In Reply to: AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!! sm posted by Estelle on March 08, 2006 at 08:29:05:
Just a few ideas here...
It sounds like he doesn't have much confidence in himself when it comes to reading. I'm not sure what they are doing in school with him right now, but I know that Katie is doing the reading comprehension thing. She isn't too hot at the comprehending part, big surprise. LOL.
I would get him some kindergarten level reading books, better yet - let HIM get some. Let him read them over and over until he is comfortable with those books, then move him up to some first grade stuff. He'll get comfortable with the easy reading and then hopefully flow into the rest of it naturally. Katie is an awesome reader, she could read my socks off, but at the end of the story, she won't be able to answer simple questions without going back through.
It sounds like he is trying too hard to get the words right when he reads and isn't able to pay attention to what he is reading. The connection will come. I could be totally off, but it just sounds to me like he is just too nervous.
They are doing a program in Katie's school this month - March is reading month. The kids have to read 800 minutes before the 24th and they can go to a sleepover at the school! Katie is working feverishly to get her minutes in. LOL. Maybe you could set something up like that with Trey, but make sure he has lots of easy books to read. A goal could be a trip to the zoo or Chuck E. Cheese, something like that. The minutes fly!
Now, where to get these books. I went to Goodwill yesterday and bought a handful of paperbacks for .60 each. Katie loves the ones I picked out, and I was just taking a chance. LOL. THEN, we have this little consignment shop/junk store here in town and they take donations, too. The lady has 3 baskets full of books 7/$1.00. Emily picked out $2 worth there yesterday. I love that deal! Also, freecycle is another good place to get books. Everybody has books they don't want and that is something that they love to give away.
Katie actually asked if she could stay up 2 hours past bedtime to read tonight. I told her if she got her room clean before church she could stay up one our later to read. See?! She's CLEANING her room to read! LOL - what the heck is that all about?!
He's just got to get comfortable with reading. He knows you're watching, and he knows that the other kids in his class can fly through that stuff.
How is he doing in other subjects? Science, math, history - is he able to catch on to that pretty good? What is his favorite subject? If it's science, you can make up little at-home projects to do where he has to follow directions to make a science project. Someone posted the quicksand one and the girls LOVED it. Make him read to you the ingredients and how to mix them.
Just some ideas to at least eliminate if it's something you can fix on your own.
Remember, Katie was diagnosed with ADHD and I had her on meds for awhile. It just seemed like the longer she was on them, the more she needed. I hated it, and I just felt that it was something she could overcome with some self control. We still have some issues with her, but she's catching on.
There is an answer out there, just gotta dig to find it. :o) (((((HUGS))))) You are such a good Momma for caring and trying, I really hope he will surprise you and get the hang of it soon.