce.com I think that's the website. There are some great games on there and they are free. There's also www.starfall.com although at 7 the stories may seem to young for her. I'm using Horizons phonics/reading for grade 1. Dd likes it, I like how it's laid out and I make it very visual by doing things on the big whiteboard we have and writing in different colors. We also play games with letter cards by making our own words, and using the rules we've learned so far to make words. Don't stress though! Read read read to her. Find something that interests her. If she's interested in science, find science readers. Take turns reading pages or even sentences. If she stumbles on a word help her sound it out but still tell her what a great job she's doing and that it's okay.
I had a little one like that and I found out if I gave her a tape recorder and let her tape herself reading the book and then listen back at it... she always wanted to read. So you might want to try something like that..
I agree. . .it sounds like she's doing fine and maybe backing off for a little while would be okay. It is developmentally normal not to learn to read until age 9. So from what you described, there really isn't anything 'out of control'.
This is where my six old year would say, "Breathe in. Breathe out. Now, reeeelaaaax!" Have you tried starfall.com?
Thank you everyone. I really needed your input. Breathing is what I need to do. And I get hung up on that she "should" be reading because my ps niece is reading. I do realize that kids develop different but I am human to worry if I am doing the right thing. Funny thing is I have the starfall books but never checked out the website until tonight. We are going to play on that site tomorrow. Again thanks you are a great bunch of people. Janet
All of my kids started reading really well at about 8 1/2. Give her time - she will read. We like the Explode the Code books. They are not expensive and stimulates their reading. All these ladies said it so well! I can't think of anything else to add.
Um, just a thought & you're probably already doing this but forget the books. She likes science & Home ec right? Show her how we read intructions for experiments & recipes. Get her to 'help' read the next step. Say,'What does it say we need to do now?' Some kids just aren't into the whole fiction thing but respond well to non~fiction & 'reading for a purpose' not just 'because'.
I had never heard of starfall.com until I read this today. I tried it out with my dd and she loved it!!! This wasn't even my thread and I benefited so much. You all have such great ideas!!
YAY! Starfall! They are the GREATEST. Both my kids taught themselves to read on that site. Okay, so printed out the papers and had them do them, but they did it on their own, I think that you'll find it helps a lot. With my oldest, I had tried 3 different things before finding Starfall...actually stumbled upon it. Literally within 2 or 3 weeks my daughter was reading fine...and hasn't stopped since
Kindergarden to 4th grade a child learns to read... 4th grade on a child reads to learn... I read this once and it makes sense with all the rules there are to reading. Learn one thing and then break that rule... is it read (with the long E) or read (with the short E sound)????????
I agree with all the others - she will read in her own time. One thought I had - if she was in ps and struggling with reading it would likely be worse for her because she would have the added pressure of feeling like a failure in front of a group of peers. If she's not ready to read, that's ok. But in ps they are either put into 'resource' classrooms or just let her struggle indefinitely and she would grow up hating reading. Not a fun/good thing for a kid either way. You are not failing her because she can't read yet. She is not ready to read yet and thats ok <Hug> Jennifer
Actressdancer has given you some great advice. Do NOT put that little girl is ps --it is not YOU mom she is just not ready! Leave it alone and just read to her-- come back to reading in a few months. Play phonics games for now and teach her in ways she doesnt realize she is learning. Focus on what builds her up and makes her confident-- like math. One of our presidents didnt learn how to read until he was 12 years old. He ended up grad. at 16 and becoming the PRESIDENT! (although I cant recall which president it is right now) Try not to compare her with other kids, no one like to be compared to other people. Hang in there mom! Jill
