getting ds 2 (4) interested in reception class work.

[ramonasinger]

title says it all. My son is just not interested in books and learning his letter sounds and learning to write or anything. He isnt incapable of learning and has learnt about 12 letter sounds, but he just hates it. He cries and gets cross when i open up his reading bag and gets easily distracted. How can i make it fun and less stressful. My dp who is a teacher said he found it a struggle to get him to look at it with him yesterday so it is not just me and my lack of patience. Any help gratefully received.

Stop trying to do any formal learning with him if it is making him cry. My DS2 is 4 and in YR. We make letter learning a game e.g. spotting letters on signs etc. I have some wipe off pens and DS2 practices writing on the fridge with them (this started by accident when I found he had written his name on the fridge with one of them and I didn't want to tell him off for writing so congratulated him instead). If we do any formal letter practice it lasts about 3-4 mins max.

Bear in mind he is probably very tired at the end of the day and at the end of the week.

Don't do any formal reading for a bit just relax with bedtime stories. Your DS is learning about reading by being read to. Perhaps discuss the story, have him guess what is going to happen next. The key thing is to keep reading and books fun at the moment.

DS1 is mildly dyslexic and was way behind some of his peers with reading in YR and Y1 he has now largely caught up and is reading just beyond his chronological age (now in Y4).

totally agree with PP. My DS wasn't interested in "formal" learning in Reception and pushing him was counter-productive. He made huge strides in Y1 and finished Y2 well above average in literacy (despite below average "scores" at the end of Reception). There is no necessity for him to "get" it right now if he's not ready.

DD's teacher said:

if your child doesn't want to sit down than practice elsewhere:

We have a blackboard in the dining room with the daily menu on it
Practice outside with chalk on a wall/pavement/driveway
DD writes a shopping list for the weekly shop
We did I Spy with letters not colours

If he likes books than maybe going to the library and let him choose himself. I don't mind if the school book is not read as long as she is reading, and if it is DH's train magazine :-)

Thank you for the replies. He actually is very difficult to read to as well. The other two loved books and actively enjoyed discussion, where as he just doesnt want to even look at them let alone say anything about them. As a book lover i find this really strange and quite frustrating, ds1 didnt like reception or year one but has always loved books and is now an avid reader with a real flair for story writing and literacy. Dd also loves books but she loves everything really. I shall pm you sarahfreck thank you. Has anyone else overcome the book hatred thing?

Has he always disliked books or is it just a new thing that started with reception?

I offer to send some FREE information to help ramonasinger and people report me for "advertising" my business. I did link to my website to show more info about my booklet - so perhaps people didn't like that, but I didn't think there was anything against offering stuff to people for free (as I have done for many MNers) and would have been willing to do for anyone else who asked! FWIW I don't need any more students to tutor as I currently have a waiting list. Are we just not allowed to link to business sites at all, even if they have free helpful info?

Don't do it. He's too little. But keep an eye and ear out for what he does show interest in and then build on it. All we do is one sheet of writing a certain letter, it was "c" tonight and took about 2 minutes.

have you got books that mirror his interests? What is he into?

It doesn't matter too much what he is reading at the moment. Would he read a CBeebies comic or similar with you? (mine are always seduced by the plastic tat on the front).

It might be worth getting his eyesight checked as well especially if anyone in the family already has problems. If he can't see the letters easily he may not want to look at the books.

Sarahfreck, sorry you have had hassle for trying to help me.

He has always been angered by our attempts at reading stories and is disruptive when we read to the other two. I dont understand it but perhaps because its part of the bedtime routine it makes him cross that its bed time. Not that he ever bloody goes to bed. He loves dr who and ben 10 so we will be trying that next. I am not pushy with him but sometimes he reacts as if i am attempting to hothouse him.

We had his eyes tested really recently and there were no problems whatsoever.