how can I get my year 3 son extra help in school with his reading and writing?

[Jmiller]

My Son has just turned 8 and has seen a speech therapist on and off for the past 4 years. His speech is near enough perfect now but as a result of this has affected his reading and writing :( He really does try hard but we've just had parents evening and was told he is really fallen behind and had a reading age of 6. He goes with a support teacher 2 sessions a week but this is obviously not enough. His teacher says she does not know what else she can do and that she will speak to the head teacher and see what she comes up with! Any comments or suggestions would be very much appreciated as he is my first born child and have no experience with things like this. Thank you very much. Jessica x

I dont know that the school can do much more as they seem to be doing quite a lot already. There are limited resources meaning their help can only stretch so far. You should look at helping him yourself by way of Kumon, Explore Learning, private tutor or better still you etc. I think the school are doing all they can, the rest is up to you.

A reading age of 6 for someone who is only just 8 is by no means the end of the world, especially if he's coming off the back of other issues.

Just do everything you should be, reading together, reading to him, getting him to read his favourite books over and over, and I'm sure he'll be fine.

I do read with him every day and do his speech therapy work with him 3-4 times a week. I have brought phonic books, ORT books, read along with cd books it just doesn't seem to be sinking in to him! Any suggestions on where to find a private tutor? I'm willing to try and do everything I can to help him.

It's not fair to say that school are doing everything they can. They are doing something for him - but of course they could do more.

For example my DD is doing very badly at reading and writing and she gets:

1 hour a day small group phonics
1:1 reading with a TA or older student twice a day
2 x week spelling intervention
1 x week memory intervention

And as of yesterday they have just agreed to increase this with an extra hour a week of 1:1 (DD is doing really badly)

I think you need to book an appt with the SENCO to discuss what school will do. The SENCO is responsible for deciding this.... And you should expect them to teach him.

You can also obv pay for a tutor (def not kumon) - but will 1 hour a week be enough?

You can also do loads of phonics teaching yourself. Both Apples and Pears and Toe by Toe are manuals which are meant to be done for 10 mins every day by parents to teach their kids to read. I'd start with one of them. (As well as talking to your SENCO)

Or you can go for a computer based learn to read program like HeadSprout or ClickNKids........

JMiller how bad is he? Can you tell us what NC level or book band he is on?

JMiller - I have PMed you!

Thank you for all your advice, he is only on stage 5 ORT books and level 1A with reading and 1A for writing his maths is fine he's a 2A but now he's at the stage of written problem solving in maths it's starting to affect this too, which is a real shame as he really enjoys maths!
I have been into the school this afternoon and spoken to the SENCO and they are trying to see what they can do. He does get 1:1 twice a week for about an hour and reads with a TA or 'reading buddie' once a week if they can. I just don't know what to expect from the school if anything, and like I said I am more than willing to sit and help him everyday or do whatever it takes just not sure what it will take?

This page will take you through the options of what's available in school and out:

www.dyslexics.org.uk/should_I_options.htm

HTH

I think you need someone (school, tutor, yourself) who can cover reading skills with a strong synthetic phonics approach. Are they doing this in his 1 to 1 sessions? If so can they give you more of this type of work to do at home?

Thank you so much to everyone we have found so much of this information useful. Have been online all day.

Thanks maverick for the link, that is very interesting.

Toe by Toe per Indigo's post is excellent

Toe by toe will only help if he hasn't had synthetic phonics tuition.

If he is already getting 2 hors a week 1:1 phonics tuition, then toe by toe won't help at all.

JMiller did you get my message in your inbox?

I ordered Toe by Toe yesterday as alot of people have recommended it and had a fantastic write up so fingers crossed.