Relieved

[Malika]

Honestly, I'm pleased and relieved We did J's homework tonight - ie reading pages out of his book that he's already done at school, two and three letter syllables and a few common words and it's really coming along, he's really making progress! He knows almost all the letters and their sounds now, and has really understood the principle of putting sounds together to form a new sound that is a word. He is really begin to read!!! Amazing, my little J, with his baby face... We've been doing a little at home each day and I've bought him a DVD/book of a very fun approach to reading that teaches without teaching.
For some reason, I had myself convinced he had numerous reading problems and would never learn... early days yet, but I really hope he's proving me wrong

 

[TeDo]

Sounds like you found a mode of education that is getting through. Good for you!! You might still hit bumps in the road but at least they won't be roadblocks.

 

[buddy]

Great! I was in a waiting room with a little first grader (we are together weekly so her mom and I talk ). She was reading to us. She just had conferences and mom was told she is super bright and on target in everything (she's six).
Anyway she knew about half the sight words (words like the, a, etc.) And made many errors because she was filling in based on context. Really good guesses and based on reading many words correctly (some with support from mom). I actually thought of J and you, and how this seems so developmentally on to us... but this girl may be considered very delayed if she was in J's class. I think you are a great mom and agree you figured out his style. You both are doing well!

 

[Malika]

lol, Buddy, J isn't there yet - he's not reading any stories or texts but is managing la, le, po, pi, pa, pe, mou, pou, pour, etc! And I'm very happy with that because now he is confidently recognising almost all of the letters and able to combine them to make syllables... the beginning of reading. To be fair to the French system, it is not that pressured, I think... They say that the child should be reading by the end of the equivalent of your second grade, not before, because they recognise that all children read at different times and at different rates.
I think there's no real secret, Te Do - it just seems to be the very basic, old-fashioned method that is helping J!

 

[SuZir]

It's so easy to worry and make yourself to believe the worst But J seems to be getting by just nicely. Of course he may have some learning differences, but he is a bright boy, he will still learn.

Expectations between the systems seem to vary a lot. Our kids start first grade, and learning to read, on the year they turn 7. And it is common to postpone even that if a child is immature for the age, especially boys born in last months of the year (cut off date is first of January) are easily postponed to start year later. And kids are expected to learn to read during first or second grade. And still our kids do just fine in international comparisons on reading skills when they are older. Learning early doesn't seem to bring much of the advantage in this. At least teachers here say, that it is very common, that in the end of the second grade two kids are in the same level on reading even if other one learned to read even before starting first grade and other one learned on the fall of second grade.

 

[Steely]

He is definitely proving you wrong J is bright and able, and will learn when it all comes together in his brain. Have no doubt.

 

[TerryJ2]

Very good. He'll get there!