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 like Phonics lessons that begin 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.

Many phonics programs teach the letters and sounds and then jump right to reading, leaving out the important step of blending. Be sure to look for programs that teach blending with stories that are easy to read and understand, but still interesting enough to interest an older child, like your son.

I 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 of teaching phonics. 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. 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.