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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

concerns about 5yo, dyslexic?

21 replies

StateofConfusion · 08/10/2012 21:45

My dp, ds' dad is severely dyslexic and is becoming increasingly anxious about our ds.

Ds sailed through reception, key words an absolute breeze, and can find words in day to day life. And read 3-4 word sentences with ease.

Now in year 1 he's on longer sentences and paragraphs and just can't do it. He tries so so hard and words he can read written individually become impossible for him to read when in a long sentence.

I know very little of dyslexia but understandably dp is concerned and says this is how it is for him.

I don't want to label my child but if he needs a different approach support I want to help him now, dps confidence and whole lifes been altered by a late diagnosis of dyslexia.

I'm going to ask to see his teacher and see how he is in class with her, but I just know this isn't defiance at home, it upsets him. Also maths homework he flies through with ease and enjoys.

Am I looking into this too much? Any advice gratefully received.

OP posts:

mrz · 08/10/2012 23:04

I'm concerned that you mention "key words" and can find "words" ...has he been taught to decode or memorise?

Original poster

StateofConfusion · 08/10/2012 23:43

Sorry key words are just what the school call them, started with at,to,in,on etc working up to I think the longest is children, when he was learning them he sounded out, but most he just knows.

I feel totally clueless, just don't want him to struggle.

OP posts:

whatalovelyday · 09/10/2012 10:21

I was concerned about dd in reception as dp is also very dyslexic and she seemed to us to be struggling. Teacher said that she definitely wasn't severely dyslexic as making good progress but that they can't diagnose milder forms till at least year two. Going on this it sounds like your ds is similar ie if he found the initial work in reception a breeze then if he has some dyslexia it's prob not severe. Maybe he just feels overwhelmed by the longer sentences - that's pretty normal - doesn't mean he's dyslexic. Definitely discuss with teacher. Maybe he needs to drop a band so he can get some confidence back before tackling longer texts. Am sure others know better as I am know expert but just thought I'd share our experience.

whatalovelyday · 09/10/2012 10:22

no expert I mean!

whistlestopcafe · 09/10/2012 10:27

Year 1 is quite a difficult year. Ds1 seemed to make little progress. He was quite far ahead in Reception and seemed to tail right off in Year 1 only moving up one colour band in reading. In year 2 he he made a little more progress and then made rapid progress in year 3. I have heard lots of parents say that they were concerned about their child's progress in year 1.

Original poster

StateofConfusion · 09/10/2012 11:13

Thank you for your replys, we had a brief word with his teacher this morning and she's suggested the same as whatalovelyday she's going to drop him down a book band and build his confidence, she also said reading in class from the board, in groups, and in guided reading he is doing just fine, but she'll do some one on one today and will see us after school.

We don't have any friends with dc his age so it really is reassuring to hear its not unusual whistle.

OP posts:

mrsbaffled · 09/10/2012 14:26

Reading develops in fits and starts. He may suddenly get it in a few months. Really work on decoding in the meantime. I think it's a little early to diagnose dyslexia yet. DS's problems were only highlighted in year 2.

(Have you taken him to an eye test btw?)

maizieD · 09/10/2012 17:05

The method used to teach the OP's ds to read will have a considerable bearing on how easily he learns. Can you give us any more detail about how he is being taught? 'Key words' are only a small part of the wider picture.

tinytalker · 09/10/2012 21:52

Perhaps your child is experiencing visual distress or Irlen's Syndrome when reading sentences on white paper. This is where the words can appear to jump/move around the page or where a person see's 'halos' or colours around the words which cause discomfort and make reading an unpleasant and disturbing experience. If you and the school want to explore this avenue then a opthamologist/optomotrist would be the route to take. It is true that Yr 1 is very young for a diagnosis of dyslexia though a family history can help get the ball rolling quicker.
Good luck x

Original poster

StateofConfusion · 09/10/2012 22:02

tiny that is a very interesting post, his key words are all printed on different coloured card, and cut up as flash cards iyswim.

maizie he started with phonics, working through different groups of sounds, then they'd get a group of words, next stage of phonics, more words. Phonics confused him a bit and I worked our own way of explaining, words like The, he'd been taught th as a sound so the was confusing him but we moved past that.

His teacher said he had no difficulty at all reading at school, I'm going to try reading with him at the table and get dp to take dd out so there are no distractions.

OP posts:

maizieD · 09/10/2012 22:55

What did he find confusing about phonics?

I'm interested by this:
he'd been taught th as a sound so the was confusing him

'th' is a sound; 'the' is two sounds 'th' 'uh'. It sounds suspiciously to me as though he hasn't been taught to say individual sounds 'purely', that is, without an /uh/ on the end of them. Children can find this makes blending words very difficult as the 'sounds' they have to blend aren't actually the sounds which make up the word. E.g. 'cuh' 'a' 'tuh' doesn't blend to make 'cat', it makes 'cuhatuh'.

Of course, sounding out and blending may not be his problem, but you're not giving us much to go on!

Original poster

StateofConfusion · 10/10/2012 09:41

His main difficulty was getting his head around 'th' making the f sound like in teeth and and tuh like in the, they concentrated on phonics for a while before introducing key words so th as F was drilled into him. We've moved past that now as they progressed through phonics and he grasped letters make different sounds, ie the O in now and No.

After speaking to his teacher yesterday we've been reading with a sheet of paper covering the other sentence, so he sees one line at a time, iyswim, and he's been getting on much better, his teacher thinks he just felt overwhelmed. My aunt teachers reception and year 1 and he adores her so I'm going to take him to visit her over the weekend to do some reading and see what she makes of it all, but for now I feel perhaps me and dp were over reacting due to dps insecurities.

OP posts:

mrsbaffled · 10/10/2012 12:56

Keep an eye on him. If the paper over the page works, then go with that. However, it might indicate an eye tracking issue which could be helped by Vision Therapy at a Behaviour Optometrist (google BABO). I would look into that if trouble persists at 7, say.

mrz · 10/10/2012 17:12

His main difficulty was getting his head around 'th' making the f sound like in teeth that's probably because there isn't a "f" sound in teeth ...

maizieD · 10/10/2012 17:26

OMG! 'th' isn't a /f/ sound! Is this a regional accent thing?

Eye tracking can be a problem as it is a 'learned' skill. It needs to be practised to develop strong Left to Right tracking muscles. As well as covering the line under the line he is reading I would suggest covering all the words to the right of the words he is reading so that he is 'forced' to only track from L to R. Some children tend to let their eyes dot around the page, which, of course, doesn't help with developing the correct muscles.

(sorry, I wrote this earlier than mrz's response, but there was a blip in posting it...)

Original poster

StateofConfusion · 10/10/2012 18:41

No it is not a regional accent thing, how else would you decribe the sound at the end of teeth?

I appreciate all the advice, and thank you to those who have given it, but to be honest I'm begining to feel a little attacked because I clearly don't know the correct way to explain things. I only came for some advice as I was concerned about my son, not to be made to feel stupid.

OP posts:

mrz · 10/10/2012 18:52

I would say "teeth" not "teef"

mrz · 10/10/2012 18:55

jollylearning.co.uk/2010/10/29/hear-the-letter-sounds/

If you click on group 6 sounds and the first you will hear the "th" sound in teeth

maizieD · 10/10/2012 21:09

I am really sorry if you feel attacked. It wasn't intentional. It's just that some of us work with children, either teaching or remediating reading, so we would like to advise but need to have a clear idea of the problem. And the problem is sometimes the way children have been taught at school. No blame attached to worried parents who are trying to help.

mrz · 10/10/2012 21:22

Lots of children (and adults ) do say teef and fing and fink and spell it that way.

maizieD · 10/10/2012 21:29

I'm just rather if the school is teaching that 'th' is code for /f/.

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