Following with finger while reading?

[IsabelC]

Can anyone tell me what is normal regarding the habit of pointing to each word as you read it? And what to do about it?

 

Background: I have three kids. The 8yo finished OPGTR quite some time ago and does kids' chapter books for his reading to me (he's reading the first Harry Potter at the moment). The 6yo is plodding through OPGTR (she's up to lesson 73) and reading grade two phonic readers in between. The 3yo only recently started structured reading (lesson 34 of OPGTR - she's keen but I'm holding her back to try and stop her from overtaking her big sister, I realize this might not be a good strategy but that's a whole other post).

 

Anyhow, all the kids read with finger pointing. For ds it has to be my finger, for dds it's their own. I don't remember ever doing that, but I was quite an early reader so it's possible I've just forgotten doing it. I've been assuming that it's something many kids do, but they'll grow out of it once they reach a certain level.

 

All this year I've been trying to wean my 8yo off it, because I'm thinking he'll read faster and more fluently if he can take in more than one word at a time. He isn't good at reading aloud, in that he tends to mutter (probably a spectrum thing to some extent), but he has gotten a lot better of late (actually remembers to read the punctuation, for example, instead of just keeping a monotone). I suspect maybe he is looking at several words rapidly, but nevertheless he can't/won't read without the finger! He does read in bed on his own, but he tells me that he often misses lines/words and has to read the page again because he hasn't got me there doing the finger thing. We've tried putting a bookmark or folded piece of paper under the line. We've tried me just pointing to where he's up to if he seems to be lost. But he keeps on begging me to point to each word.

 

So, what's your experience with this? Do kids grow out of needing the words pointed at sooner or later? Or did you have to encourage/force them to move past that stage?

Could a child's reluctance to give it up indicate some problem, with his sight, for example? (We did get his vision tested, and he is longsighted, but he doesn't wear glasses as it was mild and the eye doctor thought he could get away without them.) Or visual processing problems?

Is it maybe nothing more than a habit that we need to break?

Or should I forget about it and assume he's just a bit slower than normal to grow out of it?

 

Might it be something I did wrong teaching him? If so, what should I be doing now with the girls?

Edited October 24, 2011 by Hotdrink

[ChrissySC]

You need to train the eye. :)

 

Start by moving from using the finger to using the card. Any index card will do. Have them place it under the line and move it down one line at a time. Once they can manage a line, present small paragraphs to be read and have them sit on their hands or fold them in their lap.

 

The eye needs trained to go from right to left.

 

Now, I use my finger when I browse a page or certain amount of text to "speed" read. However, for general reading, it should not be used in my opinion.

[Aludlam]

I think dd10 was a young 9 when she stopped pointing. Now, she still does it when she has to read "hard" books aloud to me. I was told by someone on here a long time ago to put you finger over the top of the word (point at it upside down) or to use the index card except cover up the words already read (instead of covering up the ones needing to be read) -- this way your child can still see the words coming, which aids in increasing speed (they can see the words coming, instead of them being covered up).

 

On the side, when dd10 stopped reading aloud to herself - when she could read silently - the whole world changed.

 

hth

[wtrmlnlabs]

I agree with PP's ideas on getting them to stop, they sound great. I just wanted to add, personally, I won't fret over it. Yes they need to train their eyes and yes you should start with these suggestions, but no I don't think you did anything wrong teaching this way. I WISH DS would (or would have, as he's 8 now) use his finger to read. He skips words a lot, tries to read too fast. I tried and tried to get him to use his finger so he'd slow down and read things properly, but he just wouldn't do it. I don't think there is anything wrong with learning this way and then learning to read without the finger guide, it could be helpful in that they are sure to read every word.

[Murmer]

Finger pointing is a very very beginning skill that needs to be removed when children are able to track the print on a book with more than 1 line of print that is in their just right reading level (not to hard just a few words to sound out). Remember adults will use their fingers if they are reading a dense print book that is outside their realm of understanding (think really hard chemistry type book)...but the goal is to only use it a very short time then put it away on hard text. So first I would make your oldest use his own finger he may be using yours because he really doesn't get directionality of reading yet and you are his crutch. What you have said about him really makes me think he has a really hard time with directionality. I would have him work on using his finger to track print while you are reading to him so that he gets really use to tracking the print but doesn't have to worry about the word work stuff. Then after he is consistent in that make him put his own finger in while he reads to you....then when he is consistent with that make it a game as to how many times he doesn't use his finger on a book.

 

Your girls are appropriately using their fingers although if you feel like your oldest dd's finger might be slowing her down when reading you can start encouraging her to take it out, that good readers only use their fingers on tricky parts and again make it a game to see how many times she doesn't need her finger. Your littlest will probably need the finger until she is reading books that have more than 1 line of print just to make sure she gets the directionality needed to read English in her head.

[SorrelZG]

Another perspective: certain schools that train people to speed read (with comprehension) begin by militantly insisting upon their students beginning to read EVERYTHING with their finger for the purpose of training the eyes to follow it. Their experience is that any one of their students that has insisted it isn't necessary has not attained to the speed that they are training for. Linking the eyes to the finger leads to the eye being able to follow the hand at greater speeds - they read faster by moving the hand faster and eventually not even line by line, although that's how it starts - the techniques increase until you're basically sweeping your hand over the page. It comes with a whole lot of practice and commitment (for those that don't naturally read at the speed of light) and the really, the first big hurdle towards reading faster is training the eyes to follow the finger and you can lead the eyes faster and faster and prevent bad habits like jumping eyes and back tracking. The only time I DON'T use my finger for reading is when I'm not concerned about speed because using it doubles my speed just reading line by line and am not at all concerned with my children using their fingers because they will eventually be learning skills for reading faster and they'll need that then.

 

So it's not totally accurate to make a connection between "using the finger" to read and "a bad habit" or between good readers not using ones finger. The fastest and most prolific readers (again, with comprehension, I'm not talking about what I'd call "skimming") use their hands.

 

 

eta: after reading OhElizabeth I was reminded that the use of the finger isn't the first thing encouraged in the beginning of faster reading, it's getting one's eyes checked and correcting any problems there off the bat. That's definitely not something to overlook.

Edited October 24, 2011 by SCGS

[PeterPan]

You need to take him to a developmental optometrist. He's already telling you the problem, that he's having trouble with tracking. They'll put him on a visagraph (infrared goggles to track eye movement while he reads) and show you the line skips he's telling you are happening. It's significant enough that he has figured it out, and he's using his finger to help. With some VT they can correct that. http://www.covd.org'>http://www.covd.org is where you find a developmental optometrist.

 

I would let them re-check his eyes btw for the scrip as well. My dd got the same far-sighted but doesn't need correction line when she was 5 and again at age 11 (two different regular optometrists). We did VT with the developmental optometrist and it was really hard for her. They had just accepted the conclusions of the regular docs for scrip or not needing one. Well a few months later we finally went back and had a regular eye check and they gave her glasses. Remember, if he's far-sighted, he's having trouble with close-up (as in READING). It's the opposite of what you think. You think if he's far-sighted he's having trouble with far, but it's just the opposite.

 

So you take a kid who has a bit of trouble focusing close up, add some issues with tracking and convergence, and you get a MESS. But what I think it's fascinating is that he's TELLING you what the problem is (the tracking). So just go get the eval. http://www.covd.org to find the developmental optometrist. It's stuff a regular optometrist doesn't do.

[wapiti]

You need to take him to a developmental optometrist. He's already telling you the problem, that he's having trouble with tracking. They'll put him on a visagraph (infrared goggles to track eye movement while he reads) and show you the line skips he's telling you are happening. It's significant enough that he has figured it out, and he's using his finger to help. With some VT they can correct that. www.covd.org is where you find a developmental optometrist.

 

I would let them re-check his eyes btw for the scrip as well. My dd got the same far-sighted but doesn't need correction line when she was 5 and again at age 11 (two different regular optometrists). We did VT with the developmental optometrist and it was really hard for her. They had just accepted the conclusions of the regular docs for scrip or not needing one. Well a few months later we finally went back and had a regular eye check and they gave her glasses. Remember, if he's far-sighted, he's having trouble with close-up (as in READING). It's the opposite of what you think. You think if he's far-sighted he's having trouble with far, but it's just the opposite.

 

So you take a kid who has a bit of trouble focusing close up, add some issues with tracking and convergence, and you get a MESS. But what I think it's fascinating is that he's TELLING you what the problem is (the tracking). So just go get the eval. www.covd.org to find the developmental optometrist. It's stuff a regular optometrist doesn't do.

:iagree:

[ElizabethB]

:iagree:

 

Get a covd exam.

 

In the meantime, try a card above, not below, here is why and how (from my dyslexia page)

 

40L recommends "The Complete Handbook of Children's Reading Disorders" by Dr. Hilde L. Mosse for anyone with a dyslexic student. For each type of reading disorder, she includes explanations of the problem and also helpful tips and techniques for treatment. In her example of treatment of Linear Dyslexia with a cover card, she talks about how the use of a card below the line, while often used, is actually not the best method of treatment. Instead, she explains:

 

A folded piece of paper or, much better, an unlined card should be held above the line the child is reading, not beneath it. This is the so-called Cover Card Method of treating Linear Dyslexia. The reason for this position of the card is that it can steady the eyes, which have a tendency to wander above and not below the line being read, and it can connect the end of one line with the beginning of the next, thus indicating the return sweep and making it easier on the child's eyes. By blotting out all the text that has just been read, the cover card helps the child to concentrate on just that one line he is reading. By holding the card at a slant with the left corner slightly lower than the right, and by pushing it down while he reads, the child steadies his gaze and at the same time pushes his eyes from left to right and down via a correct return sweep from one line to the next. This is by far the simplest, cheapest, and most effective treatment for Linear Dyslexia. [21]

[sbgrace]

Just agreeing with vision therapy. My son is on the spectrum. I suspect the use of your finger rather than his is connected to the spectrum part of him (self vs. other, out of the box thinking, etc.)

 

FWIW, vision therapy helped his tracking (and convergence...it doesn't sound like your son has that issue) as well as directionality. However, we saw social gains in spectrum stuff too. I think taking the eye issues out really helped our son in some key spectrum areas. That said, he had pretty extensive issues and so may have been unusual in his response.

[PeterPan]

You're not crazy with wondering about the connection between vision and social. The author of Verbalizing and Visualizing says something to that effect.

 

As far as the connection between vision and spectrum, well when you start throwing in low tone, SPD, etc. common to kids on the spectrum, it's just easy for the proper vision skills not to develop. VT literally goes back and builds the wiring in those parts of the brain.

[IsabelC]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and suggestions.

 

That's really interesting about the visual / social connection - my kid's social deficits are by far the biggest part of his problems. It sounds like following up on the tracking issue is what we need to do. (I don't think he has the convergence problems, because he can focus well enough to do fine motor type work such as sewing and soldering tiny electrical circuits together.) Not sure whether we have such a thing as a developmental optometrist around here (where I live is a bit of a backwater lol) but I'll have a look, and failing that take him to the regular optometrist for a recheck and ask about whether we can get the visagraph test somewhere.