Children of average ability
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EN:
Tamarind wrote [quote]Although he is able to read well, he still cannot write all the 26 letters, upper and lower case.
He is still young & primary one is still 2 years away.Ability to read at 4, is not an average kid.
If your son is not able to recite A to Z, best way to learn is singing the alphabets song. But I don't think that is the case right?
For remembering of letters, dd kindy taught her by getting her to fill up missing alphabets. eg A, B, ___, ___, E, F, ___. Do it slowly & keep rotating the missing alphabets. You will be able to spot which are the alphabets he is prone to forget. My dd will sing in order to fill up the blanks.
Tamarind wrote [quote]He tends to write his numbers and letters in mirror images. [/quote]I was told that mirror image problem will lessen gradually. By P1 (early/mid/end), the error should reduce to a minimal.
Tamarind wrote [quote]but I could not let him write more than 30 letters or numbers a day. [/quote]Up to which number you are trying to teach? If increasing of numbers, I would go for number pattern (err... that was how I learn to write my numbers) which I pass on to dd & ds has same thought. Eg those that have the sound ending with \"teen\", the first number is 1 which will follow by 1 to 9. Those that have sound starting with twenty will have the first number as 2 follow by 1 to 9 in the second number. Can also teach multiples of tens by using this chart but just take one step at one time.
1 11 21
2 12 22
3 13 23
4 14 24
5 15 25
6 16 26
7 17 27
8 18 28
9 19 29
10 20 30[/quote]
EN,
At the beginning of this year, when my boy was 3 years 3 months old, he still could not recognize all the 26 letters, both upper and lower case. He could not differentiate between \"b\" and \"d\", and a few other letters. I got so bored teaching him the letters over and over again, I decided to try teaching him phonics, even before he could recognize all the letters. Thanks to the the Leapfrog DVD, which he watched for more than one year, he knows all the letter sounds very well. I guess I managed to find an effective method to teach him, using cards to drill him consistently. Somehow he has no problem reading words containing \"b\" or \"d\". I think that is because when the letters are put together, like \"dog\", \"had\" or \"hide\", it is easier for him to read.
Now after one year, although he can read many words, when I give him only the letters \"b\" and \"d\", he is still not sure about which letter is \"b\" or \"d\".
My boy is certainly not high ability, and he is also not low ability. He is of average ability, which is perfectly fine. Most children are of average ability. When children of average ability are taught using effective methods, and they put in enough hardwork, they can also do quite well.
I figure out how to teach him to read, but I am totally lost at how to teach him to write
I actually ask him to write all the numbers from 0 to 9, repeat 3 times. The next moment he will write the numbers 2,3,4,5,6,7,9 in mirror images, he is OK with 1 and 8 because the mirror images are the same. He can count confidently up to 30. But when he writes 2 digit numbers, it is also the wrong way round. He also writes many letters in mirror images. He knows how each letter looks like, but when he writes, he cannot remember which way to curve. I think in K1 they are going to write words, really don't know how he is going to follow up.
I bought new tracing books for him to practice writing. When he is better at writing individual numbers, I will definitely try your method of number patterns.jedamum:
When I teach my boy to read, I have to put him on my lap, hold his finger to point at each word. Every time he reads 3 to 4 words, he will start to look at something else and move his finger away. I have to catch his hand and make him focus again. I try my best not to scream at him. I will bribe him with his favourite DVD or a small piece of chocolate, or threaten to give all his toys away, etc. Although I only let him read for 5 to 10 minutes, I always feel like I am suffering from internal bleeding after that. He does not fully comprehend what he is reading now. I really have a lot to work on for the next 2 years !
tamarind,tamarind:
He will be in K1 next year. At this rate, I am worried that he may not be able to learn to write in sentences by K2.
I can understand the vomitting blood part - I still vomit blood (now) sometimes :? . From unable to recognise words to being able to recognise words but unable to decipher their meaning, then to slowing understanding what he is reading, I went through that when my boy was in K1 all the way through to K2. Nowadays, sometimes he can read, but still can't comprehend (for problem sums and instructions) what he is reading :roll: (he is facing this problem for his chinese now too..ie can recognise the words, but will misintepret the sentence).
It takes time, and you still have a fair bit of time on your hand, so fret not. -
My younger girl going K1 next year too. I didn’t ask her to practice writing letters regularly.
Her only practice is when doing her abacus homework which requires her to write 10 numbers in one page. Her handwriting depends on her mood. If in a good mood, she will write the numbers within the answer box. Otherwise, she will write all over the page. Her name is also written in small letters & capital letters mixed together
K1 and K2 will have plenty of opportunity to write. Slowly will improve, dont’ worry -
sleepy:
My boy also write his name with small letters and capital letters mixed together, worst is that sometimes he writes from right to left.My younger girl going K1 next year too. I didn't ask her to practice writing letters regularly.
Her only practice is when doing her abacus homework which requires her to write 10 numbers in one page. Her handwriting depends on her mood. If in a good mood, she will write the numbers within the answer box. Otherwise, she will write all over the page. Her name is also written in small letters & capital letters mixed together
K1 and K2 will have plenty of opportunity to write. Slowly will improve, dont' worry
His PCF kindergarten will have worksheets where he will need to write in words. I think I have no eyes to see :oops: -
Tamarind, I suggest patience. I’ve been vomitting blood on my daughter since she was young. Then I realize those stressful teaching moments are impacting our relationship & it’s not doing my dd confidence any good either. I hired a tuition teacher for her science, send her for enrichment classes, trying to distance myself from teaching her.
She will be in P4 next year. All I can say, she is getting better as she gets bigger. The scary thing is, she told me she don’t want to attend enrichment. She wants me to teach her because she understands the subject better when I teach her.
By now, I’m already adjusting my expectation. Every year, I’m thinking if there are ways/method I can do better. Persevere. I think for our case, the difference between our two kids are so drastic that we are struggling to meet each of their needs. -
EN,
You are right that lots of patience is needed. My boy attends the Berries Chinese class once a week for 2 hours. His teacher's feedback is that he has problem paying attention in class. We have to let him practice reading the materials everyday in order for him to follow up. 2 hours a week is not sufficient for him.
Your girl thinks that you are the best teacher for her
My boy also enjoys my lessons at home, we do silly things like actually smashing biscuits when I teach the word \"smash\" However as a full time working mommy, it is really very tiring for me. I agree with you that we need to persevere.
My girl tells me that I love her brother more than I love her. That is not true. I am only paying more attention to the child who needs more help. I must think of ways to make it up to her. -
Hi Tamarind
I had quite a lot of trouble teaching my middle child even the names of the letters, let alone reading and writing. Her learning abilities are poles apart from her two brothers (I didn't bother to teach my oldest how to read; he picked it up himself); I almost throttled her at times before I found what works for us. I'm impressed by your patience and perseverance in teaching your son how to read!
Ultimately, I had the most success when I made letters and words distinctive enough for my daughter to recall them effortlessly. E.g. for letter 'b', a bear looks for food (drew bear's image around the letter). Letter 'd' was a deer with another story, but not looking for food to avoid any confusion with 'b'. It's not conventional, but I also did not do the letters in alphabetical sequence in the beginning, because I figured it would confuse the heck out of her when she encounters 'b' and 'd' in quick succession.
So far it has worked pretty well for us, my daughter found it fun and easily remembered that the bear was looking towards 'that direction' when it was looking for honey. I can't quite recall now, was it zoo-phonics which talked about how a bear is always a bear whichever way you turn the letter? Anyway, that was sort of my idea, to use images to aid my daughter's recall. It also helped her to practise writing with different media. We had fun tracing letters in a big shallow bowl of table salt, we glued beans on paper to trace etc. Or try sand at the beach!
Actually I didn't place a lot of emphasis on individual letters; I'm very impatient so I moved on to words once she could recognize, write and sound out a few letters with ease. -
clare,
Thanks for sharing. You reminded me that last year my hubby tried to use some sort of image to teach my son \"b\" and \"d\". But we only tried it once or twice, then gave up. I think we need to keep trying
I also didn't place a lot of emphasis on individual letters, I started to teach him phonics before he could recognize all the letters. My biggest headache now is that he is not able to write all the letters and numbers correctly He is supposed to master it by this year, next year at K1, he will need to write in words -
Is this normal for a 4 year old boy ?
First, my boy used his kids’ scissors to cut a few holes on the cotton cover of his kids’ sofa. We told him sternly that he cannot cut anything with his scissors, except for pieces of paper which we gave to him for cutting.
The next day, he cut a few holes in my king size bedsheet ! Again, we told him sternly that he cannot do it again.
One week later, he cut his sister’s water bottle strap ! I wonder if it is because he does not understand what can be cut, and what cannot be cut. I went through a full list of things that he cannot cut, including my hair, and his sister’s hair, etc. I also wonder whether it is because he cannot remember instructions. Sian… -
tamarind:
I heard a story similar to your case. What the mother did was told his child that she is very impressed with the child's ability to use the scissors to cut and told the child that he can practice it more often by cutting on the paper which is more appropriate. In this case, it work on the child. You can try this tactic to see if it workIs this normal for a 4 year old boy ?
First, my boy used his kids' scissors to cut a few holes on the cotton cover of his kids' sofa. We told him sternly that he cannot cut anything with his scissors, except for pieces of paper which we gave to him for cutting.
The next day, he cut a few holes in my king size bedsheet ! Again, we told him sternly that he cannot do it again.
One week later, he cut his sister's water bottle strap ! I wonder if it is because he does not understand what can be cut, and what cannot be cut. I went through a full list of things that he cannot cut, including my hair, and his sister's hair, etc. I also wonder whether it is because he cannot remember instructions. Sian....
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tamarind:
I wonder if it is because he does not understand what can be cut, and what cannot be cut. I went through a full list of things that he cannot cut, including my hair, and his sister's hair, etc. I also wonder whether it is because he cannot remember instructions. Sian....
Er, my daughter really DID cut hair with scissors, luckily it was her own and not her brothers' or they would have done something violent to her...
Tamarind, er, i can't help thinking the no-cutting list will just go on and on and on. I gave my daughter similar instructions, and was flummoxed when she asked me incessantly,\"how about THIS, how about THAT, are THOSE in the list?\" Drove me crazy. In the end I gave her books like the Kumon cutting books
http://www.whoopeekiddies.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=105
and told her she can use her scissors only on these. She listened!
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