Reading help for 7 year old boy

[emcap]

My 7 year old ds is struggling with reading. I admittedly do not sit with him for 20 mins each day reading. We do lots of read alouds and the mcp plaid phonics workbook pages just because he enjoys them. He just isn't interested in reading so I'm trying not to burn him out, but I am ready for him to move along. He is reading the collection 3 bob books if that helps (it's the set from Costco, so I'm unsure of the level it is in the regularly divided series - it's the red ones) just to give an idea of where he is.

 

We just started using Phonics Pathways, beginning about a third of the way through the book hoping that if we started where it was easy for him it would click faster.

 

Okay, so my question: What else can I do to help it click? Just plug away at getting the lesson in each day? Would something like all about spelling help? Should I get a different book? I try setting super easy readers out for him at quiet time and bed time hoping he'll be bored enough to pick it up, but he just doesn't. It WILL click sometime......right?!? :confused:

 

sorry I'm so long winded, and I am sure this has been asked many times, but I would love to have my own special reassurance that my boy will indeed read well at some point.:tongue_smilie:

[Wildiris]

Yes, your son will learn to read.

 

While consistency is paramount when teaching a child to read, reading also needs to be an important part of family life. Do you read?

 

Of my two sons, the younger did not catch on to reading independently until he turned 10. I tried; he was not interested.

 

Keep going. Think of your son as the tortoise and not the hare.

 

Best of luck!

Iris

[StephanieZ]

How much time each day (on average) do you (or dh) read aloud to him from enjoyable picture books? This should be *at least* an hour (on average), IMHO. If it's not at least that much, then I would prioritize this NOW and do it for many years to come.

 

Do you have lots of enjoyable, varied books around for him to enjoy? (Library books are just fine if your budget is limited and your home collection small.) Some kids like picture books, others longer novels. . . some fiction, some nonfiction. Some science, or animals, or trains, etc, etc. Make sure every room in your house has piles of attractive books.

 

If you son doesn't enjoy being read to, then. . . ummm, well, I can't relate, as my kids have been insatiable in that department since toddlerhood. Let me brainstorm. . . I'd imagine that choosing different books, reading with animation, drastically limiting TV/video/screen time (less than 30 min/day total) should help open your child to the joys of being read to.

 

Also, choosing the right moments, when he is calm, exercised, and thus receptive would help as well. Making it a special, snuggly time with a blanket and on a comfy couch or bed is lovely. Timing it right: evenings after bath time, or afternoons after an active morning. . . Also, my old trick of "well, it's bed time, but I guess we can stay up for a few more minutes for one more book if you really want to. . ." is a trick that works for me for all kinds of things I want the kids to enjoy!

 

So far as formal instruction, I think you should try 10 minutes two or three times a day instead of longer blocks. Phonics Pathways is a WTM recommended resource, so I am sure it is good even though I used other things. I would stick with that if I were you. Do it as written, diligently, & carefully.

 

Are you sure it was wise to skip ahead? I don't know anything about PP, but I know that many times, a curricula builds on previous habits, so it can be deceptively difficult to begin mid-way through unless you are *very* familiar with the systems being used. I often err towards starting at the beginning and just going more quickly though things that are easy. . . which builds confidence & fluency while also ensuring you haven't missed any foundational concepts.

 

Do reading every day. Every single day. Reading is THE most important skill, and I make it our top schooling priority until fluency is achieved. In fact, I think it is the ONLY thing that is vital at this point. If you have time to do a second subject, then math is great to begin. But, reading is essential, IMHO.

 

Peggy Kaye has a book 'Games for Reading' that might offer you some ideas on how to incorporate fun into reading practice and skill building time. Personally, we played a version of charades using home-made flash cards which was great fun. (Sit. Hit. Kiss. Pat. Hug. etc etc etc)

 

So, if you have only 90 min a day to devote to your 7 yo's education -- spend one hour reading to him, 20 min/day on Phonics Pathways (or similar), and 10 min/day on some other reading game, Bob Books, etc.

 

If you have more than 90 min a day for schooling, then add in math for 30 min. If you have more than 2 hours, you can add other subjects.

 

Just my 2 c. :)

[emcap]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I read all the time. Too much probably. I have always loved it, that's part of why I want him to read. We also do read together a lot and he loves that. All kinds of books. picture books, chapter books, listen to audio books in the car. Lots of library books. Always trying to limit screen time, so that isn't a huge issue.

I need to overcome the feeling that his reading ability determines our success at homeschooling. :chillpill: But I really do want him to be a strong reader

Thanks again

Edited September 17, 2010 by emcap

[emcap]

I will try to focus less on other stuff though, that is probably a good idea for now. Reading, reading it is!

[ClassicalTwins]

My 7 year old ds is struggling with reading. I admittedly do not sit with him for 20 mins each day reading. We do lots of read alouds and the mcp plaid phonics workbook pages just because he enjoys them. He just isn't interested in reading so I'm trying not to burn him out, but I am ready for him to move along. He is reading the collection 3 bob books if that helps (it's the set from Costco, so I'm unsure of the level it is in the regularly divided series - it's the red ones) just to give an idea of where he is.

 

We just started using Phonics Pathways, beginning about a third of the way through the book hoping that if we started where it was easy for him it would click faster.

 

Okay, so my question: What else can I do to help it click? Just plug away at getting the lesson in each day? Would something like all about spelling help? Should I get a different book? I try setting super easy readers out for him at quiet time and bed time hoping he'll be bored enough to pick it up, but he just doesn't. It WILL click sometime......right?!? :confused:

 

sorry I'm so long winded, and I am sure this has been asked many times, but I would love to have my own special reassurance that my boy will indeed read well at some point.:tongue_smilie:

 

My twins are 7...I feel the pain. But here is a good thread to read http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184677

 

Also ElizabethB on here has LOTS of good stuff on her website, she has been a blessing for us!!

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/index.html

 

Best of luck!! Oh, and they near 8 in November, reading seems to be picking up..

[filipinagirl]

A friend of mine had the same problem with her son. It may just be a visual problem. My friend had her son checked and it made a huge difference.

He was diagnosed with scotopic sensitivity. Basically, it is just sensitivity to white pages. Anyway, check out this website. You'll never know .. it might help!

http://www.irlen.com

 

Blessings,

Cally

[parias1126]

F

Edited September 17, 2010 by parias1126
Wrong place (need to stop posting from my iPad!)

[StephanieZ]

F

 

My 7 yodd reads everything. :) Right now, she is doing SL's 2-Advanced readers for "official" reading. . . and read Eragon last month for fun. She is highly motivated to keep up with her big sibs.

[EKS]

Being read to is not the same as reading instruction.

 

He's probably not interested because it is still too hard for him. Your job is to make it easier for him.

 

You can do this with systematic phonics instruction (Phonics Pathways is good for this). But the key for many kids is simply reading aloud every single day for 20 minutes or so with an adult. Start where it's easy (Bob books) and over time build to where he's reading at grade level (Henry and Mudge).

 

For some (many) kids, it isn't a "click" so much as a lot of hard work, on both the kid's and the parent's parts.

[woolybear]

Imo, some kids are ready to walk at age one, some before, some after. And no matter how many wonderful walking lessons you give them, they just won't be ready to walk until they're ready. Believe me, I do know how you feel. My ds just "got it" last year--at age 9 1/2. He is still not loving it though and it is still a bit harder than he would like, but it's getting there. My ds, 7, not reading at all. I'm sure some things help, but I do think we tried quite a few things with my first ds and he just wasn't ready. So, maybe, pushing it right now isn't the best way. It could make him like it less(this is what my ds says in hindsight. :)

[emcap]

Making him less interested (if that's possible, he isn't terribly interested now) is what I'm worried about. The last couple days we've started doing two 10 min lessons of phonics pathways, and that seems to be doing much better than the one 20 min lesson - as in no tears, fights, going much smoother. Thanks again for the replies, I think we will just gently keep plugging away. Thanks also for the commiseration, I really needed that.

[Underdog]

Imo, some kids are ready to walk at age one, some before, some after. And no matter how many wonderful walking lessons you give them, they just won't be ready to walk until they're ready. Believe me, I do know how you feel. My ds just "got it" last year--at age 9 1/2. He is still not loving it though and it is still a bit harder than he would like, but it's getting there. My ds, 7, not reading at all. I'm sure some things help, but I do think we tried quite a few things with my first ds and he just wasn't ready. So, maybe, pushing it right now isn't the best way. It could make him like it less(this is what my ds says in hindsight. :)

 

This is my experience, too. My son was a late walker/talker/reader/writer. When he was 2yo and not talking very much...I began worry. My mother-in-law put my fears to rest when she confessed that both her sons began talking between 2.5 and 3. Turns out that my husband (who tests very high on I.Q. tests) was also a late reader. He just didn't have the drive until about 3rd grade. This was a great relief to hear b/c I was a self-taught reader at age 4 and just expected that my children would follow in MY footsteps.

[EKS]

My mother-in-law put my fears to rest when she confessed that both her sons began talking between 2.5 and 3. Turns out that my husband (who tests very high on I.Q. tests) was also a late reader. He just didn't have the drive until about 3rd grade.

 

Google "stealth dyslexia." It describes this phenomenon exactly.

[Bayt ul-Hikmah]

When I start stressing about my older son's reading, I remember my younger son's teeth. He didn't have any sign of teeth at 15 months. The doctor and dentist wanted to order x-rays and slice his gums to somehow coax down his teeth! Thankfully this was my second kid, and I decided that since I hadn't ever seen a kid without teeth, and that they would come. Sure enough, at 18 months he finally got his first tooth, and within a month he was completely caught up with how many he was "supposed" to have.

 

My ds will be 7 in October, and only now is he really picking up books on his own and reading for enjoyment. Part of the issue I think is that *because* I have read so much to him, so much that is way above his reading level, that the stories he wants to read are still out of his grasp (Peter Pan, Pinocchio, etc). I think the key is finding books that appeal enough for the kid to want to work for it. Because for my first ds anyway, it has involved a lot of work.

 

Of course, all kids are different. My little ds is currently tearing through BOB books all on his own, so he seems to be doing things a bit differently...

[mom31257]

You said he liked a particular workbook. Does he like most workbooks?

 

If so, I think the reading my ds did last year really helped him make great strides. It was BJU's 1st grade reading program. The phonics instruction is included in their English program at 1st grade. I was using a separate phonics program (finishing up Horizons K), then switched to CLE LA which included phonics, so I didn't use BJU's phonics. It isn't cheap, but my ds really enjoyed it. It is a set of 6 readers with a workbook. I did have the TE. It has full lesson plans and discussion questions for every page of each story. I did not do the book links suggested.

 

My ds did not like reading for quite a while, but the curriculum above became the first thing he wanted to do each day. I am using their 2nd grade program for reading, and it is still one of his favorites.

 

I hope you find something that will really help you!

[Underdog]

Google "stealth dyslexia." It describes this phenomenon exactly.

 

Did it...it does sound a lot like my husband...and perhaps both of my two oldest children. Where do I go to find out for sure?

[Rosy]

Read-alouds are key...I don't think an hour a day is necessary though. Phonics Pathways plus some slightly more challenging books (we loved Henry & Mudge and tolerated Biscuit) plus a good read-aloud should be a good combo. It might not work right away, but he'll get there. Also, if you spend a lot of time in the car (or even if you don't) books on tape/CD are great.

I need to overcome the feeling that his reading ability determines our success at homeschooling. :chillpill: But I really do want him to be a strong reader

Thanks again

I've been through that too...especially when you hear from so many people whose kids were reading practically from birth. My son has struggled and *just* for the first time read a book for pleasure. He loves listening to stories. I think reading is key to success in homeschooling, but we don't have to get there right away....it's fine if it takes longer, I think.

[EKS]

Did it...it does sound a lot like my husband...and perhaps both of my two oldest children. Where do I go to find out for sure?

 

You have to find someone that specializes in dyslexia and very bright/gifted children. This is harder to do that you'd think. The Eides (authors of The Mislabeled Child, and the ones who coined the term stealth dyslexia) are an example.