Anyone outsourced phonics/reading?

[AimeeM]

I feel like a slacker :P

I'm considering outsourcing teaching Nico (DS4) phonics to an OG tutor (he isn't dyslexic like my DD12 is, but OG is fantastic even for non-dyslexics), just to get something off my plate. Phonics is his least favorite of the academics and with the 20 month old, it would be nice to outsource the heavy duty of it (I would still do some at home, as he would only go to the tutor once a week). This particular tutor has a lot of experience with young, active boys and homeschooled children, so she seems like a great fit.

 

[Crimson Wife]

I think given your family dynamics it would be a good thing. You probably have some residual issues with teaching reading given your older child's struggles (totally understandable BTW) and your son would likely benefit from being taught by someone without those hangups, KWIM?

[AimeeM]

I think given your family dynamics it would be a good thing. You probably have some residual issues with teaching reading given your older child's struggles (totally understandable BTW) and your son would likely benefit from being taught by someone without those hangups, KWIM?

 

I didn't teach her how to read (thank God!) - but yes, I have hang ups about teaching phonics because she still struggled with reading and spelling greatly, even after I brought her home.

I also just want him to enjoy kindergarten. I get frustrated with teaching phonics, which leads to him not enjoying it, which... well, I want him learning to read to be a "happy place", kwim? And it isn't right now. I know that, if only because I have several phonics programs but can't seem to find one that I *like* or that makes me feel confident. We have much more fun with mathematics, art, and the other academic areas.

[Crimson Wife]

Think of it this way- plenty of people who do their own home an/or car maintenance/repair still outsource from time to time. That's not being a slacker at all; it's deciding to to leave things to the pros that are either beyond what the DIYer feels comfortable handling himself/herself or that he/she feels is simply not worth the time & effort required.

[8filltheheart]

Or you could simply back off phonics until he is older bc the frustration could be from the fact that he simply isn't ready. If you stopped and resumed in Aug, you might have a completely different experience. Even a gifted instructor cannot get children that aren't cognitively ready to decode phonics to read by decoding and blending.

[Mom-ninja.]

Or you could simply back off phonics until he is older bc the frustration could be from the fact that he simply isn't ready. If you stopped and resumed in Aug, you might have a completely different experience. Even a gifted instructor cannot get children that aren't cognitively ready to decode phonics to read by decoding and blending.

 

This. He's 4. There is no reason to stress reading at this point. Save your money for now and simply wait.

 

I taught my dyslexic to read and it was hard. Very hard. I didn't know he was dyslexic so I made many errors and we both struggled. A lot. Finally, finally got it. 

 

So I understand the feeling of doubt and anxiety that hangs around after such a hard struggle.

 

My middle ds was a breeze to teach. I didn't start anything formal with him until he was 5 and that's because he asked.

 

It turns out my youngest is dyslexic so I get to do it all over again. Oh yea! He's 5 right now and it's slow and painful (for me). I try to keep him happy. However, when he makes a mistake he has a little fit each time. Very frustrating. I keep lessons short.

 

I haven't really thought about getting an OG tutor. I figure since I taught one dyslexic to read (and did a pretty good job according to the ed. pysch.) that I can do it again.

 

Do I want to? No. But my children are how they are and I have to meet their needs. For me that means I'll once again teach reading to a dyslexic child. For you meeting your child's need might mean hiring someone. It all ends with the same goal.

 

[AimeeM]

He'll be 5 in May; I'm considering a tutor for the fall.

This is more a matter of me outsourcing and taking something off my own plate, and has less to do with *what* I take off my plate. Maths, history, sciences are enjoyable for him and me; phonics isn't, so that's where I'm considering outsourcing.

 

 

[Crimson Wife]

One option to consider that might be fun for your DS is seeing if there is a PAL class being offered in your area. There was one in my area that sounded like so much fun but it didn't start up until after my DS was already beyond the reading portion.

[Chris in VA]

Once a week won't really take it off your plate. Phonics/reading instruction has to be done daily. Why not take something else off that could be totally done in one day, like art or music?

[AimeeM]

One option to consider that might be fun for your DS is seeing if there is a PAL class being offered in your area. There was one in my area that sounded like so much fun but it didn't start up until after my DS was already beyond the reading portion.

 

Huh. How would I find out about that?

[AimeeM]

Once a week won't really take it off your plate. Phonics/reading instruction has to be done daily. Why not take something else off that could be totally done in one day, like art or music?

 

That's valid (once a week), but it is taking off my plate the jumping off - which is really what I want to outsource. As I didn't plan on incorporating art (outside of art history), and our music program is something I can involve DS1 in, outsourcing those wouldn't take anything off my plate either, kwim?

[Crimson Wife]

Huh. How would I find out about that?

You could start by checking the list of trained instructors on the IEW website: http://iew.com/node/42/find-accredited-instructor

[zoobie]

My dyslexic DD has an OG tutor, but if not for the dyslexia, I'd put that ~$100/hr to house cleaners!

[zenjenn]

I actually did for 1 year, my mildly dyslexic DD went three times a week to an OG tutor.

 

For a child without dyslexia, there are tools to take some of the burden off. Click N Kid Phonics *really* took the burden off my shoulders when it came to the onerous and repetitive tasks of teaching phonics. It works. It even worked for my dyslexic child for decoding basics (for encoding, it did nothing). My non-dyslexic child learned both to read and spell from that site lightning fast. Obviously it wasn't the only reading thing we did, but she's a phonics whiz now and I did ZERO other formal phonics instruction with her. We just did read-alouds (me to her, her to me) and things like that.

 

OG is great for a child who needs it, but it SO tedious (not to mention expensive). If a child doesn't need it, I can't see the benefit of doing it. I'm not saying you shouldn't outsource phonics if you want to, but OG is like taking a sledgehammer to a staple if your child isn't dyslexic. There are lots of other reading tutoring services and centers that would probably be a better (and more affordable) match for a typical kid if you want to go that route.

[8filltheheart]

For kids that are ready and have no disabilities, learning to read is not anymore heavy duty than learning anything else. The struggles come from attempting to blend when they aren't ready bc it appears they are ready bc they are at the stage where memorizing sounds associated with letters is easy. The reason it is easy is bc it is simple recall. This image (letter) makes this sound (gives the image a name).

 

Blending those sounds together requires a different stage of mental development. It requires a phonemic awareness that just isn't present in most 4 yr olds. (Sight reading is different bc it is recall, not decoding and blending). I know you probably hate it when I reply to your posts bc we have fundamentally different POV on early childhood ed, but what I am sharing is real. Brain maturity is what enables decoding and blending to progress to reading (barring LDs). Starting before they are ready can be very frustrating for both parent and child. Waiting until they are older and trying again could mean the difference between frustration and simply voila!! Successful reading.

 

Outsource it if you think it will help you. But, if it were me, I wouldn't commit until late fall and wait and see if allowing his brain to mature doesn't mean that all of a sudden he is ready to read without it being a frustrating process.

[AimeeM]

If he suddenly took off, I'd have a change of heart, lol.

And no, I do not hate it when you reply to these posts for me! I need all the advice I can get. To be frank, kindergarten scares the daylights out of me and I think that's evident.

Here's my issue - I think that he is ready.... I think I just screwed it up. We went with a fairly formulaic program (Phonics Pathways). Children generally hold on to what they are initially taught. For the life of me, I can't get him to realize that he need not approach every word (words he knows) with the same tedious "sounding out" procedure. For example:

 

Sam has a hat. Cat has a hat. Dot is sad.

 

S

S-a

S-a-m

Sam

 

h

h-a

h-a-s

has

 

a

 

h

h-a

h-a-t

hat

 

.... and so on. He believes, after doing the blend sheets in PP for so long, that the only right way to do this is to continue sound out each word slowly (sound by sound), even if I know he knows it off the top of his head. He thinks he's "wrong" if he does it otherwise. I'm afraid *I* approached it wrong, or that I'm explaining something wrong. He DOES blend and blend well - he just thinks he has to go through the entire tedious process every time, regardless of how well he knows the word - and it's killing his desire to *try*. I can't seem to explain, in a way he'll understand, that he doesn't need to do that.

 

I desperately do not want to screw up phonics.

 

Maybe I should just lay off the phonics. All he really ever wants to do is math anyway :p

 

For kids that are ready and have no disabilities, learning to read is not anymore heavy duty than learning anything else. The struggles come from attempting to blend when they aren't ready bc it appears they are ready bc they are at the stage where memorizing sounds associated with letters is easy. The reason it is easy is bc it is simple recall. This image (letter) makes this sound (gives the image a name).

Blending those sounds together requires a different stage of mental development. It requires a phonemic awareness that just isn't present in most 4 yr olds. (Sight reading is different bc it is recall, not decoding and blending). I know you probably hate it when I reply to your posts bc we have fundamentally different POV on early childhood ed, but what I am sharing is real. Brain maturity is what enables decoding and blending to progress to reading (barring LDs). Starting before they are ready can be very frustrating for both parent and child. Waiting until they are older and trying again could mean the difference between frustration and simply voila!! Successful reading.

Outsource it if you think it will help you. But, if it were me, I wouldn't commit until late fall and wait and see if allowing his brain to mature doesn't mean that all of a sudden he is ready to read without it being a frustrating process.

 

[8filltheheart]

And what you just described is very normal for beginning readers. 

[JustEm]

Hmm I use phonics pathways with my 5year old and almost4 year old. The sounding out words as you describe shouldn't be an issue with that book since it emphasizing not doing that. Example, you don't move past blending 2 letters until the child is reading it as one sound. I'd suggest putting the book aside for a bit and making a card game using 2 letter blends (de, mi, LA, etc) and playing it till he stops sounding the individual words out. He doesn't win the round or card if he sounds out letters individually. Or write blends on white board that he gets to wipe away if reads correctly, my kids love that for some reason.

 

You could also try to explain that you only sound out words you don't already know by reading unknown dinosaur names to him. What he is doing is normal and fixable

[AimeeM]

I'm going to bite the bullet and buy LOE Foundations. I realized I was balking over the price of LOE, but getting ready to spend $50/hour for an OG tutor... and how absolutely nuts that sounded, lol.

I think I just need a script :P

[alisoncooks]

I "outsource" a lot of that beginning (and mind-numbing) reading practice to iPad games.

 

Seriously.

 

I still do a lesson with DD(5) daily, but I have no problem putting her on the iPad for some practice.  Lots of those phonics games help to build fluency in blending.  She's been doing Skyfish Phonics (free), Reading Raven, Oz Phonics, Gappy's First Words...

[8filltheheart]

I'm going to bite the bullet and buy LOE Foundations. I realized I was balking over the price of LOE, but getting ready to spend $50/hour for an OG tutor... and how absolutely nuts that sounded, lol.

I think I just need a script :p

 

I would really save your money and just stop phonics until fall.   Another new program isn't likely to make a difference.

 

[AimeeM]

I would really save your money and just stop phonics until fall.   Another new program isn't likely to make a difference.

 

 

I don't plan on starting anything until Fall, likely. I'm just getting ready to put in my bulk curriculum order in the next couple weeks.

[Ellie]

If he suddenly took off, I'd have a change of heart, lol.

And no, I do not hate it when you reply to these posts for me! I need all the advice I can get. To be frank, kindergarten scares the daylights out of me and I think that's evident.

Here's my issue - I think that he is ready.... I think I just screwed it up. We went with a fairly formulaic program (Phonics Pathways). Children generally hold on to what they are initially taught. For the life of me, I can't get him to realize that he need not approach every word (words he knows) with the same tedious "sounding out" procedure. For example:

 

Sam has a hat. Cat has a hat. Dot is sad.

 

S

S-a

S-a-m

Sam

 

h

h-a

h-a-s

has

 

a

 

h

h-a

h-a-t

hat

 

.... and so on. He believes, after doing the blend sheets in PP for so long, that the only right way to do this is to continue sound out each word slowly (sound by sound), even if I know he knows it off the top of his head. He thinks he's "wrong" if he does it otherwise. I'm afraid *I* approached it wrong, or that I'm explaining something wrong. He DOES blend and blend well - he just thinks he has to go through the entire tedious process every time, regardless of how well he knows the word - and it's killing his desire to *try*. I can't seem to explain, in a way he'll understand, that he doesn't need to do that.

 

I desperately do not want to screw up phonics.

 

Maybe I should just lay off the phonics. All he really ever wants to do is math anyway :p

 

:grouphug:

 

He's just four. He's way too young for you to have already screwed up.

 

Yes, I think you should just lay off phonics and do math.

 

[AimeeM]

You don't need anyone's opinion or permission of course.  I just think this is the one thing that takes very little time (unless there are some learning challenges).  I think I spent maybe 10-20 minutes tops per day on it with my kids. 

 

I think it's great that so many people find teaching phonics to be so easy - sincerely. I'm just not one of them. I do not remember ever learning to read myself (I just did so naturally - I remember no rules, and no explicit instruction in phonics), and it's too intimidating for me to approach (successfully) without hand holding.

 

[AimeeM]

:grouphug:

 

He's just four. He's way too young for you to have already screwed up.

 

Yes, I think you should just lay off phonics and do math.

 

 

You're kind :)

I wish I had pulled my eldest out earlier - then this poor boy wouldn't have to deal with my frantic "I'm ruining you!" episodes.

 

[Julie Smith]

I didn't. But I thought about it sometimes for Youngest. 

I might have it I had a proven and convient option. 

[Shellydon]

No, I"ve never considered outsourcing phonics.  15 minutes a day is easy and not worth spending money on, IMO.

[8filltheheart]

I think it's great that so many people find teaching phonics to be so easy - sincerely. I'm just not one of them. I do not remember ever learning to read myself (I just did so naturally - I remember no rules, and no explicit instruction in phonics), and it's too intimidating for me to approach (successfully) without hand holding.

 

I sincerely think you don't know that that is true. It is very different to teach a 5-6 yr old to read than a pre-schooler.

[Julie Smith]

For Eldest it was easy teaching him to read. 

 

With Youngest it seemed that for 2 years is was 2 steps forward 2 steps backward. He is just now getting it at age 8 - considered grade 3 in our area. At times it drove me a little batty and made me want to just push that subject onto someone else for awhile. He just could only fit so much about reading in his head so one new think entered something old went out. Happily he is getting it now.

 

If I only had experience with Eldest I would wonder what all the big deal was about. 

[AimeeM]

I sincerely think you don't know that that is true. It is very different to teach a 5-6 yr old to read than a pre-schooler.

 

You're probably absolutely right, but as my current phonics programs make me poke my eyes out with a hot stick, I'm going to need/want another regardless.

[Crimson Wife]

No, I"ve never considered outsourcing phonics.  15 minutes a day is easy and not worth spending money on, IMO.

*IF* you have a neurotypical kid who is at the right developmental stage to learn. Parents of kids with LD's know from experience that teaching reading is NOT always easy and inexpensive.

[8filltheheart]

For Eldest it was easy teaching him to read.

 

With Youngest it seemed that for 2 years is was 2 steps forward 2 steps backward. He is just now getting it at age 8 - considered grade 3 in our area. At times it drove me a little batty and made me want to just push that subject onto someone else for awhile. He just could only fit so much about reading in his head so one new think entered something old went out. Happily he is getting it now.

 

If I only had experience with Eldest I would wonder what all the big deal was about.

I have taught 2 dyslexics how to read. One severely dyslexic that didn't read on grade level until 5th grade. I know the difference. But, she has never taught anyone how to read and he is only 4.

 

At this pt, age could be the only issue, not the program , not the teacher, not a learning disability with the child. It very well may be no big deal to teach him to read when he is cognitively ready.

[OneStepAtATime]

Half my family (at least) are teachers.  My mother is a reading specialist.  Honestly, 8FillTheHeart has a huge point.  He is only 4.  Some 4 year olds are not ready for phonics instruction.  Drop phonics.  Read to him.  Have him listen to books on CD.  Expose him to a lot of literature at various levels.  But don't stress over the phonics.  In the Fall, when he is older, yes because you are both unhappy with what you are currently using you might definitely be better off using something else for a fresh start.  You might browse around right now and see what you can find.  But he is very young.  Give him some time to gain some maturity.

[FairProspects]

I agree that he is only 4 and you don't need to worry yet. I also can't even tell you how many times I have wished I could outsource phonics but quite honestly I could never find someone locally who was qualified enough to replace me. I have 2 dyslexics and I can completely empathize with being gun shy the second time around. I see nothing wrong with outsourcing if you want to and can find a good tutor. You might want to consider that in terms of phonics, even with a tutor, you are at maximum going to see the tutor a couple of times a week and phonics work will need to be reinforced every day. The fact that I would be doing most of the work at home anyway was another con for me.

[AimeeM]

I agree that he is only 4 and you don't need to worry yet. I also can't even tell you how many times I have wished I could outsource phonics but quite honestly I could never find someone locally who was qualified enough to replace me. I have 2 dyslexics and I can completely empathize with being gun shy the second time around. I see nothing wrong with outsourcing if you want to and can find a good tutor. You might want to consider that in terms of phonics, even with a tutor, you are at maximum going to see the tutor a couple of times a week and phonics work will need to be reinforced every day. The fact that I would be doing most of the work at home anyway was another con for me.

 

Yeah. I realized that he would need to see the tutor twice a week and even then I'd be doing phonics work with him at home (as it needs to be practiced daily). That would be roughly $100/weekly for the OG tutor. There IS another tutor who charges only $20/hr, but it's nothing special, in terms of instruction. Certainly not what LOE Foundations offers.

 

I think it would be a wiser investment for me to perhaps hire a mother's helper to help with the younger kiddo for an hour or two a day - him screaming from his play pen or trying to launch himself off couches any time I try to get time in with DS4 isn't helping with the phonics love :P

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

Funnix Reading and Math are great! I got them Free before Christmas and printed out all of the worksheets. 

 

I also printed out a Phonics reading game today and laminated it and cut it up to play tomorrow.  

 

LOE and AAR have phonics Apps too.

 

Starfall has games too.

 

ElizabethB has a website with videos and the game I printed out with wonderful advice and free tests. Check the Special Needs board if you want to for more information.

 

LD's are sometimes misdiagnosed due to a lack of teaching basic phonics.

Many PS students are labeled :( due to this.  

 

LOE (Denise Eide) has great videos too.

 

Our 4 year old is not ready for formal lessons yet either.

He does love to be read to and listen to audio books.

 

 

I am tutoring a 14 year old and unsure of his past education since they did not tell his parents if they had any testing.  I really wish I had known 5-6 years ago. 

In my research, 3rd- 4th grade is where most children hit a wall.   That is the time for intervention or further testing if necessary, or earlier if there is cause for alarm.

 

The Well Trained Mind has a great chapter on the Preschool Years. ( Refrigerator Magnets are great to teach the Alphabet and sounds)

I am using TOPGTR this year with our 6 yr. old and he loves the Funnix program.

 

 

 

[AimeeM]

Wow...I'd do it for half that.  Maybe I should look into it.  LOL

 

Maybe you should look into it (and move to SC). I have a job for you if you do! Lol.

[SeaConquest]

My DS5 loved playing Reading Eggs when he was 3-4. You might think about playing games like that instead of something more formal.

[Lucy]

Just to let you know, you are NOT the only one that finds teaching to read overwhelming.  I have four kiddos, one in 8th, one in 6th, one in 4th, and my Ker.  Poor Ker is so neglected I just dont' get to phonics.  I'm helping with essays and algebra and all kinds of things.  It's not impossible or time consuming, it's just not getting done!  We are considering adding a baby this summer, so next year is not going to be suddenly easier.  :)  I'm considering getting the DVDs from Bob Jones to teach phonics, I've heard it's really thorough and good.  I just can't figure out if she would need the K or 1st grade versions.  She can sound out CVC words.  I have bought great curriculum (Abeka phonics, phoics pathways, 100 easy, etc.) but after all these years, I KNOW that the best curriculum is the one that gets done.  So, if you want help, go get it!  Homeschooling has an element of "survival" in it.

[boscopup]

I don't enjoy teaching phonics, so I get that. but like some of the PPs, I think a big part of the problem is that he's 4. He sounds like he's doing very well for a 4 year old!

 

I've had to deal with the sounding out everything stage with my middle son for the last few years. He may have an LD. Reading has certainly not been easy for him. What worked best for him was to consistently use a phonics program for about 10 minutes every day. That's it. I've used different programs along the way, and each one contributed something useful. We've now settled into one I plan to continue into 2nd grade. He is just now, at age 7, starting to click with reading. It's been a slog to get here. My other two kids taught themselves for the most part. So teaching phonics to them was easy peasy. That said, even though my 4 year old can read, he's not really ready for daily phonics lessons that he has to work at. That's no fun. I'm waiting until he's in K to start daily lessons with him. He does math daily now (at his insistence), but phonics is not fun like math. My oldest resisted anything resembling school at age 4, but he was a dream to teach at 5+. So I wouldn't judge your teaching experience by how the child is doing at age 4. Wait until fall, then start a program that you think YOU will be able to do daily.

[FairProspects]

If you want to go the computer games route, have you considered Lexia? Reading Eggs has been too sight words based to help here, and Lexia is OG based but online. Other posters on the SN board have had great results using it and they do have a preschool version. Just a thought.

[Mom-ninja.]

If you want to go the computer games route, have you considered Lexia? Reading Eggs has been too sight words based to help here, and Lexia is OG based but online. Other posters on the SN board have had great results using it and they do have a preschool version. Just a thought.

 

I haven't heard of this. Thanks.

[ElizabethB]

Read, write, type. He could try out the demo now to see if he likes it, it is reasonable, my kids could both do it at 4, although my son didn't get as much out of it until he was a bit older.

 

Most of the other online programs have too many sight words or can lead to guessing problems because of the way they are structured, I like read, write, type the best.

 

http://www.talkingfingers.com/

 

Blend phonics from the write board is easy and fun for a boy, supplement with my game, the instructions are short but clear.

 

http://www.donpotter.net/education_pages/blend_phonics.html

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/concentrationgam.html

 

The phonovisual book is online and has detailed instructions. Also, I get tired of repeating the sounds, these charts are lovely, just point at the sound at first, then once they figure it out, just point at the chart, they are worth the money. I like the small charts:

 

https://www.phonovisual.com/products.php?c=1

 

Here is the online book:

 

http://archive.org/stream/phonovisualmetho00scho#page/n0/mode/2up

 

Pollard is also fun and detailed if you want something different, her manual is explicit, you can see them online and order an old actual book if you like from somewhere like ABE books or Alibris. I like the first book for little folk, all the Pollard books are linked a bit more than 1/4 down this page:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/phonicsandspelli.html

[Heathermomster]

My eldest is dyslexic too. Looking back on how he was taught at his school, I am sickened by it and my heart aches. It is soul crushing. Anyhoo..

 

Fast forward and now I have a DD. For pre-k she detested pre-AAR, so I used the pre-ETC readers and that was it. We started LOE and as soon as we got to blends and CVC words, she read them instantly. Enjoy your DS now, and definitely put off the direct reading instruction for awhile. It takes 20 minutes max, and you can teach it while your baby naps. Watch the LOE training videos too. The first one is extremely dry, but they are helpful.

 

ETA: I fight the urge to panic every time my DD stumbles. I am learning that once she is presented with new info, she mulls overs the info for a day or so, and then she knows the info cold. It is the craziest thing to watch, and I'm learning not to panic inside quite so much.