If Your Child Can’t Read There IS Something You Can Do About It!
Do any of these sound like your child?
- She should be able to read in school by now—but she can’t.
- He has learned to read a little, but has problems.
- She doesn’t understand what sounds the letters make.
- He can’t blend sounds together to form a word.
- She skips little words, or adds in words that make sense, but aren’t on the page.
- He guesses instead of sounding out (decoding) words.
- She stumbles, stops, loses her place, or starts over, again and again.
- He mixes up letters that are similar, such as b, d, p, and q, and/or words such as was and saw.
- It sounds like he reads very well—but he doesn’t understand a word of it.
- Reading at home is a daily battle between you and your kid . . . arguing, struggling, maybe even yelling.
If any of these sound familiar, I know that you’re scared, upset and worried about your child’s future if his reading doesn’t improve—fast! And if this is your situation, I may be able to help your child through online tutoring. I’m a reading teacher who tutors American children using Skype, a video calling service that is free to you.
If you are hoping to hire a tutor, please take a look at my FAQ for prices and to see how it works. If you’d like to see what parents who’ve used my services feel about it, see my reviews.
I’d be happy to talk with you about your child’s situation, and how I could help him or her become a better reader. Tell me what your worries are.
Adena Atkins:
November 9th, 2010 at 1:17 am
Hi Paula,
Just stopping by to wish you good luck with this website. Reading adds so much richness to life; you’re work here is so important.
Paula:
November 9th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I appreciate your words! Thank you.
For me, reading is so fundamental to my life that I can’t imagine being unable to do it.
That’s why I feel so strongly about giving this gift to those who haven’t been able to “get it” yet. My heart breaks when I see a child who was passed on year by year, yet nobody took the time to remedy it.
I do know that there are a few people who simply don’t learn no matter how hard people have tried to help. There are many awesome teachers who work on this problem every day for every child.
I hope someday schools will be a place where every child is taught at the level “where they are,” no matter how low that may be.
nicole' johnson:
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:07 pm
my son is in kindergarden he is having a terrible reading and reconizing words. and i believe this is effecting his behavior. i have gotten flash cards and worksheets off line. also i have gotten books to help but nothing seems to be helping … what do you suggest
Paula:
November 24th, 2010 at 1:38 am
Hi, Nicole! I’m so glad you came by.
Be sure to sign up for the newsletter, if you haven’t already, so that you’ll get notification every time something new comes out for him.
Can you give me a list of 10 words that he’s working on? I’ll do something specifically for him. Be sure to let me know by commenting below.
For now, read these two articles:
http://174.121.161.18/~yourchil/how-to-teach-sight-words/ and
http://174.121.161.18/~yourchil/kindergarten-sight-words/
They’ll give you fun ideas of new ways to work with sight words.
Especially use the suggestions for making the letters by hand, with shaving cream, spaghetti, and more. He may be a “kinesthetic learner,” which means his brain will absorb it more readily if his body is involved in practicing the words.
I hope these help temporarily, and I’ll work on getting more information to you. With the holiday, I may be delayed a bit, but I won’t forget. I’ll be putting some things together for you.
Have a great Thanksgiving, and you’ll be hearing from me!
Paula
Paula:
February 19th, 2011 at 6:51 pm
Thanks again for visiting, Suzanne! We’ll take the rest of the work off site, and will be working in the private area on your son’s lessons. I’ve emailed the URL to you.
Can’t wait! He’ll do wonderfully.
Miss Bright
Paula Lee Bright - Quora:
March 21st, 2011 at 4:12 am
[...] [...]
Ariella:
April 20th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
My son is about to turn 10 years old and he has serious reading trouble such as, he takes a long while to sound out even the most simple words and has no motivation to get better at it. The school tells me that I need to start doing things at home which I have already have done in the past. But he is almost ten! is this normal? Im worried maybe he just didn’t learn everything properly along the way. What do I do!
Christy:
April 21st, 2011 at 11:28 am
Hi,
I have a 6yr old son and he has problems with the sounds of letters and sounding out word.
he can memorize a list of words but if you mix them up
he acts like he has never send the word before.
when im helping him with his homework he gets mad.
i struggle with a reading problem and i what to do what ever i can for him so he want be limited to what he can do in life.
Paula:
April 21st, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Ariella,
It’s not “normal,” in that schools expect him to be a successful reader by now. But it isn’t abnormal either. This is because in reality, a lot of kids aren’t reading as well as schools expect them to. This is a problem we have and need to address in education.
But he definitely does need some help, and pretty quickly too. From here on, the things he is expected to read will become more and more difficult, and he’ll fall further behind unless you take steps to find a solution to his reading problems.
Question: Has he been tested at school for problems such as dyslexia? If not, he should be. Either way there are still options open to you. But do let me know on this.
He may be one of the kids who needs to learn to read using a different learning style. That can be helped.
Or, you’re right, it is possible he didn’t learn everything along the way. But it’s also possible that he didn’t have motivation from the beginning, in which case it would have been tricky for any teacher to get him started. I’d only know that after talking with you.
Since he is 10, I’d strongly advise that you get some outside help. I agree with the school that he needs to be doing things at home, but things aren’t always that easy, are they? I’m guessing that you’ve been trying to read with him and work with him all along, if you’re like most moms.
The question is, what to do next. I ‘ll post a list of suggestions on what is available for solving the reading problem here.
Please do ask any further questions you have on the comments below the article, or use the contact form above. I’ll send you the link ASAP.
Paula:
April 21st, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Christy, the problems you describe happen often for children who may be on a different learning schedule than schools have set for reading. He also may need some help learning a different way to work with letters and words.
What does his teacher say about his reading? Have you spoken with the school about it? I’d love to talk with you about a few questions I have for you.
I’ll be posting a list of suggestions here for you and Ariella (the comment above) in the next day or so. I’ll send you the link as soon as it’s up.
Nicole Gonzales:
May 6th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Hi Paula- I have a 6 year old in a SP class. He has Sensory Processing Disorder. They placed him in class he doesn’t belong in, his verbal and cognitive reasonings are in the superior range. We are taking steps to fix this but, this year has been almost a total waste. That is either here nor there though. I’m am now attempting to help him reach the milestones for his grade that they haven’t been working with him on. Sight words have now become my biggest focus. His attention span because of his SPD is horrible. He is not autistic and I’m am told his IQ is above average, he is just hard to teach. HELP!!!
Paula:
May 17th, 2011 at 2:26 am
The situation you describe is extremely difficult. What you know about your son isn’t meshing with what the school tells you, and they don’t seem to be recognizing that they may have misdiagnosed him. At the very least, they aren’t recognizing the abilities that he does have, which are his IQ and verbal/cognitive talents.
I have some thoughts, but need to think a bit. I’ll be in touch.
Donovan Grant:
July 1st, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Hi Paula, I landed on your site via brag about your blog day. You are doing a fantastic service to the community and something that is much needed. I also do mentoring and coaching with young people and sometimes, it surprises me how many boys in particular do not actually like to read, so they don’t. Sadly, an increasing number of boys see reading as a thing that girls do; this a myth and real shame and ends up with a lot of young men who are able yet disconnected from reading. Keep doing what you do, we need you! Donovan
Paula Lee Bright:
July 18th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Donovan, how kind of you to visit and bestow the lovely compliments.
What you say about boys is so very true. I work hard to battle that syndrome every day.
Kudos to you on the work you are doing as well! We have to hang in there and do it for the kids, right? Great to meet you.
monique:
July 24th, 2011 at 10:46 am
hello,
My son is 8 he is having trouble in school. He kinda enjoys math but when it omes to reading and writing it makes him sick. I have worked with him and it helps a little but still not enough to get him through 2nd grade.
Paula:
August 1st, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Sorry to somehow have overlooked your note for so very long. I will be happy to talk to you about this. I look forward to hearing from you. There are several things we could try. Write soon! I’ve emailed you.
Maureen Hunter:
August 16th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
There is such a demand for your services Paula, great to see such a wonderful banner when I visited.
Paula:
August 18th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Maureen, thank you so much! I like the view of so many great kids.
Yes, it’s a much needed service. I love every minute of it. Thanks for visiting!
Kiara:
August 23rd, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Hello, my daughter is in the third grade and seems to be reading directions well, but when it comes to reading a short story and answering questions about it, she has a hard time understanding what she reads and gets frustrated at the same time. How can I help her….
Susy:
August 24th, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Hi Paula,
this is more of a comment rather than a problem.
You are fantastic, your work is inspiring and hopeful! I mean it with all my heart.
I was at my wits end when my daughter Sophia (8) started working with you. I had tried everything i knew to get her to read like every other 2nd grader i was around. I started to question her ability and wondered if she would ever be able to reach her full potential? would she ever be able to make a difference in this world? Would she be stumped by the fact that she couldn’t read? I just couldn’t phantom my daughter starting 3rd grade and reading like she was in 1st grade, a struggling 1st grader at that!
I happen to come across your website and you started working with Sophia. In a very short time she was more fluid in her reading, she was more bold in trying to read difficult words and she was enjoying reading.
Sophia will be starting school in a few weeks, my heart is content. I know she will start 3rd grade with the tools she needs to keep up with her peers. Don’t get me wrong we still have some catching up to do.
My last comment is that we need someone like Paula, with her passion and dedication in every single classroom in America! We need people like her to help the struggling readers realize they CAN READ!
Christina:
September 5th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Hi, Paula: Just wanted to say… “Thank You”. My daughter India is reading with confidence.
Paula:
September 6th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Christina: Nothing could please me more than India’s progress in this short time together. It’s a pleasure to continue working with her.
Paula:
September 6th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Susy, your note means more to me than you can know. Having no children, and being physically unable to handle teaching at a school any more, figuring out a way to bring my skills online was a big gamble.
I’m thrilled that my gifts carry over through Skype, and that I was able to figure out Sophia’s issues and help solve them.
What a joy it has been, and I look forward to our continuing lessons!
Gershell Rembert:
September 8th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
I have a 10 year old who has a hard time sounding out works grasping what he read and understanding different phonics. I need your help!!! I hate to sound desperate but I need you….
Gershell Rembert:
September 8th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Sorry My email was incorrect last time, I cant wait to hear from you
Christina:
September 9th, 2011 at 12:17 am
Hello, Paula: Great News! I noticed today, that my daughter India is behaving and responding to me with poise and confidence instead of hasty insecurity. I know this newly developed healthy/self love behavior is directly related to you teaching India that,…. she can and Will Read!
Jennifer:
September 12th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
This might be unusual, but I have an 8 year old daughter that we adopted from China almost 2 years ago. She actually has the skills needed for reading fluently, but her problems seem to lie with not understanding what she is reading. I understand that part of this is still a little bit of a language barrier, but most of it is something else. If you read something to her, she can answer questions about it, but if she reads the exact same thing by herself, she cannot answer the same questions. The teacher also noticed this when she failed a test. The teacher then re-gave her the same exact test, but asked the questions out loud and she was able to answer every question correctly. Have you heard of this before? It’s very frustrating because she’s in the middle reading group for being able to read well, but she’s getting a D- in reading because of the tests and stuff she has to do outside of just reading something.
Paula:
September 17th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
Christina, what you’ve written here is the kind of thing that makes every day I spend with kids here on the internet a joy. I too have seen her grow, blossom and change right before my eyes. India’s reading issues were not as complex as we thought initially, and I was sure early on that I could solve a few problems and make it infinitely easier and more fun.
Bless your heart for telling me, and bless our girl’s heart for being so ready to learn! I can’t wait to start our group of young girls reading and chatting together!
Tricia:
September 19th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Hello Paula. My son Rodney just entered the third grade and seems to be reading directions well, but when it comes to reading a short story and answering questions about it, he is having a hard time understanding what he reads and he gets so frustrated and embarrassed at the same time. How can I help him…. It breaks my heart to see him struggling.
Paula:
September 21st, 2011 at 6:24 am
Tricia, I have lots of ideas. Give me his age, his grade, and anything else you think might be involved. If answering questions is the only problem, then we are in good shape!
Also, email me at paula_lee_bright at charter dot net. I will gladly meet with him (as I will do for any parent who is worried about a child) (or grandparent, or aunt, or…you get the idea!) and give you suggestions on how you can help him at home. If you want to consider tutoring, of course I’d be happy to help you with that too. But that’s certainly not necessary for us to chat.
First and foremost, we need to figure out what’s going on. Please do contact me.
Paula:
September 27th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Jennifer, I emailed you with some information, and look forward to chatting.
Paula:
September 27th, 2011 at 11:30 am
Gershell, I’ve written. Looking forward to talking.
Paula:
September 27th, 2011 at 11:31 am
Kiara, please write me back. I know I can help you.
Suerae Stein:
September 27th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
It’s a great thing that you do here, Paula. Reading opens a whole new world to children and reaches far into adulthood. I don’t know what I would do without a good book to lose myself in! It’s great that there are people like you that can help kids that might be having some trouble. Great post! ~Suerae
Paula Lee Bright:
September 27th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
Suerae, thank you so much for coming by. I agree with you. Reading has kept me sane through some pretty troubled times. I don’t know how I’d survive without it. It’s my pleasure to pass on the gift to kids who don’t see how to use it at first. When they do get it, Katy bar the door! I envision my readers changing the world one day. And that makes me very happy.
Paula:
October 2nd, 2011 at 9:59 pm
It’s not unusual, and I have ideas that will probably help you. I’ve emailed.
Jamie:
October 4th, 2011 at 9:32 am
my son is 8. I believe he has an auditory processing disorder and possibly dyslexia. Neither have been diagnosed. We homeschool. I can not seem to teach him to read. He still does not know most of his alphabet or the sounds they make. (our 3 yr old is better than Chris at it). He knows about 5 sight words. Should I get him tested to see exactly what we are dealing with? What help is available?
Jamie
Paula Lee Bright:
October 4th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Hi, Jamie. You probably should get him tested but I must warn you, it takes a long time. In the meantime I highly recommend getting him some help. I have emailed you some information. I hope to hear back from you very soon.
Cathy Simpson:
October 24th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
I have a five year old daughter who is studying K1 at the moment. I believe she is a very talented child, she can easily memorized her recital and song their teacher teach them. But I have some hard time with her reading I teach her at home. I even let her watch some Alphabet Phonic song so she can learn reading fast. What else do I need to do?
Paula Lee Bright:
October 24th, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Hi, Cathy. At 5, the best thing you can do is to read with her every day. Be sure she has lots of books of her own or from the library and that she sees you reading for yourself too.
Can you describe the problems you are having at home? I’m emailing you with this question in case you don’t make it back here. I’ll talk with you soon!
rita:
November 8th, 2011 at 4:16 am
Hi Paula: I have a 9 year old who just not motivated to read any book. I do not see she loves reading any book and she is in 4th grade and reading is the pillar for every area and I am so worried that do not know what to do. can you help please. thanks
Gaye:
November 9th, 2011 at 6:40 am
my 6 year old nephew doesn’t seem interested with books either but he can read, slow though.
edmond0925:
November 9th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Hi Paula… These are great tips and I am very happy that I visited your site. This is very helpful for my son. Thank your for giving these ideas.
sandraw2580:
November 11th, 2011 at 5:51 am
Paula, I don’t have a child to start with.. I Just want to say, after reading all this comments, and you advice, that you’re one hell of a teacher! Pardon my French.. And that you inspire people! I know, coz you just inspired me!
Mr Balogun:
November 16th, 2011 at 7:10 am
my daughter is about 9 years of age.she is so brilliant.she always come first in exams but she cant read very well.what can i do to help her
Paula Lee Bright:
November 16th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Sandra, that’s so kind of you to say. It feels good being appreciated. And thank you for stopping by!
Beth Smith:
November 17th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
I have a son , the school tells me that I need to start doing things at home which I have already have done in the past. But he is almost ten! is this normal? Im worried maybe he just didn’t learn everything properly along the way. What do I do!
KateW81:
November 18th, 2011 at 1:50 am
My son is 6 yrs old. He really does well in school and he learns to read all by himself alone…I can see the eagerness with him. He always wants to learn something new without any help. I’m very much proud of him.
Paula Lee Bright:
November 18th, 2011 at 3:24 am
Kate, you are a good and lucky mom for sure!
Usually, most children who can’t read or read poorly come from fine homes, where reading is valued, yet something just doesn’t click in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade.
Often it extends to third or fourth grade. It’s terrifying for parents, because most know that their child doesn’t have a chance in school unless their kid conquers the reading problems.
Congratuations on your wonderful child, and I’m so very happy for you that he is doing well. Most people who end up here have a child who is not doing so well.
Luckily, I know LOTS of ways to help those kids.
Thanks for visiting, Kate. Keep us in mind if any of your friends’ kids have real problems. 
abby:
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:53 pm
hi i am abby and i am 11 and i need help with reading i am in 6 th grade and i am on a 2nd grade level can you help me please
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Sir, it sounds odd that she does so well on exams if she can’t read them well. But—congratulations!
I’d be happy to read with her and let you know what I find out. I’ve emailed you, so let me know if you want me to check it out.
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Kate, you should be proud. It’s a fantastic feeling to know that your child is an eager reader who loves to learn.
One day I hope that all the parents who use this site or ask for my help get to feel such a wonderful thing. I’m very happy for you!
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Beth, I wrote you and hope to hear back. I have some suggestions for you as well. At age 10, no, he is past the age of slow development, and may now have real issues.
I’d suggest having him tested for eye issues and possibly dyslexia with an eye specialist who works with parents whose children are failing to read, rather than just an eye physician.
Good luck, and I’ll be happy to read with him and then tell you what I find out. Let me know. Best wishes, for sure!
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
I’m so glad you came. I hope they ARE helpful ideas. Thank you so much.
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Gaye, keep reading fun picture books with your nephew. Fun books can work wonders.
Even if he’s not very interested, if you keep it light, don’t try to teach, and just enjoy the time together, he may gain more interest.
If he doesn’t speed up over time, come back and let me know. I’d love to read with him.
Best of luck, and thanks for being a good aunt!
Paula:
November 27th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
Rita, I do so wish you’d left your email. I would have been happy to chat with you about it.
Folks, if you are worried about spam, or your email being seen online, that will never happen. Your email is secure, and I will write you only to offer my help. If you’re not interested, I will leave you alone. That’s a promise.
Paula Lee Bright:
December 3rd, 2011 at 3:21 am
Abby, I hope you’ll write me back. I haven’t heard from you and will email again. Hang in there!
John Stephen:
December 11th, 2011 at 8:47 am
I have a 9 year old who just not motivated to read any book. I do not see she loves reading any book and she is in 4th grade and reading is the pillar for every area and I am so worried that do not know what to do.
Paula:
December 11th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
John, I’d love to hear from you again. I wanted to email you, but couldn’t. I’ll try to give you some suggestions here soon. Is she able to keep up, despite no enjoying reading? Can she read at all?
Let me know. Best wishes!
Akeilah Harris:
December 19th, 2011 at 9:22 am
Hello, I have a 3rd grader who is having a hard time reading and comprehending what she’s reading. If it’s possible can you please contact me t
Akeilah Harris:
December 19th, 2011 at 9:26 am
Hello, I have a 3rd grader who is having a hard time reading and comprehending what she’s reading. If it’s possible can you please contact me
Lauren:
December 28th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Hi Paula,
My son is very good at reading and writing. I think this is because he enjoys reading a lot. I make sure to gift him a book on every weekend and he makes sure to complete reading the entire book the same day. He is passionate about reading.
setsh:
January 3rd, 2012 at 7:38 pm
hi im setsh i’m in 7th grade and i need help reading when ever we read in class i try to go to the bathroom so i dont get called on to read. the only problem i have is that i just cant pronounce big word and i cant read fast like the others do. please help me?
.
Heather:
January 6th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Hi, my name is Heather! Please email me when you can, I have a question about your blog!
Catrea:
January 8th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
My daughter is in 1st grade however her reading skills are still that of a child in KG. She does not enjoy reading at all and during our reading time it usually ends with both of us upset. I have ran out of ideas to help her read. When reading with her she needs to sound out every word even words that when you ask her how to spell them she can “the” for example. She may have a word down on page 1-3 and then on page 4 it is as if she has never seen the word before. I need she has been seeing a reading tutor twice a week for 4 months now I thought it was helping. I now have a meeting with her school in 2 weeks I am nervous about this as well. I have considered dyslexia, my younger brother had dyslexia. We need help.
Paula:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:22 pm
Done!
Paula:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Hi, Akeilah. I’m still hoping to hear back from you. Write soon! I’d like to see what’s up with your daughter.
Paula:
January 10th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Hi, Akeilah. I’m still hoping to hear back from you. ??
Paula:
January 11th, 2012 at 3:45 am
That’s wonderful! I’m sure it is because you’ve shown him how great reading can be, and luckily he absorbed that thought. It sounds like things are perfect right now!
Good for you.
That doesn’t happen for all kids who struggle with reading, of course…sometimes there are other things in the way. But we can usually get rid of whatever is blocking the child from reading. Lots of reading successes happening here, I’m glad to say. And I’m happy for you with your son!
jackie:
January 19th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
Hi
I have a 9 and 8 year old sons. I also have a 7 year old daughter. My 9 and 7 year olds are having problems with reading. My 9 year old knows words but has problems with spelling them and saying them. My 7 year old just can’t say them. When they read they can’t tell me what they read. I have tried to break the words down for them. I have tried on-line tools and have even gotten help for them in their school. Nothing seems to help them. No one in the family has a learning problem. I need help. I am a single mother and have very little income coming in. Is there anything else i can do to help them understand what they read and remember it. I have been reading to them since they were born and i get them to read to me as best they can. My 9 year old can spell the words out loud but he can’t write them on paper.
Thanks in advance for your help
Amber Miller:
January 22nd, 2012 at 12:41 am
Hello! I am sitting here in the middle of the night searching and searching the Internet on how to help my 6 year old son! A little quick history. I homeschool my three boys. Ages are 10, 6, and 4. My oldest has been reading very well since he was 4 years old. It has been smooth sailing with him and he reads non stop! My 6 year old is the exact opposite. We started him with kindergarten this year because he was obviously not ready when he was 5. He did not even know his colors at that time. He could match colors, he could color with the correct colors(green for grass, blue for sky), but he could not tell you what the colors were. If you asked him what the color of something was, he could not tell you. Then one day it all clicked! Now we are running into the same problem with letters. He can write them, and he can give the sounds of a few of them. But he cannot tell you any letter names, and he is not able to put the sounds he does know into a word. He is beginning to get very upset by this because my 4 year old will come up behind him, look at the word, and say “it says RAT!”. Truly wonderful that my little guy is a reader at 4, but absolutely devastating to a six year old.
I am at a loss. We have tried text book work, video games, scattering letters all over the house and doing a jumping game(i say “jump on the d” and he goes to the r.
Amber Miller:
January 22nd, 2012 at 12:51 am
Oops, wasn’t finished.
a couple additional points. He is amazing at math! Can recognize numbers, measure, add, and subtract with little effort! He is great at problem solving and puzzles. Absolutely loves science and geography. He gets very upset if he cannot be involve in those subjects with his big brother. It is just the reading and letters that he is really struggling with.
Britney:
January 24th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I am looking for help for my kindergartner. There are days when he gets the letters and words right away and then there are days when I feel he just isn’t really trying or he cant remember what I just taught him 2 minutes ago. He remembers some letters and other letters he gets mixed up. I try and help him but sometimes, I must admit, I don’t have the patience. I also have a 6 month old who is a Big crier, which doesn’t help. I need away that I can help him understand and remember or someone who can help him for me. Any suggestions?
Suzanne Grey:
February 1st, 2012 at 12:22 am
@Britney
You should be patient since it takes time for a kid to be taught.
Paula Lee Bright:
February 2nd, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Whew! Stacie, I’m so glad we finally connected! That’s a relief. I’m looking forward to working with him.
Paula Lee Bright:
February 2nd, 2012 at 11:18 pm
I’m so glad we were able to connect on Facebook.
I hope I’ve eased your mind a bit. With a kindergartener, there’s every chance in the world that he’ll move past it. But I also know that some kids do need help early to avoid later problems. I’m glad we talked this one through a bit. Hang in there, and contact me if you sense things don’t improve by summer, or after school starts next year. I’ll be here.
Good luck with the Big Crier. I know that is so terribly exhausting. Keep smiling’.
Paula Lee Bright:
February 2nd, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Jackie, I so wish you had left your email. Talk to me again through my contact link at the top of the page and we can talk further about this. I have no way to reach you. I’m sorry.
Daria:
February 3rd, 2012 at 4:05 am
I am simply pleased I discovered this web page. Maybe you would like to place my banner on site? How can I contact you on private?
tumie:
February 5th, 2012 at 6:28 am
My son is 9 yrs old he’s in grd 4 the problem is he can’t read anything is like at school they just pushing him to the next grade the way he is even a preschool kid can read I really don’t know what to do I was thinking of taking him to the doctor psychological doctor. Please help
Jeff:
February 8th, 2012 at 6:21 am
Hi Paula – what a great service you are providing. I wanted to share a quote. Keep up the GREAT work!
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
— Frederick Douglass
lisa richmond:
February 8th, 2012 at 7:55 am
My 10 yr old son has difficulty understanding instructions given to him at school, he is left to get on with his own work.his teachers tell him to ask for help, when he does this he is told he should know by now. He only seems to understand instructions if he is told step by step, grasping each step carefully. He also has difficulty reading and was born with a speech problem which he grew out of. He also has a terrible memory. He is in special lessons for English and maths and gets poor grades at school. He has very low self esteem. Have asked all his teachers for help and also asked for assessment of learning difficulties. He has an older brother whom has had no problems at all. Please help or direct me to where I can get help for him?
Emilio:
February 8th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
Im starting this site cuz my bro is in 6th grade and he knows nutin. He needs help but he wont look 4 it soo wat cud i do im tryin but i think his behavior has been terribol to help i dnt kno wat to do.How can i teach him
Hillary:
February 9th, 2012 at 3:01 am
I have a 6 yr old daughter who is having tons of issues with reading. She is still having trouble with short vowel sounds while the test of the class is working on long vowel sounds. She doesnt pay attention and is easily distracted. I try to help at home but have a 2 year old son at home that had me running wild all day long. The teacher has stated that if this doesn’t improve she must recommend retention. Please help
Jessica:
February 9th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Can this be real? As I am listening to my daughter struggle to read, I keep wondering if I am expecting too much of my seven year old or if she really is as far behind as I think she is. She doesn’t do well on spelling tests, she has some speech problems, and she gets extremely frustrated that she can’t read as well as others in her class. I really don’t know if it’s a problem or she is just not working hard enough at it. It breaks my heart because her vocabulary is amazing, and her comprehension is beyond first grade. I just don’t know how to help her.
Jessica:
February 9th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
I meant can this site be real because it seems like it might be my saving grace…
Rochelle:
February 13th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
Hi, my name is Rochelle and i am a mother of 4 beautiful children. My only son Jaymen has had difficulty in all areas of reading from a young age…i havent ever thought hard enough about how to help him due to being so busy with work commitmemts. This year my boy is 10 and can only read very basic words. My husband and i decided that i would take this year or however long it takes off work to be there for not only my son but for all my children, to be able to help them more with their school work and have alot more patience…I need to learn how to teach him…if i dont learn how can i help him. My heart aches for my son being so far behind in his class and i need to do something about it now…any help would be greatly appreciated, Love Rochelle
hiten patel:
August 15th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
hi i had problem of cant reed faster and make a loot of grammar mistake can u help me out plz
jan neighbors:
September 5th, 2012 at 11:07 am
I am a grandmother of a precious 8 year old little girl,
who can read on a 3rd grade level but sometimes she
can understand and tell you what she read but other
times she don’t even have a clue? How much do you
charge for the tutoring class? Jan Neighbors
Jessica:
September 20th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
I came across your wed site, as I was trying to find a way to help my 8 year old read and like to read. He is in 3rd grade and has a 1st grade reading level. He has got help in school, but I am not seeing much improvement. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks you
ruth:
October 16th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
We are having touble with our 7 year old son. The teacher is telling us that he reads a grade level but does not comprehend what he is reading. He’s also have a hard time in math, maybe because he does not understand the instructions. I wonder if you have any advice for us.
He is dual language but english is his “main” language.
Thanks!
Araceli:
October 19th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
My sister is in 4th grade and she is reading at a 2nd grade level. She needs alot of help. Can you help us?
Michelle Johnson:
October 19th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
My son is in 6th grade – He gets A’s then D’s he goes up and down. I had a meeting with his teachers and they think he has ADHD – I don’t. I think he has a reading problem. They all stated, “If they read the question to him – he gets the answer right”. So, if he has ADHD – wouldnt he not know the answers?? Because he wasn’t paying attention?? But, he is struggling to read??
I am so confused…..they also said, he is a great kid, good manners, no problems.
So, I decided to take away all his electronics and now he is getting good grades…..Is it reading, adhd or just him not wanting to be motivated????
HELP PLEASE!!!!!
Ethan Hunt:
October 28th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
We have a 6 y/o who is struggling to memorize. We do sight words with him daily and daily reading. His progress is slow however not steady. He will forget the same word that he worked on the previous day. Let us know what can we do to help.
Maria:
November 8th, 2012 at 1:58 am
Hi, I have a daughter in 1st grade. She is six and has been struggling to read since last year in kindergarten. As time goes by it seems to get worse. Her teacher recently told me she is very concerned because she has been getting extra help at school but doesn’t seem to be improving at all.
Now she is trying to sound out letters and this seems to make things worse. Instead of trying to read all she does is sound out letters and isn’t making the connection to read the words.
This is all very frustrating. Do you think you could help us?
Jenna:
November 8th, 2012 at 11:41 am
I need help! I am a Homeschooling Mom of two boys. They are 12 and 9. My 9yr old Son is reading at a Kindergarten level. He knows his letters and sounds….depending on the day I guess. He is JUST now remembering some basic sight words. I am 100% positive he has some form of a Learning Disability. I have not had him officially tested but I ask myself “what would the testing do anyway?” Because we Homeschool what can it really do for me? I keep hearing and reading people say “take him to a professional”…well who are these “professionals”? I can’t seem to find any real answers to my questions. Where do I take him? What can they do for me? Can I get any REAL help? Once he’s tested and diagnosed…then what? I am at a loss. Working with him causes both of us so much stress. I have tried Word games, computer games, flash cards, just teaching through day to day life, reading to him. He just doesnt remember anything! He is such a smart child and has NO problems with Math. He is my “common sense” kid. The way he views the world amazes me at times because it’s so beyond his years. But when it comes to using common sense in putting a simple word together it all goes out the window. His lack of reading has slowed us down in his other subjects. I have to read everything to him and tell him what to write down on worksheets. He has been in Speech Therapy since he was 3 and I just this school year pulled him out. Mainly because he wasn’t progressing and I didn’t care for his new Teacher this year. I wonder if the Speech plays a part in things. That would be something a “Professional” could tell me I guess. The people in the school didn’t seem to care enough to help me when I asked about Dyslexia ..I’m sure it’s because we Homeschool. So Please help me and guide me in the right direction!! Thanks!
Heathet:
January 13th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Hello, my name is Heather and my daughter just got her report card and her teacher is saying she is still nit at the level of reading that she needs to be. We have done the site words, the timing, etc
and none of this seems to work. I don’t know what to do. There is nothing wrong with her comprehension, it’s her fluency. Please help, I do not want my daughter to fail the second grade!!!! I am not on facebook or Twitter…
Shae:
January 28th, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Hi my name is shae and I need ur help