8 Year Old Can Not Read

hooked on phonics is good....you can get the lower end one for $25 on sale...I got it at Mardels...sometimes toysrus has it, too. what about his school? are they aware of his aptitude? I agree the mom has a duty but isn't this what our tax dollars are for? to help children like this?? sorry, just hoping the school will step in and help.

I recently was brought in contact with the Sidney Ledson book - Teach Your Child to Read in Ten Minutes a Day. It has ideas ranging from pre-school and beyond. You might look into it. I've just started the program with my young dd, so can't really report yet, but it's worth a look.

Also, starfall.com is a really fun website for reading - has various levels depending on ability and age.

Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann is an excellent source. You can try Mardel's (sp?) Book Store and also homeschool book stores like The Book Cover in North Richland Hills. Hope that is helpful.

H.,

As a 3rd grade teacher, I had several students arrive in class unable to read. Using Hooked on Phonics individually and in small group provided the most success. I think the rhythm of the program along with the music make it entert aining and they are able to experience multiple small successes building their confidence. Many of my students who were reading on grade level asked to use Hooked on Phonics during center time!

Does he have a computer at home? If so, there is an excellent software game called "Reader Rabbit" that might help. Also, is there a program in the school that can help him? Surely his teacher is aware of the challenge...

Good luck!

M.
"Our pediatrician misses us. So does the pharmacist."
Visit my Mamasource profile to find out why!

Have you heard of Hooked on Phonics. I am not sure if they still sell them anymore, but I have been told that works wonders. I am sure there are other sources out there like that. I think it even can be used with either a computer or tv. It is sad about his home life. I have two beautiful boys, ages 15 and 18. I started reading to them when they were infants. My husband had dislexia(spelling)
when he was young and hates to read. I was determined that they would love it. Another thing you might want to do is see if his teacher has tested him for that. I don't know if they would talk to you, not being the parent. We live in a very small town and know everyone, so it is easier to talk to the teachers about such things more so then maybe in a large town. Good luck with this endever. It sounds like you are a very caring person to get involved.

BOB books

I totally agree with the BOB books and the Leap Frog DVDs. You can buy the BOB books at 1/2 Price Books, Borders Books, Learning Express and Barnes and Noble. Each set is about $15 for 12 books. I LOVE these books because they focus on a specific sound. For example, "-am." The books are very short, with any where from 1 to 6 words a page in the first set. Because they are short, with simple pictures to explain the words on the page, it is easy for the child to succeed and complete a whole book, by themselves!!!!! I have used them with all my kids, plus I also used them when I taught 4 year olds in preschool. Not a huge expense that is worth trying.
You are a sweetheart for caring about this child and going the extra step to help him. Some parents don't know HOW to be parents, and you are teaching the mom as well now. Good luck. God is watching and loving you for this.

That's a shame. I will pray for this little boy while I brainstorm for ideas.

Letter factory
Talking Word Factory
Story Book Factory

Reading to your three year old (BOB books, Dr. Seuss books).. at 8, though, if he hasn't picked up something in the public school system, he really ought to be screened for dyslexia / irlen syndrome (irlen.com)... Scottish Rite has a very effective program.

Ultimately, though - it is the parents' responsibility. Good luck.

S.

Bob Books are easy books to build confidence in reading. My Kindergarten son loves them. They may be for a younger age group but would be a great place to start. http://www.bobbooks.com/

I just wanted to mention that children learn and develop at different stages, and it's not fair to compare a three year old girl to an 8 year old boy - girls just seem to learn and grasp reading faster than boys. Yes, this boy may have been neglected, but comparing him to others is unfair to him. Boys learn differently, they need more visuals and they need to be allowed to move around. I work with my homeschooled seven year old every day on reading, and he can only sound out three and four letter words. He has learned all the phonics rules but still has a hard time decoding sometimes. Patience, love, and acceptance goes a long way.

WWW.time4learning.com

It has helped my almost 7 y/o boy grow in leaps and bounds in reading. He loves it b/c of the animation and it is on the computer. You can try it free for 2 weeks. You can control what level they are at and you have access to a grade above and a grade below at all times. The reward for working X number of minutes is time in their virtual playground which is a portal to all kinds of kid friendly sites. I am guessing he could navigate it independently. First grade is pretty much all phonics in the language arts arena. The moderators on the message board are great. You can read threads and ask questions there without paying.

Kimberly Heinold

Thank you for caring about someone else's child. A lot of people wouldn't want to take the time. How well do you know the parents? Can you talk with them? My just turned 5 year old in Pre-K is constantly trying to figure out which letters make which sounds. They have known the alphabet for a couple of years now and even if he didn't attend school until Kindergarten he should have some basic understanding by now. Either they are home schooling and they stink or he has a learning disorder which needs diagnosis and tutoring. If nothing else, approach the principle to make him aware this kid has slipped through the cracks. The school can/will do testing and he might be able to get in a special educational program to catch-up. At home, like everyone else has said, read to him and help him as much as you can. Maybe you can influence the parents. When the boy growas up ne will be eternally grateful to you. Illiteracy will hold people back in life to such a great degree it is alarming.

Hi H.:
There are a lot of questions to answer.
Does he attend school outside the home? If so, my question is where are his teachers and why have they not recognized that this 3rd grader is reading on a PK4/Kindergarten level? There may be a more serious treatable issue i.e. a learning disability, Dyslexia etc that may be making it difficult for him to grasp the reading concepts. In that case, he should be tested to identify the cause. If she is homeschooling him and has not introduced reading in an effective way, perhaps she needs to allow him to get help from a more experienced mom so that he can be brought up to level. The bottom line is help is available. An inability to read may ultimately affect his self-esteem and we sure don't want to open the door to any issues.

I loved the Reading Lesson (http://www.readinglesson.com/). It was easy to use and at around $20, a good value. Good luck, and thank you for taking care of him!

There is also a video put out by Leap Frog called Talking Words Factory. It shows them how to put letters together to make words. Amazon has it at a really good price.

Have you discussed your concerns with one of his parents?

I agree that this is strange. If he is in a formal school setting I'd be in the office wondering why no one caught on that this kiddo cannot read. However that doesn't solve the immediate problem. I'd find whatever he was interested in, trucks, trains you name it, head to the library and enlist the aid of the librarian in the children's section. They will find appropriate books that will be of interest. Don't overlook comics. If he has a certain super hero then grab some comics and read with him. Kids catch on super fast and he can catch up especially if he is interested in the subject matter.
People like you make the difference in a child's life!

Hooked on Phonix makes a bunch of things for learning. They have a complete set with ABC DVD's and CD Roms, Flashcards and workbooks. My MIL is a school teacher and that is what she purchased for my daughter who is 3. She loves it. Good luck with what you decide. It is a great thing that you are doing.

Dear H.:

This may take a three-pronged approach. First of all, he needs to develop vocabulary. This is best done by exposure to enriched language. Personal conversation is one way to do this. Storybooks are another. They are best read one on one so that the more proficient reader can check for understanding. Pictures will help the child understand new words and the child can see the words as he hears them. I find that many children can decode words really well. They even may pronounce them beautifully, but the have no idea what they have read. It is hard to read when you have big vocabulary gaps or or unfamiliar with common language usage such as idioms. If no one on one attention is available or to supplement vocabulary, a computer program like Ticket to Read or www.storylineonline.net may be helpful. Of course, the child cannot stop and ask questions, so a computer program is not perfect, but much better than nothing.

The second thing that children must be able to do is decode words. They must be able to see them and figure out sound patterns. Hooked on phonics, The Phonics Game, Leap Frog toys, and other programs may help with this.

Finally, a child may have some kind of disability that interferes with learning. It may be a visual problem, dyslexia, memory, etc. Watch for these problems.

Parents need to communicate with the school to find out what steps the school is taking and create a goal timeline. They can ask the school how to support these goals and ask for the next step if the child is not making proper progress.

Good luck - you may be able to help this child directly, or you may be able to educate his parents. Many parents have had negative experiences in school. Learning disabilities were often not recognized. In the past, many children were punished. Reassure the parent and boost his or her confidence. There are many resources available that CAN help children, but often the parent must advocate for their child - teachers and often overworked and if they are not careful, children may "fall between the cracks".
Jen

My daughter is 9 and is still struggling with reading, but she has a disability. I have discovered that Alpha-phonics is a great program, and there are tutors who will come to the home to teach this program. I have not been fortunate to find one, but I was able to find info on the internet. Another great reading program is called "Johnny Can Read and Johnny Can Spell." It teaches great phonics lessons to those who have difficulty understanding phonics from traditional teaching methods. Also, I do not know if the little guy is in public, private or home school. If he is in public and private, I am surprised that teachers are not intervening on his behalf, as well. I am so thankful that he has an angel like you who watches over him! I see so many children in the school system who need but do not have great mentors.

We used the Phonics Game. Songs and games you can play together. My daughter is 23 now and says it was the best thing she ever did for her reading skills. I think it was so useful that I'm saving ours for my grandchildren(who aren't born yet).

The Hooked on Phonics program is really great and you can now buy it in the stores. It works- I used to teach it at a child care center. It's really easy to learn but he is going to have to have someone work with him. I understand that there were some problems with the parents not working with him at home but what about his school? Noone there noticed he wasn't learning? It's sad but a good thing he at least has someone who cares, you.

Hooked on phonics is really great. It helped my son tons.

I'm currently using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann to work with my almost 5 year old. It's a great book. The preface also indicates that it's a great resource to "re-teach" those who are older who are struggling with reading. We also have the LeapFrog DVDs (listed below) that have really been great for my kids and their phonics and reading.

-Letter Factory
-Word Factory (1 and 2)
-Learn to Read at the Storybook Factory

Good Luck!

This sounds strange to me as well. He should be getting help in school. The teachers have to do testing and they know what he is capable of and should provide afterschool tutoring.

We are in Plano ISD and they start tutoring afterschool in 1st grade for students who need extra help.

Has he been tested for Dyslexia? There is a reading specialist at the elementary school (or should be..PISD has them). Also, there is summer school available for kids who are not up to par with reading and math skills.

Along with support from the school, his parents should step up and help him. Computer games that my daughter loved were the Jumpstart series.

Bless you for trying to help.

This is strange, he should be learning to sound out his words at school. My daughter who is in first grade has a had a hard time reading but she knows all the letter sounds really well and can read most words, she is just a little less ahead than some of her classmates. We didnt really start doing more work at home until Nov 08 because we saw she needed some extra help but honestly kids are in school until 3pm and then they get home and the last thing they want to do is read and do homework for 1 or more hours right after, at least for us its been difficult to get her interested in reading more, it kind of frustrates her so there is a thin line there between support and pushing too much. I agree that the parents have to step in and work a little more with him, but it seems to me that he should be recieving more from school also.

More than likely the child has learning differences and needs testing to learn the best way for him to learn. I agree with TF, if there is a school involved. But from your description it does not sound like you think the parents are capable of helping him. You don't really tell us the situation, but if you are friendly with the Mom...can you speak to her without sounding judgmental? Perhaps you can learn some different styles that may work for the child and work with him yourself or share them with the mom. If he is in public school certainly you can make a call to the school counselor in confidence.

A great FREE web site is www.starfall.com. It has activities for all levels of readers and can be done independently - on the stories, if he does not know a word, clicks on it and it will first sound out the word, then pronounce it for him, and there are songs and mini vierdoes to teach reading rules.

I don't know how good of friends you are with this boy but if he comes to your house or is around you and your daughter maybe you could work with her when he is around.
That would cause him to be interested in the sounds or at least he would hear them more.
Maybe after a while you could ask him to help her. He would be learning even more.
I know we always made learning a fun thing in our house. A child loves to have fun. If it looks like work or even sounds like work they don't want to do it.
Kids are all about fun!!!!! So am I that is why I work at a school. LOL
I hope you can help him.

Tried and true - "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons". Introduced to me by a home schooler with a very bright son. I offered it to two of my friends and their kids are now avid readers. I use it with my son and he is reading very well in kindergarten.
It is such a privilege to read. I tell my son if you can read you can be free. You can grow to be who you want to be.

Kids with a 70 IQ can learn to read. Learning the ABC's is actually misleading to a child. There are the letter combinations of SH, CH, TH, WH that do not come in the ABC song.

By the tenth or so lesson they will be able to read 3 letter words and by the fifteenth lesson or so, sentences.

It tells you exactly what to say so you don't talk him to death and prevents disciplining during the lesson. You say what they tell you and the child says what he is asked - so wonderful.
Best to do it now before he falls any farther behind. At eight he is probably going to start 'faking it' and will hide his inability to read and feel shameful about it. So sad.

You are wonderful to take him under your wing. he will remember your generosity for all his life. An angel you are!

God bless you and the little one, C.

Does he attend school or is he home-schooled? I would think the teachers could set him up with in-school tutoring. Otherwise, maybe you could search garage sales and craigslist for some reading games like your daughter has and help him out. Obviously his parents aren't going to help him. That is so sad. Good luck.

The hooked on phonics worked really well for both of my children! We started with the kindergarten set and it worked wonders!

I wouldn't say he has learning issues unless he has been worked with at home or you know the home situation. I know someone whose 9 year old couldn't read. They were in a custody battle that was terrible and the "mom" had "homeschooled" the kids. The dad was doing everything to get the kids out (and has since gotten sole custody) but it took working with her a LOT at home and at school to get her able to read and understand. She is in middle school now and still has a hard time spelling. Other than that she is a straight A student.

Not to say that many learning disabilities aren't present in many kids, but if they aren't getting any consistency or routines or even the parents don't have the knowledge to even realize there is a problem, then it happens all the time.

Good for you for caring! The best way to help a child in that situation is to read to them ALL the time. Let them hear your inflection and let them start to read along with you. Read short books, long books, and find things that interest them. He may be at home all night watching tv or playing video games and never been read to. That is so important. And, it is best to catch them before 3rd grade. Otherwise, it is so much easier for them to get "lost in the system."

And, it is really easy for people to say, "why hasn't that teacher or that school DONE anything?" but I promise you, a day's work at school can be EASILY undone at home if the parents are not concerned or consistent.

Good luck and I wish you all the best!! Being able to read is so important. Also, it is so important to comprehend.

Now, if you know all that I've said isn't true, and you have reason to believe that there may be a learning difficulty, I would say that if the school doesn't refer him, the mom will have to. :(

When this little boy is in your possession, sit him down and read to him as well as work with him learning to read. Go back to how you learned to read as a child. That's basically how I taught my daughter. Have him watch Sesame Street. I had a friend that was from Haiti and did not know English. She watched Sesame Street...

Good luck.