I have a 6yo and we are in our second year of homeschooling with oak meadow curriculum. One of the reasons I kept her out of school is because I was afraid she would have difficulty reading, felt she wasn't quite ready, and didn't want her put in a situation where she was going to have to learn how to read right off the bat. I thought it would be better to keep her at home where their would be no real pressure to learn to read by a certain age, or anyone putting her in remedial classes or saying she has a learning disability or anything like that. One of the reasons I chose the curriculum I did is because it encourages learning to read later rather than sooner.

She has had a hard time learning her alphabet and has struggled thru K and the 1st qtr of 1st grade learning how to write letters. She doesn't get how sound connects to them. Phonics frustrates her. I try to encourage her to write things, but for some reason she can't remember what letters are supposed to look like. I have to remind her every time what the letter she's trying to make looks like. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, if there is a different way she needs to be taught or what. But she's just not getting it.

I've talked to the school. They won't help us unless I enroll her in school and then all they'll do is put her in a remedial class if she can't keep up with the main stream class. Her pediatrician can't do anything, but recommended I put her in school to let them help her. The only place in the area that test for things like dyslexia won't test her for a few years till she's older.

So now, we've struggled thru the abc's, it's time to start word families which is an absolute disaster. I can't really go any further without feeling like I'm pressuring her to learn to read. We can't get any help. I don't know what to do.

Do I give up on a curriculum all together and unschool? Hoping somewhere along the way she learns to read herself? My concerns there are what if I have to put her in school at some point and she's not reading? And social pressure! In fact pressure is probably where most of my fears come from. If she never learns to read, if she gets put in public school, but moved back a grade or what ever because I failed to teach her to read how upset are people, like family members who thought it was a really bad idea to homeschool, going to be with me?

Anyhow, I just want to do what ever the right thing is for her, but at the moment I just don't know what that is. I could use some encouragement.

nak

6 is so young, i wouldn't push her or expect her to be at some pre-set level just yet. maybe find a few games that are geared toward letters/sounds etc, (Games for Reading by Peggy Kaye has great ideas)

Maybe try Learn to Read at Starfall - teaching comprehension and phonics (http://www.starfall.com) Kaya Jade *loves* that website!

Phonics don't work for everyone. Some people have trouble hearing the different sounds. Easy sight word might work better, but I agree that 6 is too young to get that worried. Some of the kids at the school where I work didn't really catch on to reading until they were 8 or 9, now at 10 and 11 they are great readers. They just had to reach the right level of maturity.

It's so easy to fall into the trap of pressuring your child to read. I did it with my oldest and had to work a long, long time to get her built back up to being able to tackle school work. I gave her all the tools she needed to learn to read, but it just would not click. Finally 2 years later after no more reading work whatsoever, it clicked for her. So, I'm a fan of backing off and letting them relax. My other 2 readers have been taught much more gently. My 7 year old is just now reading well and my 5 year old took off reading last year. It just comes differently for different kids, but the more relaxed you are about it, the better it will be for long term learning.

I don't understand why they won't help you unless she is enrolled. I don't think that is correct. Every child is entitled to services through Special Education whether they are enrolled in the public school or not....what do they do with kids in private school?

I am going through something very similar with MY six year old daughter. I wouldn't be concerned if she simply wasn't "reading" yet, but she is also struggling with recognizing letters, remembering how to make letters, etc. I suspect she is dyslexic. I have referred to the school district for an evaluation...we are just waiting on that process.

We have been doing "spell reading". I have her read the letters in a book. When she finishes spelling the word, I say the word. If she thinks she knows it, she says it. It is really to work on the left to right process. We are also making the letters of the alphabet out of clay and then matching them up to letter cards. It seems to help her to "feel" how they orient in space.

I feel your pain in this...I really do.

nak

6 is so young, i wouldn't push her or expect her to be at some pre-set level just yet. maybe find a few games that are geared toward letters/sounds etc, (Games for Reading by Peggy Kaye has great ideas)

Maybe try Learn to Read at Starfall - teaching comprehension and phonics (http://www.starfall.com) Kaya Jade *loves* that website!

what she said. :) Peggy aye is really great! Also, you might want to check out the Ruth Beechick books, they are inexpensive and they cover reading, math and writing (I believe they cover writing).

And if she isn't ready for word families, then DON'T go there. Play games with letters and sounds. Hae her pick out all the a's in a page as you read words. Have her read one word every time you get to it as you read the book. Read read read to her: picture books, chapter books, magazines, poems, articles. Run your fingers under the words as you read - then have her run her fingers under the words as you read. She WILL be ready sometime... and probably sooner rather than later if you don't push.

If you think there is a processing disorder, though, I would have that checked out. Listen to your gut, mama.

I agree that six is young. As far as I know with Oak Meadow she should still be doing K.

With Annabelle I started her with just letters. Once she knew her letters then we added sounds to the letters. Once she knew the sounds the letters made, it was more organic. The one thing I have always done is read to Annabelle daily.

The best books I've read on how to read have been the Preschool suggestions in "The Well-Trained Mind" and "The Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading".

Some children are reading Chaucer when they are two, some a reading Junie B Jones when they are seven and some don't read anything until ten. Any which way it goes is okay.

What state do you live in? Some states have laws regarding the schools obligation to help you. According to some websites my state is "hardest" to homeschool in, and we have laws that say you can use the school as much or as little as you want to. You could send in your kid for math, lunch, pe and extra curriculars, or just the special needs stuff, or a half day, or one period, and they are reqired to help/let you. If you tell me where you life I bet I can find some laws for you.

And I agree, she could have a problem, or she could be not ready, or some combination of those two things. I think having you both relaxed and having fun is key.

((hug)) you're doing great mama, don't worry so much okay?

Hi, we live in Mississippi, probably one of the easier states to homeschool in since they pretty much leave you alone.

I do need to relax. Sometimes I realize that she's the only kid her age we know that's not reading, or feel the pressure from some well meaning person that thinks I should have her in school so they can teach her to read. Here they spend the entire year in K just learning to read, and in some places now they have 4yo K so that they will already be reading once they get to K . We kept her out of school so she wouldn't feel that kind of pressure to read and be able to learn in a more relaxded enviroment. I certainly to want to be the one who ends up pressuring her instead.
I like the idea of playing games to help her learn to read. I'll check into the books you all have mentioned.
Thanks! I don't feel like such a horrible mother now for having a 6 yo that doesn't read yet.

My nearly 7-year-old is just starting to recognize words. We tried learning to read at age 5, 5 1/2, 6, and finally he started getting it at 6 1/2. I am determined not to worry about it. Six is not a magic age to learn to read... if you're homeschooling, you really don't have a time frame, kwim? I'd advise backing off for 6 months or more and then trying again... six months or a year makes a HUGE difference in such young kids. :)

[QUOTE=beanandpumpkin;2755042 I'd advise backing off for 6 months or more and then trying again... six months or a year makes a HUGE difference in such young kids. :)[/QUOTE]

My DS turns 7 in January and like your DS, didn't start "getting it" until around 6 and a half.

He still can't blend sounds but her can read words like hot, sat, hop, etc.

I will tell you two inexpensive things that worked for us.
For reading, a book called Five Minute Phonics. It's about $12-15 and really an excellent book.
For handwriting, Handwriting Without Tears. The workbook to start with is Letters and Numbers for me. And that's really all you need. It's like $4-5 + shipping.