100 Easy Lessons - question about "say it slow"

[mumtoboys]

My eldest son is 3 yrs 8 mths and is very verbal and interested in books/reading. I started 100 EZ lessons because he is always asking me what words say in books and trying to work them out. I have broken the lessons into 2 because it was a lot for him in one day and he's mostly enjoying it.

 

The problem is he doesn't really do the "say it slow" properly. He will sound out words he's seen before and is starting to try to sound out words in his picture books. But he's not very good at sounding out words he hasn't seen before. Instead he tries to work them out in his head and then says them fast. He can then say them slow once he's worked them out. Often I have to sound out a new word as he completely freezes and he then "says it slow" when I prompt him. I'm not sure if it's just a confidence thing or will really end up affecting his reading.

 

:confused:

 

Did anyone else have success with the programme when their kid struggled on the "say it slow" bit? I'm worried he'll end up reading just by learning words rather than properly reading.

 

What to do? Stop for 6 months and start again, try something different, break the lessons up even more, supplement with something else?

 

I've got explode the code book 1 on order so I could alternate with this and slow down the programme even more.

[Amber in AUS]

I have used this with my DD with great success, but she didn't have any trouble with say it slow. You could try revealing the letters in the word one at a time to get him to sound each letter in the word aloud. I do think say it slow is an important concept because it teaches good blending of the individual sounds which has helped my DD read very well. We didn't start until just over 4 and stopped and started quite a lot

over the first 6 to 8 weeks whilst she got the sounds and the way the program worked.

 

I would try to really take your time. Say it slow everytime he asks you what something says. Really exagerate it. Make it a game, teach teddy to read and have teddy say it slow just the way you want him too. He us still young don't rush. But I say all that and my DS who is just 3 is asking to sound it out now too so we will be starting 100 ez at his pace soon too.

[mumtoboys]

I'm wondering if it's a confidence thing as he's really reluctant to try new things generally. Honestly, no amount of making it fun type stuff can get over his reluctance to sound out new words. He just can't/won't do it!! He will sound them out fine when he knows what they are. Not sure if I'm overworrying as he still loves sounding out words and making the sounds so he might get there as his confidence grows??

 

Does anyone have a similar experience/ideas?

[KellyGirl]

I'm on my third time around of 100EL, this time with a dd 3y 10mo. She will hesitate/refuse to do things if she is afraid that she can't do it. It is a little like you said, where no amount of fun or prodding will get her to take the plunge. She is very capable of doing the lessons, and even remembers the sounds after a few weeks off. She just lacks the confidence.

 

I try putting the book back on the shelf for a week or two, then bring it back out. But if I were you (or me) I would put lots of focus on learning all the letter sounds without the book. Just use flashcards, letter magnets, or write on a dry erase board. Then stick two sounds together, ask him to slowly say each sound. This can build his confidence without the intimidation of the book. Then, as he gets comfortable, go back to the book.

 

Hang in there, both of my boys hit walls with 100 EL from time to time. Now at almost 10 and almost 5, they are both fluent, motivated readers.:D Just try to stay creative and flexible.

[Laurie in VA]

It very well could be a confidence thing. This isn't exactly your dilemma, but I'll telll you what happened with us.

 

DD#1 had just started to sound out c-v-c words when we started 100EZ. She had no trouble with saying the words slowly, but she absolutely refused to read anything other than Bob Books - which we used along with 100EZ - for a very long time. She was convinced that she couldn't read anything else. Once I started pointing out all of the other things she was reading (signs, things at the store, etc) she realized that she could read and she started reading other books.

 

All this to say that maybe your DS needs a little more confidence. Maybe play a game in the car (anwhere that isn't related to "school" where you say everything slowly. Bbbeeee. Sssoooo. Sssiiiillllllllyyyy. After awhile you can point out that he says words slowly so well, "See! You can do it! How cool! Can you do it now?" (and try the lesson).

 

I don't know - I hope some of this was helpful! take care!

[mumtoboys]

Thanks guys. Some really good ideas here. I think I'll take a break and concentrate on some simple phonics with some of your suggestions. He really enjoys his reading time so I don't want to abandon it completely.

:001_smile:

[TKDmom]

I am about halfway through 100 EL with my ds(5). He has always had a problem with "say it slow". At first he COULD NOT blend the sounds together. Once he gained a little proficiency at reading, he would just sound it out in his head (I can hear him moving his lips and sounding it out to himself) then he'd say it fast. We are far enough into the book now that the book requires less "say it slow" exercises.

 

I realized at some point that if ds was doing somthing that works for him I shouldn't be forcing him to do it the way the book says. Power struggles with my kids are never productive. Right now he hates reading the sotries twice (as the book directs) so I just let him read them once and help him work through the words he misses.

 

I agree with concentrating on letter sounds for now with your son. In a few weeks or months, come back to 100 EL and see if he does better with it. You could also, maybe do just one lesson a week and work on simple phonics on other days. Or you could check out other phonics programs to see if they might work better. I just discovered that my library has Ordinary Parents Guide to Reading, so I put it on hold. I want to see how it differs from 100 EL.

[Lovedtodeath]

DD has trouble sounding words out. She does this due to a lack of confidence, but she does tend to rely on sight reading. I am breaking her of it with nonsense words and multisyllable words that she is not familiar with. (lom, nig, conceit, Cicily)