Handwriting with tears!!!

[gwendolyn]

My DS is 5. He is very eager to learn to read. We are doing SSRW right now and he loves it. I went with the 1st grade version because he was very ready for the reading part of the program. The problem I am having is with Writing. He is ADHD, but mostly inattentive. He gets very frustrated with all of the writing. He wants to move ahead, but the time it takes to do the writing about kills him. What does everyone think about moving forward with the program, but reducing the writing componant. I don't want to burn him out, but I do want him to learn the material. How do you know what and when to reduce while making sure they know what they are doing?

 

:crying:

[Karen in CO]

I haven't used SSWR, but have you tried using a box of plastic or wooden letters or letter tiles instead of having him do the writing? How about using wiki sticks (I have some prek or K handwriting program that uses wiki sticks to for the letters)? OF course someone that has used it may tell you that you can skip it without harm to the overall system. My instict is that if he knows the material and the rest of the teaching is at an appropriate level then don't hold him back because of his fine motor skills and attention span.

[Sahamamama]

http://shop.scholastic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_34048_-1_10001_10004

 

HTH.

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

I haven't used SSWR, but have you tried using a box of plastic or wooden letters or letter tiles instead of having him do the writing? How about using wiki sticks (I have some prek or K handwriting program that uses wiki sticks to for the letters)? OF course someone that has used it may tell you that you can skip it without harm to the overall system. My instict is that if he knows the material and the rest of the teaching is at an appropriate level then don't hold him back because of his fine motor skills and attention span.

 

I ditto this. I know nothing about SSWR but just generally speaking, I would not desire to delay, nor have delayed, reading in a child who's desire and ability exceeds their desire and/or ability to write. I would find some way to separate the two.

[tdeveson]

I don't know the program you're using, but reading and writing are two very different skill sets. To force a child to write at first grade level only because he's ready to read at that level is a mistake.

 

I suggest that you split these two subjects. Can you do only the reading portions?

 

What exactly does the writing portion entail? Is it just handwriting practice? Is it composition?

 

If it's not possible to separate the reading and writing, you may have to scrap this curriculum. It's doesn't sound like a good fit for your little guy.

[bluemongoose]

I am using SSRW 1st level with a 4yo DD. She also is ready for the material, but the writing has not worked quite so well. The first thing I did was nix the writing of the spelling words! Those lines are so narrow there was no way she was going to do it without frustration. We read through them in short chunks. I also have her do the portion where you cross out the silent e or circle the ch or whatever that list is. As for the worksheet portion if she can handle writing the words in the blank, we proceed. If it is becoming too much we split the page in half and come back to it the next day. I do have her complete all of the page in one sitting if it is the type that have draw a line from the word to the picture as that should not be a problem.

 

We spend more time with the games for reinforcement. I use the readers as a good evaluation of how the phonics rules have stuck. If you have the exam book, the circle the words/underline the words page is also a good way to see if they are getting it. If they are truly understanding the material, I have no issue continuing without the written proof. Their writing abilities will eventually catch up.

[bluemongoose]

I forgot one thing...when I ditched the writing in SSRW I picked up A Reason for Handwriting K. This takes it one letter at a time and the lines are wide. She loves it and really likes that she can color the picture on the other side when she is done.

[Sue G in PA]

I'm having the same issue with ds6. He is finally ready to read but his writing isn't quite up to speed. We use Phonics Road and the writing about kills him (and it's not that much...just a few letters each day). He doesn't "get" the 3 lines. So, we are trying using his finger to write in sand or flour, chalk outside on the driveway, the AAS tiles for spelling words, etc. His fine motor skills just haven't developed well enough yet. Don't hold him back...just adjust the writing.

[gwendolyn]

I do know something about the 3 lines that might help your son. Draw a house with the roof in the top line, the house in the middle, and the basement down below. When teaching the letters. tell him things like "letter t starts on the roof and goes o the bottom of the house, but doesn't go in the basement." or "letter p starts in the house and goes down to the basement." It is a good visual for them. I draw the house every morning as part of circle time. I hope that helps.

[Tree House Academy]

I don't use SSRW, so I can't speak to that particular program. However, I do have a son with ADHD and sometimes those kids (especially boys!) can take a bit more time before they are actually READY to write. I would scale back the writing portion, if possible. Let him do it on marker board or chalk board, in the sand, with sidewalk chalk, or even not at all, if that is an option. For sit down writing, have him do a more basic program - maybe start with lines and circles and move on from there. You may just have to take the writing a lot slower than you take the reading.

[elise1mds]

Ditto what a lot of people have said. My DS started reading very, very well at the age of 5 but is just now starting to write legibly. He will be 7 in three weeks. He'll get there, and if he's reading, you're clearly doing something right! Keep it up!

[birchbark]

I agree. Skip the writing for now and just enjoy learning to read. That's the way we did it and I have no regrets.

[Ellie]

Either drop back to kindergarten level or consider something that doesn't require the writing, such as Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, or PhonicsPathways, or AlphaPhonics.

[gwendolyn]

Thank you so much everyone for the great ideas and support. I love these boards.

[StephanieZ]

I don't know that particular program, but when my dc had that issue in Explode the Code, I let them use a set of lower case alphabet stamps to do their "writing". For my youngest I also acquired a pile of alphabet stickers and let her use those. Sometimes I even acted as "secretary" and wrote out letters for them, but generally I tried to make them independent with stickers or stampers. . .

 

If those options would be feasible with your program, you could try them.

 

FWIW, one thing I liked about using 100EZL for young readers was that it taught reading w/o trying to teach writing (I actually skipped the tiny writing portion and just had the kids write with their finger on the carpet!). That worked well for my young dc. I definitely didn't want to hold back their reading to the level of their writing. . .

[HappyCrazyMama]

I use SSRW with my 6 (nearly 7yo) daughter who doesn't have ADHD and I still don't have her write all those words. I think it is just to much and the lines are small. I don't think it is needed. We do the other parts of the worksheet, crossing out silent letters and she reads the words as she does the worksheet, then we go to the next step. I say continue SSRW if it is working just drop the W. :)