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Primary education

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Original poster

DS (7) struggling to read

36 replies

jofeb04 · 28/04/2011 19:28

Hi All,

My ds (7, and in Year 2) is really struggling to read. He is still on the first band, and finds it very hard to blend the words.

DS is OK with the three letter words, but with four letters, whilst he finds it hard to read(which takes him a long time to read out one word), when asking him to spell the word, he does not seem to "hear" the third sound (so spot is spelt as spt).

We have had a small whiteboard home over the Easter holidays, which he seems to read better with (larger writing, more obvious black on white).

We are desperately trying no to place any pressure on him as he is quite anxious and is aware that he is not doing the same things his friends are in school etc.

Other bits of information about DS: DS takes (generally) a long time to do something but then seems once it is picked up he is fine with it, is much more of a thinker rather than doing (he will think about riding without stablisers, falling off the bike etc before doing it). He still struggles some days to remember the days and months in full order, and has to think for a while before saying something is left or right.

Has anyone got any tips which we could take forward with DS - he mentions that he doesn't like reading as it is hard (he will do maths without being asked at times, as he is pretty good with that).

OP posts:
BoysAreLikeDogs · 28/04/2011 19:33

eye test

hearing test

Original poster
jofeb04 · 28/04/2011 19:44

He had an eye test about six months ago, which seemed fine (though he sits close to the tv, holds books closer to him!). He hasn't had a hearing test since....well, as a baby/toddler I imagine.

Could it be a hearing issue?

OP posts:
houseproject · 28/04/2011 19:48

My ds is 5 and very similar - I'm at the stage of just starting to worry about it. What does the school say about his progress? Are they suggesting any testing?

There was a post here from Indigo about her daughter learning to read, very inspirational but highlighted that parents do need to be proactive.

wish I had some answers but I'm at the start of the journey as well.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 28/04/2011 19:56

could be hearing, an auditory processing thing?

is school concerned ?

Original poster
jofeb04 · 28/04/2011 20:11

Thanks both.

We have been concerned since Year one, but no-one in the school were concerned at the time. Now a term before he goes up to juniors, his teacher seems to be really concerned (they are suggesting meetings every fortnight to see how DS is improving).

May look at the doctors next week to ask for a hearing test (will imagine a referral is needed).

OP posts:
Original poster
jofeb04 · 28/04/2011 20:13

houseproject, no, the teachers have not suggested any testing, just trying to get DS reading more often. We read to him everynight, along with character style (Scooby Do at present) books when he wants to, normally once a day.

OP posts:
Danthe4th · 28/04/2011 20:14

Take him to a behavoural optometrist like this www.keithholland.co.uk/ they do the normal test but they also look for visual stress and how both eyes work together, cost us about £65 worth every penny.
We also had a private educational psychologist test our ds for dyslexia which he has but it showed he has very poor working memory so he really struggled with phonics and blending, because he can't remember with his short term memory, he needs to play games to get things into his long term memory.
He has also done the dancing bears programme at school which he enjoys and is finally making some progress, he turms age 9 in june.

Whenhe was in year 2 he could not read anything, when he went into year 3 is when we got him tested and we have now got an IEP for him which is pretty useless but at least we have it.

I noticed you mention your son doesn't know the order of things, neither does mine, he is hopeless with days of the week. and we don't even try the months.

Definately do not pressure him, I still don't as he would go into complete meltdown.He is still young and it may click with him but I would ask to see the senco at school and see if they are concerned. I had to go privately as the school were too slow and i'm convinced he would still be waiting for a test now. The ed psych test was the best for us as it gave us a starting point to understand what was needed to help him, it calmed us down as well. We weren't after the dyslexia label but it helped my son realise that he could learn he just needed to be shown a different way and it made the school focus on his needs.

I spent quite a bit of time googling and researching, I knew my son had dyslexia when he was 6 ish but they tend not to test until they are 8 as there is not much point but the sooner its discovered the better or even to rule it out.

Danthe4th · 28/04/2011 20:19

I was also recommended word shark which is very good, there are some other programmes available I've seen on other threads.

Danthe4th · 28/04/2011 20:19

www.wordshark.co.uk/

BoysAreLikeDogs · 28/04/2011 20:22

do you recognise any of these traits? not diagnosing online at ALL but re-reading your OP jogged my memory

Original poster
jofeb04 · 28/04/2011 20:37

Dan and Boys thanks for the information. I can see some of the traits in both the dyspraxia and dyslexia.

Ds could blend a word on one page, but will forget the word (and have to blend again) if it is on the next page (iyswim).

He hasn't even tried shoe laces, and he does struggle using the knife (with eating). He does have odd tempers. One minute he will be fine, the next he will be annoyed/angry, then within ten minutes he is back to laughing again. But there are some symptoms which he is the complete opposite with.

We want to help him, but we just don't know how to.

OP posts:
blackeyedsusan · 28/04/2011 21:53

go to a different opticians. dd's friend was taken to one and they said it was ok, but after the school eye test the same week they found she needed glasses Confused

Malaleuca · 29/04/2011 00:00

I see so many children like your boy in my remedial reading business.
We generally underestimate the vast amount of practice some children require to become automatic blenders, and the small incremental steps that are required.
There are many systematic programmes that do provide this systematic instruction and practice, and I am sure others will recommend them. One of the easiest and cheapest for parents to use are the books from www.piperbooks.co.uk. I invariably use these as my first choice, especially if children are still dealing with cvc words.

mrz · 29/04/2011 07:18

Has his teacher suggested anything you can do to help him at home or said what they will be doing in school?

It's all well and good having regular meetings to discuss things but there needs to support in place too.
What reading books is he using in school? How is reading taught?

I always suggest parents rule out the simple things - sight /hearing first
I would be checking his knowledge of phonemes - which/how many does he know?

You say he misses out the third sound when writing words but the example you gave was "spot" spt and I just wanted to check which sound would he miss in words like "post" "nest" "hand" would it be the third or would it be the vowel?

Personally I wouldn't recommend Wordshark and I wouldn't start thinking labels. The problem with lists of symptoms is you can make them fit almost any child. Having a problem with reading and having a label of dyslexia doesn't change anything, identifying the cause of the problem (and dyslexia isn't a cause just an umbrella term) and addressing that to help him is the only way to bring about change.

IndigoBell · 29/04/2011 07:58

These are all the things I advise:

Synthetic Phonics

Vision Test by a Behaviour Optometrist - an optician doesn't test for very many eye problems. You need a thourough test by a behaviour optometrist.

Auidtory Integration Training

Omega Fish Oils

I have written a website about all the things I have tried over the last 3 years to get my kids to read. DD needed Vision Therapy, Omega Fish Oils and Auditory Integration Training before she could learn anything.

Years and years of high quality teaching taught her absolutely nothing.... Because there were underlying physical problems that needed to be fixed. But no school or teacher or tutor or Ed Psych will ever believe/admit this.

You have to remember that there is no-one who has a holistic view of this. All school can do is recommend more 'learn to read' programmes. All an Ed Psych can do is diagnose dyslexia, all an optometrist can do is recommend glasses / vision therapy.

No one else can do what you can do - and get a full picture / treatment.

You might as well assume your child has 'dyslexia' - and decide what you are going to do about it.

Mashabell · 29/04/2011 08:12

Your DS seems similar to what mine was like when he was that age (three decades ago). He also has a logical mind and his problem was the illogicality of English spelling. He found the changing sounds of English spellings (through rough) extremely annoying and hard to cope with and we had to work hard to keep him going.

His salvation was getting hooked on Dr Seuss and Dr Who books. He really wanted to read those and learnet with them, and then there was no stopping him.
I have written blogs and books to explain how English spelling gives many children a very hard time.
Masha Bell

Original poster
jofeb04 · 30/04/2011 10:07

Thanks all,

Mrz, it is the vowell that he struggles to hear.

Indigo and marsha, thanks for the tips.

Going to spend some time reading today. Going to get his eyes tested again next week.

OP posts:
mrz · 30/04/2011 14:16

It is quite common for children to miss out vowel sounds when they write (quite often there is less emphasis on it when we talk~)so it is worth using fingers to count the sounds before he writes the word. Say (or ask him to say) the word clearly then count the sounds on his fingers remind him that all words have a vowel sound and to check if he has missed them (better he checks than you point it out if possible)

teahouse · 30/04/2011 14:24

Sounds a bit like my youngest who is dyslexic and although having perfect eyesite, uses coloured glasses to keep the letter and lines from moving.

I never pushed my youngest to read as it really started turning him off books. When he hit his early teens though he got more into books and is very likely to get enough qualifications to make it to Sixth Form.

He's a bright lad but not served well by the school system.
Good luck - I'd suggest trying to keep him enthusiam up for books and get him dyslexia tested.

Original poster
jofeb04 · 30/04/2011 16:27

Thanks both - he has just come up to me asking me to do some reading on the whiteboard after tea, so going with that soon.

Mrz, thanks for the tips about the vowel, I think that is what confuses him most of all, may try the four letter words tonight and see how he gets on.

OP posts:
mrz · 30/04/2011 16:48

I would practise for a minute or two as often as you can. Whiteboard, magnetic letters, pen and paper or verbal response. It doesn't need to be formal but it may help him to remember. You could start by saying there are 4 sounds so he knows how many to write or draw a so he knows each line needs a sound.

Personally nothing you have said suggests dyslexia at this point

IndigoBell · 30/04/2011 19:27

mrz - he is in Y2, is on the first book band, can only read 3 letter words - and you think there is nothing to suggest dyslexia?

lazydog · 30/04/2011 20:04

I'm not mrz, but can I reply to that IndigoBell ? My DS1 could barely read anything at 7 and yet somewhere during that year it just clicked and at age 8 he was reading the likes of Spiderwick and Harry Potter, so basically the same as his friends. DS2's reading clicked a little earlier - about 6 months earlier than DS1, I'd say - but now (at 8) he's reading totally age appropriate books too. My DH is dyslexic so we did consider it as a possibility, but in actual fact they were just going to "get it" in their own good time :) Not saying the OPs son is or isn't, but it certainly is possible that there's absolutely nothing wrong and it's just something that will suddenly click for him too.

mrz · 30/04/2011 20:27

Dyslexia is such an overused term Indigo. We are talking about a child with a reading difficulty but seriously do you think a label of dyslexia will solve it or do you think that the route of his problem needs to be investigated?

IndigoBell · 30/04/2011 21:14

No, I don't think a label of dyslexia will help. :)

You know I think the route of the problem needs to be investigated - because that's what I harp on about in every post Grin

But I don't think the OP should assume there's nothing wrong, and I interpreted your post as inferring that.

And the easiest way to find out about reading problems, causes and treatments is to google dyslexia...... Even though I really, really hate the term. I think it's a good starting point - and a terrible finishing point :)