Problem with teaching child to read...Short memory! Very frustrating!?

Question

I have a son who just turned six...I have tried teaching him his letters and sounds, and he just cant remember them...I thought at first maybe he just was not ready, so I held off for a bit...Getting back to it, he still is not getting it..I have tried audio and visual, and am about to try tactile learning to see if he get's that better... Any suggestions???

Answer 1

Start by finding something he's interested enough in to sit still for.  Make sure that you read out loud to him often.  Hearing fluency builds fluency.  Point to the words as you read so he can see what you're doing.  If he gets things incorrect be careful how you correct him because his self-confidence impacts his learning.  Model, model, model.   Model how you sound out words.  If he's six, I'm assuming he's in school.  What do his teachers say?  Are they concerned about his progress or  do they think he's on track?  Are there concerns about a potential learning disability?  Many things impact learning to read.

Answer 2

My son is 9 and we went through the same thing & it IS VERY frusterating especially if you never had any problems! After years of fighting with the school, he was approved to get special assistance b/c he has a learning disability associated with focusing. It is a long process to go through the schools, maybe you could talk to your doc also. But if you are against the meds like me, the school is the way to go. Maybe he is just having a hard time though & when that light goes off, he will become a bookworm! Good luck to you & him!

Answer 3

Every child is different. Be patient and take your time. He is only six. Remember when you were a child. Maybe you went through the same thing. Do not rush him. Let is take it's course. Try teaching him a few letters or numbers at a time the slowly work your way up to more.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, learning to read is much more than memorizing letters and sounds.  There are many pre-literacy skills that you could work on that may help your child succeed in reading.  Try looking at the NAEYC web page.  They will give you lots of information on pre-literacy skills.  

Some examples:

Story telling

writing list

singing poems and rhymes

Hope that web page helps!!

Answer 5

He just turned six: Did he attend kindergarten last year?  If so, what did his teacher say or write on the report card? Is he a Fall baby who will just be starting kindergarten this Fall?  

It is possible that his memory will be better when he is in a class with other students. It is also possible that he may have a learning disability.

If you are concerned, contact the school district NOW, don't wait until school starts, tell them your concerns and ask them to arrange for testing.  While you could arrange this testing and pay for it on your own, you can have it done through the public school district for free.

If your son has a learning disability (I have had students who have had short term memory problems) he will be given additional help at school once the testing is finished. The sooner you get him on the schedule for testing, the sooner he will be tested.  Since you--his parent--are requesting this testing, he should be placed on the list immediately without the teacher having to do weeks of observations before he is put on the long list!

Continue to work with him at home using the letters in his name. Work on only one letter at a time--maybe one letter a week--using different activities--visual, audio, tactile (put sand or salt in a plastic shoe box or baking pan and have him trace the letter as he says its name).  Make it fun, if he sees your frustration, it will affect his learning.

Answer 6

Do you know what learning style your son has? It may just be that he's not connecting with the style you're using to teach him. I would suggest doing a search online for 'learning styles,' it should be fairly easy to determine which one your son has, and discover techniques to teach him.

Answer 7

There is a book called Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons (SRA), it has short 15/20 minute lessons that are done daily; it is the best program I have ever used, and many never even need more than 50, or 60 lessons before they read basic chapter books.

Suggestion:

If your child still has problems try doing the lessons in the morning, and repeat them again in the evening.

Check Amazon, or Barnes and Noble; the book costs between $15.00 and $20.00 depending on where you buy it.

Answer 8

I know how frustrating it can be to teach little ones how to read--I am a preschool teacher and I know from experience.  However, I agree with Nalya, it's important to know how your child learns best. There is a site online that may help you to figure out what your child's learning style is. The site is http://www.howtolearn.com/. This site has an on-line test that identifies the learning style; it also has tons of information.

Don't worry too much that he is six and he can't remember it--you have to remember that learning your letters and sounds is difficult. Think about it some letters make different sounds--I was confused as well. However, you may also want to make flashcards with pictures on it.  The way I use flashcards is by using index cards. I first write the letter in the center (both lowercase and uppercase) and then I draw a picture that starts with that sound. For example, if the letter is a I would write Aa in the middle of the card, next I would draw an apple and tell him the a says A like apple.

I also use a great video in my preschool class. I know you said you tried audio and visual. It's a leapfrog video. It goes through all the letter and the sounds and puts a song with it. I have found that this video works well.

The most important thing is you don't get frustrated--keep working with him. We need more parents who are willing to work with their students.

Answer 9

My child is autistic and ADHD. He is trying to learn his alphabet at 5 yrs old. It can be frustrating, but don't give up. this child needs you, because you are desperate to teach him, unlike some other teachers. I use these techniques..

1. praise him to the point of exhaustion, when he gets even one step closer.

2. Have him color the words or letters.

3. help him 'write' his own one sentence story summerizing the day he had, with a piture he drew.

4. Leap Pad is a GREAT miracle toy!

5. Whatever you do, DON'T make him feel bad that he hasn't got it yet. that will stunt his growth.

p.s. Make a song to spell just one word. That works great.

Answer 10

Take him to a pediatrician.  By this age he should know his abc's and should be able to count to at least 50 and should know how to write his name.    I don't know if you have tried flash cards but this usually works with kids.  At this point is best to take him to his pediatrician as he may have more resources and point you in the right direction.  He may suffer from short attention span but only a pediatrician or child psychologist will be able to diagnose him correctly.

Answer 11

He's six years old. While we now start teaching these skills in preschool the fact he is not getting it does not mean he won't,

or that there is anything wrong.

Back in the dark ages 960's and 70's) when I was a child reading instruction began at age 6 and we all read as well dare I say better than most kids do today.

Also I think you are pushing too hard. Instead of boring him to death with endless drills. Whenever I used that approach with my boys (now 20,&16 year old HONOR students) they'd tune right out because they did not want to sit and study asll day.

Try something FUN

find some picture books to read to him

Try Chicka Chicka Boom Boom  by Bill Martin

Label the objects around your house Make an ABC book with pictures from magazines

Take him to the store and pick out letters off the signs and boxes.

Play Restaurant

Use his interests to find ways to make reading FUN and not so boring.

PS it is SUMMER forget the "lessons" he'll be in school in 6 weeks. Life's too short and he'll grow up fast

Let him enjoy his childhood! There is plenty of time for "work"

Let him play!

Answer 12

I taught my son a lot by turning everything into a song.  Have you ever noticed how we can remember the words to a song we haven't heard in years, but ask us a question about history and we have to think about it.  I learned the 50 states in 3rd grade by song and I still know every lyric.  I'm 30.  LOL.  If it's not a learning disability, try a little creativity.  Hope everything works out for you.

Answer 13

Try tapping on his interest and use stories and rhyme to motivate him. Keep trying and you will see result soon

Answer 14

*Children learn letters that have meaning to them personally, first.  The letters in his name will have the most meaning, so start with the first letter in his first name.  Point it out to him everywhere, signs, on TV, in magazines, on cereal boxes, etc.  

*Put some shaving cream on the table, or flour on a cookie sheet and trace his name in it.  Encourage him to make pictures and make his first letter.  When he starts recognizing "his" letter, you'll know he's catching on.  Move on and do the second letter also (don't neglect the first, reinforce it by continuing with it, too).  When he has mastered his name, do other meaningful letters such as m-o-m, d-a-d, l-o-v-e.

* Label everything with his name to begin with.  Make sure there's a sign on his door or in his room with his name on it.  Put his name on his favorite chair, toys, etc.  and point it out to him:  "Look, Johnny, I put your name on your favorite chair to help us remember that it's yours!"  when he catches on to his name you can add chair, door, bed, etc.

*As he catches on, play games like How Many J's Can We Find at the grocery store, in the newspaper, at WalMart, etc.

*Make his letters out of play dough.  Don't force him.  Play with him.  When he sees you making letters and making his name, he will notice.  He may not do it the first time, but maybe the second or third time he will try!

*Read, read, read to him.  Read everything, cereal boxes, books, magazines, signs, etc.

*If he's already in school, ask that he be evaluated soon if he doesn't seem to be catching on.