Tips from an Expert with Struggling Readers

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PARENTS FORUM

STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL, STRUGGLING READERS, OLDER CHILDREN WITH READING DIFFICULTIES

Dylan has a big problem at school. He has timed reading test in the first grade. He is failing first grade because of these. He reads at home but when it comes to school he just doesn't want to do it! Help!

Frontline Phonics Reading Program

Dylan's teacher would be a good resource here. Your concerns seem to be very legitimate and she would be able to discuss his progress--not necessarily in context with other children's reading levels, but his own personal progress through the year-- "He started here in September, is now here in March"--that sort of thing.

I have had experience with other programs that insist that speed is an important factor for beginning readers. It's my personal opinion, and it's just that, an opinion, that speed in reading comes with practice and success--not by beating a clock or set time. The more he reads, the better reader he will become, thus solving the speed issue. You mentioned that he can read at home. Perhaps he's so concerned with reading quickly that he can't concentrate on reading correctly. This can be a frustrating feeling if he's only reading to beat a set time instead of reading to learn or enjoy.

There are many wonderful reading programs out there and many different methodologies about teaching children how to read. Not every program works for every child. If you're noticing some reading frustration, either on your part or his, talk to his teacher. Have her explain the program to you, the ideas and methods behind it. It may be a great program for many children, but not all programs fit every child. Perhaps she can help you tailor it to better meet his needs. Just a thought--perhaps it might help. Good luck.

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My daughter turned 7 in June and has just entered 1st Grade. We have switched schools this year from private, to public. After back-to-school night, I found out that my daughter’s reading is not good enough for first grade. Should we be concerned if she is reading very slowly? She seems to have problems blending sounds as well. We spent at least 45 min. per day reading in hopes for her to catch up.

Yes, you should be a bit concerned. Now is the time to teach or re-teach to her the basics of alphabet letters and sounds and how they blend into simple phonetic words and how those words go together to form sentences and books. Waiting until she's in second grade and still can't read just prolongs the problem. This is the year to teach her how to read well, and there are many helps out there for you.

Begin by discussing with her teacher what programs she is learning in school, what helps there are for her there and what you can do to help reinforce at home what she is learning at school. Then, in addition, you may need to supplement her reading education with programs (like Frontline Phonics) to ensure that her reading foundation is solid and that she is confident in her reading abilities. Keep in mind that she's young and that working for long periods of time usually isn't as productive as working for short periods of time, but more frequent sessions. Best of luck to you.

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My child turned six years old this May. He is promoted to the 1st grade, but his interest in doing schoolwork is not so good. He is a great child, quiet most of the time in class, and he does his work. But, he occasionally dazes off from doing his work in class and home. In class, he responds as if he is afraid that his answers might be wrong. So, he says it with hesitation with a low voice and shyness. He seems to be stiff in class. Not loose like some kids who are outspoken. How can I get my child to open up in the classroom and talk to his teacher with confidence? How can I get him motivated in doing and concentrate on his work? I know he can do the work. So does his teacher. Please help!

Without knowing your child, it's difficult to answer your questions conclusively. But I see lots of kids in a school year, and here are a few suggestions that may help.

First of all, a long talk (several a year if needed) with your child's teacher is in order. Is he naturally shy/timid? Is there a silent bully that he's afraid of? Is he afraid of the teacher? Does he act this way with other adults/children? Does it take him a long time to play in group? Does it take him a long time to make friends? You need to decide what are personality tendencies and what are environmental issues (things that can be fixed in class). A healthy discussion with his teacher is the first place to start. You may even wish to observe for a few days in his school--watch his interaction with the teacher and with the other students. Why does he seem to be so self-conscious? Some children are naturally shy and reserved--that is their personality and working with it, instead of against it will make all parties involved much happier. Now that doesn't mean that just because he's shy or withdrawn that we don't expect anything from him, not at all, there is work to be done, and we must do it. But pushing a shy/withdrawn child into situations that may be truly terrifying for them or extremely uncomfortable won't be successful.

Secondly, I would visit a pediatrician and make sure that everything your child needs for learning physically is in order. Are his eyes focusing properly? Can he hear through all the normal ranges of hearing for a child his age? Are his blood levels and chemistry at normal levels and functioning properly?

Sometimes, just making the teacher aware that he's daydreaming is enough. A gentle call back to reality may be all that is needed to refocus him on the task at hand. When working at home, keep his homework times short and sweet. Work for 10 minutes and on his math homework, and then let him have a break, then come back and refocus again later. It makes for a longer homework time, but maybe that's all he can stand at one time. Especially after having spent 6 hours in school already. Spreading it over the evening might make it last longer, but maybe there will be less battles in the long run. Hopefully, that might give you a few ideas to try. Good luck and enjoy working with your child.

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I have a child who is going in the 6th grade. She is learning disabled. She is currently reading about mid 3rd grade. What can I do over the summer to help her?

Many children's stores or teacher supply stores offer wonderful "summer bridge" programs. These are printed programs that are grade level specific that you can purchase to help your child continue to learn over the summer months. Many companies produce these summer programs and they are all very good. So I don't have a specific company to recommend. They usually have a 3rd grade math book, a 3rd grade spelling book, a 3rd grade English book, etc. Check them out carefully, you may like one company's math book, while you like another's English book. That's OK, mix and match as you like. Cover the basic concepts. You may even want to drop down a grade here and there so it's not always so tough and she occasionally feels "Hey, that was an easy page!" Or if you need to challenge her, move up a grade. Hope this helps you.

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I have an 11 year-old son who is in 6th grade, but he reads in about a 4 or 5th grade level and has a terrible time with spelling. What product would you suggest to start a program with another one I am already using? I don't even know what level or what I should buy to start him out at. Please suggest.

Before I purchase any program, I would be sitting down and having a heart to heart, frank discussion with my child's teacher. Asking questions like what the school is doing specifically to help my child obtain reading level status. What programs is he enrolled in to ensure his reading success? Who is tracking his reading progress? What are his test scores? What does he do well in, what areas of reading skill does he lack? Going back a few years to figure out why isn't reading at grade level--figuring out what he missed in his reading training, and why he's behind grade level, will help you decide on a re-teaching/retraining strategy that may or may not include the help of his teachers and his school. You need to determine what in his reading ability is lacking, and then go about filling in those holes to make him a more complete reader.

There is a big difference between programs that teach young children their beginning reading skills, and programs that teach reading recovery to older children. You need to determine his abilities first, and then find a program that meets his specific needs. Best of luck to you.

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My child had been placed in special ed reading classes last school year with no success yet he is at the appropriate level in all other academics for his grade level. I just received mail today stating that he will be placed in special education classes this school year and transported to school via special education busing. I do not want this for him as I feel he is capable of more that they will offer him. His teacher, year before last, also felt that Jonathan did not need full time special education, just remedial reading classes that were offered through special education. We were assured last year that he would only be placed one hour per day in special reading and the remainder of the school day would be in his regular class. Now we get this letter. This child is my grandson and I have legal custody of him. I am in my late 50's and his grandfather is in his early sixties, I don't know how much we can afford but something needs to be done for this otherwise bright child that has difficulty in reading only.

It sounds like you need to have a good one-on-one sit down with the teacher, special ed teacher, the school psychologist, and the principal of his school. Express your concerns and have the teachers explain and justify why they are classifying him in all of these areas if he is only struggling in one. Have them show you test scores, class placement scores (where he is on all subjects as compared to other children in his class), and what data they used to classify him as special needs.

The trouble might be that they are trying to teach him to read the same way that his regular teacher tried to teach him, and he just didn't get it. A different method might work better for the type of learner that your grandchild is. Doing the same thing over and over again won't help him read if he doesn't understand it in the first place. There are many ways to teach a child to read, if one way didn't work, try another, and another, and another until they get it and can read. A special education teacher should be able to do this, should have several methodologies available for her to use.

A good forthright discussion might help answer your questions and give you direction for your grandson's school choices and options. There is a Federally mandated law that requires publicly funded schools to analyze, evaluate and determine the best course of educational action for any given child. Good luck to you and bless you for loving this boy enough to take him into your lives and help him learn.

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My son is 7. He doesn’t enjoy reading, and I know that’s a good reason why it’s so hard. I’m just looking for a way to get him to enjoy it. Please send anything that could be helpful to me.

I think it would be a good idea to break down the reading process again with your son. You say it is hard for him--perhaps starting over again with what the letters say, and how they blend together into words would be a good place to start. Many programs and teachers skip the blending process and go from alphabet sounds to reading. Re-teaching the blending process will help him understand the phonetic structure of the English language and show him how these letters fit together to make words. Make sure that he is reading phonetic books, not just pure sight words books. Hopefully that will help him understand the words he is reading, and make it seem less hard and more fun for him. Good luck.

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I have a 10yr. old girl who loves to read but gets disappointed in school when the teacher never calls on her to read in class like she does the other children. I have talked to the teacher about this and nothing seems to happen. The school says the teacher has her own reasons on the matter. I am thinking about taking her out of the school and putting her in another school. Is this the right thing I should do?

I think before I did something as drastic as pulling my child out of school, I would be doing a lot more visiting with the teacher and the school administration. Changing schools can be very traumatic on a child, and it would take some serious thought on my part as a parent before I changed her entire friend network and school support group. Now that it's summer, perhaps the problem is solved as she's getting a new teacher in the fall? Sometimes, it's just one of those life lessons we have to learn that we don't get along with everybody all the time, and your daughter is going to run into teachers like that. Sadly :o(

If, on the other hand, you feel that there is a legitimate problem and the teacher is truly ignoring your child, a serious discussion needs to take place between you, the teacher, and the administration. Be specific with your concerns and have examples ready to state. Perhaps it's just an oversight on the teacher's part, but maybe not. Ask her to explain her actions and discuss what behavior she is seeing in class. How can you as a parent help? Discuss how her actions are affecting your daughter and how she feels about school. Perhaps it's just a true personality conflict and changing classes/teachers would be a valuable solution. If there is a transfer needed, ask the administration and teacher involved to be professional and not discuss it throughout the school with other faculty members. Your daughter deserves a fair chance in a new class without the "offered opinion" of her former teacher. Keeping the lines of communication open between the teacher, you as the parent, and the school administration will be a good step to helping your daughter with the entire educational process. Good luck to you.

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What is considered normal reading for a 7 year-old first grader? Our son seems to read VERY SLOWLY while other kids seem to be much faster. He's smart but just is challenged in the Abekka program to read fast. He seems to be forgetting the phonetic rules lately although he knows them when reminded. Just wondering if this all is normal or should he be tested. He does some dyslexic stuff also.

His teacher would be a good resource here. Your concerns seem to be very legitimate and she would be able to discuss his progress—not necessarily in context with other children's reading levels, but his own personal progress through the year (i.e., started here in September, is now here in March, that sort of thing).

I am unfamiliar with the Abekka reading program, but have had experience with other programs that insist that speed is an important factor for beginning readers. It's my personal opinion, and it's just that, an opinion, that speed in reading comes with practice and success. The more he reads, the better reader he will become, thus solving the speed issue. You mentioned that he can remember and apply his phonetic skills when reminded to do so. Perhaps he's so concerned with reading quickly that he can't concentrate on reading correctly. This can be a frustrating feeling if he's only reading to beat a set time instead of reading to learn or enjoy.

There are many wonderful reading programs out there and many different methodologies about teaching children to read. Not every program works for every child. If you're noticing some reading frustration, either on your part or his, talk to his teacher. Have her explain the program to you, the ideas and methods behind it. It may be a great program for many children, but not all programs fit every child. Perhaps she can help you tailor it to better meet his needs. Just a thought—perhaps it might help. Good luck.

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I have a child that is 7 and barely knows the names of all the letters and certainly not the sounds they make. We've started homeschooling because the public school passed him into first grade, and we didn't think he was ready since he's still having troubles remembering the letter names. Do you have any suggestions?

I do have a few suggestions and I commend you for being so willing to put forth the effort to help your child. I know that this will sound like a blatant plug, but I have seen so much success with the Frontline Phonics program that I have to think that it might be a valuable resource for you. Frontline starts by teaching the alphabet letters and sounds with a fun song. Almost all kids like to sing, or at least listen to you while you sing along. I suggest that you play it while your child is playing with his toys, while driving in the car, while taking a bath, anytime and anywhere. Becoming familiar with the letters and sounds is the first step to reading success. In my school class, it is almost background music so that it quickly becomes second nature to them.

The blending concepts taught with Frontline are wonderful. Many phonics programs teach the letters and sounds and then jump right to reading, leaving out the important step of blending. Frontline handles this beautifully. Their stories are easy to read and understand, but still interesting enough to interest an older child, like your son.

I teach Frontline Phonics at my school to 4 year olds with tremendous success. But I also have a summer tutoring program for older children, like your son, who haven't been able to grasp the basic concepts of reading in school. Again, we have had tremendous success with this tutoring program as well. I am convinced it is because of the methodology that Frontline uses and the way the program builds from the phonics ground up. I believe that teaching phonics in the beginning and building on that solid foundation is the key to reading success. There are some great phonics programs out there, and some good help for parents who are homeschooling or tutoring on their own. Frontline is the best one I've seen. I've seen it work over and over again for younger readers and for struggling readers. Good luck and enjoy the process of working with your child.

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I’m in need of some advice of how to teach my child how to read. She is only 9 years of age. I am having a problem because I run my own business, and sometimes I come home very tired and late, the time we spend together is not enough, and I don’t know which books can help her to read. I have tried the library, but I don’t think it’s helping.

I know how exhausting it can be after a day's work to start homework and reading help, but it is so important that you find the time to do it! You mentioned that she is 9, that's pretty old to be struggling with reading concepts. Now is the time to act.

Make sure that she knows all of her letters and sounds. Start blending those sounds into simple phonetic words like cat, hat, mat, pat, bat, etc. Then when she has that blending concept down solid, introduce simple phonetic readers. Go to your local library and ask specifically for phonetic readers. They should be able to help you. Also let her see you reading. Children will use you as an example. After you help her with her reading work, pick a fun picture book, favorite story, etc., and read it to her. Children learn much about our language by hearing the written words in stories.

Don't wait, now is the time—find the time and you will be forever grateful that you put forth the effort as the world of reading becomes available to your daughter. Good luck and enjoy the process of working with your child.

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My daughter is 9 years old and in the third grade. She is reading so slowly it is frustrating for me to sit with her and listen to her read. She can’t possibly understand what she is reading because she is so slow, but when she reads to herself, she seems to understand more. She still gets her b's and d's mixed up along with her p's and q's etc. etc. etc. What can I do?

Thank you so much for being patient with me while I did a little research. I was hoping that I could come back and give you some definitive help with your search for tests and evaluations that might be able to help. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to come up with a specific name for a battery of tests that would give you some answers, but let me tell you what I did find.

I spoke with several people at my local university plus a pediatrician, and a child psychologist. In all cases, the recommendation was very similar. First, have your child checked out physically/chemically by a pediatrician to make sure that everything is working, eyes, ears etc. to enable your child to learn. Then you need to talk to people who do testing in your school district or area. If you go to a private school, this may not be required, but at local schools, it is federally mandated. The school board must provide people who are qualified to test your child for a multiple of learning disabilities and come up with what is called an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). If your child tests positive for any of the standard learning disabilities, the school is required (federally mandated) to give you some help. Now I know each school board and district have limited resources and vary, but because it is Federally mandated, they must give you some help. Start by talking to your local school principal or school counselor.

Another option is to start checking out local universities. Many across the country have wonderful child development and child psychology departments that are not only a good resource, but many also have full clinics and testing facilities, and many charge nominal fees for their services. You might be able to get some help and answers from that source. I hope some of this information is helpful to you and good luck working with your child.

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My daughter just turned 6. When she tries to sound out words sometimes she gets confused. She will put in sounds to letters that are not there in the word. For example, she sounds out “d o g t” for dog. Other times she will get “d” and “b” mixed up, and she also gets sounds messed up at times when she reads even though when going over the alphabet in or out of order she knows them all. She will sound out d-o-g for d-o-t or h-a-d for h-a-m. This doesn't happen every time, just enough to upset her once a week or so. Help.

Your daughter's problem is a very common one as young readers begin to put it all together. They are starting to remember words and retain them in their reading and spelling vocabulary. Consequently, when they see the beginning letters of a word they already know, they quickly fill in the rest—sometimes incorrectly. It's very common. The problem usually solves itself as they become better and more experienced readers, and as they increase their reading and spelling vocabulary. If she misses a word here and there, help her sound it out correctly, but only once. If she can't solve the word, tell her what it is and move on. This way she won't get frustrated with the one word she can't read and still be happy about the 6 or 8 that she did read. Help her as she goes, and this problem should solve itself as she reads more and more. It sounds like you're doing a great job. Keep up the good parenting, and enjoy the process of working with your child.

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I need your help and advice on how to help my granddaughter learn how to read. She is a first grader in a Catholic school and most students in her class are good readers. All of the sudden, she is not reading words that she has been reading for months. My daughter says that she asked her teacher if anything is bothering Emily, and the teacher’s answer was “no.” Could it be that all of the sudden she has become this lazy? Or maybe she feels embarrassed because she cannot read as well as her classmates? Please help.

It sounds like you've done all the right things here. I'm very impressed that you went to her teacher to discuss this. Continue an ongoing dialogue with her teacher as she may then have a heads-up to watch Emily's behavior in class and especially during her reading time, then can communicate back to you any impressions or ideas that she may have. Sometimes kids just hit a wall. They are tired of the routine of school—it's harder, it's work, and not as fun now in the mid-year months as it was at the beginning when everything was new. Every January or so, some of my kids hit a wall and lose interest in activities—some even take giant emotional or academic steps backwards. Perhaps that's the case for Emily. I wouldn't classify it as laziness, but perhaps a case of the winter doldrums? Many adults get it too! Keep working with her—she'll perk back up soon if it's just matter of a bit of running into a wall.

Your comments about her potential “reading embarrassment” concerns me a bit more. Again, a close communication here with her teacher is imperative. If she is under any pressure to read better than someone else in her class or in a reading group that in any way makes her feel less than successful, either from other children or from her teacher, this is a big red flag and needs to be addressed. Reading should be a fun, delightful experience for her at home and at school, for whatever level of reading competency she is on. If she's struggling a bit with her reading skills, her teacher should have many tools at her disposal to help improve her reading abilities. She should also be aware of any situation in which Emily is uncomfortable or made to feel uncomfortable. A very honest and open dialogue with her teacher should be a big help for you, her, and for her teacher. Keep up the good work and enjoy the process of working and learning with your granddaughter.

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I often find myself getting frustrated with my son when try to teach him to read. What can I do to make it more fun and easier for him to learn? He is 7 years old and knows how to read some books on his own.

I think the key here might be to identify the cause of your frustration with him. Is it because he's a slow reader and you think he should be able to read faster? Is it because he stumbles on way too many words? Is it because he hates to read and you have to fight him to sit still long enough to finish a story? There are many reasons why it's not an enjoyable experience for you (and probably not for him either). Once you identify why it's not going well, then you'll be able to begin to solve the problem. There are many techniques that his schoolteacher might be able to help you with, once you've discovered what it is that's frustrating you both. Figuring out the “why” may be a key to then being able to figure out the “how.” Be patient and keep trying. I commend you for being so willing to work with your child.

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I have a 9 year old (almost 10)...she is fourth grade and is having difficulty reading…still. She has been having troubles ever since our move to a rural area of 4000 people...two years ago. The public school she attends insists they are phonics oriented, but their tactics are not what she is used to. They have been putting my daughter into separate classroom that teach with more of a one-on-one aspect, BUT there are 18 students and one teacher. I feel there really isn't enough one-on-one in this specialized classroom, and she is no further along then when she started. I have bought all types and sorts of phonics games, learning cards, CDs, cassette tapes...and many phonics style workbooks. I am at my wits end! She and I are almost butting heads and things are starting to lead into an argument because of frustrations for her and I. I feel as though she has lost all confidence in herself, and she is very frightened of failing fourth grade. I was wondering...other than reassurance of jobs well done...what more can I do for my eldest daughter? Can you help me?...Or steer me into the right direction? I would appreciate any or all you can share with me.

My heart went out to you as I read your email. I'm a parent, and I know your feelings and appreciate your frustrations. Bless you for your efforts! You mentioned that she is your “eldest” daughter? Do you by chance, have a younger child in the house? If you do, there might be a good resource there. When older children mentor or teach younger children, the concepts they once struggled with often become solidified in their own minds as they teach a younger sibling. Even if you don't have a younger sibling, a neighborhood child will work just as well. This is just a suggestion, but I have seen it work very well in tutoring situations. Somehow in teaching it, they pick up and then can apply what they missed the first time around. If you can't find someone, have her teach you! Reverse the roles, she plays teacher, you play student. I do this all the time in my class, and the kids love to be the boss.

Have her start back at the beginning. Introduce alphabet letters and sounds. I like to start with m, a, p, s, t, and start blending those letters into simple phonetic words like mat, pat, sat, at, Pam, Sam, map, etc. Then add a new letter and sound, and add it to the blending game. Review, learn a few more letters and sounds, blend, blend, blend, review, etc. It's easier for her to do this with a set program to follow (I personally like Frontline Phonics—I use it every day and love it), but you could really help direct her here using some of the materials that it sounds like you've already purchased.

It's a difficult thing not to get into a power struggle with your child when you're trying to get them over a difficult patch. When they know you want them to do something, they won't—the way of all kids and mothers, but here's a tip that worked with my own children. I have three very athletic boys at my house and sometimes they're not interested in studying. However, studying time is important and necessary, so here's a tip that I use at home. It usually helps with boredom and retention.

I keep their studying time to about 15-20 min. (Shorter time for younger kids—maybe you'll only get a good 5-8 min. that's better than fighting over it.) I'm there with them making sure that they stay on task and do the work. Then we stop. I allow them to go do other activities for a while, read a book, play a game, etc. then I call them back and he'll quickly review what we studied before, and then study for another 15-20 min. Then take another break, and so forth. It takes a bit longer, but it seems to keep them from getting bored and studying in short steps makes it seem less of a huge mountain of homework to do. I hope that these few ideas can help. Keep up the good work with your child. You are making a difference, even if it doesn't feel like it some days. Write me again.

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I have a 9-year-old reading on grade level. What can I do to encourage her to move beyond this point?

Wow—it sounds like she's got a great start. So many children struggle to read at grade level, it's nice to hear about your success. A good place to start is increasing her exposure to vocabulary words and reading materials that are a bit beyond her. Tune into a key interest that she has—books on pioneer children, space, animals—whatever is a real interest or fun topic for her. Let her read books at grade level, and then sprinkle in a book or two that is just one grade level above. Take turns reading this higher-level book with her (i.e., you read a page, she reads a page). Help her with any words that she has difficulty with. Even if it's a bit harder, because she's interested in the story/subject, and you're right there with her, it should be a fun experience for the both of you—thus increasing her vocabulary usage and reading abilities.

Also, just as part of your reading routine, pick a book that is a few grade levels higher and read it to her—a couple pages or chapters a night, whatever works for both of you. Letting her hear bigger vocabulary words and the different ways they're used will also increase her understanding of these words. A word of caution—move slowly and don't push. Make sure it stays fun and interesting. Make sure reading is a fun and delightful activity, not a daily chore. Good luck and enjoy the process of working and learning with your child.

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I can't teach my daughter to read until she gets her alphabet understood. She knows all letters except H, N, and U. I've done everything I can think of to teach these letters to her. She completely knows her phonics—again except these three letters. She is 6 now. Any suggestions?

You mentioned in your email that you didn't think you could teach your daughter to read unless she knew all of her letters and sounds. I disagree with you there. I think it's important to apply what we learn as soon after we learn it as possible. Maybe she's just tired of learning letters for letters sake, and doesn’t understand why she's learning them.

When I teach reading, I start with the letters m, a, p, s, t, b, h, and n. As soon as they know these letters and can tell me what they say, I start blending these letters into words. You make a remarkable amount of words with just these letters. Learning the ABC's in a vacuum without application is not much fun. Don't worry about the letters that she doesn't know yet, concentrate on the letters that she does know. Blend these letters into simple phonetic words and let her sound them out. I like to think of as many blending games as I can by using a set of cards that have the letters that they know on them. I hold them in my hand and let them pick three cards and lay them out. Then we sound out what they picked. Sometimes they're nonsense words, but they get the idea that I want them to read what they picked. Then I reverse it and I pick three cards. We play this game back and forth several times and they hear and see me read what I picked. Seeing me do it often helps them understand what I'm trying to get them to do.

Another blending trick I use that often helps them hear the difference between sounding out each letter and blending them into words is to read a very familiar book to them (or at least a page of it) sounding out each letter as I go. This has to be a very familiar book that they know and can instantly recognize that this is not how the book should be read. They can hear the difference between sounding out each letter and blending those letters into words. Repetition is the key here. Playing and inventing lots of blending games will help him here and understand the difference. Keeping it fun will make him want to “play” again. Good luck and enjoy the process of working with your child.

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I have a son that is 9 years old and in the second grade. He is an avid reader. He enjoys the Ramona series, informational texts about sports, and especially the Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snickett. In school, his teacher insists that he continue with the phonics workbook pages even though he is a reader. My thinking is that if he has "cracked the code" in order to read, he already knows phonics. What is your opinion of this instructional practice?

Wow! It sounds like he's doing wonderfully well with his reading. That's terrific! It's hard for me to really give an opinion about this as I'm not sure what his teacher is working on in class, what the assignments are like, and exactly where your child is in his progress. I do know that having him work on phonics assignments won't hurt him, and that there are many levels of phonics instructions. If he's doing well on these assignments, think of it as #1-good practice for him, and #2-the opportunity to feel great about his phonetic progress—“Gee mom, these papers are a breeze! Aren't I smart!” Not bad reinforcement. I also know as a teacher with 20-30 kids in a class, it's difficult to individualize each assignment. Most second graders still need to work on phonics and these assignments are very helpful and necessary for them. Perhaps you could challenge him at home by purchasing a phonics book that is a grade higher than he is currently working in. (Local bookstore or teacher supply store could be helpful here.)

In either case, I encourage you to discuss any and all options with his teacher. I always love to talk to parents and freely discuss their children and their needs. Just a few ideas—hope it's helpful. Great job and keep up the good work! I just thought of another point. You mentioned that his teacher insists that he still work on phonics even though his is a reader. Many district and state curriculums continue to work out of phonics workbooks and focus on phonics issues up through fourth grade. So even though he's reading (and it sounds likes he's reading marvelously), phonics instruction is still a valid part of many school curriculums.

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My son is 15 years old and the school that he was going to didn't care about his reading. What can I do to get him interested in reading?

Wow!--Shame on that School! But that's another issue. I have three teenage boys. One of them loves to read, the other 2 for the most part can't be bothered. Although they are all good readers, that wasn't an option at my house, some personalities like it better than other personalities. I encourage, persuade, buy fascinating books--they just hate to sit down and read. Perhaps your 15 year old falls into that category. Maybe he just hates the process of stopping long enough to sit down and read. If that's the only issue, I won't be able to be of much help to you. Forcing them won't work, but I do require (it's mandatory at my house) that they read at least 30 min. of something--magazines, books, newspapers, articles--something, everyday. No reading, no car keys :o) That might help if he happens to be just one of those personalities that truly doesn't like it.

If he doesn't like it because he's not good at it and struggles with his reading skills, then that is an entirely separate issue. Starting over again with a Kindergarten/First grade reading program won't help your teenager like to read. The concepts still hold true, applying phonics to reading is the best way (I think) to teach reading, but the programs out there will be way to infantile for him and would only reemphasize that he can't do what many first graders can do. A great resource in this case would be your local adult literacy programs. Get on the phone to your local library, or university extension service as soon as possible and get some information on what is out there. Many communities have wonderful programs that evaluate what reading level your young adult is on, and start re-teaching from that point. What's even better about adult literacy classes is that they're away from the school setting and he's not embarrassed about being seen by other kids his age.

Reading in our society is not optional. It's a necessary life skill and the sooner he can manage it, the happier he'll be in all areas of his life and schoolwork.

Another great tip that I use with my teenagers is to read to them. We all love to hear stories, regardless of our age. My dad read me Shakespeare all through high school simply because he loved to read aloud, and I loved to hear him. It helps instill in don't-like-to-read children a desire to hear more and learn more of an author, a character, etc. It can make for great literary discussions even though they technically don't like to read. It also helps with the understanding of the flow of language to hear how the written words sound out loud. Perhaps as you continue to help him read at his own reading level, you can challenge his imagination by reading more advanced books to him. This can become a great bonding experience between you as you share the process of hearing a well-told story. Just some thoughts--hope they help. Good luck to you.

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I have an 11-year-old daughter, who is now going to the sixth grade. My concern is that she is actually below is her reading level. We read everyday, how can I improve her reading level to average or higher?

There could be several reasons why your daughter isn't reading at grade level, so it's rather difficult know exactly what to say, but here are few questions that you could ask. Perhaps discovering the answers might help you help your child.

First, of all, is there some part of her early reading development that she didn't quite "get". Does she struggle with blending letters into sounds? What part of the reading process might be slowing her down. Her 5th grade teacher might be an excellent resource here as I'm sure he/she will have several tests scores that might point right to her weakest reading characteristic. Go back even further if you need to, to discover why she's hesitant with her reading skills.

Another question to research is to make sure that her eyes are fully working, both up close and far away. A quick trip to her pediatrician can answer all about her physical faculties and their proper functions. It's amazing how many kids struggle with reading because they can't quite see the book or the board. A good thing to check out.

Another consideration is that she just doesn't like to read. I have three children in my family, 2 are great readers, love new books, can't wait to finish chores to get to reading. The other one just doesn't like to sit still long enough to get involved. Nonetheless, reading is so critical to our society, it's not optional, children have to read at an age functional level, but there are those personalities that would rather do anything else than sit down with a book. Perhaps your daughter is one?

It's hard to say, but keeping in constant contact with her teacher this fall may also prove invaluable. This is her last year of elementary school, and you'll find more consistent help there than later when you have to deal with 6 or 7 teachers instead of just one. Visit with your school's resource teachers and discuss if a program they have to offer might be of benefit for her. These are just a few suggestions, but now is the time to act and try to get her up to reading level.

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I am a graduate student at Bloomsburg University. My first client is a 16 year old girl with phonological awareness goals. She still has difficulty with reading. I worked with her last semester with another clinician. We were working on phonics rules such as “when two vowels are paired together they take the long vowel sound of the first vowel.” I was wondering where I could go to find more rules like these that will help her to pronounce and read words correctly if applied. I know that English is a difficult language and there are many exceptions to these rules, but I am desperately trying to find a website or something that will provide me with more information. If you could direct me to some information, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks for being so patient with me while I found some good sites for you. Two great ones:
www.dyslexia.org/spelling_rules.shtml
www.kingsharvest.com/spellingrules.html

I've included the pre-school version of your two-vowel rule—it might be easier for her to memorize. I sing this in my classroom to a little tune, any chant-type rhythm would work.

The Two-Vowel Rule
“When two vowels go walking”—as in bean or as in gate (the two vowels are walking together in the same word)
“The first one does the talking”
“And says his own name”—ask him what the name of the first vowel is (bean--it's e so that's the sound that the vowels are going to make in this word--long e)
“The second goes to sleep!” (b e a n --have him literally cross out the second vowel here with an x or slash.)

Also the rule about “ar”
When together they always say “ar” as in car, bar, Clark, etc.

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I have a 13 year-old son who is having the worst time with reading and comprehension. He goes to a private school and the resources are limited. I can take him to the neighborhood public school to have him tested, but the schools aren't that great. Are there any diagnostic tests that I can purchase and do the testing myself? I have tried several tutoring programs, but they are quite expensive. My husband and I do a lot of tutoring with him, too. My son is really frustrated with poor grades. Please help in anyway you can.

Thank you so much for being patient with me while I did a little research. I was hoping that I could come back and give you some definitive help with your search for tests and evaluations that might be able to help. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to come up with a specific name for a battery of tests that would give you some answers.

Let me tell you what I did find. I spoke with several people at my local university, a pediatrician, and a child psychologist. In all cases, the recommendation was very similar. First, have your child checked out physically/chemically by a pediatrician to make sure that everything is working, eyes, ears etc., to enable your child to learn. Then you need to talk to people who do testing in your school district or area. If you go to a private school, this may not be required, but a local schools, it is Federally mandated. The school board must provide people who are qualified to test your child for a multiple of learning disabilities and come up with what is called an Individualized Educational Program (IEP). If your child tests positive for any of the standard learning disabilities, the school is required (federally mandated) to give you some help. Now I know each school board and district have limited resources and vary, but because it is Federally mandated, they must give you some help. Start by talking to your local school principal or school counselor.

Another option it to start checking out local universities. Many across the country have wonderful child development and child psychology departments that are not only a good resource, but many have full clinics and testing facilities, and many charge nominal fees for their services. You might be able to get some help and answers from that source. I hope some of this information is helpful to you and good luck working with your child.

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My daughter is 6 years old and she is in first grade. I am running out of help. Ever since she started school, she has been having problems recognizing letters and numbers. She knows how to count and say her alphabet, but when I ask her to write a number or letter, that's when she struggles. Now she has improved a little bit by knowing some of the alphabet, but she is struggling on how to start reading. Sometimes I can see that she gets frustrated, plus her teachers are concerned about her not being able to read—and to tell you the truth, so am I. Please help!

A good place to start might be back at the beginning. Your daughter is young enough that backing up a bit won't seem too baby-ish for her. I would begin by printing from your computer or purchasing a simple set of alphabet letter flashcards. You mentioned her difficulty seems to come in recognition. I would start playing all sorts of games with these flash cards. Go Fish (you might need two sets for that, only play with 6-10 letters at a time), all sorts of card game scenarios, like you hold five cards in your hand, and she pulls out one and tells you the letter and sound. Then reverse—have her hold the cards, and you pull one and identify the letter and sound. Guess a few wrong and watch her giggle into pieces as she corrects you. Have her select a card and then go on a treasure hunt to find as many things in the kitchen as she can that starts with the letter/sound that she picked. Tape the letters to objects, as she correctly identifies the letter and sound on the object, she gets a treat (candy piece, sticker, fruit-loop, etc.) You get the idea—as many games as you can think of. Repetition is the key here. Playing games help you repeat, repeat, repeat without boring her and you to tears. Make sure you always have her identify the name of the letter and the sound it makes—it’s always a two-part answer (or you get to eat the treat!).

Her reading progress will be impaired until she can really identify the letters and the sounds they make. Hope these suggestions can help. Keep working with her. I commend your for your diligence and patience on behalf of your daughter. Good luck.

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My child is 13 going on 14 years old. Do you have anything that can help him? Everything I see is based on younger kids.

Our materials are definitely geared for the beginning reader age 3-7. However, the principles are the same, regardless of what age you start to read. Frontline Phonics has been used for adults who have literacy problems, and we have had great success with improving their reading abilities. The problem with teenagers is that they often don't want to start over again with “juvenile” materials. If your son is willing to try, and not too embarrassed to start back at the beginning, I'm sure Frontline Phonics could really help him. If you think that he would never go for it because it's just too young, you might want to check with your local library or county extension service and ask about what adult literacy programs they have available. They are often very helpful and usually free. This might prove to be wonderful resource for you and your teenager. Hope this helps, and good luck to you and your child.

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I am completing my masters degree in reading, and I am currently working on my practicum. I teach high-risk third graders and part of their reading skill problem is that they cannot decode words once they have past the first letter. After they decode the first letter, they guess at the rest of the word even if it does not make sense in the sentence. Then they just continue reading. I have to stop them and ask them to go back and recheck the word they mispronounced. How can I help them become better decoders?

A lot of decoding problems seem to come from teaching children to read by using mainly sight words. Instead of teaching them each letter has it's own sight and sound, they often teach children to read by identifying a group of words like “fish” and then having them memorize that f-i-s-h is the word fish. Then every time children see a word that starts with "f" or "fi" they have associated "fi" with the word fish and read fish. Therefore reading almost every "fi" word as fish—whether it is or isn't.

Learning sight words is obviously a very important part of language development, as every language has many exceptions to every rule. However, I've seen it over and over again—a child who has a phonetic understanding of our language and knows what each letter says in a word has the attack skills to sound out a word that they don't know when they encounter it in a sentence. They understand that not every “fi” word is automatically “fish” and they sound out each letter, blending it as they go.

Teaching kids to be better decoders starts early, with the approach to teaching phonetic-based versus sight based, but that's a huge discussion in and of itself and we'll leave that to the PhD's who don't actually teach kids, but just think about teaching. Actual classroom application varies, but I've had good success in backing up a bit. Helping the kids realize that each letter in a word usually pulls it's own weight, like a train. Each letter has a sound that it needs to say. I use a lot of flashcard games to help teach kids how to decode. Example: I have in my hand 8-10 letters cards that I know can make simple words. They pick a card, any card, and tell me what it says. They lay it down and go again. Placing several in a row, hoping to make a word. Have them shuffle them around to form a word. Then you do it. Back and forth, back and forth. Having them blend each sound into a word will give them better attack skills at sounding out words.

The younger, the better—but third grade isn't too late. My guess is that if you're working with high-risk kids, they're reading skills might not be up to third grade level yet—or at least in some cases. When we tutor older kids at school (older in my case here being second, third, and fourth graders), we simply back up. Start with the sound of each letter and then blending, blending, blending. Teaching them to attack the entire word instead of just the first initial letter will be more helpful to them in their decoding skills. Best of luck to you and bless you for choosing to be a teacher. It sounds like you'll be a great one.

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My 8 year old started reading at an early age, but now he is reading like he's in kindergarten and he has just been promoted to the third grade.

I'm not sure why his reading would digress back a few grades. There could be several reasons. Perhaps it's seemed rather easy until now, and he's uncomfortable progressing to the next level. There starts to be a pronounced difference between 2nd and 3rd grade reading material. If he's uncomfortable with the changes, perhaps he needs a refresher course in the basics--how to reapply the rules and fundamentals that he's learned so far.

A visit with his second grade teacher would be in order. She might know just at what point he started to slow down with his reading skills. Analyzing that with her might be the key to understanding why he's struggling now. Go back clear to the first part of second grade, track his progress (reading levels, reading interest, reading materials, spelling tests, etc.). You might see a pattern emerge that will give you the information you're looking for.

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Online “Ask a Coach” replies of www.frontlinephonics.com should be used for general advice purposes only. Information given by our coaches is not intended to provide a basis for action in particular circumstances without consideration by a competent professional.