XP: How do you encourage your child to read?

ZoeyMarie

Hello ladies. My sister's goddaughter is having problems in school --  reading specifically. They've asked me to "tutor" her as they can't afford to hire one themselves. She's in 1st grade. Can you give me any hints as to how to encourage her to read/help her through her struggles? It's to the point where she pretends to be sick because she gets frustrated in school and can't complete her homework. The principal called and told her parents that she'll be held back a year if her reading doesn't come up to snuff.

JOEBunny

Try hooked on phonics.  My DD is a lot younger, but they have them for all grades.  It is a sort of program, but very varied.  It is the only thing DD will sit through the lessons for.  I found a coupon on slick deals to get 1/2 off of it.  There are other similar programs, I just haven't tried them and for less than $30, this one was cheapest for what you got.  I find the ideas they give can be very useful.  Also, consider that she may have a learning disability.  I have one that wasn't caught until I was in 3rd grade that specifically has to do with writing, though not with reading.  There are lots of them that most people have never heard of that impact a child's ability to process language.  This is especially true if she generally tries, but can't read. 

DandelionMom

Read to her a lot (minimum of 20 minutes a day)

find fun easy books for her to read to gain confidence

try starfall.com for fun reading games

Have they tested her vision?  Have they talked to their pediatrician (or possibly a developmental pediatrician)?

shouldbworkin

DandelionMom:

Read to her a lot (minimum of 20 minutes a day)

find fun easy books for her to read to gain confidence

try starfall.com for fun reading games

Have they tested her vision?  Have they talked to their pediatrician (or possibly a developmental pediatrician)?

Ditto all of this.  And, I'm really surprised the would discuss holding her back w/o suggesting some reading resource services through the school first!  If I was her mom, I would be asking about that and/or sending her for some tutoring at a place that has a gentle approach. 

neverblushed

-auntie-:

Assuming she has at least an average IQ, if she's been exposed to a formal reading program for a year and is 6, then it's likley she has some learning differences interfering with her ability to learn to read.

Her parents need to request, in writing, a multifactored evaluation of all areas of suspected disability immediately of her local school district.

Unless you are a masters degreed special education or reading specialist teacher, this is likely beyond your skill set. If she has LD issues, the school should provide highly qualified staff and appropriate differentiated instruction. Orton-Gillingham and LindamoodBell would be my first choices, I would accept (grudgingly) Scholastic Read 180 or Wilson Reading.

 Ditto this.  If the normal program at school is not working, then it's likely that she has some sort of learning issue that's making things difficult for her.  Once a learning issue is identified by testing, schools are obligated to provide services of this kind.

I think it's lovely that you're offering to help out, and I think the help of a kind adult will go a long way to raise her confidence and make reading fun and less of a drag.  Ultimately, though, she probably needs a more structured program that is targeted at kids with a specific processing problem   The school should provide this for her, but her parents might have to be assertive in making it happen.

ZoeyMarie

neverblushed:

-auntie-:

Assuming she has at least an average IQ, if she's been exposed to a formal reading program for a year and is 6, then it's likley she has some learning differences interfering with her ability to learn to read.

Her parents need to request, in writing, a multifactored evaluation of all areas of suspected disability immediately of her local school district.

Unless you are a masters degreed special education or reading specialist teacher, this is likely beyond your skill set. If she has LD issues, the school should provide highly qualified staff and appropriate differentiated instruction. Orton-Gillingham and LindamoodBell would be my first choices, I would accept (grudgingly) Scholastic Read 180 or Wilson Reading.

 Ditto this.  If the normal program at school is not working, then it's likely that she has some sort of learning issue that's making things difficult for her.  Once a learning issue is identified by testing, schools are obligated to provide services of this kind.

I think it's lovely that you're offering to help out, and I think the help of a kind adult will go a long way to raise her confidence and make reading fun and less of a drag.  Ultimately, though, she probably needs a more structured program that is targeted at kids with a specific processing problem   The school should provide this for her, but her parents might have to be assertive in making it happen.

Her parents are getting her tested. She is also in Title One at school to help her with her reading. I've found out the issue is this: Her parents have been active in making sure she's on target. Each PT conference has confirmed she's doing well, there's no problems, pleasure to have in cash. But now, a month before school is ending, they're telling them she may be held back.What?!?! It doesn't make sense.

From what I can see, she's more of a nervous reader than anything else, though I did notice that she flips here letters A LOT (saw became was, on became no, d's were b's), so I'm wondering -- in my very non professional opinion -- if she isn't a bit dyslexic. It's a small Christian school, so the class sizes are small and everyone has to read out loud frequently. It is also the practice that 1st & 2nd grades are together, so that may contribute to her nervousness. I didn't notice any words that she "should know" that she was totally missing on, so I'm not sure what the problem is. They're meeting with her Title 1 teacher today and want me to go along so I know what we need to do.

ZoeyMarie

-auntie-:

You said:

Her parents are getting her tested. She is also in Title One at school to help her with her reading. I've found out the issue is this: Her parents have been active in making sure she's on target. Each PT conference has confirmed she's doing well, there's no problems, pleasure to have in cash. But now, a month before school is ending, they're telling them she may be held back.What?!?! It doesn't make sense.

From what I can see, she's more of a nervous reader than anything else, though I did notice that she flips here letters A LOT (saw became was, on became no, d's were b's), so I'm wondering -- in my very non professional opinion -- if she isn't a bit dyslexic. It's a small Christian school, so the class sizes are small and everyone has to read out loud frequently. It is also the practice that 1st & 2nd grades are together, so that may contribute to her nervousness. I didn't notice any words that she "should know" that she was totally missing on, so I'm not sure what the problem is. They're meeting with her Title 1 teacher today and want me to go along so I know what we need to do.

It's important to understand that schools have benchmarks for promotion to the next grade and that it is entirely possible she has been progressing adequately until this time. It's best if teachers can start warning parents in february when there are issues, but often what I see are teachers who couch the news so gently parents don't hear the message.

It's important to understand that reading aloud is a performance distinct from reading to oneself for comprehension. Performance anxiety can play into this. See how she reads to a doll or a pet? Does she still stumble? if she doesn't you know it's about "performing".

The mistakes she makes are more consistant with a glitch in directionality than dyslexia. At this age, her spelling would be a place where dyslexia would be more obvious. What's her spelling like in free choice writing? What sort of reading program is being used at this school- whole word, whole language, phonics? What qualifications do you bring to this situation?

FWIW, often these small Christian schools are the worst possible fit for a child with LD or processing issues. My son started at such a school and they nearly destroyed his love of learning. It took us 2 1/2 years at a theraputic LD school to catch up.

Other than being a willing helper and the person she requested help her, I bring only the ability to read myself and the desire to see her succeed along with the time to help her do so.

In free writing, on and no get confused, d's and b's confused. That's all from what I've seen, but I only helped her one night.

As far as what type of reading program, I know they use phonics, but I honestly don't know what whole word vs. whole language are. I'm really just trying to give her a hand until they can find out what is "wrong" with her.

FWIW, when she read out loud and I asked her questions about what she had read, she had no problem answering the questions.

CubbyMama

I teach kindergarten and I think it's a bit presumptive to say she has learning disabilities or dyslexia at this point. It's considered normal for students to reverse letters and numbers (b/d, etc.) in both reading and writing up through third grade, believe it or not! She may just be lacking in confidence or experience, in which case some one-on-one positive reading experiences could do her a world of good. What's her current reading level ("running record level")? The best thing to do is meet her where she's at by finding appropriate-level books: too easy and she won't get any practice decoding unknown words, too hard and she'll get frustrated. There are lots of printable books online for free if you google "printable emergent readers," but those may be too easy depending on where she's at--they're at kindergarten level (running record 1-4 ish). My "Parents Teach" blog in sig may have some useful tips/links. Good luck!