how to support kindergarten reading / writing

[Anonymous]

My son just turned 6. He really, really wants to read and wants to write, but gets SO FRUSTRATED and impatient... and ultimately winds up crying, says it is too much pressure. The pressure is from himself! He has a number of older friends who will read things for him, so that could also be part of it -- wanting to be like them and wanting to keep up.

I haven't lost my patience with him and I don't push, but I am at a loss for how to support his desire and encourage him to keep going, etc. We've got the BOB books (which he memorized after sounding out once with me; he's not really 'reading' and can't reliably sound out or read the words in isolation), the Kumon writing books, a Kindergarten activity book, a Star Wars phonics book, etc. He's great at playing with numbers -- doing math in his head -- and makes up number games for us to play together; but math is something that he just caught onto w/o any trouble. Perhaps that is why reading and writing are so hard for him -- he has to try harder and really, really concentrate to get it done.

Any fun ideas to help him out? What worked for your kid?

[Anonymous]

He's just not ready yet. Just read to him lots, and let him watch picture books online. Plat word games with him, like if you say bat and take off the first sound and replace it with SSS, what word do you get? Do lots of rhyming and hunting for two letter words on signs in the car, like IN, and tell him it will just happen that one day he can read. Lots of kids can't read at his age.

[Anonymous]

Try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Worked fantastic for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Worked fantastic for us.

+1 I used this book for all my kids and highly recommend it.

[Anonymous]

I'm using it now. It's legit!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Worked fantastic for us.

I'll check it out - thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Worked fantastic for us.

Agree - this is working for us.

[Anonymous]

We used Leap Frog's Letter Factory for my kids to learn phonetics. We then progressed to Talking Words Factory to learn simple words, and then moved on to Code words. Both of my children had fun with the songs and catchy tunes.

Dr. Seuss books like Hop on Pop are also great for new learners. The rhyming and easy words make it fun for young readers.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Worked fantastic for us.

Agree - this is working for us.

Is there only one edition published in 1986?

[Anonymous]

I'm the it's legit lady. I've got the book in front of me, and it says 1983.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the it's legit lady. I've got the book in front of me, and it says 1983.

Thanks so much--I will look for that version!

[Anonymous]

Agree with the leap frog videos. Also the Endless Alphabet and Endless Reader apps are really engaging and fun.

[Anonymous]

And don't forget to just read to him every night before bed. Whatever he wants with NO pressure for him to read a single word. Just snuggle and read so he holds a love for reading.

[Anonymous]

My DD did not really know how to fluently read before KG and I didn't pressurize her much... KG started in September, and by now in March, she is reading super fluently, even the bigger words, and surprises me daily!

I think it has got to do with how her teachers are teaching her reading.. she has really caught on! I would say give your kid some more time, and he will be reading fluently soon!

[Anonymous]

Leap frog letter factory provides a great foundation for letter sounds. Knowing letter sounds is key to any approach. We used it and then used reading eggs. Reading eggs is an online phonics / reading game.dont be discouraged by your sons memorization, that is actually part of reading. Sight words are all memorized.