Another sight reading problem...

[SpiderManMum]

Hi, I have read other threads with interest and didn't want to hijack so if anyone has any advice I'd be very grateful..

DS has just started Reception and knows all the letter sounds from following Jolly Phonics in nursery. They have now moved on to blending sounds and decoding words all of which DS is struggling with. The teacher even called me in to see her the other afternoon to ask if we could have a hearing test as she wasn't sure if he can actually hear the sounds that make up a word. For some reason he has no problem hearing the first sound in any word, but cannot get the others (or if he does, can't put them in the right order).

The hearing test results are all fine but I'm at a bit of a loss of how to help. He has a very good memory so can sight read quite well which isn't helping matters.

Is the Sound Reading Solutions the way to go? I see that it is a US product, is it available in the UK and are there any problems with children understanding the American accent?

I'm already starting to worry about dyslexia, which deep down I know is a bit silly at this stage but I can't for the life of me understand why he just isn't getting it!

mrz
"You really do need to wake up.
I hope you take your own advice"

I have APD which means sometimes i miss process communications both in sound and in print, as APD is the cause of my dyslexia.
And sometimes when i miss process something it can take days to correct the mistake.
I thought you said you understood how to communicate with those who have APD. but may be this is the first contact with an APD via the internet.

have changed names for this. Spidermanmum, I cant comment on the mechanics of phonics vs sight reading. The teacher/senco as gatekeeper is the key for many reasons, teaching skill, lack of upto date information, lack of funding etc Both Dolfrog and Mrz make valid points. My son was was where you son is. My son has some minor (dont underestimate the effect of minor issues thought) auditory processing issues, a major part of which is based around auditory attention. Someone mentioned a £20 test - dont bother it will be a waste. (ask most teachers and you will get a puzzled look) The Teachers were helpful but dismissive of the problem and in my opinion massively out of their depth. I fought and fought and fought some more until finally the school provided 1 on 1 support from a external learning support person. In 6 months one on one he made a huge 3.5 years leap in his reading. This put him at his chronological age at the end of yr 2. Many children (your son too I imagine) would benefit from more skillful phonics + other strategties teaching, using the type of resources the LSS used with my son ie the computer, letter blocks etc. Phonics as as it was being taught (en mass to 30 children with 1 TA) was toxic for my son. He now uses a phonics and some sight reading and is a different child. Without that support he would still be languishing in the 'low expectations group'. Interestingly the educational psychologist said to me that it may never be possible to work out exactly how my son learns. But he is not unique in that it just means that the methods for teaching need to be more creative.

No dolfrog my first contact with APD is not via the internet and your disability does not excuse your rudeness however much you want to play the DD card

mrz

I am not trying to play the DD card, as you put it.
You just appear not want to understand the problems that an APD can have using this format of communication. To best suite your own purposes.

dolfrog you choose to use this format for communication and it is the only one open to us but my understanding of your disability doesn't mean that I have to accept your insults and rudeness. I wouldn't accept it in person and I won't accept it here.

mrz

Unfortunately this is the only mass communication format, to create any awareness of a wide range of disabilities, and some of us have problems using it, but we have to to get our message out there as best we can, despite of out deficits.

Well as far as i am aware i have not been rude, used any insults, but may be that is you interpretation, but it is not mine.
I have to live with the rudeness and insults of others all time, it is all part of living with an invisible disability, it started with the teachers in school (mind you they had an excuse, no knew about APD in those days, well in the UK) and continues on everyday.

I don't think dolfrog has been rude, mrz. S/he hasn't attacked anyone personally, just recounted their own experience of having APD and the effects this has had on them and on others they know, and of being failed by the education system re this. For some slightly unaccountable reason you have chosen to take it as applying personally to you and the children that you teach - which is not anywhere implied that I can see.

Hopefully you are as good a teacher as you think you are - that does not mean that there are no poor teachers anywhere else in the UK!

I do feel that dolfrog has a point in that whenever alternatives to 'pure' phonics are suggested - not to replace it but to run alongside it in commonsense fashion - it does feel like there is a 'gang' on here who will all run out en masse and attack that poster, whether it be mashabell, dolfrog or whoever (all posting from very different vantage points). Whilst I would not suggest any of those who do this are paid to do so as such, it does come across as quite aggressive and narrow-minded - maybe you are unaware of this?

telling me to wake wasn't rude breadandbutterfly?

I did think some of the posts were overly aggressive and contained sweeping generalizations.

I can understand exactly why they were but that doesn't make them right or fair.

To explain what I mean, I think that the tone of some of the posts could well be down to the APD that Dolfrog has and that I can completely understand his desire to fight the corner of those with SEN.

I also know what it is like to take one's own experiences and extend them to all new situations.

However, that does not always work.

I can understand how it feels to be let down by the system (been there got the tshirt) but tarring everyone within that system with the same brush is counter productive and doesn't help your cause.