Anonymous wrote:All you have to do is read with your child everyday. I know it’s hard to put down the phone and video games etc but read with him. GOG to the library together and get books that he wants to ready about topics he is interested in. Also, play board games.

What a needlessly obnoxious comment. Lots of kids are struggling after the two years, and not because their parents are looking at their phones instead of reading to them. Asshole.

All you have to do is read with your child everyday. I know it’s hard to put down the phone and video games etc but read with him. GOG to the library together and get books that he wants to ready about topics he is interested in. Also, play board games.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.We read to him daily and a few times a week we read a Bob book or similar level together (trying to avoid reading at home becoming a chore).

He can work through some of the easier Bob books but many are too hard. Every word is a challenge even if he just decoded that word on the last page so he gets tired quickly and sight words still aren't clicking consistently.

To clarify, not blaming school or teacher-l (this year's or last year's) just trying to figure out how long to ride this out under be patient, everyone is catching up at different speeds vs panic- time to pull out all the stops.

The BOB books go in order. I would start with the easiest and go from there. If he’s stuck on one book - I would repeat it until he gets it before moving on to the next one.

I struggled in 1st but my grandma worked with me after school. One I figured it out, I loved reading and always performed as one of the highest in reading comprehension on tests. My DH struggled as well due to mild dyslexia. At keep at it, finding interesting books and then seek help to rule out other things.

Try I read, you read, we read, to take some of the work off them. It sounds like the books he has might be too hard. A just right book should have maybe 2/3 tricky words a page

Practice sight words outside of reading.

Have you tried the Bob books?

Those Bob books and sounding out words aren’t interesting. My first wasn’t reading until later but what helped was us reading to him high interest low level books that he could later look through himself. He was into Star Wars at that age so we had a bunch of those he could flip through with no pressure. What really helped in 2nd and 3rd was the Wimpy Kid series. They were way above his level but we read all to him and they were so funny so eventually he was motivated to read them himself. He’s in high school now and does not have any reading issues. He caught up some time in elementary school. I was always skeptical but the teachers said we didn’t need outside help so I didn’t push. They were right.

OP here.We read to him daily and a few times a week we read a Bob book or similar level together (trying to avoid reading at home becoming a chore).

He can work through some of the easier Bob books but many are too hard. Every word is a challenge even if he just decoded that word on the last page so he gets tired quickly and sight words still aren't clicking consistently.

To clarify, not blaming school or teacher-l (this year's or last year's) just trying to figure out how long to ride this out under be patient, everyone is catching up at different speeds vs panic- time to pull out all the stops.

I’m no expert but mine didn’t start reading until I gave her a book I thought she’d be interested in, even though it was far beyond her reading level. This was the middle of first grade and we gave her Matilda to read. I think it worked because she identified with the main character.

But be sure your kid knows how to sound out words.

Do they know all their letter sounds? Can they tap out words? Do they have any sight word inventory? I’m a first grade teacher in another district. We had kids come in pre A this year (meaning don’t know all the letter sounds) and by now they’ve all made it to D (grade level for entry to first by now).

DCUM will tell you to get a tutor and then they will malign FCPS for failing your child. I will tell you to trust the teacher. My son did not read until the latter part of 2nd grade, but once he got it, he soared above everybody else. It’s a developmental skill that some kids get early and some kids get late, and it sounds like your teacher is seeing progress. In the meantime, you can try using something called “word ladders” to help (you can find worksheets online), and please keep reading to your child. My late reader ultimately became a voracious reader, to the point that he got in trouble in class because he could not put his books down. He read the Divine Comedy “for fun” and everything else under the sun. Your DS will get there!

Do you read at home with him? My niece wasn't reading in 1st grade and my sister was concerned. My kids read the Elephant and Piggy books with her, each taking a part. There are some Toon books that are good for beginning readers, he might like those.

Are you working with him at home on this? Is he able to sound out words? We noticed a big leap in ability once we started having our kid read the first level Bob books to us each day. He is learning phonics in school though, so that obviously helps.

What do you mean by can't read? What level are they? Can they read CVC words or nothing? How much progress have they shown this year?

I am having a hard time imagining a kid who can't read being ok in 2nd grade in any subject.

Teacher isn't concerned because DS is showing progress even though well below grade level still.

I was giving it time, understanding challenges of last year but I am starting to panic a bit thinking that this school year will be over before we know it.

What would you do??