Need advice

[Guest jennhart]

Last year, my husband and I decided to pull our oldest two children from public school. We have three children...the youngest is only 2. My boys are in 3rd and 5th this year and they are not good readers at all. They have always struggled with reading...slow, choppy, inaccurate pronunciation, etc!

 

I recently purchased The Well Trained Mind and I am completely loving what I read. I plan on implementing these concepts with my 2 year old as she ages and is ready for the different stages. But my question is what I should do about my boys....they should be so much farther along in reading, but they aren't and I don't know where to start...should I go back to the basics with them??? Neither one has any learning problems..in fact they do well in every other subject (not gifted in them, but make good grades). My 3rd grader was at a disadvantage early in life because he didn't hear well and we didn't catch it until he was 3. At that point he had tubes put in and began speech therapy. He is no longer in speech, but he has been behind in reading, because he didn't hear the words the way they were said and therefor, learned to pronounce them incorrectly. We still have to work on that problem from time to time, but for the most part he is past that...just behind because he got a later start on correctly reading/speaking.

 

I would love to hear ideas of where to start with them. I want learning to be fun and enjoyable...and when you struggle to read...it ISN"T.

[Mom0012]

One thing I would do is to read aloud to them a lot and inundate them with audiobooks. Having them listen to books above their reading level will help them to prepare for reading that material themselves.

 

Lisa

[GalmiBorn]

I would make reading fluency and JOY the focus of your school year. Try a Charlotte Mason approach, lots of reading , narration for all your subjects. Don't overwhelm them though. Find a remedial phonics program like Saxon Phonics (I think they have one for older kids who maybe didn't get good instruction). Ease into your year, read out loud alot and listen to books. It will be a bit of a transition since most PS don't allow for much individual reading time or reading aloud. I am using McGuffey readers for elocution this year since both of my older girls read well in their head for understanding but struggle with reading aloud correctly, clearly and with enthusiasm :) You'll do great. Encourage them, love them and give them your time.

[ErinE]

:grouphug:

 

I haven't BTDT, but maybe you could work through a phonics program with them? Review parts they struggle with and skip those they know. I use OPGTR to teach reading and since the rules are broken out into manageable lessons, it might be easy for you to use with your kids. I don't think I'd use a workbook phonics program because it might be harder (and more expensive) to skip the easier sections. There are other phonics books people use (I think Spaulding is well-liked), but I haven't used anything other than OPGTR.

 

Find high-interest chapter book series. Have they read Magic Treehouse, the A to Z Mysteries, Secrets of Droon? I've seen many children get caught up in these series and find them interesting enough to read more. Reading independently below level will help them with speed and fluency.

 

Have your kids read aloud every day using on-level material. This way you know the rules they're struggling with so you can add those sounds to review. I like the McGuffey readers, but I also use fairy tale collections and non-fiction books. Your child can reads short blocks of words without getting intimidated by a whole book. If your child stumbles over a word, say the rule, give him a chance to decode, and then slowly decode yourself if he still struggles.

 

During family time, you should read aloud books at a higher reading level so they can hear how words are pronounced.

[Shelsi]

I think LOE (Logic of English) curriculum would be really beneficial for both boys, but particularly your 3rd grader. It has a lot of phonemic awareness activities and it's really made for kids like your own.

 

I'm using the LOE kindy program (as a beta tester) and my 3rd grader loves the phonemic awareness activities and it's even helped correct a few of his pronounciations.

[kalanamak]

I think LOE (Logic of English) curriculum would be really beneficial for both boys, but particularly your 3rd grader. It has a lot of phonemic awareness activities and it's really made for kids like your own.

 

I'm using the LOE kindy program (as a beta tester) and my 3rd grader loves the phonemic awareness activities and it's even helped correct a few of his pronounciations.

 

:iagree: although I will tell you haven't seen the book, just read ULOE. The LOE website has several videos introducing her philosophy and her book. She has boards there, like this one, where you can ask questions. If I were in your spot, this is where I could go.