DD reception just can't seem to memorize letters?

[MrsMushroom]

She turns 5 in March and her teacher has told me that she's not remembering any letters so isn't beggining to blend. She told me to work at home with helping her remember them.

Today I began with A B and C and she just cant remember which is which!

She might get it all right...then 5 mins later, she's back to just guessing wrongly. She IS interested and seems to like working on the letters...I,m keeping it light and fun but I feel really worried now!

I did a lot of showing her each letter on a card then drawing them on the window etc but she just cant remember. The teacher says she'll give me a something-card (forgotten what its called) which is what dyslexic pupils use but she's using it in this case to help DD learn the letters...but I cant help but think now that maybe the teacher thinks she's dyslexic. She is also the SENCO....is it possible to tell if a child is dyslexic at the age of 4? Or is it just her age? She's bright in other ways...remembers songs and all kinds...very articulate and sociable.

[MrsMushroom]

Haberdashery thank you so much she loves the game of me putting letters on cards all round the room.....she's dashed about so thrilled! But the best thing is that she definitely remembers which is which....we've only stuck to i and a but I think it's best to go slowly so she can really get them in her head.

I just feel relived that she can retain them! Tomorrow I will add p...

[Haberdashery]

Yay, really pleased to have helped a bit! Good idea to go slowly. And make her say the sound of each one (and maybe do the action) when she reaches it as a next step.

[Haberdashery]

Actually, you know what, I'd add t or i next. They're a bit more different from the other two so easier to get right. Ideally you want her to get it nearly all right at this stage so she feels like she is winning the game. P and a are potentially quite similar if you are finding it hard.

[Haberdashery]

Sorry, realised you've already done i. Then do s or t next so they are all definitely v different shapes.

[MrsMushroom]

She knows S and I thought P was different enough to a and i.....or do you think t or n is better?

i

[Haberdashery]

It is different to us, but I just wanted to make sure she keeps succeeding as that will make the biggest difference to her, IMO. I just meant that like a, it's a round thing with a line. I'm sure you are the best judge of what she is likely to recognise, though!

Maybe put s in as she already knows that and make sure she is saying the sounds for all three before you add another unknown?

[MrsMushroom]

yes...good idea I will stick S in there...it will help build her confidence...then I'll stick a t or an n in the following day...then spend a few days on that until I feel I can add all of the first ones in.x

[learnandsay]

Well done, haberd.

[Haberdashery]

Well done to MrsM's daughter, I think.

[MrsMushroom]

I am so grateful MrsH as DD is such a game lover it was the best thing for her! She was thrilled to get them too...you could tell.

[learnandsay]

Yup, definitely think haberd is being a bit on the modest side. But that's her right. So glad you got an answer. So grateful for your daughter. Nobody wants to be behind at school. whisper well done again to you know who.

[Haberdashery]

MrsMushroom, I am really pleased that your daughter enjoyed it. I think once she starts enjoying the process of learning to read, you have more or less won the battle as then you can practice as much as you like without it being a chore or something to be dreaded. You can do the thing with sticking words all over the room when she starts reading a few words, too. Get her to make a sentence and jump it out while saying it - it doesn't have to be at all difficult. The dog has a hat. Or something. Whatever she's interested in. For my DD it would have been anything about animals.

I have noticed (I am sure most parents have) that when you have children who are a bit bored by sitting still and trying to learn something, their attitude to it often changes dramatically if you can make the process physical. It's very interesting because I would find it twice as hard to learn something if I was leaping around!

[Proudmotheroftwo]

Hi MrsMushroom,
I have a daughter who is in the same age and studying Reception. So, I can really understand what you are going through. Just small suggestions as I have tried with my daughter too. You can try:

1. "Jolly phonics workbooks" by Susan M. Lloyd, which is around £10 and you can get in major bookstores or online websites such as www.amazon.co.uk?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21.
   
2. You can encourage her by watching BBC-cbeebies Alphablocks program. Really good for phoneme.
   

Hope it helps you,
Thanks