Best resources for 'tutoring' DS, 5?

[asecretlemonadedrinker]

I have thought about Kumon, looked into hiring a tutor but DH says we should try ourselves first to do more with DS. I thought he may listen better to someone else (he refuses to listen/read - I really struggle to get him to read his school book and have to bribe him with biscuits and make it fun - both tuck up in bed etc and he still refuses), but it is expensive and could be waste if he just runs off from them. He missed a large chunk of reception year and spent alot of the rest mucking around! I don't want to sit him down for hours on end or anything like that, and I do know they learn through play, but he needs a little bit of help esp. in reading and maths.

Anyway, to get to the point (!) , is there any good websites/worksheets/workbooks etc that I can use? Any series of books? I want to (gently) brush up over the summer, and beyond I guess in KS1.

Thanks :)

Some children aren't ready for formal learning until they are 6 or 7, then they are like sponges.

I would recommend just reading with your child and to talk to them about the world around them, encouraging conversation.

I have sympathy with you but you need to go very slowly here. He needs to learn that reading is fun, numbers are fun. I would look around you rather than look at workbooks. Counting the levels in a car park and saying how many to go? Reading road or shop signs, bus numbers, giving him money to pay in the shops and looking at coins. I would also suggest (if you are not doind already) you read to him more and perhaps get him to read the odd word whilst reading together. Also you need to point to the words as you read so he learns to follow. Think more laterally and he will learn without him formally learning and getting bored. good luck. x

I'm just so worried he still speaks out every letter of the most simple of worsd - like mum, dad, tim etc. There are only a few he 'knows' - the, and - even in and on he reads letter by letter :( Am I expecting too much? I am scared he is waaaay behind, andhe is on his 3rd school since Sept so no one really knows his capabilities.

Its not good that he hasn't had a consistent year and that must affect his ability. I would not worry too much they will pick it up more in Year 1. Just keep trying at home and work with the school next year on developing more. Have you tried the alphablocks on the cbeebies website- they are good and they are fun. You must not get frustrated with him he will realise it winds you up and then not even try. Try and relax about it all and find fun things to do together that might use his abilities. Eg. taking him shopping with a list and giving him a pen to tick off the items on the list showing him the first letter and the sounds when he looks at list and working the with him to read the items. Use your skills to bring it out and he willl learn. x x

Why is he on his 3rd school since Sep? Will he be staying at his next school for a while?

I think you should give his new school a bit longer before you start to panic.

I think you are expecting too much. If he still can't read 3 letter words by the end of Y1, then I'd be more concerned.

1st school was awful, pulled him twice, last time was end of April. Next school was great, but we had to move, so the school he had a yr1 palce for - walking distance now - wanted him for the end of this term, so he started there last week.

Personally I wouldn't rush into making any decisions over the summer holidays, let him get to grips with school in September and give them a chance to see how he is doing and come up with some ideas how to support him. Whatever you do should complement what is happening in school, ideally.

Meanwhile - you could try signing him up for the Summer Reading Challenge at your local library. There is a circus theme this year and he will have the chance to collect stickers, get a certificate and even a medal. Our library liaise with DD's school so the certificates are presented in school assembly. This might just draw him into the idea that books are fun and rewarding. But it doesn't matter if he reads the books, if you read them to him or if he chooses pictures books or whatever - the emphasis of the challenge is on exploring books for fun.

You are expecting too much he sounds a normal little boy.

He's only five, he has plenty of time for the academics.I don't really agree with any tutoring of small children but I think you can help by playing board games,doing arts and crafts, going to places of interest, cooking together and reading lots of stories.
Who knows he might want to learn to read the rules of the game, recipes, the stories he enjoys or even just signposts, but even if he doesn't just yet you will both have had lots of fun in the meantime.

Sounds totally normal tbh, mine is at this stage with reading as well and I think we just have to have confidence that given security and freedom to explore they will learn when they are ready. 'Mucking about' is probably really important.

OK, I will relax! Just got a Kumon leaflet through and there are all these newborns doing the alphabet and whatnot (ok, slight exaggeration)

Just try and make it fun.
For example, i used boxing gloves and mitts to teach my ds how to count.
My dh and i also played snakes and ladders with him.
We used the starfall website for his reading

My ds is very similar and I know that lots of his classmates are at a similar stage. I try not to worry but I understand the anxiety as you just feel they may never 'get' it. Education is a marathon not a sprint - he has 13 years at school so learning to enjoy school and education is lkey. I think if he has had 3 schools he has learned to adjust very well, better than most adults could..How is he doing socially? Try to focus on what he can do - it does help to keep it all in balance,

socially he is fab...well.... new school he is being very disruptive and naughty. He can make friends easily - girls and boys, younger and older. He had a best friend (only name I knew of a classmate!) but when he was off ill, DS was no fazed at all and just played with other children. I think I am going to relax a little now! Thankyou!

Yes, do relax. He has had a very disrupted first year. When he settles into his new school, he will probably come on in leaps and bounds.

There are loads of fun ways you can "play" and learn at the same time. See this thread here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1259090-Advice-on-getting-reluctant-4yo-to-write-or-draw-please where I've put some ideas about helping a child with writing. You could adapt these types of things with words/sounds for reading practice.
Dice games are great for maths skills (I'd really recommend Bus Stop by Orchard Games) but ordinary snakes and ladders, ludo etc are good too. You could also have a go at making your own board game with a theme your DS likes (pirates, dinosaurs or whatever) - Draw a windy path divided up into squares with a start and finish. With your DS, decide on special squares and write the instructions on ( spot a T Rex, go back 3, find a gold dubloon, move on 4 etc). Print out some relevant clip art and let ds cut and stick pictures round board. Mount onto back of cereal packet for strength. You could use small toys (Lego mini-figures or plastic dinosaurs or cars or whatever) as counters for each person. For added value, players might have to read a word or say a sound from a pile of flashcards before each go.

My triplets couldn't read more than a few words until they were in Year 2. You'd never know that now, as they have caught up with their peers easily.