Worried about DD (5), she can't write at all...

[minko]

She's just started year one and I wasn't really aware of the problem until open evenings last week. All the books were on display and it was obvious DD is struggling. Most of the other children in her class can write simple sentences and describe events, but DD is simply writing a blizzard of random letters. The teacher thinks she is putting sounds to letters and didn't seem concerned but I certainly am. Her reading is developing slowly so I guess that means she's not dyslexic but something isn't clicking...

We've also been trying to learn the names of shapes this week. I thought she knew this but teacher said not. Over and over she gets squares and triangles mixed up, and then throws 'hexagon' into the mix when we've never mentioned them before!

I am really worried about her as she clearly at the bottom of her class. She's getting a bit upset about it herself as she's noticed her best friend keeps getting complimented on her efforts.

I feel she might need extra coaching, but she's only 5 and I don't want her to feel pressurised at her young age. I try to help but I get frustrated and she starts crying really easily when we read together or I try to teach her anything. So what do we do...???

Could you try and take the pressure off, but do subtle educational stuff? I'm thinking along the lines of "oh look DD, doesn't that house have some interesting shapes?" type stuff, so that you can describe the windows, door, roof eaves, etc as shapes, but not so that it is classroom stuff.

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sure it's irrelevent, but there was a r4 programme about binocular instability, can't remeber much about it, but it is often confused with dyslexia, here

Is your daughter old or young in her year? There is a big difference between the development of a child who is newly five and a child who is six years old.

I think at the age of five she might find private tutoring a bit much on top of a school day. My son is a little older and is in year 2 and I been sending him to Kip McGrath to help with hand writing. It is expensive and probably does seem pushy, but it has really improved his confidence. However my son is on the SEN register for his writing and I am sending him to a tutor because I don't feel the school is doing enough to help him.

She is young in her year - an end of July baby. However, her best friend is younger still and is doing great. I know I shouldn't compare but I do worry... Poor girl seems overwhelmed by how much there is to learn at her age!

Well, that explains a lot. Its no point in comparing her with her friend. Its like the fact that some children walk at 18 months and other children walk at 9 months.

Just thinking, what about trying her with a pencil grip? If a child is physically immature they often find writing painful and not surprisingly don't want to write. A pencil grip can break the cycle.

Thanks for the advice and comforting words! I don't think she needs a pencil grip. She loves drawing and seems happy 'writing' too... it just makes no sense what she writes. She even seems to have forgotten how to write her own name, missing out letters and drawing 'a's and 'h's back to front.

Fair enough, what are her knowledge of letter sounds like. Can she blend and read three letter words like "Cat", "sat", "dog".

What is her eye sight and hearing like? If you get something like the Jolly phonics handbook then it would give you some idea what is expected of a five year old in terms of reading and writing and also explain to you the approach that most schools use.

Even if you don't want to hot house your child it can help to understand theory behind what the school is doing.

Has she had her eyes tested? My DD also really struggled with writing (well anything that required hand coordination tbh) The school nurse did a very basic eye test with the entire class and DD failed hers. She was reffered to our local peads eye clinic was seen within 2 weeks. She has had her specs since last December and is now catching up with the rest of her class mates.

HTH

Thanks. The post about binocular instability has already got me thinking that we should get her eyes tested, just to be sure. She's never had an eye test in her life after all...

Try and get a referal to a specialist eye clinic (if you have one in your area) Normal options are not realy the best place to do a childs eyes test, ideally she will need to have some drops put in her eyes so that they can, simply check her sight by looking at the back of her eyes.

This thread here might help explane this a little better.

Here

However the DD im talking about on this thread is my younger daughter, who also wear glasses but for a completely differant reason.

HTH

Have a look at the Orchard toys website, these are fab games that help learning but in a fun way.

DK also do some games but not as child like as the orchard ones.