Well, we didn't do the bingo. I had my son read all the words and point out words with 1,2,3 and 4 words. So, we're done and I'm signing the thing.
Tonight we were supposed to read two books. Both very picture reliant, like My cat has ... paws. My cat has .... ears. We did not read those, but instead I had my son pick from a stack of Level 2 readers that I bought at the teacher supply store the other day. He was resistant at first but I announced bed time and then he offered to read with me. I'm too sly...
I purchased the Level 2 books for him because the level 1 books are too short, too easy and too picture based. There does seem to be a big jump though between level 1 and level 2 books. But I figured we could go slow.
My son picked Sir Small and the Dragonfly, which is about a very tiny knight that is smaller than a toothpick. There was some humor in the books and of course a dragonfly, a kidnapping of a princess and the knight saving the day.
My son read about 8 pages with some help from me reminding him of some of the phonics and then rereading the sentence once my son figured out all the words. He did pretty well, so I will continue with this method. Hopefully, I can get him reading confidently without the guessing problem that my daughter still sometimes deals with.
After the 8 pages, I read the rest of the book to him as well as a truck book that I read to him as an extra reward.
Somehow I have to get him to do more writing with me - he is supposed to write short stories for school by the end of the year. Now, he is to draw a picture and then write a sentence about the picture. Sometimes at school he hides under the table instead of writing the story becaue he know he really doesn't know how to write and spell and he's too afraid of being incorrect.
I'm working on the reading now there are so many hours in the day and I work full-time outside the home. So, with working to fill so may gaps in this education, it's like I'm home schooling them part-time and I have to pick and choose. Right now, I'd rather my son can read.
You inspired my latest post at Kid-Friendly Schools, about the "Little Critter" books! Your son might like them.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I haven't done much writing with Younger Daughter. It seems even harder to teach than reading, partly because kids find it exhausting.
Our school often sends their recommended books home with Younger Daughter, but we never wind up reading them, partly because YD doesn't want to. They're those Balanced Literacy "leveled" readers.