1st grade reading problems :-(

My poor son is struggling so much with reading. He can sound out most words, but it takes him like an hour to read a little 6 page book for homework.

I can't believe the words they are expecting them to know at 6/7 years old.

I am so frustrated as a parent because I feel like he is reading ok for his age, but then I have his teacher telling me that he is not meeting standards. This is a kid who could not really read much of anything in Sept. and is now reading (albeit slowly) actual books. To me, that is a lot of progress.

Am I the only one who has a kid who struggles with reading? I feel like all of my friends have kids who are reading above grade level.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

I think the problem is that years ago, very few kids came into K reading. It was really only those super bright kids that learned to read on their own. They were the exception not the norm. Now, most pre-k programs are doing K work so many kids come into K reading. My DD is in pre-k and I cannot believe how much reading she is doing with me doing NOTHING with her at home. From the first week of pre-k they have been doing sight words and sight word readers and since January they are learning to sound out short vowel sounds. This used to be K. You now also have parents that are taking their kids to kumon and other reading programs from 4 years old. Bottom line is, more than the curriculum it is the new average. Teachers teach to average. So now that most of the kids are reading pretty well, the ones who don't appear behind.

Unfortunately, either you will have to start working with him at home more, put him in a program after school or else, at some point he will probably be pulled out for reading and the school will catch him up.

1st grade reading problems :-(

Thanks for the reply. He already does get pulled out for extra reading help at school. I'm just so frustrated because there are only so many hours in the day and between being at school all day and it taking 1/1.5 hours to do his homework each night, where is the time to do extra reading work, you know? My husband doesn't get home until after 6, so it is basically on me to sit and do his hw with him, while also trying to deal with a 3-yr-old who needs me. We tried to have him read an actual (grade level appropriate) book to us the other day, but he got so frustrated that he started crying

He went to universal pre-k through the district, but it didn't involve much in terms of reading and sight words. More learning to write letters and recognize them.

He told me yesterday that he hates reading. As a book lover, that just kills me.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

I feel like kindergarten is what 1st grade was and 1st grade is what second grade was. And all the grades have been accelerated. My son likes to do 3 digit math in his head. But they require him to write all of the procedures out. So even though he can do the math and get the right answer, because he is not writing out the steps in detail they are marking him incorrect. As a parent, it is very frustrating. They only want to teach to tests and not help kids learn.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Message edited 2/12/2015 8:45:46 AM.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

You can sign up for razkids on the computer. It has books that your child can listen to and then read. He can even record himself. My students and my daughters love it. It will help with reading fluency and may increase his words per minute rate. Also time sight word reading with a timer. It is a game for my daughters. I would do it while they bathed to save time at night. If you are not happy with the progress in reading ask the teacher what is the next step. He may need a smaller reading group. I believe first grade usually has Reading Recovery for first graders. You need to ask them about RTI protocol. (Response to Intervention). I believe all schools follow this and they need progress monitoring.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I would not be too worried just yet. I have read stories of first graders barely reading, and then all of a sudden it clicks and they end up being accelerated readers at a later age. I know it's hard not to compare, but try not to.

Just keep practicing with him and make it enjoyable. Good luck!

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Keep having him read and I would let him get used to the books he is able to read. Don't worry about the grade level yet because you are only frustrating both of you and it won't help. Let him read the easier books to build confidence.

Keep working on sight words and on the grade level books have him point out words he knows on a page.
One thing we do is I read a page then my son reads a page. So it is not so daunting.
I also agree it seems very hard to fit in all the extras along with homework and other kids.
Good Luck and it will just click.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

I'd keep practicing with him and make it an enjoyable experience for him. Take him to the library and let him pick out books HE is interested in in addition to the books his teachers are sending home.
Have you considered reading apps for the Ipad/tablet? I was against them at first, but we really like ABC Mouse.com and our school also uses Bookflix which offer read-along stories for them to do at their own pace.
I feel so bad about the pressure on the kids. My sons are in 1st and K right now and both thankfully love to read but there's still pressure then, too. For ex., my son's K teachers have indicated he's the top reader in his class, which I took as a good sign but now I get notes home that they want to improve his speed so he's getting more books than usual but they're below his level. My son feels punished because he sees other kids get 1-2 books for the nightly reading and he's getting 2-3. Kids can't win - and it's Kindy!!

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Posted by ohbaby08

Thanks for the reply. He already does get pulled out for extra reading help at school. I'm just so frustrated because there are only so many hours in the day and between being at school all day and it taking 1/1.5 hours to do his homework each night, where is the time to do extra reading work, you know? My husband doesn't get home until after 6, so it is basically on me to sit and do his hw with him, while also trying to deal with a 3-yr-old who needs me. We tried to have him read an actual (grade level appropriate) book to us the other day, but he got so frustrated that he started crying

He went to universal pre-k through the district, but it didn't involve much in terms of reading and sight words. More learning to write letters and recognize them.

He told me yesterday that he hates reading. As a book lover, that just kills me.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Posted by Teachergal

Posted by ohbaby08

Thanks for the reply. He already does get pulled out for extra reading help at school. I'm just so frustrated because there are only so many hours in the day and between being at school all day and it taking 1/1.5 hours to do his homework each night, where is the time to do extra reading work, you know? My husband doesn't get home until after 6, so it is basically on me to sit and do his hw with him, while also trying to deal with a 3-yr-old who needs me. We tried to have him read an actual (grade level appropriate) book to us the other day, but he got so frustrated that he started crying

He went to universal pre-k through the district, but it didn't involve much in terms of reading and sight words. More learning to write letters and recognize them.

He told me yesterday that he hates reading. As a book lover, that just kills me.

It concerns me that your son is in first grade and doing homework for at least an hour every day. That's way too much! Is he being matched to just right books? A just right book shouldn't take that long to read, unless he is taking major breaks while reading it. What is his reading level? Does your district use "reading baggies" or do they have a basal reader where everyone reads the same stories? He needs books in his hands at his independent level. Is he in Reading Recovery? It is a very popular, very successful reading program for first grade struggling readers. I think finding out the answers to the questions above will help you then plan what you want to do and what you want the school to do next.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Posted by ohbaby08

Posted by Teachergal

Posted by ohbaby08

Thanks for the reply. He already does get pulled out for extra reading help at school. I'm just so frustrated because there are only so many hours in the day and between being at school all day and it taking 1/1.5 hours to do his homework each night, where is the time to do extra reading work, you know? My husband doesn't get home until after 6, so it is basically on me to sit and do his hw with him, while also trying to deal with a 3-yr-old who needs me. We tried to have him read an actual (grade level appropriate) book to us the other day, but he got so frustrated that he started crying

He went to universal pre-k through the district, but it didn't involve much in terms of reading and sight words. More learning to write letters and recognize them.

He told me yesterday that he hates reading. As a book lover, that just kills me.

It concerns me that your son is in first grade and doing homework for at least an hour every day. That's way too much! Is he being matched to just right books? A just right book shouldn't take that long to read, unless he is taking major breaks while reading it. What is his reading level? Does your district use "reading baggies" or do they have a basal reader where everyone reads the same stories? He needs books in his hands at his independent level. Is he in Reading Recovery? It is a very popular, very successful reading program for first grade struggling readers. I think finding out the answers to the questions above will help you then plan what you want to do and what you want the school to do next.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Every day is a struggle with homework. He gets the same 3 things every night. A math work sheet, spelling word practice and a small book to read with a work sheet to do after reading the story. We do the math first since it comes easier to him. But, then comes the reading and the frustration.

They all get the same reading to do each night regardless of ability. He gets pulled out for reading help a few times a week with other kids in his class. I don't know if it is Reading Recovery though.

I would love to get him a tutor, but at $60+ an hour, it is outside of our budget right now. I wasn't even concerned about his reading at the beginning of the year because, to me, he was reading like a 1st grader should be reading. Guess not.

Message edited 2/14/2015 8:49:40 PM.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

My son is in K, but I was also told he was below where he should be. he is now in inclusion help(they separate a small group of kids to do some special reading with them with a reading teacher. I also got a tutor who is a reading teach in my county. I pay $45 once per week. She works with him mostly on sight words and even in a few weeks, he has gotten SO much better.

1st grade reading problems :-(

When my dd was in 1st grade, she began the year at a C reading level, her teacher was concerned but we just made it a point to read 20 minutes every day and by the middle of the year, she had gotten an award for most improved reader (she ended the year as an I reader) - now she is in 2nd grade in a new county school and I was told she is still an I reader and is about 1/2 year behind. we still read for at least 20 minutes every day and she is making great progress - I have her read on her level and one level above (so I-J reading level books)

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

I would get some books he will enjoy reading just to get him back into it and mix it the leveled reading books. My DS was in a reading program and these are two techniques that worked:

1. Read the story first and engage him with the illustrations , then have him read the story
2. Assisted reading, read the book first. Then you can do one of two things: read one page and then have him read the page and son on. Or read a few lines then he read a few lines and go back and forth.

These methods helped my son over the summer when introducing him to new books and trying to get him engaged.

Also practice letter blends and sight words with him. I have a phonics blend game that I got at the end of the reading program I can mail you. It may be easy for him but maybe it will start to get him excited for reading.

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

Posted by Teachergal

Posted by ohbaby08

Thanks for the reply. He already does get pulled out for extra reading help at school. I'm just so frustrated because there are only so many hours in the day and between being at school all day and it taking 1/1.5 hours to do his homework each night, where is the time to do extra reading work, you know? My husband doesn't get home until after 6, so it is basically on me to sit and do his hw with him, while also trying to deal with a 3-yr-old who needs me. We tried to have him read an actual (grade level appropriate) book to us the other day, but he got so frustrated that he started crying

He went to universal pre-k through the district, but it didn't involve much in terms of reading and sight words. More learning to write letters and recognize them.

He told me yesterday that he hates reading. As a book lover, that just kills me.

It concerns me that your son is in first grade and doing homework for at least an hour every day. That's way too much! Is he being matched to just right books? A just right book shouldn't take that long to read, unless he is taking major breaks while reading it. What is his reading level? Does your district use "reading baggies" or do they have a basal reader where everyone reads the same stories? He needs books in his hands at his independent level. Is he in Reading Recovery? It is a very popular, very successful reading program for first grade struggling readers. I think finding out the answers to the questions above will help you then plan what you want to do and what you want the school to do next.

1st grade reading problems :-(

We do more than an hour of Homework.. School's tough!
Her teacher is very tough.

But even if her grades are good in reading, teacher says she's barely at level. They push more and more. we have apps to help her have fun reading, but its just so much, ya know?

Re: 1st grade reading problems :-(

1st grade reading problems :-(

I got her scores last night from our twice a year testing of reading levels etc..

Note says "She is reading at expected levels" but the test results have her below average and needing intervention. *sigh*

you can only do so much, ya know? but I keep pushing at it.