Struggling with reading

[Anonymous]

Just relax OP, dd wasn’t reading in preK and it never crossed my mind to be concerned. She knew her letters and the sounds the letters made but that’s it. She is now a year older and just finished K and it is miraculous what a good K reading curriculum can do. She can read independently most level 1 readers. Our school teaches a phonics based curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a heavily scripted phonics program, that starts from the veeerrrry basics of sounding out individual letters and moves on to blending. And blending sounds like your big problem here; TYCTR100EL is great at enforcing it.

2. If TYCTR100EL fails, then something slower and even more systematic is needed, and that something is All About Reading.

3. If AAR fails, you probably have a child with moderate to severe dyslexia and are going to want to find a tutor trained in one of the Orton-Gillingham methodologies.

4. If OG isn't working, take out a second mortgage and get your child into Lindamood-Bell, which is a spectacularly expensive and ultra-intensive program that can reach severe dyslexics that nothing else seems to.

At some point in this process, make sure you also check your child's vision and hearing, because relatively subtle problems can manifest as reading difficulties.

Good luck OP. Will add you to my prayer list.

I’m using All About Reading with my 4 yo. It makes it so easy. We’re already halfway through level 2.

[Anonymous]

MCPS reportedly uses Balanced Literacy, which only pays lip service to Phonics. BL is not at all Phonics-centered.

If it were my DC, I would do everything in my power to get DC reading soon - just as OP is trying to do. And I would keep teaching reading at home to DC even after DC gets a toe-hold.

(APS and FCPS just switched from BL to Phonics-centered in Sept 2022, due to pressure from the NAACP. Immediate reading improvements were seen in most schools.)

[Anonymous]

Make sure she really understands that you read words from left to right. You'd be shocked at how often this simple rule is neglected and the child doesn't totally realize that's how it works.

Start with two letter words and two letter nonsense words, like AM and AT but also UT and ET, point out the difference between the words AM and MA, work on those very basics for awhile, then move on to three letter words.

Write words on a white board or cards that you use next time as flash cards to go over what you last did. Let her write the words too. Seeing, saying and writing is triple reinforcement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure she really understands that you read words from left to right. You'd be shocked at how often this simple rule is neglected and the child doesn't totally realize that's how it works.

Start with two letter words and two letter nonsense words, like AM and AT but also UT and ET, point out the difference between the words AM and MA, work on those very basics for awhile, then move on to three letter words.

Write words on a white board or cards that you use next time as flash cards to go over what you last did. Let her write the words too. Seeing, saying and writing is triple reinforcement.

Huh thank you! I had taken this for granted bc she knows to write left to right. But best not to assume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to chill. She is behind. Just be patient and let K do its magic

Not behind!!

+1. Ours made dramatic progress in kindergarten. I wouldn't even worry about this.

+2
Stop forcing her and badgering her. She's going to hate reading (especially with you). You're both frustrated and you can avoid it all by backing off.
Snuggles and reading to her daily is fine.

The Kinderg teachers will do their thing and get the kids reading in the Fall. Relax and stop comparing your kid to your friends' kids.

[Anonymous]

I have 2 kids. I kid learned how to read at 3 with little parent support and spell/write at age 4 with zero parent support. And, I kid still learns letter abc at age 4.

The first kid is a self learner, and he learns on his own. I wish he has more interests in sports. The other kid does not care about reading/writing, and she thinks she is a princess every single day. All she cares is what we are going to eat and what she is going to wear to be cute. She sometimes holds her book upside down because she can't tell recognize all letters yet. She should have similar IQ as her older brother (gifted), so we will see how she does in kindergarten 1 year after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP and very much appreciate the thoughtful and detailed replies and the support! She is in preschool (daycare) now and it's mostly play based with a lot of exposure to letters etc but not formal phonics instructions. I would say she picked up all the sounds that the letters make and how to write them at preschool. Will be starting K in the fall.

I'm not concerned she's behind her peers but I guess surprised that we've been trying some of this and it hasn't clicked. And I was naive in thinking that a love of books and a lot of time being read to hasn't translated into reading, but I do understand now that "osmosis" only happens for some kids. I was an early reader (at age 4) and it happened organically so I am also trying to parent my own unique kid and trying to separate my own assumptions from what works for her.

I think her interest (and frustration) is mostly coming from knowing some friends can read and also that she gets these super deep interests (right now it's birds) and wishes I could read to her about them nonstop but I'm juggling younger kid etc and it can't be whenever she wants. She has realized that if she could read, she could be more independent and not wait for me.

I did buy TYCTR100EL and figuring out how to best to start it with DD.

I would not worry yet - she sounds like she will get it when the instruction matches in kindergarten. There are a lot of read along books available at and that you can get on kindle that will allow her more independence in reading.

If you really want to, then I would get the reading.com app. It really shows the kids how to blend the sounds together to make words. I felt that it went too fast for my 4 year old, but for 5.5 it should be perfect. It's one lesson a day and you are supposed to accompany and guide through the lesson, but it tells you exactly what to do.