PreK student has trouble with following a story/directions.

[monicac82]

I am new to the classical education model as well as homeschooling in general. My oldest is 4 and gets bored easily with preschool stuff, but is very sensitive and gets upset easily when she doesn't automatically "get" something or she has to try a little bit. For me it's important to work with her on this and I've told her that I'm okay with wrong answers if she tries really hard, but not when she says something to try to get out of doing work. She's turned to whining rather then trying. The stuff I'm having her do when she stops and sounds out the word, for instance, she gets the the 1st try 90% of the time and the 2nd or 3rd time with a tiny bit of help with me pointing out how a certain phonogram sounds "that I says E there" she can do it, so it's not that it's too difficult. The big issue is that she does this because she wants to watch her videos and doesn't want to do her work. The other issue is that she knows all the stuff from preschool and gets bored when any of it is presented to her; however, after purchasing the K level build your library curriculum I discovered she has a big problem with recall when I read aloud to her. I'm assuming this is normal for her age. I went and bought Moving Beyond the Page curriculum (we're a secular family) and hope that works out better. If not I'll try something else. I feel like a lot of her saying she doesn't know what happened has a lot to do with her refusal to make guesses, and some with her age. She has difficulty following simple instructions to the point my husband and I still have to break them down into smaller segments. I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to reward her and teach her that throwing a tantrum is how you get out of doing things, but at the same time I want to work with her on overcoming these barriers.

 

[monicac82]

To add we're doing Logic of English A, which she passed all the assessments and I could start B with her, but we're going to keep working through at a bit faster rate. We are also using Right Start Math A Second Edition, which she has a bit more difficulty with translating that 5 and 1 make 6 (as an example), so we're moving a bit more slowly on that one. She also has Reading Eggs and is on the middle of Map 6, and Time4Learning and is working on the 1st grade language arts and the Kindergarten math and science. It's primarily recall of directions and books read to her that is the issue right now. I'm thinking we've hit a plateau. 

[monicac82]

Oh, and last addendum. I bought those curriculums before I learned about CE. :) I am reading TWTM as we speak.

 

[3 ladybugs]

I know you probably don't want to try anything else at this point, but I HIGHLY recommend Mother Goose Time for you. You can try it for a month, so you can see if you like it, and it teaches things in different ways ALL THE TIME. Also they have these stories every month (summer is a different animal so they may not be in the summer, but I am pretty sure they are there) that are more action, less sitting and listening. It is also secular. Sometimes at this age children just need something different to engage them. 

 

My son is 3 on Monday and I can tell he has learned a TON from the program. It is for ages 3 to 6. 

 

www.mothergoosetime.com

[monicac82]

I know you probably don't want to try anything else at this point, but I HIGHLY recommend Mother Goose Time for you. You can try it for a month, so you can see if you like it, and it teaches things in different ways ALL THE TIME. Also they have these stories every month (summer is a different animal so they may not be in the summer, but I am pretty sure they are there) that are more action, less sitting and listening. It is also secular. Sometimes at this age children just need something different to engage them. 

 

My son is 3 on Monday and I can tell he has learned a TON from the program. It is for ages 3 to 6. 

 

www.mothergoosetime.com

 Would this be good to present around my 2 year old?

[3 ladybugs]

 Would this be good to present around my 2 year old?

If your 2 year old is over 2.5 then I think you could use the curriculum on it's own and your 2 year old would get something out of it. Mine sure did. If your 2 year old is under 2.5 then you might want to get the "Little Goose" add on pack. That would have different activities that are in the same vein as the ones for your older child. They are also coming out with a pack that starts at 6 months if you have even younger children that you would like to teach. 

 

I should also throw in here that I am using the current theme (Artistic) with my 7 year old as a break from school. So I am doing it with a nearly 3 year old and nearly 8 year old. Both children are getting something out of it. It really is versatile. 

[rwilk]

A lot of this sounds really age appropriate.  We used/use similar resources. We just finished MBTP 4-5 and LOE C with my 4.  I've also observed her (and other 4-5 year olds) at parent/child early childhood class.  The teacher will ask the kids about how someone in the book feels or some recall question, and the kids come up with very random things.  One class, all the kids were tired.  So the answers for everything were some version of "he felt sleepy."  

 

At this age (for us) it's about learning how we come up with these sorts of answers.  Sometimes I'll give DD an example of an answer, or answer one question myself first, and then ask her another.  Both of these seem to help.  

[monicac82]

I just looked at MGT and it's not in the budget. :(

 

[monicac82]

A lot of this sounds really age appropriate.  We used/use similar resources. We just finished MBTP 4-5 and LOE C with my 4.  I've also observed her (and other 4-5 year olds) at parent/child early childhood class.  The teacher will ask the kids about how someone in the book feels or some recall question, and the kids come up with very random things.  One class, all the kids were tired.  So the answers for everything were some version of "he felt sleepy."  

 

At this age (for us) it's about learning how we come up with these sorts of answers.  Sometimes I'll give DD an example of an answer, or answer one question myself first, and then ask her another.  Both of these seem to help.  

Speaking of LOE she seems to be bored of A. Should I fast track her through it and order B?  

[monicac82]

Speaking of LOE she seems to be bored of A. Should I fast track her through it and order B?  

 I should add that we are also doing BOB books aside from the other stuff I listed. I am big on mastery, so I have her reread words or start over when she starts to say the wrong sound, like b for d and so on. She knows them when she stops and pays attention and I don't like moving on until she masters things. She's definitely bored.

[HomeAgain]

Two things, the first is free. I start out littles here with a hear-it, repeat it method for learning to follow directions/basic recall.  I start with single step directions and progress to 2-3 steps, giving them a moment to take it in, then repeat the words back to me.  If necessary I make sure I have their full attention by getting down to eye level, holding their hand, etc.  The goal is to improve recall in day-to-day exercises that are not "school".

 

After that, we work on learning nursery rhymes and repetitive stories.  Look at the Little Red Hen, Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks...the stories all have repeating text. It changes just slightly between characters as the story progresses.  We use these basic fairy tales to learn how to retell in order.  Because there is so much repetition, the child grasps it fairly easily after a time or two (and you can totally go FIAR style and spend a whole week on one story doing different activities to go along, including picture sequencing cards).

 

Finally we're ready to retell things like Aesop's Tales and short pieces from books, eventually building up to longer pieces and chapter books.

 

 

The other thing that can help, if you really want to spend money on something, is the Developing The Early Learner book set.  Each one individually is about $10, and it goes through series of exercises that cover a lot of skills: auditory and visual discrimination, tracing, following 2 step directions...they're quite good and just challenging enough for a 4-6yo.

 

 

[monicac82]

Two things, the first is free. I start out littles here with a hear-it, repeat it method for learning to follow directions/basic recall.  I start with single step directions and progress to 2-3 steps, giving them a moment to take it in, then repeat the words back to me.  If necessary I make sure I have their full attention by getting down to eye level, holding their hand, etc.  The goal is to improve recall in day-to-day exercises that are not "school".

 

After that, we work on learning nursery rhymes and repetitive stories.  Look at the Little Red Hen, Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks...the stories all have repeating text. It changes just slightly between characters as the story progresses.  We use these basic fairy tales to learn how to retell in order.  Because there is so much repetition, the child grasps it fairly easily after a time or two (and you can totally go FIAR style and spend a whole week on one story doing different activities to go along, including picture sequencing cards).

 

Finally we're ready to retell things like Aesop's Tales and short pieces from books, eventually building up to longer pieces and chapter books.

 

 

The other thing that can help, if you really want to spend money on something, is the Developing The Early Learner book set.  Each one individually is about $10, and it goes through series of exercises that cover a lot of skills: auditory and visual discrimination, tracing, following 2 step directions...they're quite good and just challenging enough for a 4-6yo.

Thanks. I'm trying the breaking it down method with her. It's frustrating. Here is an example

 

Me: "The dog went to the top of the hill. Where did you the dog go"

Child: "I don't know"

Me: "To the top of the hill. Where did the dog go?"

Child: "Ummm, I don't know?"

[HomeAgain]

I treat little kids like ESL students.  When you begin learning a foreign language, it's hard to comprehend all the words - statements, questions, etc. AND formulate a response that makes sense.  The brain can break it down easier if you use more than one skill to comprehend.

Me: The dog went to the top of the hill. (listening)

Child: The dog went to the top of the hill. (speaking/initial comprehension)

Me: Show me.  Draw me a picture (or use your hands, etc) (doing)

Me: Where did the dog go?  (this time with a silly grin) (responding)

 

Give it a couple times, then drop the "show me" part.  Or you can alternate it with a similar method:

 

Me: The dog went to the top of the hill. (listening)

Child: The dog went to the top of the hill. (speaking)

Me: The dog went to the top of the.........? (aided response)

Child: Hill!

 

I also found that littles can have a lag of up to about 10-20 seconds in comprehension.  Watch the next time you give your child a new task to do and start counting in your head until she starts to do it.  It might just be that she's not able to take in the information as fast in a story, and then backs away from answering at all.

[rwilk]

 I should add that we are also doing BOB books aside from the other stuff I listed. I am big on mastery, so I have her reread words or start over when she starts to say the wrong sound, like b for d and so on. She knows them when she stops and pays attention and I don't like moving on until she masters things. She's definitely bored.

 We went fairly quickly through A, but each kid is different.  DD never got the handwriting thing down, but we moved on anyway because I didn't want to hold her reading back due to fine motor skills.  

 

Once we got to B, we varied a lot about how long things took.  We did 6 lessons a week sometimes, 4 lessons a month others.  It just varied based on how she was doing.  Once you get to the end of B and beginning of C, the books start to focus more on comprehension as well as just reading/sounding out words. 

 

When we started practical stuff about following multi-step directions, we started with simple repeated tasks. The first we taught was food in the trash, plate in the sink, wipe down your seat.  We repeated the directions at every meal to help her learn it.  Then we started less frequent multi-step directions (ie before nap, clean, diaper, pick a story).  We can now give a pretty lengthy list, and she'll follow it.  

[monicac82]

 We went fairly quickly through A, but each kid is different.  DD never got the handwriting thing down, but we moved on anyway because I didn't want to hold her reading back due to fine motor skills.  

 

Once we got to B, we varied a lot about how long things took.  We did 6 lessons a week sometimes, 4 lessons a month others.  It just varied based on how she was doing.  Once you get to the end of B and beginning of C, the books start to focus more on comprehension as well as just reading/sounding out words. 

 

When we started practical stuff about following multi-step directions, we started with simple repeated tasks. The first we taught was food in the trash, plate in the sink, wipe down your seat.  We repeated the directions at every meal to help her learn it.  Then we started less frequent multi-step directions (ie before nap, clean, diaper, pick a story).  We can now give a pretty lengthy list, and she'll follow it.  

 

She is having the same issues with writing and so I separate it. I bought the cursive handwriting book, so I'll start it later. Sometimes I do ask her to try the swing stroke, which we never got past because it's either a diagonal line bottom left to top right, or going the wrong direction. I agree and also am keeping her going. 

[Kiara.I]

Okay, your oldest child is 4.  Four.  That's tiny.

To be honest, if she's whining about doing schoolwork....stop doing school work. It is not important for her to be "doing work" at this age.

 

If she WANTS to do some of it, great!  Have at!  But she doesn't.  She's complaining about it and fidgeting and not focusing.  So, put it away.  You really don't need to be working on this as some kind of character issue with her, it isn't.  It's age 4, and doing too much "school" too soon isn't going to help her or you.

 

Now, recalling simple instructions.  That one actually does bear working on, but not in a "do school" kind of way, more in an "everyday life" kind of way.  You're saying you need to break instructions down, so for instance she wouldn't be able to handle "go get your pink socks and your blue skirt and put them on and then come get your shoes", so you need to make it "go get your pink socks and bring them here"?  She's four.  This may be something that she grows out of.  Or, she may be one of the kids that has trouble with recall of a bunch of things, and that may be something that continues to be an issue for her.  It's something to keep an eye on, anyway.  In the meantime you might try posting on the Learning Challenges board specifically about memory and multi-step instructions, and see if the consensus is "yup, age." or "hmmm, sounds like a challenge."

[Rosie_0801]

Code.org has a course for 4-6yo'd that is all sequencing practice. 

[lulalu]

Sounds like a 4 year old to me. It sounds like you may be expecting too much with directions and reading. Even if a skill can be done once doesn't mean it doesn't require a lot of work again. (As I learn more languages this becomes so clear!)

 

Most kids need directions split into one at a time.

Reading is a challenge to the brain in all ways.

 

Go slowly. Let her pick the pace.

[monicac82]

Sounds like a 4 year old to me. It sounds like you may be expecting too much with directions and reading. Even if a skill can be done once doesn't mean it doesn't require a lot of work again. (As I learn more languages this becomes so clear!)

 

Most kids need directions split into one at a time.

Reading is a challenge to the brain in all ways.

 

Go slowly. Let her pick the pace.

Thing is I already am breaking it down for her into one direction at a time. 

[lulalu]

Maybe a bit of a distracted kid then ;) I have one it can be a challenge.

 

What helped in our home was literal hand holding with one direction for months.