help needed in teaching letters to DS1

[noonbear]

DS1 is a bright and very articulate little boy but for reasons unknown (probably me being rubbish ) he knows hardly any of his letters. He is 4.5 and attends nursery two full days a week when i am working. He can write his name and knows the letter sounds but i am, and have always, struggled to teach him many more letters (name and sound) by making up games etc...he seems to latch on straight away what i am up to and is turn off by anything that seems educational so I back of for fear of putting him off. We read alot, i point out words, letters and numbers in everyday life but he doesn't seem to progress.

am i worrying too much or should he be further on that this. If so what sort of tings did you do.

Thanks

[Piffle]

Leapfrog fridge phonics
I never said anything
My ds3 is 23mths and is playing with his big sisters old one (she is 6.5) and he knows X O F A T N E Y K
Tis very user friendly.
But also they do not need to know that prior to school, so don't panic x

[Bluestocking]

Are you home edding? If not, when will he start school?

[noonbear]

yep he has that kind of thing and it holds his interest for about 3 minutes. Will introduce it to DS2 (14mth) next week in hope of doing better . DS1 is ace with numbers and arithmatic so i know he is capable - its maddening really.

Maybe i worry too much but i do stress that i have 'not worried' for too long iykwim.

x

[noonbear]

nope he doesn't start school until September (2 weeks before he is 5!)

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[mrsgboring]

Leave it for a while. A good long while; you've got ages yet, and there's no point in creating a battle.

When you think he's forgotten his objections, then try a new alphabet related toy such as the ones recommended on here. (My recommendation is letter shaped cutters for playdough or biscuits.)

I have spent so many hours of wasted time trying to teach my DS something he can't/won't do and then find a few weeks down the line he's interested again, or in fact has learnt it all on his own, mysteriously.

[Littlefish]

Please just leave it. There will be plenty of time at school. My dd starts at the same time as your ds. She will be 4.10. She can recognise some letters and can hear sounds in words (ie, can tell me what sound a word starts/ends with etc). However, I have been entirely led by her and never discuss it with her, or point out letters/words unless she asks.

It's just not important for her to be able to write the letters or even recognise them yet. She'll do it at school. For now, we will cook, build, paint, swing, bounce, explore, talk, cuddle, practise getting dressed (!) and all the other lovely things. It's such a short time until they start school, so please don't worry about it!

(By the way, I say this as a parent, but also a former Reception and Nursery teacher )

[drivinmecrazy]

Noonbear, my DD1 was EXACTLY the same. Nursery said she was extremely bright, vocab was astounding. She could write her own name but not much else when she was 4.5. She was a whizz at numbers (but when you think there are only 10 to get to grips with!). I could never understand why she wouldn't make that last leap to reading when so many of her peers where begining to read pre-school. However, when she started reception she just flew and has continued to fly ever since. Please don't worry and just enjoy these last few precious months when they are still your baby before school starts, they soon grow up too quickly.
BTW, my 3 1/2yo DD2 starts school a week after she turns four and can't even recognise her own name so you really have nothing to worry about.
Pre-school is just about the foundation for learning

[Katiestar]

They will assume no prior knowledge when he starts reception So you really don't need to worry.
As you said yourself, the very real danger is turning him off schoolwork.

[EldonAve]

We have alphabet flashcards from tesco
You can do letters or just snap

[lljkk]

DD knew about 8 letters before she started school, 2 DSs knew none (well, maybe first letter of their names). So far they are all doing very well at literacy -- I don't think preschoolers in England need to know any letters before starting school, they will pick it up quickly enough in reception, ime.

[purepurple]

I often wonder why we are so obsessed with little children learning to read. They really don't need to learn at such a young age. In Sweden they don't start learning to read until they are 6 or 7 and they are top of the literacy league so they must be doing something right (they don't have sats either!)

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

And be very careful to find out what phonic system school uses - there is no usefulness in teaching your child one sytem when they will be doing something different when they get to school

[Highlander]

leave it. There's no rush.

[cockles]

starfall.com is fun though if he likes computer stuff

[thecloudhopper]

Try not to push your child toom much yes point out words/sound but i shouldnt worry too much. As your child starts school they will be introduced to letters, dont put too much enphasis on sounds.