My son can't read

[Tanya in KS]

I have been working with my son since last fall on reading. He is 7 years old. He STILL struggles with short vowel sounds. He sounds EVERY single word out. He has NO retention of sight words. I am beyond frustrated. He is frustrated. I have taught 5 other children to read with Rod & Staff Reading. I know that I can teach reading but this child is not making any progress. I have had him tested at the local public school & they said he was right on track! I am not sure what to do or how to proceed forward with him anymore. It is the biggest struggle. He so wants to read but it just isn't clicking with him at ALL!

 

Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

[Ellie]

I have been working with my son since last fall on reading. He is 7 years old. He STILL struggles with short vowel sounds. He sounds EVERY single word out. He has NO retention of sight words. I am beyond frustrated. He is frustrated. I have taught 5 other children to read with Rod & Staff Reading. I know that I can teach reading but this child is not making any progress. I have had him tested at the local public school & they said he was right on track! I am not sure what to do or how to proceed forward with him anymore. It is the biggest struggle. He so wants to read but it just isn't clicking with him at ALL!

 

Any advice would greatly be appreciated.

Spalding. The sight-reading element of R&S's complete reading instruction is clearly not the best for him.

[Plink]

The sight-reading element of R&S's complete reading instruction is clearly not the best for him.

 

Not every kid has the ability to "get" reading without specific instruction. It sounds as if your little one needs more. We have had consistent results using Barton, but any Orton-Gillingham method would be my choice as the next step for a child in that situation.

 

PS - it is extremely frustrating to listen to them sound out c-a-t for the thousandth time. You have my sympathy.:grouphug:

[Closeacademy]

Sounds like my youngest dd. She didn't "get" any of it. So I kept repeating the instruction but I used Spell to Write and Read which is inspired by Spaulding.

 

Some things I did to help with the stress levels:

 

1. I reduced her reading aloud to me once or twice a week because when I did it every day her reading ability would become progressively worse over the course of the week and it was stressful for all.

 

2. I gave her comic books, nonfiction books, very very easy readers, etc. to read on her own the rest of the week. Basically, I let her check out anything she was interested in reading/looking at from the library and let her spend time with those books for about 30 minutes a day.

 

3. When she read to me and we came to a word she didn't know, I would write it out letter by letter marking the phonograms and have her sound it out until she figure out what the word was. This was probably the single best thing that really helped it all click for her and we still do it.

 

4. I really backed off and let her do it on her own at her own speed. She was immature for her age and I let her take her time growing up. Last year it all clicked for her and she loves reading and spends a lot of time reading books.

 

Good luck.:001_smile:

[learningmama]

:grouphug: My ds is almost 7 and has troubles too. He forgets sounds very easily and just doesn't seem to get it much of the time. Although it's a bit frustrating I know each kid is different and he is all boy, so academics are not

on his radar yet. It'll happen with time.

[happycc]

Is OPGTR spaulding based? What is it exactly? Haven't gotten my hands on it yet.

[erinjo]

One thing that helped my son learn his sounds was to make it all about movement. I put all the vowels on the floor using 3x5 cards. And then I said the sound and he had to jump onto the letter. And then we reversed it; I would point to a letter, and he had to jump on it and say the sound. You can also do this outside with chalk.

 

I've made him write the letters really big with chalk while saying the sound the whole time.

 

We've done a ton of stuff like that; basically anything I could think of to cement it in his brain. I don't know if that would help your boy, but if he tends to learn through movement (and so many boys do) then it might help.

[Ellie]

Is OPGTR spaulding based? What is it exactly? Haven't gotten my hands on it yet.

No. And it's "Spalding," not "Spaulding." :)

[EKS]

Sounds like my dyslexic son.

 

I'd read the book Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz and see if it seems to describe your son.

[Mommaof5]

I have a newly adopted son who is 11 years old with dyslexia, and he too was still sounding out and struggling to read kindergarten level books. We have made fantastic progress with Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, which we accelerated a little and did with reinforcing vowel flashcards each day. We practice the vowels each day, emphasizing the shape the lips make for each vowel. We will also start All About Spelling this year to reinforce the progress through that book. Maybe something to consider.

[MeganW]

 

PS - it is extremely frustrating to listen to them sound out c-a-t for the thousandth time. You have my sympathy.:grouphug:

 

Truer words have never been spoken!

 

I finally outsourced reading to an Academic Associates tutor who specializes in kids with dyslexia. Within 2 weeks, my 2 nonreaders were sounding out easily. I honestly think my stress & frustration were the issue. I'm going to keep them at the tutor at least through the end of the summer, but now that they are over the hump of getting started I think I probably *could* take back over if needed.

[Quiver0f10]

Not every kid has the ability to "get" reading without specific instruction. It sounds as if your little one needs more. We have had consistent results using Barton, but any Orton-Gillingham method would be my choice as the next step for a child in that situation.

 

PS - it is extremely frustrating to listen to them sound out c-a-t for the thousandth time. You have my sympathy.:grouphug:

 

:iagree:There is a free screening on the Barton site that will tell if there is a chance of dyslexia.

[Blessedmomof4:)]

Try the book " How to Teach a Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" Very simple and only takes about 10 minutes a day.

[merry gardens]

:iagree:There is a free screening on the Barton site that will tell if there is a chance of dyslexia.

:iagree:

 

I agree too. Particularly because he has trouble with vowel sounds, I'd suggest the Barton screening and a strong Orton-Gillingham based program like Barton. Some children can't easily detect the difference between vowels sounds. On top of that, sight words often have vowels taking on unexpected sounds, making it even harder on the beginner who already has trouble with them.

[laundrycrisis]

Our son was not able to build any fluency by 8 because he had visual processing problems (which would have been called dyslexia if I had gone that route). His specific problems were form constancy, visual closure and visual sequential memory. These were successfully treated with vision therapy by a COVD optometrist who addresses visual processing problems (not all of them do.) He is now 9 and reads pretty much anything he wants.

 

This page explains the vision/visual processing a child may have that can interfere with reading. They can have 20/20 vision and still have these problems. A regular optometrist is not trained to diagnose these issues.

 

http://www.childrensvision.com/reading.htm

 

These specific problems are treatable with the right type of vision therapy. My son would still be "dyslexic" and barely reading if he had not completed this therapy. He still has many of the struggles that typically go along with dyslexia - ie great trouble with math facts and dysgraphia - but he is reading very well now.

[kolamum]

:grouphug:

 

If all the Dr stuff checks out, I'd invest in Sing Spell Read & Write.

[AngieW in Texas]

My dd with dyslexia, visual processing issues, and visual efficiency issues was just like this.

 

Even after vision therapy, she was still stuck sounding out every word as though she had never seen it before, even her own name.

 

The program that made the biggest difference for her was Headsprout. It isn't cheap, but they did have a 30-day money-back guarantee (and I think they still do). By the time my dd had been using it for 30 days, it was obvious that she was making a lot of progress.

 

Before Headsprout, my dd could look at a page that had the same word typed over and over in the same font and she couldn't see that they were all the same word. She'd sound out c-a-t and say cat. Then she'd sound out the next c-a-t and say cat and be made that somehow I'd tricked her. Then she'd sound out the next c-a-t and also say cat and be furious that I had done some trick because those couldn't all be the same word, but somehow they were. She still couldn't figure out from looking that the next word was also cat.

 

Headsprout has lots of visual processing and auditory processing exercises and they really work.

 

After Headsprout, I switched my dd over to Funnix level 2.

[EKS]

Try the book " How to Teach a Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" Very simple and only takes about 10 minutes a day.

 

If the OP's child has dyslexia, 100 Easy Lessons would not be a good choice. The child must learn an altered orthography and then unlearn it--an unnecessary complication when he is struggling to learn *any* orthography.

[Jaz]

 

This page explains the vision/visual processing a child may have that can interfere with reading. They can have 20/20 vision and still have these problems. A regular optometrist is not trained to diagnose these issues.

 

http://www.childrensvision.com/reading.htm

 

 

 

:iagree: We did vision therapy at home using Dianne Craft's Brain Integration Therapy manual.

[Lecka]

I am in Kansas also and my son is in pubilc school. Well -- they are not really good with struggling readers. I have done everything for his reading outside of school. He needs a different approach, not just to keep struggling on with an approach that does not work for him.

 

Well, I don't know much about this, but Kansas is not a state where there are any requirements to look for dyslexia in children and I don't think there is a lot of knowledge about it or how to teach kids.

 

Other than this I happen to be very happy with his school.

 

I agree with reading Overcoming Dyslexia and seeing if it sounds familiar.

 

I don't think it is information that my son's school has.

[kalanamak]

My son was not a natural reader, and while I agree with Spalding-type approach, I just wanted to note that I went out of my way to find something in the language arts field my son COULD do well at, to encourage confidence and not generate loathing. For us it was SWR. He learned all the flash cards and positively *glowed* when he got all the pronunciations of -OUGH down pat.

 

I didn't use it for more than a year, and didn't make an obsession with the notebooks, but he was really excited to be able to write so many words while his brain was learning to fluidly take them in visually.

 

:grouphug: Good Luck. (I also took my kid to an older lady who did VT, and she told me he didn't need any ... just maginfiers, which he used until he was 7.)

[kolamum]

Our son was not able to build any fluency by 8 because he had visual processing problems (which would have been called dyslexia if I had gone that route). His specific problems were form constancy, visual closure and visual sequential memory. These were successfully treated with vision therapy by a COVD optometrist who addresses visual processing problems (not all of them do.) He is now 9 and reads pretty much anything he wants.

 

This page explains the vision/visual processing a child may have that can interfere with reading. They can have 20/20 vision and still have these problems. A regular optometrist is not trained to diagnose these issues.

 

http://www.childrensvision.com/reading.htm

 

These specific problems are treatable with the right type of vision therapy. My son would still be "dyslexic" and barely reading if he had not completed this therapy. He still has many of the struggles that typically go along with dyslexia - ie great trouble with math facts and dysgraphia - but he is reading very well now.

 

Talk to me.

 

My son complained of jumping & bluring words. He's been to the eye guy 6x since then. First he said the child needed reading glasses, then changed his mind. If I give him books with words well spread out & far between he's great.

 

I went to the site you mentioned & he pointed to one that is apparently what happens to him. I asked if it still does. He said not much. I asked how often with the Henry Huggins book I have him read. He said not at all. BUT, this child can't seem to read one chapter at a decent pace which I find concerning.

 

What would you do?

[kristi26]

This sounds very much like my daughter, who is 6 and just finished K. She really struggled with learning to read this year and I know she doesn't read as well as her brothers did at this same point in her school life. But she is still struggling along. I like the suggestions you've gotten above. Some of the things we do:

 

1. I choose books that I know she will succeed at reading (Bob books, for example) so she feels good about her ability.

2. We practice reading aloud as often as possible.

3. I make a "window" for her to read in if she is getting overwhelmed by the number of words on the page. I simply take some scrap paper and cut a rectangle into it so that only one to two words is showing. I think it helps with fluency if she can see two words at a time.

4. We try to time practice for her best time of the day (she still naps, so right after her nap or in the morning first thing are her two good times).

[laundrycrisis]

Talk to me.

 

My son complained of jumping & bluring words. He's been to the eye guy 6x since then. First he said the child needed reading glasses, then changed his mind. If I give him books with words well spread out & far between he's great.

 

I went to the site you mentioned & he pointed to one that is apparently what happens to him. I asked if it still does. He said not much. I asked how often with the Henry Huggins book I have him read. He said not at all. BUT, this child can't seem to read one chapter at a decent pace which I find concerning.

 

What would you do?

 

I would have the child examined by a COVD developmental optometrist. Depending on the outcome of the testing, if there are eye teaming problems or visual processing problems, I would have them treated with vision therapy.

 

In hindsight, the questions I would ask about the practice up front are

 

1. How is the therapy done ? Is it done in the office 1x per week with a therapist, with homework to be done in between sessions ? Or is it done 2-3x per week in the office with machines, with no homework ? IMO you want the first kind and I would avoid the second because it ends up being much more expensive and you are not as involved in the process. The initial testing costs quite a bit of money and I would not want to start that process with a practice that doesn't do the therapy the old-fashioned way with a live therapist and homework.

 

2. Does the practice go beyond eye teaming issues to treat visual processing issues ? (that is the list of issues further down the page in the link). There are practices that do VT for the eye teaming, but then stop and tell you the kid is done, and do not even test for or address visual processing. But VT is not done until all visual processing issues are tested for and addressed with therapy. The visual processing part is key if any of those issues are a big problem. I would not want to spend the money to do the testing with a practice that will not do a complete job.

[Heathermomster]

I would have the child examined by a COVD developmental optometrist. Depending on the outcome of the testing, if there are eye teaming problems or visual processing problems, I would have them treated with vision therapy.

 

In hindsight, the questions I would ask about the practice up front are

 

1. How is the therapy done ? Is it done in the office 1x per week with a therapist, with homework to be done in between sessions ? Or is it done 2-3x per week in the office with machines, with no homework ? IMO you want the first kind and I would avoid the second because it ends up being much more expensive and you are not as involved in the process. The initial testing costs quite a bit of money and I would not want to start that process with a practice that doesn't do the therapy the old-fashioned way with a live therapist and homework.

 

2. Does the practice go beyond eye teaming issues to treat visual processing issues ? (that is the list of issues further down the page in the link). There are practices that do VT for the eye teaming, but then stop and tell you the kid is done, and do not even test for or address visual processing. But VT is not done until all visual processing issues are tested for and addressed with therapy. The visual processing part is key if any of those issues are a big problem. I would not want to spend the money to do the testing with a practice that will not do a complete job.

 

I just wanted to mention one other thing...Do not expect the regular optometrist or even reading specialists to be supportive of the decision to seek a VT evaluation. Many question the practices; however, VT works for those who need it. A VT assessed my son and sent us to an OT instead, and I am very thankful for that.

[creekmom]

Talk to me.

 

My son complained of jumping & bluring words. He's been to the eye guy 6x since then. First he said the child needed reading glasses, then changed his mind. If I give him books with words well spread out & far between he's great.

 

I went to the site you mentioned & he pointed to one that is apparently what happens to him. I asked if it still does. He said not much. I asked how often with the Henry Huggins book I have him read. He said not at all. BUT, this child can't seem to read one chapter at a decent pace which I find concerning.

 

What would you do?

 

Sounds a lot like my son before vision therapy.

 

Signs he had:

 

watery eyes, rubbing eyes a lot while reading (eyes were checked by dr., but he didn't need glasses)

reversals of words (was - saw)

sounding out a simple word - then seeing the same word in the next sentence and not remembering it (drove me crazy!! - I remember saying, "You just read this word - remember?????" )

tracking problems- reading same line over and over

headaches

motion sickness

covering one eye while reading

 

Vision therapy is expensive, and usually, insurance doesn't cover it. But it has made a world of difference and worth every penny. For now, you can buy an eye patch at Walmart and have him wear it on each eye for 30 minutes per day (this was the one homework from VT that he did 5 times a week for 30 weeks). While he's wearing it, have him do things that require lots of eye movement like puzzles, word searches, even video games that make his eye dart back and forth - just not TV. Hold a pencil about a foot in front of him and move it in all different directions asking him to follow the eraser with his eye. This should make a difference if it is a convergence insufficiency issue. Good luck! BTW, be happy you're homeschooling him. Public schools usually don't recommend VT bc it's expensive, and they don't want to cover the cost!

[laundrycrisis]

 

For now, you can buy an eye patch at Walmart and have him wear it on each eye for 30 minutes per day (this was the one homework from VT that he did 5 times a week for 30 weeks). While he's wearing it, have him do things that require lots of eye movement like puzzles, word searches, even video games that make his eye dart back and forth - just not TV. Hold a pencil about a foot in front of him and move it in all different directions asking him to follow the eraser with his eye. This should make a difference if it is a convergence insufficiency issue. Good luck! BTW, be happy you're homeschooling him. Public schools usually don't recommend VT bc it's expensive, and they don't want to cover the cost!

 

I would not recommend this - patching is very problem specific and when it's not done in a way that is specific for a problem with an eye, it can actually make the eye teaming worse.

[kolamum]

Sounds a lot like my son before vision therapy.

 

Signs he had:

 

watery eyes, rubbing eyes a lot while reading (eyes were checked by dr., but he didn't need glasses)

reversals of words (was - saw)

sounding out a simple word - then seeing the same word in the next sentence and not remembering it (drove me crazy!! - I remember saying, "You just read this word - remember?????" )

tracking problems- reading same line over and over

headaches

motion sickness

covering one eye while reading

 

Vision therapy is expensive, and usually, insurance doesn't cover it. But it has made a world of difference and worth every penny. For now, you can buy an eye patch at Walmart and have him wear it on each eye for 30 minutes per day (this was the one homework from VT that he did 5 times a week for 30 weeks). While he's wearing it, have him do things that require lots of eye movement like puzzles, word searches, even video games that make his eye dart back and forth - just not TV. Hold a pencil about a foot in front of him and move it in all different directions asking him to follow the eraser with his eye. This should make a difference if it is a convergence insufficiency issue. Good luck! BTW, be happy you're homeschooling him. Public schools usually don't recommend VT bc it's expensive, and they don't want to cover the cost!

 

Oh Mary. Yes, yes, yes. Everything you just said is my son. I hadn't thought the motion/car sickness would be related to his eye problem though. Wow.

 

The website referred had people in my country, just not in the state I live in. I was considering emailing any of those Drs & asking for help due to where I live. Children's eye stuff is generally covered where I am, but I don't care if I have to get a job to pay for it kinda thing, I'm sure you kwim.

 

If he doesn't have the issue will wearing the eye patch cause any harm? He's had reading issues since the start. I'd embarrass him if I disclosed his age/grade & thus reading level, but needless to say he's a couple of grades below in regards to reading books. Lists of words is another story, he can do fine. Today, he read aloud to me for a 30 min & it happened 3x to him.

 

He use to set the kindle ap on our ipad to black background with white letters because he said it was so much easier to focus. A sibling turned out the lights while he was reading {windows int he room & afternoon so not BLACK when lights were out} & he said it was easier then to focus?! I've been telling the eye guy all this & he's VERY patient with us but not exactly FIXING the issue.

 

 

Sorry to the OP to hijack your thread, I'm just in awe that someone out there knows what I'm going through & could hug that person if I were closer. :lol:

[creekmom]

Oh Mary. Yes, yes, yes. Everything you just said is my son. I hadn't thought the motion/car sickness would be related to his eye problem though. Wow.

 

The website referred had people in my country, just not in the state I live in. I was considering emailing any of those Drs & asking for help due to where I live. Children's eye stuff is generally covered where I am, but I don't care if I have to get a job to pay for it kinda thing, I'm sure you kwim.

 

If he doesn't have the issue will wearing the eye patch cause any harm? He's had reading issues since the start. I'd embarrass him if I disclosed his age/grade & thus reading level, but needless to say he's a couple of grades below in regards to reading books. Lists of words is another story, he can do fine. Today, he read aloud to me for a 30 min & it happened 3x to him.

 

He use to set the kindle ap on our ipad to black background with white letters because he said it was so much easier to focus. A sibling turned out the lights while he was reading {windows int he room & afternoon so not BLACK when lights were out} & he said it was easier then to focus?! I've been telling the eye guy all this & he's VERY patient with us but not exactly FIXING the issue.

 

 

Sorry to the OP to hijack your thread, I'm just in awe that someone out there knows what I'm going through & could hug that person if I were closer. :lol:

 

:grouphug: I remember being so excited when I discovered that his reading problems might be due to a vision problem we could fix. I thought using the eye patch couldn't hurt until I read what Laundrycrisis wrote. If his eyes have a different problem, the patch might be a bad idea. If a developmental optometrist is too far away, you could possibly buy a vision therapy program online. The only problem is that it won't be catered to your son's special needs. Maybe you could travel to get the official diagnosis, then look up programs online designed to help with that specific need.

From what you've described, it sounds like he could really benefit from it. Most kids in my dr.'s practice jumped 2 grade levels in reading after completing 30 weeks of VT. In one of the tests that they gave my son, he was below the 1% for his grade - then after 30 weeks, he was in the 99%. HUGE difference!

[kolamum]

Thank you both.. off to see what I can find out locally..

[kolamum]

Can you please tell me what: COVD stands for? :)

[laundrycrisis]

This explains COVD:

 

http://www.covd.org/

[campmom]

How do I find the Barton website someone mentioned? We are having these problems also with a 7 yr. boy. I think his maybe tracking issues but I'm not sure. the eye dc. put him in glasses but I haven't seen any real improvement.

[campmom]

???????? Barton website

[FairProspects]

Barton

[Pen]

If the OP's child has dyslexia, 100 Easy Lessons would not be a good choice. The child must learn an altered orthography and then unlearn it--an unnecessary complication when he is struggling to learn *any* orthography.

:iagree:

 

It would help if OP had an idea of what the problem is before choosing a curriculum. I agree with you also on reading Sally Shaywitz to get an idea if dyslexia is it.

 

For my son the most helpful program was High Noon's Reading Intervention program and Sound Out chapter books. From what OP wrote, I think it might be a fit for OP's son--but that would depend on what is going on, and I don't think there is not enough information thus far.

[Pen]

My son was not a natural reader, and while I agree with Spalding-type approach, I just wanted to note that I went out of my way to find something in the language arts field my son COULD do well at, to encourage confidence and not generate loathing. For us it was SWR. He learned all the flash cards and positively *glowed* when he got all the pronunciations of -OUGH down pat.

 

I didn't use it for more than a year, and didn't make an obsession with the notebooks, but he was really excited to be able to write so many words while his brain was learning to fluidly take them in visually.

 

:grouphug: Good Luck. (I also took my kid to an older lady who did VT, and she told me he didn't need any ... just maginfiers, which he used until he was 7.)

 

This is one of those areas where, I think, even once knowing more about the type of problem, what works for one child may or may not work for another. My son didn't do well with whole language/sight words systems as they had been using at his bricks and mortar schools. But he also did not do well with systems that were phonetic but worked as you describe above. Mine needed something that used much phonics, some sight words, and worked into actual reading as quickly as possible, with lots of practice, practice, practice. Once he got that he was able to leap ahead faster than I had thought possible. Probably what helped mine, would not have gotten that wonderful glow for yours, because they are different types of learners.

 

I think even within the "research based" methods that OP might learn about in Overcoming Dyslexia, there is still a good bit of variety and not all programs are best for all children.

[herekittykitty]

I totally agree with the pp that what works for one may not work for yours. That's what makes it so hard! My son is 7 and dyslexic, and what worked for us is the Davis Dyslexia program. It relies on the right brain learner's strength of making and manipulating mental pictures. It is not a phonemic awareness program.

 

If you want to do a phonemic awareness program, some of the other programs I've read that others have had success with are Barton, ABeCeDarian and Reading Reflex. ABeCeDarian and Reading Reflex are relatively inexpensive. You should also look at Dianne Craft's web site - she has some great right brained phonics ideas.

 

The best advice I can offer is to read as much as you can about all of these approaches. You know your child best, and f you can learn about the various programs, you will hopefully get a sense of what the best fit will be. Trust your instincts. Many of these programs are time and $ intensive, so I wouldn't choose one just based on one or two people saying they worked for my child.

 

On another note, I personally believe, based on my son and my own research, that many right brained children are labeled learning disabled when in fact, the majority of teaching and curricula is totally against their nature. My son learned to read partially with clay. Seriously. It's not how I learned at all, but IMO it's no better or worse than phonics. What if everyone was taught that way? Well, then my DD would have a learning disability, because she sounds words out, and clay and visual imagery would make no sense to her. Just my two cents...

 

Good luck with everything!

[Guest letitbesummer]

Any multisensory reading program will help, but it must be multisensory. I know how hard it is when your child is reading impaired. Good luck and God bless your young boy.

Elaine

[ElizabethB]

:grouphug:

 

Some children need a lot of repetition.

 

I would try adding in the phonovisual chart to your phonics. If just the vowels are a problem, just get the vowel one. They have one for the consonants if you need those as well. Looking up the sounds cuts down on the number of times you have to say "o says ah" and is more active learning. Also, try adding in a bit of spelling to your phonics, start with 2 letter regular words like in and on and up and then he me and go and no.

 

For a phonics program, I would try Word Mastery, available free from Don Potter. You could also try I See Sam, it is also slow and gentle.