My son is nearly 9 and still cant read. He is really upset although he doesnt seem interested in learning.?

Question

My son is nearly 9 and still cant read. He is really upset although he doesnt seem interested in learning.?

Answer 1

Get him tested. And ask your school for intervention if he is not getting it already.

He is not interested in learning because it is too difficult for him. Think about something that is really complicated for you and that you don't want to do because of that and you will know how he feels.

I think nuclear physics is interesting. But I don't want to explore it much further because I know I will have to spend too much time in order to understand it....

Answer 2

Have you considered home-schooling him? If he has a learning disability, you could choose a curriculum that interests him. Sometimes when the stress of school is taken off a child, they suddenly get interested in learning.  If you can get a tutor, that may help, too.

Can you determine WHY he can't read?

How was he taught to read? Some schools use wild methods that some kids just can't master.  I think all kids need to know at least some basic phonics as well as sight words.  Have him sound out some words for you and see if he even knows the sounds that letters make. Then see if he knows any words by sight (the, at, in, on, and). If he doesn't know letter sounds, get him some tapes, DVDs or computer programs (see about Starfall below.)

How is his vision? If he can't see, he can't read.

Can he distinguish between the letters b, d, p?  If not, get him checked for a learning disability.

Can he recognize patterns of letters? (ABBABB    CATCAT)

Does he WANT to read? If not, why? Has someone at school made fun of him?

If he's COULD read but is simply not interested, try to find something that would interest him. Turn off the TV and unplug the video games if you have any and set up a reading time. Go to the library or bookstore, buy age-appropriate comic books if you have to (some of our readers may have a stroke to hear this), but do anything to get him INTERESTED in reading.

Set up prizes for when he reads a short book (a pizza or something he likes.) Reading isn't easy at first and kids need lots of encouragement.

Don't get discouraged. Some kids don't read until age 8 or 9 and then suddenly pick it up. Still, you might have him tested for learning disabilities if you suspect he might have one.

Also try www.starfall.com on the computer. This is a FREE online reading program that starts with the letters. It may be a little young for your son, but if he has the ability and tries hard, he may progress quickly. The program has lots of little songs to help kids remember phonics rules. My little girl loves it.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

By law, in every state, the school district can and will test him. You need to get with your local school and find out all the laws and stuff to help your son. I am surprised at his age you haven't had teachers already asking to have meetings with you.

Answer 4

Your son's school should be able and willing to refer him for testing to determine if he possibly has a learning disability or some other problem as dyslexia.

Answer 5

Why isn't the school teaching him how to read???

Have you asked the school for testing to be done to see if he can qualify for special ed services?

This is the ONLY legal way schools are suppose to help childrens problems.

If a child is not in special ed the school does not have to help with ANY problems.

Answer 6

while the child is readind do not scold him and try to be ease with him. firstly tell him to read 2 letter word, then 3 letter word and so on. tell him the meaning of the word so that he catches the word soon.let him revise until he is perfect in is reading.

Answer 7

Have you had meeting with his teachers to see if they can figure out why?  My daughter is 10 and in 5th grade she has a reading level of a mid 3rd grade level and that is with special ed.   She is very intelligent what her problem is  getting it from her head to the paper.  She sounds things out phonically, just how they sound.  If things were spelled that way she would spell great, but unfortunately they aren't.  I was very lucky to have had great teachers who all helped her over the last 5 years and she is coming along.  They always recommended to me to start with a book that is on the actual level they can read if not a book a comic book magazine anything and repetitiveness read the same one over and over and over.  Reading is memorization.  Another thing is my daughter has a Nintendo DS and all her games she has to read to get to the next level same with games on the computer all of these things have helped.  She didn't want to do this believe me it was a huge battle that we are finally getting over but you have to try and just keep at him because they have to learn or they will just get farther and farther behind.  Try to make it fun, maybe make a game of it, like if you read 20 minutes each day for 5 days you get to have a sleep over or you get a trip to mcdonalds, something fun to motivate.  It is so frustrating for a parents but just keep at he will get it eventually.  Good Luck!!!

Answer 8

this is serious. medical check up and advise from school counselors might help. they can put him together with other students with same problem and help. ther is always a solution if the issue is brought out to the professionals.

Answer 9

You should try some of the non traditional methods such as hooked on phonics or maybe the sylvan learning centers.  You need to check into this quickly,  he'll be teased in school for being different if you dont.

Answer 10

My son is the same way. I would hope that your school has addressed this issue and it's just not getting him anywhere. If not, then you need to talk to the school first and foremost. Try a resource class. So far it has helped my son. He is taken out of his sped class and goes to resource for reading. Of course he was taken all the way back to basics as he is only on a 4.5 yr old level. You should definately have the school test him for a ld. There is a window of opprotunity to teach phonics. That window usually closes about 3rd grade and then they have to try nontraditional methods. The sooner you find out why he can't, the better. Don't forget to have vision tested as well. You never know.

Answer 11

Has he been checked for dyslexia? I would start there. PBS has a good show called Between the Lions, it may be something he would be interested in. It shows kids how to sound out letters and put them together to form words. All three of my children enjoy watching it.

Answer 12

Have you had him evaluated for learning difficulties? You need to push for the school to evaluate him so he can be eligible for special services and extra help. I would wonder how he's gotten to this point without anyone speaking up, especially you. I could tell my son was strugglingin kindergarten and pushed immediately for a full evaluation which he had and started getting help by first grade.

My son has a learning disability and is 8 and he can read. He has an IEP and gets a lot of help at school.