4Real Forums: Backing off from reading

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Topic: Backing off from reading

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kingvozzo
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Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Maine
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Posted: Nov 16 2008 at 11:15pm \| IP Logged

Help! I really need some perspective here. I have been working with my dd7 to help her learn to read. We're using Reading Reflex, which I used successfully for ds, now 10. I've been fairly inconsistent with working with her, but have tried to be more so in the past few months.
She balks at reading anything, and will whine and fidget endlessly. After much deliberation, I had decided to "reward" her with a piece of candy after she completed that day's reading (usually just 4 or 5 pages in a Frog and Toad type book). that worked reasonably well...
I feel like we're at an impasse, and I'm not sure what my next step should be. She's frustrated and absolutely not interested in reading anything, I'm frustrated with her whining and distraction during reading time...it's not fun at all. I don't want her to hate reading, obviously. she still loves being read to, although every time I say we're going to read a book, she's upset till she finds out if "I'm" reading or "her."
So, a couple of the options I'm considering, in no particular order
1-ditch our current reading program and switch to something like "Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons"
2-plug away with the current reading program instruction in very small doses daily, but not asking her to read at all, till after Christmas or so...to give her a break
3-continue our current reading program and require that she read to me each day
This turned into a novel

but I was hoping to give enough info that it would make sense.
Oh, I almost forgot...she still has difficulty differentiating between "b" and "d" sometimes, and occasionally "t" and "f", this makes me wonder if maybe it's a maturity/developmental thing and I should just back off completely for a bit? If she were in school, she'd be in 2nd grade...I know she's not up to a 2nd grade level.
Thoughts? Prayers are appreciated too. I know that my poor attitude is NOT helping my poor daughter either!

Thanks!

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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms

Marybeth
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Joined: May 02 2005
Location: Illinois
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Posts: 1277

Posted: Nov 16 2008 at 11:57pm \| IP Logged

Noreen,

I could have written this post a 100 times in the past! I am sorry for your frustration. Ds would be in second grade and panic mode set in when I realized how behind he was in reading. We are doing much better today with less whining, less distractions and actually enjoying reading.

1. We really worked diligently on sight words for about two months. It helped ds gain confidence in getting so many words correct and seeing his "mastered" pile grow.

2. File folder games (bought ready made at the teacher's store)were a lifesaver. He was having fun and learning too!

3.Books on tape!! Great for keeping the love of reading alive and easier for me with chasing a toddler all over the house. She is another post entirely!

4. Mercy Academy learning style test. My dh says it is the best $$ we have spent on ds's education. It confirmed things I knew or suspected. No learning disabilities...just a tweaking of our day!

5. We use Phonics Pathways and Reading Pathways. He enjoys the pyramid structure of Reading Pathways much more than Phonics Pathways. Dh is doing Phonics Pathways a few evenings a week with ds. We have taken three weeks off of Reading Pathways because I had surgery.I do believe in taking short breaks from books.

6. We require 20 minutes of silent reading per day. I pulled a huge huge pile of books off our shelves so I wouldn't hear anymore, "I don't know what to read...blah,blah,blah!!" He is laughing reading Minnie and Moo books. He is currently reading Magic Treehouse series. I don't care if people think they are twaddle. It interests ds, and I am no longer crying. Win win in my book!

7. We require ds to read all the directions aloud on any workbook page he has to complete. ie: Explode the Code, CHC spelling, Horizons math

8. I write him a letter daily on a big white board. He has to read it aloud to me. He really likes this part of the day.

9. I hung many posters up this year for him to read. He reads and writes from the Word Family poster a few times per week. Review is crucial for him with reading proficiency!

10. I read everything I could about reading and brain development. Some of it very technical...ugh...not fun at the pool reading...it did show me ds is not an instinctive reader...he doesn't make connections with reading as easy as others.
We reviewed letter sounds, short vowels and rhymes until I thought I would scream!!! It helped tremendously...thank goodness! I hear the short e sound in my sleep.

11. I had ds take a reading test on-line which scored his chronological reading age. gulp! He took the test at 7.8 months and was reading at 6.1. I retested him at 8.2 months and he was reading at 7.2 months.

12. My attitude did not help us at all. I gave this year over to St. John Bosco for his help. I think he is really pulling for me.

Review, taking short breaks from a formal program and reading 20 minutes per day is really helping us this year. Last year I was in tears about 3/4 of the year over our lack of reading skills. I will be praying for you and your daughter.

Pardon the long post! I am off to bed!!! God bless!

Mb

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Marybeth (Mb)
http://held-together.blogspot.com

At_His_Feet
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Joined: April 28 2007
Location: Australia
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Posted: Nov 27 2008 at 3:21am \| IP Logged

My ds, now 10 struggled learning to read. He still isn't where I would like him to be, but he's getting there. When he was in gd 2 or 3

I decided to back right off. He was crying when I pulled out the readers. I had read a few of the Moore books, and heard others say that waiting had worked. So very reluctantly I put the readers etc away for a few months.

It was the best thing I have done for him. He had more confidence when he started again. No tears etc. I know believe that he just wasn't ready for any academic work. But I had been sold the one size fits all mentality.

Not sure if this helps. My advise would be pray, listen to where the Spirit is leading you. As a mother you know what's best. Trust yourself!

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Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
Do whatever He tells you

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