5yo boy and letters

[chilliepepper]

Ok, I know he's just 5. In fact, he just turned 5. And he's a boy. And, granted, I really haven't worked with him much at all on letters and their sounds. I bought AAR pre reading but he has had very little interest in it and I have been loathe to force it on him. Same with Explode the Code "Get Ready for the Code." He has also spent a decent amount of time on Reading Eggs and Starfall. I don't think he got very far through the levels of them, though...he sort of just bounced around according to whatever interested him---mostly the little games. If I tried to do the actual lessons with him, he would get tired of it pretty quickly because I wanted to go through methodically and actually do all the steps.  :001_rolleyes:

 

But when I do try to work with him, he can't remember letters or sounds to save his life! Even within one session, it could go like this:

 

What's this letter (the letter P, to which he has been exposed many, many times)?

 

I don't know.

 

It's P. What is it?

 

P.

 

What sound does it make?
 

I don't know.

 

It's "p." Can you say that?

 

p.

 

Good. What's this letter?
 

O. (he does know that one fairly consistently, though he did forget it several times during today's session)

 

What sound does it make?

 

"o" (short o sound)

 

Ok, back to this letter...what is it?

 

I don't know.

 

It's P. Remember? We just talked about it. What is it?

 

P.

 

What sound does it make?

 

I don't know.

 

and round and round we go. If I teach a sound, then go on to another letter, and then come back to the first sound, he does not remember it. No matter how many times we do it. We must have visited the letter "P" and its sound about ten times, and he still could not remember it if we left it for even one other letter.

 

Again---I know he's only 5. But...is it normal for a kid to just not be able to remember something that he was JUST TOLD 15 seconds ago, even after a lot of repetitions?

 

ETA: I know that the above method isn't necessarily a recommended way of teaching letters and their sounds. It's just something I do sometimes when we're reading a simple book, to see if he can recognize/remember them---which I'm finding out he apparently can't!

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2016 by chilliepepper

[Guest]

Yeah. Hes basically 4.

[SilverMoon]

Yes. Actually. My 17yo can do that too. LOL

 

But seriously, get him the Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD. It's a 30 minute cartoon. Play it once a day. He'll learn the sounds by osmosis.

[HomeAgain]

He's not ready. He's fighting you in the best way he can. I would just stop the questions. Questions only work when a child is engaged, otherwise it's a power struggle you can't win. Spend your time intentionally giving usable information: put your finger under words and sound them out as you read. Drop letter names and introduce plastic or magnetic letters. If he asks, tell him the sound only. Give him space and wait a few months.

Edited May 27, 2016 by HomeAgain

[theelfqueen]

Seconding Letter Factory.

 

[Holly]

I had two ready to learn letters at 3/4yo and two who weren't ready until closer to 6yo.  Once he's ready, the letter sounds shouldn't be a struggle to remember.  I'd also put aside formal curriculum for a couple months--it's amazing what a little time can do!  ETC Primers are great for learning letter sounds once he's ready to learn.  

[ReadingMama1214]

I third Leap Frog Letter Factory. It's amazing.

[MerryAtHope]

I'd put it up and just read aloud to him for a few months, then pull it out and try again. 

[Squawky Acres]

I'm so sorry.  That sounds like a frustrating, but not impossible problem.

 

Yes, read him good books and have him watch Letter Factory!  My children watched it, and I never had to teach letter sounds.  

Edited May 29, 2016 by Squawky Acres

[HS Mom in NC]

He's probably not ready yet.  Just because mom is ready to teach it doesn't mean a kid is ready to learn it.  Put it away.  Get it out in a few months and if he doesn't take to it, put it away for another few months.  Rinse. Repeat.  My middle wasn't ready to learn to read until she was almost 8.  She could read like an adult at 11. Oldest could read like an adult at 5. We never had to repeat anything in a phonics lesson. ever.  Youngest can't quite read like an adult yet at age 10. They're all different.

[BearWallowSchool]

My son couldn't remember all the letter sounds until he was almost 7. I stressed about it and made him cry. Looking back he just needed some time. Take a break. But I do agree The Letter Factory video is good. 

[SoCal_Bear]

Although I like Letter factory...I like Preschool Prep DVDs. They cover all the sounds a letter makes instead of just the most common one.

[Peaceful Isle]

He's so little :) mine just turned 5 as well. All he remembers right now, is to wear just his underwear all around the house...with his superman cape! Lol

[Catalytic]

Although I like Letter factory...I like Preschool Prep DVDs. They cover all the sounds a letter makes instead of just the most common one.

 

 

^^^  LOVE Preschool Prep.  They show up on Woot for a decent price pretty frequently.  Best impulse purchase ever.

[PhotoGal]

This sounds just like my 5 year old boy (turning 6 in September). However, I think he really does have a visual memory/processing issue due to his medical condition. He is now getting really close to knowing all his letter names, and sounds seem to be coming more quickly. I remember how frustrating it was just to teach him the letter A. It took him about a month (no pressure, just pointing out the letter, coloring the letter, apps, DVDs, etc.) He did get it with lots of repetition.

 

Did he learn his shapes/colors fairly easily or was that difficult as well? Our little guy had a lot of trouble with those as well - basically anything visual (drawing a shape, doing a puzzle) is difficult for him, but slowly getting better.

 

Something I should have done and still should be doing is more kinesthetic stuff - make letters out of playdough, write letters in sand, etc.  

[goldenecho]

This is great advice.  My son was the same way...in some ways sort of is (he's 8 now).  But I've learned he learns in spurts.  Like with addition...memorization just didn't stick and he was getting nowhere and getting frustrated and I just had to drop it for a while, and then at one point he just started memorizing like crazy.

 

Just wait for signs of readiness.  Keep reading to him...get alphabet books and such but leave it very low pressure and fun. 

 

He's probably not ready yet.  Just because mom is ready to teach it doesn't mean a kid is ready to learn it.  Put it away.  Get it out in a few months and if he doesn't take to it, put it away for another few months.  Rinse. Repeat.  My middle wasn't ready to learn to read until she was almost 8.  She could read like an adult at 11. Oldest could read like an adult at 5. We never had to repeat anything in a phonics lesson. ever.  Youngest can't quite read like an adult yet at age 10. They're all different.

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Putting in a plug for Letter Factory also.  Really anything sing songy may help too.

 

 

[AmandaVT]

My dad got this for DS when he was little. We didn't really do anything but leave it in the car as a car trip toy. Taught him all of his letters and letter sounds.:-) 

 

http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-Enterprises-19138-Letter-Discoveries/dp/B001W2WKRQ/ref=sr_1_8?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1464530219&sr=1-8&keywords=leap+frog+letters

 

There was a PBS show he used to love - Word World - I'm not sure if it's still on. But it was a great show and taught letters, letter sounds and words. 

[boscopup]

Another vote for Leapfrog Letter Factory. My oldest learned his letter sounds at age 2, but the next kid was 4 and still didn't know any basic sounds (which is FINE). Popped that DVD in and 3 days later he knew his letter sounds. :D Note that it was still a while before he could read. Reading really clicked with him around age 8 and he took off at 9.

 

My oldest, at age 4, resisted anything resembling me educating him. I backed off and he learned quite a bit on his own. He just wasn't ready for formal school. A couple years later, he was a ridiculously easy homeschool student.

 

My middle son, the one that learned letters from Leapfrog, has a November birthday, so he didn't start K until he was getting close to 6. That was the best thing for him, really. He wasn't ready to start handwriting lessons until a little after he turned 6.

 

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