How do I help DS with CVC words?

[ExcitedMama]

I downloaded the Hooked on Phonics app when it was free the other day. DS is about halfway through AAR pre-level and adamantly refuses to try any real reading, like with BOB books, but always says he wants to read and points to words all over the place and asks me what they say. I sat him down to check out the app and was shocked at how well he read, actually READ. But while he can easily pass the lessons that are visual and even oral when the CVC words have the same ending (like all -AT, or all -AP, or all -AN words) he loses all ability to sound out the same exact words at the end of the lesson when the book mixes up the endings so -at words are mixed with -an words (Jan sat. Tan hat). He is especially bad at reading "can." He keeps asking to do the app but while getting a little better is still having the same problems. Any advice on how to help him past this? It has been really great for his confidence to finally be "reading" books and he has been so excited to show DH when he comes home so I want to nurture his confidence and progress.

[ExcitedMama]

Anyone? I could really use some help. I really want to move him forward positively with confidence. Thank you!

[solascriptura]

It sounds like he may be sight reading or figuring out what the pictures say. It seems like good old fashion phonics are in order. There are a lot of threads on this forum discussing the different programs.

[nature girl]

Do you hear him sounding out and blending words? If not, I agree that he's probably just guessing using the initial consonant. (If you know HOP is working on AT words and see a C at the front, you're going to be able to figure out what the word is just be using that first letter.)

 

If you haven't yet, I'd sit down and make sure he knows how to sound out each letter and then blend. I know 100EZ is supposed to be great at teaching blending. (I'm sure there are other phonics programs that do this as well.) I don't know that the HOP app on its own would be enough to teach anyone, even if they know all their letter sounds. I'd consider it more helpful for kids who are already beginning to decode.

[Momling]

Is this your 4.5 yr old son? If so, I'd set it all aside for a while and try again later. His resistance is a sign that he's just developmentally not there. When he's ready, it won't be a struggle... you'll just point him in the direction and he'll get it. If he hasn't figured CVC words in about two years time, I'd start taking it more seriously, but until then, just provide a fertile environment for literacy to happen.

 

I find that it's really easy to imagine that it's us parents and teachers that control the learning process and that if we just teach something in the right way or with the right materials, our kids will get it. But really, it's not about us at all.

[HSmomof2]

Both of my dc went through a phase of 'stalling' after learning CVC words, and I worried both times. Ds was an early reader at age 3, and dd started reading CVC words at about age 5. Both seemed to get stuck on CVC words for about 6 months with very little progress, regardless of what or how I tried to teach. :-) After that, it was like a light bulb came on, and they both continued progressing with reading. They both read well above grade level now. I really think it was just a developmental phase. If your ds is only 4 1/2, I would keep letting him read 'easy' books, keep reading to him a lot, and just keep it fun for him.

[Ad astra]

My DS3.9 just finished the Hooked on Phonics K set and slowly works on the 1st grade set now. I also have the HOP app on iPad but rarely use it. I prefered the actual set of workbook and readers (We even skipped its DVD. Think it's boring and not effective.) that actually made him practice sounding out the words on the page, rather than clicking the screen to hear the sound. When I first tried the K set with my ds when he was 3.5 yo, he couldn't focus well and didn't do a good job, so instead I showed him the Leapfrog's "Talking Letter Factory" dvd which teaches CVC word building. (Leapfrog's "Word Caper" is the next level that teaches letter blends and silent e.) After he watched them for a while, I started to teach the HOP K again from Lesson 1 and it was a great success! We have been doing each lesson almost everyday including weekends. I'm using Bob books only as a supplement. HTH 

[kwg]

What I did to help ds with this (since you say he wants to otherwise it is also perfectly fine to let it go) was a few Words Their Way activities.  

 

*well I just looked it up on Amazon and that isnt at all what my book looks like, lol. I can not put my hands on it right now. *

 

But basically I made little letter cards like d s r p i e ........then said use 3 letters to make the word dip, change the first letter to make the word rip, change the last letter to make the word rid, etc.  The book had the 3 letter words but you can do it anyway without it...kinda helped him to see that we were changing the letters.  

 

The idea behind the activity is that it is "multileveled" for a classroom and they can get harder and harder words until finally there is a mystery word (spider in this case) but I did not really do that with my ds bc that was not my goal. I just wanted him to see changing the letters around some.

 

 

 

 

[Ad astra]

Oh and another fun way is to use the Starfall's Learn to Read app. It costs a few dollars to buy the app, but it comes free in MoreStarfall app if you are a subscribed member. And it is free in the Starfall.com website. MoreStarfall has a few other word building games, e-books and math games.

[Courtney_Ostaff]

I would do Phonics Pathways, one page per day, for no more than 5 minutes per day. But that's just me. I found an old edition for $4 on Amazon. ;)