Lovely Popsycal suggested I posted this here (it's also in primary education), as she thought that his Asperger's was probably the route of the problem. Any suggestions welcome.
DS started reception full-time. They use Jolly phonics, which he is familiar with from use at home and preschool over the last two years (including that we used the pictures as part of his speech therapy). He can blend basic phonetic words reasonably well.
He gets sets of 'reading words' home each week, and gets the next set when he's mastered the previous.
First five words all phonetic or nearly (e.g. big). He read them no trouble at all.
Next four not phonetic (me, my, all, the). we've been over them daily. He has 'got' my and all. Reads 'the' as two sylables (th - e) but sort-of gets it in the end. Refuses to accept that 'me' can read anything other than me with short e (as in 'men'). I tell him it says 'mee'. he disagrees. I tell him there's an 'e' missing, that it's 'tricky' etc. But he will not accept it. He got the same words again this week. I don't see how I am going to persuade him that 'me' says 'mee' this week when he wouldn't believe me last week. Any tips?
He has Asperger's Syndrome, and I wonder whether this is an example of his literal / direct nature? I don't want to get stuck on these words all term. Argh - I could cry for him sometimes.