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Primary education

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Original poster

Year 2 and reluctant reader.

60 replies

Spiderpigspiderpig · 18/09/2016 21:06

Ds is in yr 2, he's the oldest in the class. Turned 7 last week.
He's on the red books for reading and at the lowest level in his whole class. I know as I volunteer listen with them all.
He reads a page every day, but he hates it and is very reluctant and it takes ages to just get him to read a sentence.... Hence the only 1 page.
Also from being a volunteer listener I've also noticed from the other kids reading diaries that ds reads the most at home than any of the other kids.
So why is he so behind? I'm getting so frustrated with him that I sometimes get cross.
Does it just come naturally to some?

OP posts:
mrz · 19/09/2016 20:02

If he knows his phonics then tricky words are decodable words.

Can I ask what reading scheme/s the school use/ send home?

barefootcook · 19/09/2016 21:05

Has he been assessed to check that he doesn't have a problem with processing?

Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 20/09/2016 06:50

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. It's been really helpful.

Unfortunately there's no one else family wise who he could read with. Just me.

They read the usborne books in school. Not sure what scheme that is part of.

I'm not sure about him having a problem processing things. It seems to be only reading he's behind in. Which is going to have an effect on all of his other subjects soon enough!

OP posts:
Msqueen33 · 20/09/2016 06:56

Both my year 2 and 3 girl are reluctant to read at home. Its utterly painful getting them to read. Youngest has autism so I suspect after a full day of school she's tired and worn out. Have you had a chat with his teacher? Could you reward reading? What about different and more fun books? I've found ours to be so utterly boring. I think aswell as long as you read to him maybe getting him to read the odd sentence that will also help.

InTheDessert · 20/09/2016 07:05

Just had one more thought. DS does much better with a book if he looks through it on his own first. Would he either flick through, or discuss the pictures with you first - with you maybe pointing out some new words and then read it together. So you've just had books with dogs and cats in, and the a pig appears. So you point out pig, sound out p-i-g and the picture. It's one less thing to stress about if he knows what's coming. I'm not a teacher. If teachers come on and say that is so far away from phonics you'll mess him up, don't do it, but just thinking about ways to make it less stressful.

EnglishRose1320 · 20/09/2016 07:19

I'm currently a t.a in a year 2 class and I think loads of the things that have been suggested are great, not much to add other than to say trugs is a great reading game. Plus have you tried asking him what the words look like, with regards to possible dyslexia we had a child who said they wouldnt sit still on the paper, tried a yellow strip over his book at the end of year 1 when he was struggling on red/yellow and he is now on green. from personal experience when D's wouldn't read his reading book we didn't force it, just left it for maybe half a term at home, we read to him and he played word games, help read recipes and game instructions, looked at books and comics fr the library but the school book didn't come out once.

smearedinfood · 20/09/2016 15:42

I'd just like to say that you are not alone, my year 2 boy - it's like I'm causing him some physical harm when it's reading home work time... I really worry about dyslexia... good luck with yours....

Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 20/09/2016 16:59

Yes smeared he hates it, he says it's such hard work.
I tried a minecraft book this morning and he said that the words were too small so we went back to his school book.
The word bug was in every sentence. 8 in total. He had to sound it out every time. He said he enjoyed sounding the words out so not sure whether he is refusing to progress or actually struggling

OP posts:
IsItMeOr · 20/09/2016 19:42

These books were what got DS reading. If your DS is interested in space/robots/adventures it could be worth a try.

It's a continuous story across the books, and the reading level gets progressively more difficult as you go along. So the print gradually gets smaller and more words to a page, etc.

It was motivation that was the problem for DS - he has ASD and really likes to be on his own agenda.

mrz · 20/09/2016 20:06

If the OPs child is correctly assessed at red book band they are unlikely to be able to access the stage 7 Project X books I'm afraid.

It seems OP from what you've written that books don't match husband current reading needs. Red band has only a few short words per page and if he's struggling with one page I think you need to make an appointment with the class teacher and possibly SENCo to discuss the way forward. If it's a constant battle to get him to read at home I'd recommend stopping and suggest we take over in school but thus might not be an option in your son's school.
It also sounds as if he's been taught sounds in isolation and although he recognises them he's unable to blend without a lot of effort on his part. I'd suggest checking to see if he can blend aurally ...you say the sounds and he says the word or you sound out a command and he does it ...can you j- u-m-p can you h-o-p give me the b-r-u-sh etc

Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 20/09/2016 20:53

Thanks isitme but they might be a bit too advanced.

OP posts:
goingmadinthecountry · 20/09/2016 23:42

I'd be looking at making an adventure round the house only using simple words he can read to start with.

eg go to the big window in mum's room (make sure your clues can be read by him) etc and make a game out of it. How about leaving him secret messages and him doing it back? Treasure hunt round the garden? Make sure you only use sounds he's learnt at school. Make it fun and doable. How about games with words like "sing" "hop" "jump" to turn over and do?

IsItMeOr · 21/09/2016 09:31

Ah sorry OP - I never have understood the colour/reading levels.

You sound like a fab parent, by the way. I'm sure you and your DS will figure it out. Some great advice from teachers/TAs and others here. The treasure hunt idea (with very simple clues!) worked well with DS (and his friends) too.

Mumofaboy123 · 21/09/2016 11:37

Would you consider a tutor maybe?
My niece had a tutor at 8 and within 6 months was reading fluently

Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 21/09/2016 17:18

Thanks isitme I'm trying to do as much as I can to help, but I feel like ds is at a similar level to those who get no help at home!

OP posts:
Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 21/09/2016 17:19

I am considering it mum I reckon he'll be more keen with someone other than me!

OP posts:
Fluffybrain · 21/09/2016 18:00

Sounds familiar Spiderpig. My son is 7 and year 3. He struggles to read and hates reading. Likes being read to, likes writing great stories very phonotically spelt. Some numbers and letters back to front. He has trouble organising himself. 'Experiencing' only in nearly all areas. Have suspected Dyslexia for some time. His last school were rubbish. His current school is better. Dyslexia action were good. They do assessments for £130 and tutoring for about £36. I will have him assessed either at school or at dyslexia action within the next few months.

IsItMeOr · 21/09/2016 18:38

I feel like ds is at a similar level to those who get no help at home

Well, you know better than that. And as you've been in to school to help with reading before, so does the school. Flowers

Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 21/09/2016 19:47

Thanks isitme I just don't understand why it's taking him so long to progress.
He read a sentence this morning, sounding the words. I asked him to re read, which he refused for ages then finally did and he had to sound them all out again even though he'd read it a minute earlier. It's like it's just not going in, so we can't progress on to longer harder words

OP posts:
Original poster
Spiderpigspiderpig · 21/09/2016 19:48

I can't find teach your monster to read on iphone app

OP posts:
5moreminutes · 21/09/2016 19:56

I second the recommendation if The Beano.

DS1 couldn't really read at 7 but was reading Dairy of A Wimpy Kid and the Beano at 8. Get him to read things he enjoys to you instead of school books so it's less of a chore.

The books where you read a more complex pads and the child reads a simpler page to keep the story interesting can be good.

5moreminutes · 21/09/2016 19:56
  • pages not pads
mrz · 21/09/2016 20:08

The Beano is more complex than red level

GplanAddict · 21/09/2016 20:32

I would highly recommend a reading programme called toe by toe. It's worked for my dd who has slow processing. In 1 year she went from being extremely behind in reading to at expected level but more importantly she is not ridiculously frustrated anymore!

Having said that if he is quick at 'getting' maths, spelling, writing he may not have slow processing but toe by toe certainly wouldnt cause harm.

However, my tip would be to buy a 5 min egg timer and just do 5 mins a day.

This time last year, I could have written your post (apart from mine is female), and it's a frustrating place to be for both of you!

Coconut0il · 21/09/2016 21:49

I put it on my ipad yesterday, we use it on the laptops at school. Sorry I'm not very technical, maybe the iPhone apps are different?

I would also try just words and short sentences if a book is too much for him. Does he know sounds like sh, ch, th? Or vowel sounds like ai, ee, igh?
Maybe just flashcards with words on ship, chin, bath. Or simple sentences 'sit in the bath', 'chat to the sheep'. I find little and often is best, always practising the skills you want him to improve.

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