During our family interview today at the gt school, it was suggested that DS6 needs to improve his spelling. He still spells phonetically. Any suggestions? I am bad at spelling because I have relied on Word to correct my mistakes for way too many years.

Questions,
I still have 'questions' about you son's visual system. How is he at catching a ball? Moving through space? there is s specialty called 'behavioral optometry' which did find troubles for my 'late reading' son, which I didn't get treatment for because I thought it was 'snake oil.' - and because DS was older and stubburner at the time.

Limited working memory will also contribute to his frustrations, so I would be double-triple sure, to keep providing him with audio books of various topics that appeal to him: Drag him to the library, go to the adult or young adult 'non-fiction' section, and let him choose a few to try. You can allow him to listen at a particular time together (in the car, while you cook), or on his own.

I would also look for something like the Guiness Book of world records for him to read silently. Although my son is a very good reader now (tested at 12th grade, is that possible?)my DS loves little bits of information. Apparently there is something about this generation that wants soundbites in the first place. I got Schott's Almanac 2007 for him through Interlibrary loan and although the wish I could protect him from the adult content, he was, as predicted in heaven. It was like flypaper for him.

I also wonder about silent reading. For a kid with working memory issues, they are likely to enjoy silent reading on a much higher level than they could reading aloud. Just assume that if their head is buried in their, then they are doing ok. I remember my DS waiting for his OT appointment (age 7) silently reading 'Artimis Fowel' and actually losing a whole page when he turned the page one time. I pointed it out and he denied it. I read for another 4 chapter before declaring the book 'too yucky' (I happen to agree) but my point is that it's ok to let him read harder fiction even if he misses 30% of it, if he seems to be enjoying himself. (Sort of reminds me how when the child isn't bottle fed you just can't know how many ounces of milk he got, but there are ways, like wet diapers, that show indirectly) Of course you may still work on reading aloud, but like the distinction between handwriting and composition, remember to let there be a distinction between Reading (aloud) and Reading (silently, for fun).

Could he have read Bunnicula silently?

Anyway, the key to 2E kids is to spend about twice as much energy feeding the gifts as one does with helping the weaknesses. Please don't let the school mentality affect your vision.

I hope I'm on the right track here - appologies if I've missed the mark, ok?

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I like Renaissance Learning for picking out books. If you use the advanced search feature you can get lists of books based on reading level and specify fiction/nonfiction, areas of interest, etc. When GS8 is increasing reading level we pick books with lower AR points; in general, lower points mean shorter books. Difficult, but short books don't overwhelm the child as longer books of the same level.
Renaissance Learning

A couple thoughts...

I definately second the Geronimo Stilton recomendation. Great book with alot of extra white and fun colors and fonts on the page so it doesn't look like alot of reading

Second, depending on your feelings on screen time, many games involve alot of reading. Even if it isn't "Educational" software it can build interest and ability in reading. An ebook reader might work too since you can adjust the font and words per page on many of them.

We have also found that picking out a long book like the complete Chronicles of Narnia allows us to read a chapter a night but all of us take turns reading. DS started reading a few sentences and then passed the book off to one of us. Now it is hard to get him to trade off at the end of a page. We started with larger font books and worked down to about normal.

Good Luck

I have to 3rd the Geronimo Stilton books. These are the first chapter books DS would willingly read independantly. The format is so fun and the chapter lengths are very manageable.

For a while, DS7 had the reading level, but not the stamina to read page after page of small print.

Interesting.
The catching ball thing, moving through space... my oldest is not the best in those areas.

My oldest enjoys the stories, and doesn't get 'lost' in decoding, BUT she is not good at decoding. She just wants to read.

Is your ds visual-spatial at all? Highly visual? I'm beginning to suspect my oldest is... She is also highly wiggly when reading. I've seen with longer reading, she doesn't like it... I also have to wonder about tracking sometimes, b/c she can lose her place... and with pages that have more words, she struggles... I think the print is smaller, and can be harder to track/follow. Something that is short... usually has bigger print and is easier to track.

Considering she's had oral motor issues and 'clumsy' as a child.. it wouldn't surprise me if there were tracking issues as well...

Anyway, a few things to look into.

One experiment... can you try typing a page out on the computer and see how he does reading it if you increase the size of the print? Or maybe color code each line a different color? Then see how well he reads that.

Tammy

Hi, haven't been around, but did check on this thread. Good points. DS can catch, but he's not the best. But he's coming along. And I think he is visual-spatial, too.

In any event, he seems willing to read more and I'm taking advantage of it. His choice the other day was the Star Wars Visual Dictionary - brief blurbs under each picture. The advanced vocabulary doesn't bother him - he has as good a chance of sounding out long words as he does short. The big issue for him is too many words on a page, and basic phonics - knowing how to pronounce, tion, ous, ai, etc. That will come with practice. And I ordered a Geronimo Stilton book or two, and he spent a long time looking at them in the car the other day, so I think we're onto something.

And I'm thinking it's time to try those Scooby Doo mystery games again, which have clues to be read. I see that he is reading short blurbs here and there, so he's definitely moving in the right direction. And he won't complain about reading as much.

He clearly loses his place, but he's defensive about it. I tried to get him to read using an index card, but he refused. And his OT has one of those colored plastic cards, which he wouldn't use either. I forgot to ask her about visual tracking. I know he was tested for visual perception and visual motor activiity, but don't know if either of these are related to visual tracking (he did great on the first and within normal limits on the second - so if so, no visual tracking problems)

And he has always loved being read to. His endurance is a lot greater than ours in that area. We just have to make sure that we continue to do it, and I need to find some more books to read to him.

Good advice. Thanks, everyone!

kimck,
Thank you for this information. I have been looking for a chart like this for ages.

Summer

DS is reading! Thanks, everyone. Those Geronimo Stilton books seem to have made the difference in his willingness to read. Now it should just flow.

Also, today for the first time, his OT had him try an EZ Reader highlighter card, and it definitely helps. She doesn't think he has visual tracking problems, as he only gets lost from the end of one line to the beginning of another, but she said she's not the one to make that determination. If he continues to have problems, I'll pursue that, too.

Thanks again! This is a big year for DS - he seems to be getting over both the reading and writing hump. I was afraid it would never happen.

AWESOME!!!!!

Here's hoping he follows in DD11's footsteps, as she's been quite the reading fiend lately, after a similar "slow" start.