My struggling reader

I am frustrated and so is my 6 year old when we do Alphabetic Reading.  When he attended a multiple intelligence school during his nursery and kindergarten, his teacher's comment was "he is probably regressing".  I cannot accept it, I was worried.  I know he was doing well at 2 years old, knows all the letters, shapes and was very smart.

Just suddenly, when I heard those words and also saw his progress in school.  I knew there has got to be a way for him to catch up.  I don't care if he's not yet reading at his age, or if if I put his level a year down.  What is important is that he would love to learn and discover.

That started my Homeschooling with him.  I pulled him off school and started research on the best homeschool curriculum for him.  I don't like the structured, or pacing series.  He is only 5 that time, I just wanted him to have fun.  That's where I found out about a literature-based curriculum called Sonlight.  No pressure, 1 letter sound per week and he did very well.

All subjects of Science, Math, Read-alouds, Social Studies were all great.  But, handwriting and reading was a dreaded subject for the both of us.

I bought and researched on the best phonics system available.  Looking for a very good reading teacher.  But, really nothing helps.  At 6, he is having a hard time with rhymes.  He just doesn't seem to understand anything at all.  He was looking at patterns as if words are mazes or patterns in math which he's very good at.

So, I crossed path at Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness.  Finally, it has a pattern to follow.  Practicing only different phonemes and no alphabetic way (sight) to understand.  It is being used also by Orto-Gillingham approach.

I love the results and will be blogging on his progress.  We started to read Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss which is full of simple rhymes.  As well as lots of Sesame Street Videos of his favorite Kermit the Frog and Cookie Monster.  This is a break for us.  He's catching on.

I was about to believe that he is Dyslexic.  He has lots of reversed letters and often reverses B to D, P and T, W and M.  But, when I cross upon a site, it said Dyslexia isn't a disease it could be corrected.  I'm seeing it already and I'm happy now and so is my son.

Today, there are no crying bouts and we ended school with a big reward - a big, giant, hug!

If you have a struggling reader, you can try these links:

• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/322045/lesson_plan_phonemic_awareness_say.html?cat=4
• http://www.lessonsense.com/general/phonemic-awareness.html
• http://www.childrenlearningreading.com/
• http://www.remediationplus.com/
• http://www.orton-gillingham.com/

There is no such thing as slow learner, what these kids need is you - their parent! They need you to help them and understand that we have a great big deal of job to teach them cope in life.

I thank the Lord for giving me the best children in the world and I love them.  I would do everything to help them achieve and see their potential for I know the Lord have great plans for them.