My 6 yr old boy - is in prep. [qld) . We are 3/4 through the year and I am still finding he is not progressing fast with sight words. We practice about 4 - 5 days a week. Have had his eyes tested by a behaviours optometrist and hearing tested. Yet he still has only learnt 10
Words. His teacher said she is 100% he tries really hard and he just looks and says I don't know. She has said not to worry and he might just take a while to get them , when he clicks he will just take off with his learning . He is also in a learning support program .
My question should I be worried or have faith in the system.? Is he to young for a tutor?
8 Replies
I'd start testing for dyslexia and look at a speech therapist who does literacy coaching.
I don't have faith in system after watching my niece and nephew not getting anywhere, being told not to worry. We are now picking up the pieces BIG time.
How old is your niece? My sons teacher things we should not worry to yr 1. My daughter took a while to click, but is no where near as bad as my son?
My niece is now 13. My nephew is 11. They are both WAY behind.
My niece was diagnosed at 8 after the school kept dismissing her concerns. My nephew was diagnosed at 10. My nephew writes at a year 1 level, despite being highly intelligent, he can read at a year 3 level.
The school totally dismissed my sisters concerns and kept telling her they would test 'next year' (next year they would say the year after etc) of course by the time the school actually put them on a list to get testing the wait list was years long (through the school and nobody told her private testing is available). It was obvious there was a delay in reception when neither child was moving through the levels.
There can be long waits for testing, even going privately. You would probably be lucky to get an appointment in January/February next year, which is the start of year one! If you book and it all comes together before the assessment then you can cancel the appointment.
Some kids just don't get reading until 8 years old. About grade three they all even out. It's just unfortunate schools group kida by age and set these targets regardless.
I would ask how they are being taught. Is he being taught by a phonics based approach, in that he is being taught the sounds the letters make? Not just the names of the letters? Some children do take longer and require more help. Is this the only area he is behind in? Sooo many more questions to ask and this doesn't necessarily mean there is something wrong...
No don't put your faith in the system. Learning difficulties like dyslexia are not funded in schools, specialist support not provided.
Don't wait. Have him tested. A regular tutor teaching him the 'normal' way will not help if his brain works a little differently to others.
My kids were diagnosed with dyslexia by an educational psychologist based in Syd
If kids fall too far behind their peers, they often feel 'dumb' and their self esteem can plummet.
No harm in being proactive, if it helps you and him to know what kind of learner he is, and you focus on his strengths, it's a win win
After you eliminate any eye issues - -
Try Reading Eggs - we found 10 to 20 mins a day helped.
Also, purchase your own phonics books - our boy likes star wars so I bought star wars phonics books and he will read them instead of the ones the school has (which he found boring).
You can also get reading and writing activity books (again, I have star wars theme ones which he likes).
We had the same problem, and it's taken hard work every day to get our kid up to a passing standard with his peers. I have to sit with him after school every day and spend the time with him, but it's worth it when it finally clicks and reading becomes less of a chore and more enjoyable.
I should add we tried a tutor - but I find just doing 20mins a day more helpful than a big block of time once or twice a week.
Some kids just have to put in extra work every single day.