# kindergarten reading question



## texastami (Sep 13, 2002)

My kindergartener (DD6) can read flash cards with words on them.... but when I use the book (100 easy lessons) she freezes up and starts ad libbing for the most part... 

Go back to the flash cards and she does great.. can read about 200 words or more sounding them out... but not from the book... 

How can I help bridge that gap? I realize it is a different set of skills but this is a problem I have not faced and I am at a loss!! 

Give me some ideas!!


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

She has learned to read sight words by memorizing them. I would begin with CVC words (consonant/vowel/consonant) and go from there. Ask her to say "can" and think of words that rhyme and write them down. Once she masters CVC and high frequency sight words, she can move on to long vowels and blends. She may be not able to read the book because she has not learned blends and long vowels. This is the way I have instructed my students in the classroom....Good luck!!!


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

I would think that it's likely she's just not ready to progress yet; however, you might want to get her checked by an opthalmologist (not an optometrist) for tracking issues. The "guessing" or "filling in" is a big clue on this, and might be a precursor of things to come.


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## shanzone2001 (Dec 3, 2009)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> I would think that it's likely she's just not ready to progress yet; however, you might want to get her checked by an opthalmologist (not an optometrist) for tracking issues. The "guessing" or "filling in" is a big clue on this, and might be a precursor of things to come.


Sounds like a good idea, but what if she is just "guessing" because she can't sound out more difficult words? My suggestion is to focus on sounding out and spelling decodable words to give her confidence and to instill the importance of sounding out the words. Are you using a particilar reading program? It is normal for children to guess if they have not been taught the particular sound/blend, and if she continues to guess (even though she has been taught how to blend more difficult sounds) then I would consider a doctor vist like Tracy has suggested. Personally, I would not worry about it yet...give her some time- she is still young!


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

shanzone2001 said:


> . . . Personally, I would not worry about it yet...give her some time- she is still young!


That's my thought. She's still young, and many children at that age are simply not ready to read. There could be tracking issues. Could be other vision issues. Two of my sons have trouble focusing on anything small within about 18" of their eyes. When they try to focus on the letters, one eye deviates to the outside so that the other can see the letters without seeing double. 

We have a wonderful behavioral optometrist. He works with children with eye issues as well as adults and children who have had head injuries or other things causing vision problems. He was great at finding the problems my boys had, and we're doing simple vision therapy that has made a world of difference. One of my sons who just turned 6 is reading on at least a 2nd grade level. Because of his eye issues, I have to really limit the amount of time he spends reading, even though he would sit and read until his eyes hurt if I let him. But, one of my sons, almost 6, doesn't even know the letter sounds and can't recognize most of the letters yet. It has nothing to do with his vision. He's just not developmentally ready for that, even though in other areas he has quickly surpassed his big brother. 

A good friend's daughter didn't even learn the letters until she was 8, and now she's a journalism major, an honor student in college, and has had articles published in national publications. When she was ready, she quickly "caught up". But, until she was ready, her parents spent a lot of time (years) worrying and struggling with her needlessly to get her to do something she was not developmentally ready to do. I think the advice of the others is great. I'd rule out physical problems, and then just have fun with your daughter, snuggle up and read to her lots, let her do lots of art projects if she enjoys that sort of thing, spend lots of time outside exploring, and just have fun. The reading will come. 

On a side note, 100 Easy Lessons is just not for everyone. We used it and loved it. But I've spoken with other parents who tried it, it was a flop, and once they tried a program with a different style it worked great. Some children do better with lots of bright colors. Maybe a similar approach, but more colorful would stimulate her in the way she needs. I knew someone who had a similar issue with math for her son. She used a "plain" workbook. It was perfect for her son's learning style, but too dull for him. She copied the math problems onto paper with copies of paintings on them. It made all the difference in the world for her son. I'd have gotten a headache trying to do math problems on such a busy background, but that's what he needed to learn.


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

akhomesteader said:


> On a side note, 100 Easy Lessons is just not for everyone. We used it and loved it. But I've spoken with other parents who tried it, it was a flop, and once they tried a program with a different style it worked great. ..


Tried that book with my now 8yo DD two or three different times and it never worked for her. Finally, at about age 7 1/2 reading started to click with her. Now at the end of 3rd grade she's almost on grade level.

But that book DID work with my son. He's only 5 1/2 and we only went as far as lesson 25 or so, but he's reading well above grade level. Go figure!

Children will learn what and when they are ready. I think it causes a lot of undue stress and frustration when we try to get them to do something on our agenda not theirs. JMHO


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## Jakk (Aug 14, 2008)

I have been wondering the same thing! My daughter can read cvc words and can sound out most 3-4 letter words. She can read them off the cards or in the "explode the code" books we use by sounding them out. She cannot read a book. She does not know any sight words.. none. Not even "it" or "in". She still sounds them out. 

I noticed she was squinting and getting really close to the phonogram cards so I took her to the eye dr. They said her vision is perfect, she has no issues that would cause her to have problems reading. The Dr said she will read when she is ready. 


We used the teach your child to read in 100 lessons and I think it helped, but then all of a sudden she decided she did not want to use it so we stopped. I have the "All about spelling" program and we are using just the phonogram cards. She can sound them out, but she does not know any of them by sight. Im just wondering if there is something I can do to help it "click" with her.


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## texastami (Sep 13, 2002)

Jakk said:


> I have been wondering the same thing! My daughter can read cvc words and can sound out most 3-4 letter words. She can read them off the cards or in the "explode the code" books we use by sounding them out. She cannot read a book. She does not know any sight words.. none. Not even "it" or "in". She still sounds them out.



This is exactly what is happening here as well.... she knows no sight words... sounds them all out.. but also can sound out CCVC and CVVC words.... she can rhyme words and knows each and every sound.... 

She wears glasses and I have noticed that she seems to get distracted by all the words on the page rather than focusing on the sentence she is reading... so we are planning to try the RULER trick or perhaps blank piece of paper to cover the other stuff on the page... 

I have put away the flashcards and I printed them onto a manila folder so she has 42 words at a time to read rather than one per card... thought we would make some progression that way... last night she read 3 pages of words...

Will keep in mind the tracking issues and see how she develops after we try this... 

Thanks for all who responded...


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## Jeni (Mar 24, 2010)

I really disliked 100 Easy Lessons. We tried it and it was a disaster. Dd is in K and we are already nearly halfway done with 1st grade reading with Hooked on Phonics. Dd really loves it. It goes as slow as you want it to go, offers flash cards, activities, and a cd (we never used that after the preschool level). Getting a reward sticker on the path chart and seeing for herself the progress she made as she worked through the books was a great motivator. We are taking first grade even slower because she is starting to read books outside her lessons and I don't want to overload her. This in addition to phonics on Time4Learning - also a super great tool.


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## Kringees Mom (Apr 24, 2010)

1. Relax. 2. Keep reading to her, lots and lots. Use your finger to track as you read. 
3. Play a game with the flash cards, draw 3 at a time and make a sentence. 4. Try speed drills with the sight word cards with a treat for a great time. 

I tried 100 easy lessons and it wasn't for the munchkin. Lots of success with Explode the Code and the McGuffy Readers teachers guide. 

I use a small sized white board for phonics lessons out of the McGuffy. 

Munchkin now 7 1/2 is reading books and can read random bible verses with help. I've been giving her 3-4 word spelling tests and she is doing great at them.. I choose words we just read from whatever book we are reading. She is writing on her own spelling phonetically so I know it's working... I am letting her lead me in teaching her and within the last few months she has really taken off. She now selects books on her own and reads at night before bed... I have spent this year working only on reading fluency. 

Relax, put it away for awhile, play silly word games and read a ton of stories. When the "light" comes on you will notice.


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