cdwise Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 My son is 8 and we've struggled with reading since day 1. I have a graduate degree in English and have taught writing, but not to children. I homeschooled for two years and now we're overseas and my son is in an bi-lingual international school. My daughter who is two years younger than him reads and writes much better than he does. He's intelligent, but he's a math/science guy, not a language guy. He's not forming letters well or easily, he struggles to read, doesn't get syllabification, can't spell well at all. I dropped homeschooling b/c of suffering from depression. It seems unlikely that I'll be able to handle it full time again--I have three kids. I'm trying to make decisions about school placement for next year, if I should drop the bilingual thing completely, and how to proceed with his reading/writing issues. Also, how lame is it that the teacher said this to him? He told me when I put him to bed tonight, and he got tearful and said he's really bad at reading and writing. Can anyone recommend a thread that deals with primary age boys and reading/writing problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Has he been tested for dyslexia? I realize he's only 8, and most of the time, they don't want to test until third grade, but I would have him tested. Also, is it possible that he has ad/hd? A lot of ad/hd kids struggle w/ reading and writing. He could also just be a late reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Off to bed... so sorry for you!! My son who is 8 didn't take off with reading till this year. There are huge articles about reading TO your kids being beneficial. (Like you should read to them until they move out) Are there reading issues? (Like Dyslexia?) Maybe the teacher was kinda trying to be nice?? Sometimes things are taken in a way they aren't meant? I'd explain to the teacher that I'll be working on it, but that his feelings were really hurt :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 I would ask the teacher for her side of the story. The teacher could have said that in a mean way or the teacher could have been asking if he wanted to join 1st graders for a reading group (which would be an acceptable way to help his reading). I wouldn't just allow her to brush it off but I would want some more information because sometimes 8 year old kids can misunderstand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 What a mean thing to say to any child! :( I have a very bright child, also a boy, who loves to draw, take things apart, & mess with numbers. Reading didn't come easily to him even though he wanted to read. I wouldn't hesitate to get his eyes checked & have him tested for the other things people have mentioned here, but I'd also take into account that sometimes some children {especially boys} are slower at certain things then girls. Not because they are stupid or dumb, but because they want to move & experience. Even my other son who found reading came easily to him wasn't interested in it until most recently. His writing isn't beautiful. It's his most hated subject {copywork}, therefore it's also his most needed one. ;) I wouldn't take anything to heart. People say things without thinking all the time. Even if this woman thinks she can do something helpful, I'd still pay no attention. I'd most certainly spend some time comforting my little boy though! I'm not going to lie, one of the biggest, ugliest setbacks we ever had with our struggling reader was the unfortunate event of him hearing someone he trusted speak ill of his skills. This child had made huge leaps & bounds. What caused the ill statement? The fact that the child snapped because 3 adults tried to tell him how to read a word, & none of them were the person who knew our secret cues & songs for figuring things out. So when the child snapped & threw the book down in anger this person presumed he was a failure at the subject. It took me all most a year to convince this child that he COULD read & should NEVER believe anyone who told him different. Yet, it NEVER rooted deeply into his heart until this same person saw him reading the back of a video box & said, "Wow your reading is really coming along now!" It hurts, but it also hurts the child. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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