Curriculum help for 2nd grader still struggling to read

[mommyof3blessings]

My daughter will have just turned 7 next school year, when we begin 2nd grade in the fall. Looking back, I wish I had let her do an extra kindergarten year--now she is very aware of grade levels, so having her repeat 1st would be detrimental to her fragile self-esteem. She has struggled with every aspect of learning to read--we tried various strategies and curriculum. Now, she finally is starting to get the hang of it using Explode the Code (we will be starting book 3 next week). I plan to continue the ETC books through the summer and next school year.

My question is, what should I do along with the ETC? She is really good at math (except that I have to read all instructions and word problems to her). I am using CLE 1 math and will probably do 2nd next year. What language arts, history and science would have enough meat but that she could do somewhat on her own? I want her to feel accomplished, not that I just read it all to her, if you know what I mean ;)

Thanks for all suggestions!

[mmasc]

I don't have suggestions, but I'm going to follow this thread. My DS is in about the same spot as your DD.

[Kiara.I]

History and Science you could do entirely as read-alouds, but of course that wouldn't be independent.  But I don't truly understand why she should feel that having you read is "wrong."  The science and the history that we're doing involve the child narrating back, answering comprehension questions, doing map work, doing demonstrations of the science...  I don't think that there is anything "babyish" about having the teacher (mom) do the reading.  Most classroom schools, the students aren't sitting at their desks reading all the work themselves, but the teacher is introducing material, helping demonstrate principles, etc.

[OneStepAtATime]

Have you considered evaluations through a neuropsychologist?  You need answers to the underlying cause of her struggles.  A professional can give you those answers, and not just for the cause of her struggles but they can help you tweak out the strengths that may be there, untapped, because her issues are masking them.

 

 I was where you are.  I waited until mid-5th grade to finally start seeking evaluations for my DD.  It was a HUGE mistake.  We wasted years before finally getting her the specific instruction she needed because I feared evaluations and "labels".  Instead, the evaluation was enlightening.  We found she had strengths we didn't know existed.  And we were finally able to get her help, but she was already heading into 6th grade.  She is finally catching up but if we had done it sooner she might never have been truly behind.  There are many reasons a child may struggle with reading.   If you get solid answers you can target the areas of struggle much more effectively.

 

Read The Mislabeled Child by Brock and Fernette Eide.  Read How to Homeschool Your Struggling Learner by Kathy Kuhl.  And read here.  See if anything speaks to you:

 

http://www.bartonreading.com/dys.html

 

Hugs and best wishes...

 

ETZ Kiara.I is right, read alouds, books on CD, audio books on Kindle are all good options and not babyish at all.  Heck, my reading specialist mother in her 70s is still using audio books for learning.  This isn't babyish, it is a great thing for many.  My DS is an auditory learner.  He does excellent with audio books on his Kindle.

[zarabellesmom]

She is only six now, right? I don't think I would be worried. My youngest's reading has just taken off and she will just be seven next year too. You will find her reading very improved by fall if you continue over the summer. That said, I still do all the history and science reading for both my children. We just enjoy it as a family. I would think seven very young for doing much of anything independently.

[weintz8]

Veritas Press Self Paced history can be done completely on her own except for the review questions. She might need help reading those.

[mohini]

Maybe check out MP storytime treasures. The reading may be a bit challenging but could be done with your help (read aloud or co-read) and the exercises will be very appropriate. Also, what about WWE copy work, dictation and narration? Copywork can be a great reading tool for a kid who has the stamina and coordination for it.

[Ellie]

My daughter will have just turned 7 next school year, when we begin 2nd grade in the fall. Looking back, I wish I had let her do an extra kindergarten year--now she is very aware of grade levels, so having her repeat 1st would be detrimental to her fragile self-esteem. She has struggled with every aspect of learning to read--we tried various strategies and curriculum. Now, she finally is starting to get the hang of it using Explode the Code (we will be starting book 3 next week). I plan to continue the ETC books through the summer and next school year.

My question is, what should I do along with the ETC? She is really good at math (except that I have to read all instructions and word problems to her). I am using CLE 1 math and will probably do 2nd next year. What language arts, history and science would have enough meat but that she could do somewhat on her own? I want her to feel accomplished, not that I just read it all to her, if you know what I mean ;)

Thanks for all suggestions!

 

No, you did the right thing by letter her be "in" second grade and *not* having her do an extra kindergarten year. She will eventually catch up to her age peers, and then you'll be wondering how to skip her a grade and it will be messy.

 

And also, you're talking about just one area where she might (or might not) be up to her age level. That's not a reason to have held her back (or made her repeat, which is the same thing as holding her back).

 

Phonics/beginning reading *is* "language arts." That will be your primary focus. You would want to work on her penmanship skills, as well. Personally, my favorite is Spalding, which teaches children to read by teaching them to spell, and includes penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing--everything you need in one fell swoop. But if you don't want to do Spalding, then you could add something like Handwriting Without Tears or Peterson Directed Handwriting or Zaner Bloser.

 

You could do R&S arithmetic, which doesn't require much reading at all since you do the teaching (10 minutes or so, using the scripted oral classtime in the teacher manual) and the seatwork just reinforces what you taught.

 

I also don't understand why she wouldn't want the warm fuzzy face time she gets with you if you do history and science with her. :-) You could do a unit study, such as the Prairie Primer, which is based on the Little House books. 

[mommyof3blessings]

Yes, she is 6.5 and very immature in many ways--just showed interest in learning to tie her shoes, hasn't lost any baby teeth. Thanks for the suggestions. I looked back at my question and realize that it looks like I want her to do other subjects independently, but that isn't what I mean. I want her to have some ownership, not feel like she needs me to do EVERY subject. We do SOTW with my older children and would like to find a science appropriate for her. I will check out the ones mentioned--thanks!

[PeterPan]

Ok, now just to contradict the great and wonderful Ellie, I'll take the totally opposite position.  :D  I think it's astonishing that you're taking a child who is clearly functioning at a K5 level and calling her 1st grade when she is on the cut-off.  My ds has a gifted IQ, fall b-day, and he's K5 this year, same age as your kid.  It's better to have them functioning ahead and FUNCTIONING than constantly behind.

 

And no, there is no statistical reason to think she'll just somehow catch up.  The data shows that readers move forward from when they begin reading.  Those who begin reading later begin, but they still have to go through all the same steps, meaning she'll be reading but be BEHIND.  She's not functioning at a 1st grade level now and she's not going to be functioning at a 2nd grade level just because you call her 2nd grade in the fall.  

 

I would question why a child is experiencing anxiety over grade levels at that age.  Tell her you messed up, that her b-day was on the line, and that you're adjusting. 

 

The real question is whether her achievement is at a discrepancy for her IQ and whether she's evidencing a disability.  These would be valid questions to discuss with your ped if you make an appt.  A psychologist absolutely will look at discrepancy, at least in our state.  My ds is diagnosed dyslexic partly on the large discrepancy between his achievement and IQ.  It would be good to know how much of a discrepancy there is and how aggressively you should be intervening.  

 

Are you a new homeschooler?  It is unnatural for a typical 6 year old to do ANY school work independently.  That would be uncommon.  Ownership would be something like having a picture checklist and putting a sticker beside each task as she completes it or moving the velcro numbers on workbox drawers or having a daily chore task like unloading the dishwasher.  Those are age-appropriate responsibilities that my ds does.  Doing school work by herself is NOT and limiting her instruction to whatever she can glean by herself with an otherwise acceptable workbook is probably limiting her progress.  It doesn't enable you to establish whether her current lack of achievement is due to lack of instruction (what the ps calls RTI), developmental delay (for which you'd see your ped), or a disability (undiagnosed dyslexia).  

 

The irony is that if she has a learning disability and you get it diagnosed, you would pursue much more aggressive intervention that might radically alter the path of her progress.  My ds, same age, with dyslexia is reading better than it sounds like your dd is whom you're calling rising 2nd grader with no SLD (specific learning disability).  But my ds gets aggressive intervention because I've identified the learning disability.  If you go to a private psych (NOT the ps), they can run a CTOPP and get this sorted out for you.

 

If you relabel her K5 and she is PROGRESSING and achieving appropriately for K5, then that may solve the problem.  If you relabel and she does NOT progress on track even with the adjusted grade expectations, I would be getting a psych eval for certain.  If there's a large gap between ability and achievement, I would be getting evals for certain and sooner rather than later.

 

Whatever, not meaning to be unkind, more to light a fire under you.   :)  It's nice to have the right words for what's going on.  You're going to have a lot bigger problems if you WAIT on finding the problem or adjusting the grade level than if you go ahead and tackle it now.  

 

[mommyof3blessings]

She has anxiety about grade levels because her older brother and sister both went to public school, she has family and friends that go to public school and refer to grade levels. She knows that 2nd grade comes after 1st grade--I have NOT mentioned to her that I would hold her back--those are my thoughts and I am concerned about her reaction if I had her "repeat" 1st grade. We have homeschooled for 4 years and I was a public school teacher before having children. Children do not all read at the same time, and aren't ready to read at the same time! She IS progressing and functioning, she just has had more of a struggle than both of my other children so I am looking to other moms that may have had similar late-bloomers!

[PeterPan]

A thread that might interest you

 

Struggling Readers Never Catch Up? The Myth of "Late Bloomers" - General Education Discussion Board - The Well-Trained Mind Community

[gerka528]

My DD is in a similar position...she turned 7 last August and we treated this as her 2nd grade year. My DD has also struggled learning to read and as the year has progressed, it is apparent that she is working on a solid first grade level in language arts and math. Like you, I was worried that holding her back would hurt her self esteem, but when I actually talked to about doing 2nd grade work next year she was really excited. I led the conversation in a positive direction and pointed out the positives for her. She fed off my enthusiasm and is totally fine with being in 2nd grade next year. My DD is really excited to not be considered behind and struggling next year. I figure if she does really take off, it will be easier to advance her more quickly later, than it would be to hold her back later on.

[kiwik]

Honestly I would say you made a mistake and do another year first grade.

[FO4UR]

Dancing Bears Reading  I'm guessing Book A, but take a look.

 

 

Call her whatever grade makes her happy.  It doesn't matter one bit right now. Work at challenging but doable pace. 15min lessons, and give her breaks between.

 

My 8yo is a summer b-day, and prone to dyslexic tendencies.  I have mentally thought of him as a grade below what he calls himself for the sake of planning his lessons.  By 9yo, I don't think there will be any difference between his age/grade at all.  6mo makes a big difference at 6yo, but a much smaller difference at age 10.

 

 

She needs time, and consistent work.

[Ellie]

She has anxiety about grade levels because her older brother and sister both went to public school, she has family and friends that go to public school and refer to grade levels. She knows that 2nd grade comes after 1st grade--I have NOT mentioned to her that I would hold her back--those are my thoughts and I am concerned about her reaction if I had her "repeat" 1st grade. We have homeschooled for 4 years and I was a public school teacher before having children. Children do not all read at the same time, and aren't ready to read at the same time! She IS progressing and functioning, she just has had more of a struggle than both of my other children so I am looking to other moms that may have had similar late-bloomers!

 

I would have no qualms about letting her go on to "second grade."

 

You have not said anything that would cause me to believe that she won't be up to speed by next year.

 

I would especially not hold her back because of her age. 

 

FTR, my younger daughter was not reading at her age level until she was 9.5 yo. She began taking classes at the community college when she was 14. She graduated with multiple AA's (who knew you could do that??), with a 4.0 GPA. She was physically ill if she made less than an A on any paper or test. She took notes in class and would come home and rewrite/color-code them. If an assignment was due on Friday, she finished it by the Monday before. It is why I am not concerned that your dd is not reading as well as some children are by that age.

 

:001_smile:

[strawberryjam]

My son was exactly the same. Now he's finishing Grade 3 up and his reading skills have just skyrocketed! Keep up with the Explode the Code, and start "All About Reading". It has made such a HUGE difference for us. We also love the leveled readers from "Penguin Young Readers". He has to read 20-40 minutes a day (I set a timer), and I pick out books that he can read by himself that are just slightly above his ability. Lately he hasn't been asking for help figuring out words at all, so I know it's time to bump him up to the level 4 readers.

 

Edited to add: We use Explode the Code too, we are close to the end. I usually get him to do 6 pages per school day. The teachers guides come in handy if it's becoming too frustrating, they have some good activities in there. I also found that the ETC workbooks were a perfect match together with AAR. 

[strawberryjam]

Ok I just read through some of the other comments... I would not hold her back a year cause of her reading level. My son went from reading simple "Dick and Jane" style beginner readers to reading chapter books in less then 3 months. Acceleration is NOT constant. Nothing to worry about. Just keep being consistent and she'll be just fine! :) I was worried too. My son is amongst the youngest in his grade and he had a really rough start with reading, but just being consistent and patient... has paid off big time.

[boscopup]

My current 2nd grader was like your DD. Reading clicked at 7 for him. He still has to work harder at it than my other two readers, but his ability has jumped so much that he told me one day that he wasn't learning anything in his first grade reading program. I let him bump up to the second grade program a week ago.

 

As far as grade levels go... My son turned 8 last November, so he's an older 2nd grader, plus he's tall for his age. At this point, calling him first grade in church Bible class (the only outside place where grade is used for him) would be embarrassing. He's doing fine in the 2nd-3rd grade class, even reading out loud from his NKJV Bible during class (something I didn't realize they did at that level, and was pleasantly surprised that he could do it by last August). Now if he had started that class 6 months earlier, he would not have been able to read the Bible himself... at all. That is how much his reading jumped last summer.

 

Later, we may choose to start high school a year later or in some way prolong graduation by a year. Or maybe we won't. I'm not making that decision at such a young age. I call him his age-based grade and give him appropriate level materials (3rd grade math, 1st grade language arts for most of this school year). I do the same thing with my accelerated kids. My 5 year old K'er is functioning at a 2nd grade language arts level, and reading is well above that (he can read anything and sound out new multisyllable words). I still call him K. He isn't doing anything at K level, not even handwriting (his handwriting is better than my 2nd grader's). So I'm used to matching level with ability and not worrying about changing grade level. Readiness for high school credit worthy work is where I'd consider changing a grade level if it would be beneficial to the child. If my 2nd grader is like his grandpa (and his reading progression has been very similar), he may be well ahead in Reading by time he gets to middle school. I can't predict that now. As long as we're seeing good progression, I'm just continuing at his pace.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I agree with Ellie.  You use their age-based grade level until about 12 and then adjust as necessary. I wish I had just done that with my two oldest kids.  We adjusted way too much when it didn't matter just for them both to be so different by the time it did matter.  One tweak for one of them and no tweak for the other and all would have been so easy. 

 

I do think there can be a difference for some kids.  I have a child with special needs AND a later bday. He is also extremely small. If that child was in public school, he would be a year "behind" there also.  

 

But if I just had a young child who just hadn't had it all click yet?  No way would I hold them back.  For many kids who get phonics instruction, they take off when they finally do learn to read.  It takes months when ready, not years, to learn to read.  My daughter learned to read in several weeks at 3.  My son had a TON of exposure, but when he FINALLY learned to read (very late), he did so in a matter of a few months.  Same with my little kids.  My daughter and son learned within several weeks once they learned.  My 6yo will likely do similarly whether it is at 6 (he better hurry if it is going to be at six. lol) or 10.  I will just make sure that he has all the information by which to do it when he *is* ready.  

[zarabellesmom]

My daughter's birthday is August 25th and she was technically 5 when she started 1st grade this year. She could have easily entered PS as a K or 1st. She attended a Montessori program last year with a little boy whose birthday was the same as hers. He is in PS as a Ker this year. I'm in a good situation because I live in GA so I only have to report her age when I do report, and I do not have to assign her a grade. That said, she knows that 1st grade comes after K and just assumed she was 1st grader. I made the decision to call her a 1st grader and I don't regret it at all. Her reading was probably not quite 1st grade level but it has been the focus of our year.

 

If she had entered this year as a Ker, she would now be a Ker doing second grade math, reading chapter books and doing 4th grade science. Her handwriting is beautiful and she writes at a 1st grade level. I'd be in the position of grade skipping her next year. That would just be silly. You don't know when her reading will take off. You have the luxury of teaching her at whatever level she is at. I wouldn't worry about holding back a homeschooled student until high school as others have said. What would be the point? Wouldn't you still meet her wherever she was?

 

My 4th grader works at a much more advanced level than her grade would indicate, but I'm not skipping her ahead either. I'm not going to pretend to be psychic and know when students are going to jump ahead and when they will even out. I just give them what they need to continue moving forward at their own rate.

[newbieoftwo]

I have to agree with Ellie. I held my son back a year based on maturity and the fact that he was going to public school. He learns in waves (stalls out and then jumps ahead randomly) and public school doesn't really accommodate that type of learning. His reading clicked around 6 1/2 with a lot of intensive phonics work done at home. If I was able to homeschool, I would have just called him the grade level that matched his age/cut-off date and worked with him wherever his skills were at. 

 

We absolutely love AAR for a child that needs the slow and steady pace for phonics. My son really needed the "nuts and bolts" approach to reading. Once he had a good phonics base, his reading progressed quickly. Don't rush to read at "grade level" and just keep progressing.  :grouphug:

[alisoncooks]

I have two summer-birthday daughters. I call them by the grade they would be in if they were in public school. This means my 6.5yo (who can only read CVC words) is in first grade this year...and will be in 2nd next year, no matter the progress we make in the next several months. It also means my 8.5yo is a 3rd grader this year, even though she *only* just began reading well these past couple of months (though she's probably still reading a grade level behind). They know what grade their same-aged peers are...so we call them that grade, but continue to work on their level.

[alisoncooks]

She has anxiety about grade levels because her older brother and sister both went to public school, she has family and friends that go to public school and refer to grade levels. She knows that 2nd grade comes after 1st grade--I have NOT mentioned to her that I would hold her back--those are my thoughts and I am concerned about her reaction if I had her "repeat" 1st grade. We have homeschooled for 4 years and I was a public school teacher before having children. Children do not all read at the same time, and aren't ready to read at the same time! She IS progressing and functioning, she just has had more of a struggle than both of my other children so I am looking to other moms that may have had similar late-bloomers!

I've started many threads about my late-bloomer. ((Hugs))

For oldest DD, we are only just now seeing the results from all our hard work. FWIW, I was also a public teacher before a homeschooling mom, and I struggled with the fact that my DD didn't fit the standards I remembered (I taught 1st grd).

 

Now my youngest is seeming to take the same (long, meandering) path to reading that her sister took. *sigh*

[Pen]

One thing I find particularly wonderful about homeschool is that I can work with my child where he is at in each subject.

 

Except for official paperwork which has very little to do with our daily work in school, grade level designation barely enters in to what we do. We don't talk about it particularly and many of our materials do/did not even say a grade level on them. (MUS math for example, did not.)

 

My son, age 13, is doing high school level work in some areas or even using adult/college level materials, notably for history, while working on spelling at a 4th grade level. With math he moves to each new level after he masters the last one. He is currently in pre-algebra, half way through he decided he was not secure and feeling he had mastery at a lower level even though he had near 100% scores, so we went back to 1/4 way through the book to review. I believe that in math mastery is very important, or holes comes back to trip you up later on.

 

As for your other specific questions, I would look for audio materials--SOTW audio was something my son loved particularly well and set him up nicely for his advanced current abilities in history, I think-- and books with lots of pictures--possibly Eyewitness/DK type books, we had illustrated books on weather, science, and all sorts of things at that stage, as well as DVD documentaries at her level... some are made by same publishers as have good illustrated books (National Geographic etc.), film series like Nature, Attenborough nature films, Iain Stewart's Earth, are all wonderful.   So is growing a garden and doing nature observation in the real world.

[Minerva]

:iagree: Everything that PEN said

[Pen]

PS in case it should help the reading program that my ds broke through with was High Noon Reading Intervention and Chapter Books.  If ETC is working, I'd say stick to it, but HN is something to consider if you need more than ETC.

[Joyful Journeys]

Reading just clicked for my dd. She is 7.5. It is completely normal. She has a late birthday to boot, so she's still in first grade for all intents and purposes (ie what to tell strangers when they ask). It matters not one bit what you call the grade she is in. She has no idea what curriculum is considered a second grade level, except for math, that has a 2 on the cover lol. My dd is ahead in math as well, but "behind" in reading. We all have different strengths and I hate for you to stress about a developmental milestone you cannot control. I have no doubt she'll be right with the average 3rd grader when the time comes.

 

Fwiw, as an older kid that knew how to blend, we moved to a spalding style approach. I could tell a big change rather quickly when we would build words together via dictation and then have those same words later in a reader. It got her out of the fat cats on mats boring stuff and into real stories. That alone may make her feel more empowered? It was a great confidence booster here.

 

I'm %100 involved in every subject as it is requires really at this age. Thankfully she doesn't care.

[zarabellesmom]

And just to offer an alternative perspective about late readers catching up:

 

http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago006408.html

 

Research shows no advantage to learning to read from age five.

[SnMomof7]

Just keep going. Keep using what works for you on the level your child needs. Call the next grade the next grade. My 3rd grader uses materials for grade two and three, my sixth grader uses materials from fourth through sixth. Give them what they need, call the grade whatever you want to :). First grader sent ever be independent workers, they are still learning the basics necessary to reach independence.

[mommyof3blessings]

Thank you, ladies. Most of the responses have been very helpful. I am considering all advice. Thanks again!

[Tanikit]

My DD7 is in 2nd grade - she knows this because she goes to a Sunday School class run by grade levels, gets separated into grade levels at other activities and holiday activities. At home we work at her level. Some of the books we are using do have grade levels written on them and this has caused some problems at times, but I have always just told her - we are working at a level where I need to teach you. 

 

If I do not have to teach my child then all she is doing is busywork or revision and if the work is so difficult that I have to back up a book or too in order for her to be able to do it then what I am doing with her is inappropriate. This is not so much about the child as about the parent especially at 7 years of age - its about feeling confident to meet your child where she is and trusting when you need to get outside help if there are learning difficulties.