[Candice2boys]

Just wondering if you have a set age/time frame to start helping them learn to read? And what readiness cues do you go by? NAK- DS is 5 and knows letters and the sounds they make. And can sound out some words. will ask more later...

 

[The Duchess]

I am a novice home educator, mom of three and my eldest is 6 at the end of September. "Readiness cues" were that she kept asking me to teach her to read

She has known the alphabet for years and can write all her letters (in upper case). She likes to write things down and asks me how to spell what she wants to write. She has memorized a few words such as "daddy" and "exit" etc.
Anyway, I have an 8 week old and a three year old so decided to try an online program http://www.headsprout.com/ because I was concerned I wasn't responding to my 5 year old's desire to learn. She loves it and is whizzing thru the lessons. In fact I have been so busy and not always able to spend time reinforcing what she is learning that I was concerned that she wasn't in fact learning. But today I printed up all the flashcards from the first 18 lessons and found that she knew almost all the sounds and words, she only needed prompting on about three.
Headsprout is working very well for us as I am finding it very difficult to give any child one-on-one right now. When they complete certain lessons you give them little books that arrive in the mail at the start of the program. They also have extra books that can be printed up from the website plus the flashcards. My daughter loves getting the books and is very proud that she can read them. She also enjoys putting a sticker on the progress map each time she finishes her lesson (about 20 minutes online). Overall the program is great, lots of fun and is at the child's pace. You can try free lessons online. I am paying $20 a month (or you can pay one payment of around $100?) and I think it is great value.

A friend's 5 yr old daughter used this program last year as she began homeschooling and from nonreading she was at second grade level within a year.

 

[The Duchess]

Candice - just noticed the age of your children, we're almost identical! Congratulations on the birth of your new baby!

 

[SagMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candice2boys Just wondering if you have a set age/time frame to start helping them learn to read?

I don't. I think that kids vary in the age at which they're ready to learn to read. Just as some children walk at 8 months and others much later, some read at 3 and some read much later.

I've seen all my kids go through certain stages--learning certain "sight words" (such as "Stop" or "Pizza" or other words they see often) or their names, wanting to learn to read, picking up on the sounds the letters make, etc. but they've all read at different ages.

 

[AprilDaisy]

My daughter read well from the beginning. My son (9) is now starting to read fluently. For me, there wasn't any "tried and true" way to do this with him. I tried all sorts of things, lol. Now, we're reading Dr. Seuss and laughing with each other at the storylines! We're both happy.

The Duchess
Thank you for pointing out Headsprout. I think I saw it years ago, when I first took him out, but couldn't ever find it again to let him use it. Now, I'm going to bookmark it and consider using it so that he can watch himself learn, get the books in the mail (he loves mail, lol), and basically it'll show his progress. I need to see how far it goes though...up to 2nd grade? I'll read more on the website. Anyways, thank you.

Blessings...

 

[The Duchess]

The books come with the progress chart in one package and I hide them and give them to dd as she reaches the milestone to receive one. I think she thinks we have a book fairy in the house somewhere

.

Hey, I LOVE that idea

I wish there was a book fairy for mommies...

 

[poisonedapple]

No clue, this is my first time helping someone learn to read. We have been learning the letters and their sounds, and I just got learning to read in 100 lessons from overstock. They have cheap flat rate shipping 1.50 and it takes 2-15 days for items to arrive, but I got almost all of our school books from there.

Back to the reading, having no expierence of a child who can now read, take it as you will. Personally we are taking a road of moderation, we are down the middle in homeschooling, no extreme measures of school books or the opposite of unschooling. My daughter WANTS to read, so we are going after it, slowly, and at her pace. We make it fun to learn the letters, we make books for each letter, I think its enchanted learning that we print them from, it has a membership fee, but we have really enjoyed all their printables especially books.

 

[Tori Gollihugh]

I started DD on letters when she was 9 months old... she was interested in the shapes and some flash cards we had, so I figured there couldn't be any harm. We have sight words placed all over the house and sometimes it seems like she reads them (she's 2.5 now). Mostly she can read names only, but every once in a while she surprises me and read something I didn't know she could... like bird, or something equally useful, but also not very often read.

I base it on her interest. Sometimes she hates it when I read and follow the words with my finger and other times she puts my finger to the page to tell me that's exactly what she wants. That's a big THING with learning reading is associating the print word with what is said. She loves loves loves books and reading (even by herself just looking at the books and 'pretending' to read), so I know it'll be one of those things that happens. I do like to work on flashcards when she's in the mood, but it's all based on her interest. She knows where the flashcards and books and other "class" type things are and asks for them when she wants to work on it. That's probably the best thing to do... have certain things (even games) that you use for the purpose of teaching DC to read in a certain place and let DC bring them to you and work on it until DC is not interested (OR either of you are frustrated).

 

[mccelticmom]

Around 5yo, I *thought* my son should be reading..you know the Cat in the Hat type of stuff and when he didn't I was so disappointed...well, he's almost 6yo and is taking off, blending well, etc and what I have noticed....he wants me to read things of interest to him. Signs on the side of the road, a toy, etc.

Also, I kept comparing him to little girls who, for some reason, absolutely love to read and do *school*...that was a big no, no on my part and when the other two get ready to start reading...I'm not stressing....so, IMHO and experience around 5.5 or 6yo is good time to start introducing more to little boys.

Bob Books! They are a hit around here!

 

[mich]

Thank you so much for the Headsprout link! This is just what we need. DS is almost 7 and struggling with reading. He did the first three free lessons and loved it. He worked very well with the program. So I signed him up for the rest.

I am so releved to find something that works for him! He does not want to listen to me explain things to him. I was just yesterday considering hiring a friend (who teaches english) to work with him. We tried Reader Rabbit and he found it frustrating, not enough sound demo. He needs to hear the sound and sound blends more.

I was feeling very down on myself for not knowing how to help him. Thanks again!!!

 

[jlpumkin]

I attended a conference on this - I am not an expert though just relaying what we were told. Reading is a capability when their brain has connected both sides. There are physical signs of this development such as the ability to touch the left ear by lifting the right hand up over head and down. Or touching the right elbow to the left knee criss crossing over body. Many kids can do this mimicking but to sustain the action by themselves. Finally - the ability to skip. Back before all of these tests and "child development" skipping was a skill that kids had to master to start school. Back then it was appreciated that kids learn physically instead of now where we try to stuff them in chairs and fill their brains.

Anyway I believe this as true just for my family as my daughter learned to skip a few months ago and just through our normal reading routines has read her first book independently.
Again not an expert but I found it interesting that it at least held true for us.

 

[Candice2boys]

Thanks for the replies and the link! My son did about 3 months of preschool last year and we enrolled him on their Hooked on Phonics program. He was already working on letters and phonics at home with me with flashcars and the Letter Factory DVD from Leap Frog. Well they taught him how to write the letters in the sand and he started learning to read. After a huge problem we pulled him out. Anyway he hasn't shown any interest in reading since then. MIL bought us the entire Hooked on Phonics series to help teach all 3 boys to read when the time is right. He does know a lot of words by site. He loves being read to. Right now I am working on showing him the connection from the letters and the sounds they make when put together make words. He can sound out words when he feels like it. I know he gets it. Just yesterday he said hey mom gold starts with G it makes the "Guh" sound. He definately can write his letters and knows them all and all the sounds they make. He just doesn't seem interested in the reading part yet.

jlpumkin- I had him try to skip and he can't. Before that I had him try to do the other "tests" and when he was told verbally what tod do it couldn't but when I showed him how he could. Thanks for posting that. What conference did you attend?

Thanks everyone!!

 

[jlpumkin]

I used to operate a family child care. I would attend the NAEYC (National Association for Educators of Young Children) state conferences. I have maintained my membership because of all the info I receive, though I haven't attended another conference since I quit fcc. I just received an awesome book evaluating the early childhood bench mark tests and their biases. And another on the "typical" kindergartener and how K has lost it's value in today's society. Love it!! Sort of funny that I get most of my reasons for hsing from a "teacher" organization huh?

 

[Candice2boys]

jlpumkin-
I know all about NAEYC! I went to school for Early childhood education. I stopped school to homeschool plus I was preggo and didn't want to go at that point. I really like what NAEYC stands for and how much they put children first. If only schools could really live up to ther standards. I am not a member, but I get their emails and go to their site. After having gone to school for ECE I can really see how bad the school systems are for children, we had to do many, many observations at schools.

 

[jlpumkin]

I'm trying to evaluate whether I'll continue my membership or not... I have learned a lot from all of the resources. I don't know if I think that schools are horrible

: I just don't think that it's the best option for my kids right now. Although I haven't done the observations that you have either. From NAEYC and their conferences it seems like *most* educators are pretty proactive in actually trying to meet kids needs. I think the association has a very positive culture and hope that carries into classrooms? But again not willing to risk those odds on my kiddos yet.

 

[Candice2boys]

It wasn't the teachers, the majoity of them were trying ti do the chilren right. It was the lack of supplies, space. ?Not to mention that the teachers have this pressure to get great scores on the state tests. So they wouldn't/couldn't teach the children in a way that was better for them. Their main focus was what the state/politcal up and ups wanted. The teachers I saw did their best within what they were allowed to do and teach. Just not enough freedom for the children or the teachers.