Re: Right-brained children
[email protected]
Hi all,
I don't post frequently, but I do enjoy reading your posts. I am hoping to
get some of your feedback. My son was seven in October, and wants to learn
how to read but is very frustrated by the whole process. We have Oak Meadow,
Sing, Spell, Read, Write and How to teach your child to read in 100 lessons.
I completely buy the whole unschooling philosophy, and I have educational
materials available to my boys but don't push them into it. We used Oak
Meadow last year for probably a month, and SSRW for about the same amount of
time. At the beginning of the year, my seven year old and five year old both
said that they wanted to learn how to read. We started using the 100 lessons
book, and they both seemed to enjoy it. My five year old asked to do the
lesson every day. We got to chapter 30, and both lost interest so we stopped.
I noticed a big difference in their learning styles. My five year old seemed
to grasp phonics better than my seven year old. My seven year old would add
sounds, flip-flop sounds or just guess the word. He would actually sound out
a word, practically saying it. Then I would ask him what the word was, and he
had no clue. He would sound out cat perfect, and then say the word was frog.
Their learning differences led me to look into different learning styles,
which led me to several books on right-brained vs. left-brained kids. My
seven year old definitely seems to fit the descriptions for a right-brained
child. Several of the books indicated that right-brained children seem to
learn reading better with the whole-language or sight-word method. I feel
stuck because my seven year old really wants to learn how to read, but he
gets so completely frustrated. When this happens, we just stop. On one hand I
feel this is best, but on the other hand, I don't want him to get
discouraged. I think it's also difficult for him because his five year old
brother seems so comfortable and at ease trying to read. Recently, my seven
year old said to me, "I would know how to read if you taught me". I was
floored. First of all, I felt like a failure, and then I felt really sad for
him. I'm not sure what to do next. I would just love some feedback from some
of you with older kids.
Thanks.
Wendy
I don't post frequently, but I do enjoy reading your posts. I am hoping to
get some of your feedback. My son was seven in October, and wants to learn
how to read but is very frustrated by the whole process. We have Oak Meadow,
Sing, Spell, Read, Write and How to teach your child to read in 100 lessons.
I completely buy the whole unschooling philosophy, and I have educational
materials available to my boys but don't push them into it. We used Oak
Meadow last year for probably a month, and SSRW for about the same amount of
time. At the beginning of the year, my seven year old and five year old both
said that they wanted to learn how to read. We started using the 100 lessons
book, and they both seemed to enjoy it. My five year old asked to do the
lesson every day. We got to chapter 30, and both lost interest so we stopped.
I noticed a big difference in their learning styles. My five year old seemed
to grasp phonics better than my seven year old. My seven year old would add
sounds, flip-flop sounds or just guess the word. He would actually sound out
a word, practically saying it. Then I would ask him what the word was, and he
had no clue. He would sound out cat perfect, and then say the word was frog.
Their learning differences led me to look into different learning styles,
which led me to several books on right-brained vs. left-brained kids. My
seven year old definitely seems to fit the descriptions for a right-brained
child. Several of the books indicated that right-brained children seem to
learn reading better with the whole-language or sight-word method. I feel
stuck because my seven year old really wants to learn how to read, but he
gets so completely frustrated. When this happens, we just stop. On one hand I
feel this is best, but on the other hand, I don't want him to get
discouraged. I think it's also difficult for him because his five year old
brother seems so comfortable and at ease trying to read. Recently, my seven
year old said to me, "I would know how to read if you taught me". I was
floored. First of all, I felt like a failure, and then I felt really sad for
him. I'm not sure what to do next. I would just love some feedback from some
of you with older kids.
Thanks.
Wendy
Samantha Stopple
seven year old definitely seems to fit the
his own word book that has pictures and the word
written underneath. Have him help you pick out
pictures in magazines or books you could cut up. That
way he is picking out things he would like to know the
written word.
You could also have him dictate stories to you and you
could write them down for him. Then read them
together but mostly you reading them back to him.
You could also label all the things in the house like
door mirror etc. I think I might do this myself
because I have a 5yo who is interested in words.
Peace,
Samantha
__________________________________________________
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> descriptions for a right-brainedGoing on the word recognition idea you could make him
> child. Several of the books indicated that
> right-brained children seem to
> learn reading better with the whole-language or
> sight-word method.
his own word book that has pictures and the word
written underneath. Have him help you pick out
pictures in magazines or books you could cut up. That
way he is picking out things he would like to know the
written word.
You could also have him dictate stories to you and you
could write them down for him. Then read them
together but mostly you reading them back to him.
You could also label all the things in the house like
door mirror etc. I think I might do this myself
because I have a 5yo who is interested in words.
Peace,
Samantha
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/
[email protected]
My approach with my kids was to read to them a lot, support them when
they wanted to try out reading, and encourage them to be patient with
themselves. My experience is that there is a long period of storing up
knowledge of the words before the actual reading "kicks in." Once that
happens they progress pretty quickly. While they were in these pre and early
reading stages we worked with the "I Can Read" series of books many of which
are by Dr. Seuss and his alter ego, Theo LeSieg, as well as Sid Hoff and
others. These are fun books.
My son's reading took off around age 8. My younger daughter, Ariana,
took somewhat longer and was much more frustrated as she's more into books.
We would work with her but she would just reach her limit with trying to get
it. I would have to keep reassuring her that eventually her reading would
kick in. And it eventually did. During the summer of '99 when she was 9 1/2
she was in an "American Girls" craft class and I had to read the little books
to her. By winter of 2000 at 10 1/4 she was taking another such class and was
able to read the books to herself. Then this past summer she took off. The
library had a Harry Potter theme for the reading program and had a great
bookcase of "magic books" to choose from. Some were old favorites and some
we'd never seen. She read and read and read all summer and hasn't slowed down
since. This fall (at age 11) in addition to her recreational reading she's
started reading historical novels. She just finished "Johnny Tremain." She
waited so long to read that she's still ecstatic about being able to.
Both Michael and Ariana were whole word learners. Phonics worked for
Michael to fill in his learning after he already knew how to read. It still
doesn't make any sense to Ariana.
Part of why I have found it easy to be relaxed about their learning
process with reading is that I taught myself to read when I was 4yo,
listening to records from the
library (downtown Enoch Pratt in Baltimore) and reading along. My oldest also
learned to read at 4 by playing phonics games with my husband. Looking back
on it, he wishes that he'd left her a bit more to her own devices, partly
because by age 10 or 11 she needed glasses and the other two don't.
Nonetheless, reading came easier and earlier to her than to the others. All
my kids are good readers at this point, I trust yours will be too in good
time.
Amalia Darling, mother to Jenny 20, Michael 15 and
Ariana 11
they wanted to try out reading, and encourage them to be patient with
themselves. My experience is that there is a long period of storing up
knowledge of the words before the actual reading "kicks in." Once that
happens they progress pretty quickly. While they were in these pre and early
reading stages we worked with the "I Can Read" series of books many of which
are by Dr. Seuss and his alter ego, Theo LeSieg, as well as Sid Hoff and
others. These are fun books.
My son's reading took off around age 8. My younger daughter, Ariana,
took somewhat longer and was much more frustrated as she's more into books.
We would work with her but she would just reach her limit with trying to get
it. I would have to keep reassuring her that eventually her reading would
kick in. And it eventually did. During the summer of '99 when she was 9 1/2
she was in an "American Girls" craft class and I had to read the little books
to her. By winter of 2000 at 10 1/4 she was taking another such class and was
able to read the books to herself. Then this past summer she took off. The
library had a Harry Potter theme for the reading program and had a great
bookcase of "magic books" to choose from. Some were old favorites and some
we'd never seen. She read and read and read all summer and hasn't slowed down
since. This fall (at age 11) in addition to her recreational reading she's
started reading historical novels. She just finished "Johnny Tremain." She
waited so long to read that she's still ecstatic about being able to.
Both Michael and Ariana were whole word learners. Phonics worked for
Michael to fill in his learning after he already knew how to read. It still
doesn't make any sense to Ariana.
Part of why I have found it easy to be relaxed about their learning
process with reading is that I taught myself to read when I was 4yo,
listening to records from the
library (downtown Enoch Pratt in Baltimore) and reading along. My oldest also
learned to read at 4 by playing phonics games with my husband. Looking back
on it, he wishes that he'd left her a bit more to her own devices, partly
because by age 10 or 11 she needed glasses and the other two don't.
Nonetheless, reading came easier and earlier to her than to the others. All
my kids are good readers at this point, I trust yours will be too in good
time.
Amalia Darling, mother to Jenny 20, Michael 15 and
Ariana 11
April Spitzer
My daughters are learning to read in completely opposite ways. I labeled
everything in the house for my 4yo dd, and I try to read to them as often as
possible. I turn the closed-captioning on the TV. But 4yo dd just wasn't
picking up anything. Not that I was concerned or anything, I was just
noticing that she didn't seem at all interested. I've always thought that
the phonics way of learning was really stupid, how could anyone possibly
remember all of those rules? Also, I understand how your son can sound out
a word and still not know what the word is. I STILL do that. So I've
always related to the whole word method of learning to read. It seems to
make so much more sense to me. But my 4yo dd, has shown signs of picking up
reading in a phonicsy way. She's started writing, and asking me how to
spell things, now she is learning what sound every letter makes and putting
the sounds together to form words. She is doing all of this on her own, I
haven't even brooched the subject of phonics. But I think this is how she
will learn to read.
Anyhoo- my 2yo dd has started picking up whole words. I was completely
surprised by this because I wasn't even focusing on her, I was trying to
help the 4yo along. But suddenly 2yo has started recognizing words like
table, chair, and such from the labels all over the house. 2yo dd can
recognizes the words and 4yo doesn't. I have everything labeled, and then I
write words on post-it notes, for instance, I have a "coffee table" label,
then I write "table" on the note and say "okay Jordan (4yo dd) this says
coffee table so do you know what this says" and she looks at both of them
and just can't figure it out. She says "chair", but then along comes 2yo dd
and she says "oh that's table" and takes the post-it note to the table and
matches it up with the label on the table.
Also, there are videos with sing-along songs on them, that might help your
son pick up the words. Because as the song sings, the words are shown on
the screen with a little bouncy ball that bounces on the word as it is sung.
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
everything in the house for my 4yo dd, and I try to read to them as often as
possible. I turn the closed-captioning on the TV. But 4yo dd just wasn't
picking up anything. Not that I was concerned or anything, I was just
noticing that she didn't seem at all interested. I've always thought that
the phonics way of learning was really stupid, how could anyone possibly
remember all of those rules? Also, I understand how your son can sound out
a word and still not know what the word is. I STILL do that. So I've
always related to the whole word method of learning to read. It seems to
make so much more sense to me. But my 4yo dd, has shown signs of picking up
reading in a phonicsy way. She's started writing, and asking me how to
spell things, now she is learning what sound every letter makes and putting
the sounds together to form words. She is doing all of this on her own, I
haven't even brooched the subject of phonics. But I think this is how she
will learn to read.
Anyhoo- my 2yo dd has started picking up whole words. I was completely
surprised by this because I wasn't even focusing on her, I was trying to
help the 4yo along. But suddenly 2yo has started recognizing words like
table, chair, and such from the labels all over the house. 2yo dd can
recognizes the words and 4yo doesn't. I have everything labeled, and then I
write words on post-it notes, for instance, I have a "coffee table" label,
then I write "table" on the note and say "okay Jordan (4yo dd) this says
coffee table so do you know what this says" and she looks at both of them
and just can't figure it out. She says "chair", but then along comes 2yo dd
and she says "oh that's table" and takes the post-it note to the table and
matches it up with the label on the table.
Also, there are videos with sing-along songs on them, that might help your
son pick up the words. Because as the song sings, the words are shown on
the screen with a little bouncy ball that bounces on the word as it is sung.
>From: Samantha Stopple <sammimag@...>_________________________________________________________________
>Reply-To: [email protected]
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Right-brained children
>Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 21:59:21 -0800 (PST)
>
>seven year old definitely seems to fit the
> > descriptions for a right-brained
> > child. Several of the books indicated that
> > right-brained children seem to
> > learn reading better with the whole-language or
> > sight-word method.
>
>Going on the word recognition idea you could make him
>his own word book that has pictures and the word
>written underneath. Have him help you pick out
>pictures in magazines or books you could cut up. That
>way he is picking out things he would like to know the
>written word.
>
>You could also have him dictate stories to you and you
>could write them down for him. Then read them
>together but mostly you reading them back to him.
>
>You could also label all the things in the house like
>door mirror etc. I think I might do this myself
>because I have a 5yo who is interested in words.
>
>Peace,
>Samantha
>
>
>
>
>
>__________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products.
>http://shopping.yahoo.com/
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
[email protected]
In a message dated 00-12-22 20:01:57 EST, Wendalina1@... writes:
<< Recently, my seven
year old said to me, "I would know how to read if you taught me". I was
floored. First of all, I felt like a failure, and then I felt really sad for
him. I'm not sure what to do next. >>
Keep getting information into him by other means (videos, harder books he
wouldn't be able to read at his age anyway), and happily, and avoid
situations which spotlight reading.
Brag up (subtly, not blatantly which will make it worse) stuff he can do.
Get him to assemble things, or fix things, or help you with math or whatever
it is he's good at. That helped lots with Marty. Marty's 11 and didn't read
fluently until this year. Now he can look at anything and read it, but
earlier this year he was missing big words.
Sandra
<< Recently, my seven
year old said to me, "I would know how to read if you taught me". I was
floored. First of all, I felt like a failure, and then I felt really sad for
him. I'm not sure what to do next. >>
Keep getting information into him by other means (videos, harder books he
wouldn't be able to read at his age anyway), and happily, and avoid
situations which spotlight reading.
Brag up (subtly, not blatantly which will make it worse) stuff he can do.
Get him to assemble things, or fix things, or help you with math or whatever
it is he's good at. That helped lots with Marty. Marty's 11 and didn't read
fluently until this year. Now he can look at anything and read it, but
earlier this year he was missing big words.
Sandra
Bobbie
well, my ds is only 5 but it almost seems like he was
closer to knowing how to read when he was younger than
he is now. He wants to read so bad. He recently went
through this thing where he would ask me to teach him
to read "really quick", and asked my older sister and
mom the same (who we live with), as if he just thought
I COULD do it but just didn't want to or soemthing.
But then he asked me one time when we were starting to
watch Between the Lions (love it) and I got him some
paper cuz he always writes the letters and stuff that
he learns on that show and was explaining some sort of
phonics sound to him or something and he said he
wanted to learn to READ. and I said well, if we learn
the letters and how they sound then we it helps us
learn how to read words. he said, frustrated with my
ignorance, "MOM, I want to read BOOKS, not WORDS!"
-Bobbie, in a non helpful, just sharing sort of way,
enjoying having the time today to read all these
lovely posts and reply to some.
--- Wendalina1@... wrote:
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
closer to knowing how to read when he was younger than
he is now. He wants to read so bad. He recently went
through this thing where he would ask me to teach him
to read "really quick", and asked my older sister and
mom the same (who we live with), as if he just thought
I COULD do it but just didn't want to or soemthing.
But then he asked me one time when we were starting to
watch Between the Lions (love it) and I got him some
paper cuz he always writes the letters and stuff that
he learns on that show and was explaining some sort of
phonics sound to him or something and he said he
wanted to learn to READ. and I said well, if we learn
the letters and how they sound then we it helps us
learn how to read words. he said, frustrated with my
ignorance, "MOM, I want to read BOOKS, not WORDS!"
-Bobbie, in a non helpful, just sharing sort of way,
enjoying having the time today to read all these
lovely posts and reply to some.
--- Wendalina1@... wrote:
> Hi all,__________________________________________________
>
> I don't post frequently, but I do enjoy reading your
> posts. I am hoping to
> get some of your feedback. My son was seven in
> October, and wants to learn
> how to read but is very frustrated by the whole
> process. We have Oak Meadow,
> Sing, Spell, Read, Write and How to teach your child
> to read in 100 lessons.
> I completely buy the whole unschooling philosophy,
> and I have educational
> materials available to my boys but don't push them
> into it. We used Oak
> Meadow last year for probably a month, and SSRW for
> about the same amount of
> time. At the beginning of the year, my seven year
> old and five year old both
> said that they wanted to learn how to read. We
> started using the 100 lessons
> book, and they both seemed to enjoy it. My five year
> old asked to do the
> lesson every day. We got to chapter 30, and both
> lost interest so we stopped.
> I noticed a big difference in their learning styles.
> My five year old seemed
> to grasp phonics better than my seven year old. My
> seven year old would add
> sounds, flip-flop sounds or just guess the word. He
> would actually sound out
> a word, practically saying it. Then I would ask him
> what the word was, and he
> had no clue. He would sound out cat perfect, and
> then say the word was frog.
> Their learning differences led me to look into
> different learning styles,
> which led me to several books on right-brained vs.
> left-brained kids. My
> seven year old definitely seems to fit the
> descriptions for a right-brained
> child. Several of the books indicated that
> right-brained children seem to
> learn reading better with the whole-language or
> sight-word method. I feel
> stuck because my seven year old really wants to
> learn how to read, but he
> gets so completely frustrated. When this happens, we
> just stop. On one hand I
> feel this is best, but on the other hand, I don't
> want him to get
> discouraged. I think it's also difficult for him
> because his five year old
> brother seems so comfortable and at ease trying to
> read. Recently, my seven
> year old said to me, "I would know how to read if
> you taught me". I was
> floored. First of all, I felt like a failure, and
> then I felt really sad for
> him. I'm not sure what to do next. I would just love
> some feedback from some
> of you with older kids.
>
> Thanks.
> Wendy
>
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
Bobbie
Oh, and also, I was just discussing with my boyfriend
(the kids "2nd daddy")how ds knows all the words
associated with the computer like "OK" "NO" "YES"
"New"
"Game"....he doesn't "read" them knowingly, per se,
but recognizes them, only becuz he has loved playing
on the computer so much and wanted to be able to do it
more on his own. When I told him hey look, man, you're
reading! It built up his confidence to do it more.
And also both my kids love "living books" computer
games, where they are read the story (which is also
interactive, as in they can click on different things
in the picture and makes it like a game), and it
highlights the words as they are read. We have
Tortoise and the Hare right now and Green Eggs and
Ham, which has some other little rhyming games and a
matching game on some of the pages, too. Or the sing a
long videos, too, might be helpful, to recognize the
words and sounds set to music. Just a few thoughts.
Hope the best for you, and your son, too.
--- Samantha Stopple <sammimag@...> wrote:
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
(the kids "2nd daddy")how ds knows all the words
associated with the computer like "OK" "NO" "YES"
"New"
"Game"....he doesn't "read" them knowingly, per se,
but recognizes them, only becuz he has loved playing
on the computer so much and wanted to be able to do it
more on his own. When I told him hey look, man, you're
reading! It built up his confidence to do it more.
And also both my kids love "living books" computer
games, where they are read the story (which is also
interactive, as in they can click on different things
in the picture and makes it like a game), and it
highlights the words as they are read. We have
Tortoise and the Hare right now and Green Eggs and
Ham, which has some other little rhyming games and a
matching game on some of the pages, too. Or the sing a
long videos, too, might be helpful, to recognize the
words and sounds set to music. Just a few thoughts.
Hope the best for you, and your son, too.
--- Samantha Stopple <sammimag@...> wrote:
> seven year old definitely seems to fit the__________________________________________________
> > descriptions for a right-brained
> > child. Several of the books indicated that
> > right-brained children seem to
> > learn reading better with the whole-language or
> > sight-word method.
>
> Going on the word recognition idea you could make
> him
> his own word book that has pictures and the word
> written underneath. Have him help you pick out
> pictures in magazines or books you could cut up.
> That
> way he is picking out things he would like to know
> the
> written word.
>
> You could also have him dictate stories to you and
> you
> could write them down for him. Then read them
> together but mostly you reading them back to him.
>
> You could also label all the things in the house
> like
> door mirror etc. I think I might do this myself
> because I have a 5yo who is interested in words.
>
> Peace,
> Samantha
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of
> Products.
> http://shopping.yahoo.com/
>
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/