Reading

[theretohere]

We've tried Hooked on Phonics, Bob books, and now Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons, in that order.
DD1 knows all the letters and sounds, but she can't seem to get the idea of blending, so we keep screeching to a halt.
If I sound out a word a la 100 lessons slowly like mmmmmooooommm she can tell you the word is mom, but when it's her turn to sound out she gets stuck as seperate sounds- like m,o,m and can't connect them.
She really, really wants to learn to read. Desperately.
Help!

[babycarrier]

I've found some phonics workbooks to be helpful. But mostly I just went back to reading to him. I can see his brain putting the sounds together and we are certainly enjoying our reading time more. I'm sure others have more concrete suggestions.

[tallmomma]

We like The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading, but I also highly recommend Why Johnny Can't Read by Rudolf Flesch. My sister and her husband have taught many people to read using that book, including their 3 homeschooled kids. You don't have to read the whole book. Just go to the back and start the exercises if you'd prefer. Long ago when she taught her kids at home (my niece is almost 30 now!) she was given the advice to not waste any money on any reading programs. She was told that all she needed was Flescher's book. She swears by it and I have witnessed the outcome. Her kids are and have always been super strong readers, reading material way above their age level (things most adults can't even grasp). The oldest is a writer, the middle one is in her junior year at a private university on scholarship, and the youngest reads better than an adult and she is 9. BTW, the youngest was adopted and she was born pre-mature addicted to drugs. They were told she would never learn normally and that she would be slow. Okay, I know this is TMI but I am just so proud of them all!

[AprilDaisy]

Frustration is a huge block in actually getting things accomplished. I'd just drop every mention of learning to read.

I tried several things with my son over a couple of years and he got the hang of some things, but actual reading wasn't happening. Then, one day he came to me and said, "I want to read". He then started reading slowly, on his own, and can now read fairly well. (he's 11) If there's something beyond his scope, he gets nervous again and clams up.

Two things helped him: the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon books and a Playstation 2 game called Kingdom Hearts (it's a very good, simple kids game with mostly easy words... Hubby would sit with him and get him to read the captions).

The other books I'd bought just didn't motivate him to want to read. Finding what motivates is important.

[elizawill]

how old is your dd? my daughter knew the letters and their sounds for a verrrry long time and still could not learn to blend simple words like "cat" until she was closer to 6. what has helped the most for her was an online program & just moving slowly. she literally just turned 7 and is taking off big time with reading now. it will come together for your dd. have you tried the leapfrog dvd, the word factory? it focuses on blending & my kids just loved it. you can buy it used for a few bucks at amazon. good luck

[aishy]

The Leapfrog DVD really helped my son with blending sounds, he is still working on beginning blends. But it is only now (since he turned 8 two weeks ago, like something clicked) that he is reading more smoothly at times. Not always, but at times. We just keep on reading everyday and I've learned not to stress about it. I can see that he is getting it. Just on his own time table.

I love when he sounds out something like SOME - SS UGH MM EH and then says it properly, cracks me up.

[mamatoady]

sometimes it's helpful for them to gain confidence by learning some sight words as opposed to sounding e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g out. That way when they realize they do know how to "read" some words quickly, they are encouraged to learn more.

My daughter and I do a "word of the day" and she picks a word she wants to be able to read and we write it out and she copies it and we put it on the wall and look for it in books etc. She has yet to forget any of the words she chose to learn.

sometimes it's hard for kids to remember what they "read" or saw. If she's saying every sound but concentrating so hard on the new sound rather than remembering the sound she just said, she may not really be listening to herself. (does that even make sense?) practice saying words slowly and fast. You say them slowly and she says them fast. Then have her test you. Point to different things around the house and have her say them slowly and fast.

how old is she. my dd didn't pick much up until about 5.5. She's a bit over 6 now and excelling very quickly.

[Aurie]

My DD is 6 and things are starting to click. We have been using ReadingEggs with Starfall and tons of other emergent readers. We combine phonics with sight words and lots and lots of repetition/reading.

[4evermom]

Is she only 4? It just might not click for her for another year or two or three. My ds has known his letters and sounds since he was 3. He is now 7 and just beginning to read. He seems to be learning more by memorizing sight words than doing the phonetics and blending thing. He just has a different learning style than I did.

I've read stuff indicating that writing is a good first step towards reading. So if she is really adamant, maybe concentrate on writing. She may have an easier time reading what she wrote (knowing what she meant to write). Don't worry about correct spelling, just whatever she thinks a word sounds like.

[AprilDaisy]

Oh, I love the word of the day idea! Not sure I can put it in there now though, but it's an excellent motivator!

[milehighmonkeys]

Can you take a break from lessons and just read together? She can read what she can and you can fill in the rest. All without instruction, though, no pressure.