How can I help my DS read

[doero]

My DS will be 5 in January.

He started reception in September. He's able to sound out words and blend. So essentially he can read by sounding out.

He's able to sound out in his head too and then read the word out loud.

He's struggling to read several words at once and to recognise words quickly in order to increase fluency.

Should I make loads of flash cards with words on them to try and speed things along for him ? Or is that just silly ?

Just relax. Let him look at and talk about the pictures! He's only little! It's all part of building up a love of reading and learning to notice detail and interpret meaning from a page.
You could try flash cards for 'tricky words' but I really wouldn't push it. Read to him lots and lots. That's it!

This is coming from more than 30 years primary teaching experience and mother to two adult DC one of whom is dyslexic.

He's been at school for 3 months, it sounds like he's doing great. The most important thing at the moment is encouraging enjoyment of reading. Lots of reading with him and reading to him. Real world reading (and writing) too, not just books - signs, shopping lists, board game instructions etc.

Sounds absolutely fine and on track. My son was exactly where yours is last year, and today he got an early reader chapter book out of the library, determined to read it. (I don't think he'll get far as he'll get bored, but he can read a page of the easy-ish text.) He also passed the mock Y1 phonics test they do the check levels already - actual test is next summer.

Just encourage a love of reading, take him to the library, let him read what he likes.

He remembers things so well in books or of if I skip a word of his favourite stories he'll pick up on it. So I guess you're right, he's really understanding the story. His memory is really good for the names of people in his books and stuff like that. Sometimes when I have my hand over a certain part of the page, he also asks me to move it- even if it's just a tiny bird or butterfly that's not really part of the story. He'll be like ' mummy move your hand, I can't see the bug '.

@doero my son will be 5 in December and is about the same. He loves books and we've always read to him daily. Percy park keeper/Winnie the witch type ones in the daytime and now longer chapter books like Olga da Polga and animal ark type books at night. He's definitely got loads better at recognising words/letters and sounding them He's always remembered things from the stories we read and can easily answer questions or "correct" us when we're talking about stuff so I know he's really following the stories and enjoying them. He likes to work out what will happen next etc.

He was never ever fussed about phonics, writing, even drawing when he was at nursery. He hated alpha/number blocks! But he's always had a great imagination and can play out long scenarios with toys or with us.

Since school started, he's loving learning and picking things up really well. We don't really push it at home though, we still read, we try more craft stuff now he's more interested and keep doing things like playing doh and baking to help his hands get stronger.

One thing he loves is "playing school" where he's the teacher and we're the kids. He tells us what to do "hang coat up, write your name" etc and he "helps" us with writing and we ask him to read us a story - his reading book he brings home from school that they do every day.

Just keep things fun and engaging, don't push it if he's tired or maybe even just had enough of it after school (D's is much more enthusiastic about this stuff at a weekend compared to after school for example) and I'm sure he'll be fine! Try not to worry or compare, there's always at least one parent with the kid already reading war and peace and good for them but it doesn't take away from other children's progress!

Being able to read the words is only part of reading. The thing you want to foster the most at his age is a love of books.

Share them together. Picture books are great books with no words are fantastic - talk abut what you can see, ask him how he thinks the characters feel? What does he think is going to happen next?

Take him to the library. Share a menu with him when you go out for dinner so he can see the point of it.

I'm 100 percent not pushing.
I was also asking him to recognise the words in the book and he said ' mum just read it !
You are pushing if you are asking him to recognise words in the book instead of just reading to him

He's working hard at school, he's learning a lot every day. Just read to him for now and let him enjoy this phase.