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6 year old and reading
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I am new here and just learning more about home schooling. Our 6 son turned 6 a few months ago. We have always read to him and he always loved reading. He attended a one-day-a-week home school kindergarten through the public school and we are involved in a Classical Conversations community. He does not like the public school program but loves Classical Conversations. He does great at both, but at home I have a hard time getting him to do most things related to school. He knows his letters and most of their sounds. But he is very reluctant during our reading times to sound out words. He can do it, but prefers not to. He has started wanting to read less (during the day–loves it still in evening). He doesn’t like to write or color. I don’t think he has dyslexia because if he wants to write something he asks me how to spell it and writes it perfectly. He is just strong-willed. While he is a social kid he wants to figure out everything by himself and has learned almost everything he knows on his own.
First, what can I do to encourage his desire to learn to read and write. Do I really need to at this age? Secondly, which of the Delightful Reading kits would be the best fit for him? I don’t know much about phonics but we do have some phonics readers. But, he really doesn’t enjoy them. Is a phonics program necessary in addition to Delightful Reading?
Hi there and welcome!
Your son sounds like a perfectly normal 6 year old boy! 🙂 He really doesn’t need to read and write a lot at this age. I would keep reading lessons down to 15 or so minutes a day and handwriting about the same. That is really all the real school work he needs to do. You’ll be amazed at how much progress he will make over time as his skills develop.
This is the age to get outdoors and explore nature! Read lots of books aloud to him. Give him small toys or crafts to keep his hands busy while you read. However, I wouldn’t push him to sit still too long. God created boys to move and they love to do so! Have him count while jumping rope, practice writing with sidewalk chalk on the drive way, trace his letters on top of bags filled with shaving cream. He will find that learning is fun!
This is such a delightful age and kids will enter into learning with gusto when we find ways to teach that they can enjoy. Have fun with your little guy! My “little guy” is now nearly 22 and 6’5″. The years fly by!
Thanks! He is very active. We limit screen time and he spends 6+ hours a day outside. We have read to him since he was born and I feel like he has a good foundation upon which to learn. I found SCM when he was baby which has been a blessing. It is just really hard not to worry when he is not where the other kids on the block are (all are in ps) and that he has no interest in learning to read. However, I think in reality he has an interest in reading, he just doesn’t want to be taught…if that makes sense. He is a bright kid so I expect when the interest comes he will pick it up in no time.
Personally I would relax and not worry about teaching reading at this time. My 6-year old YDS sometimes wants to do school and other times he has no interest. I take advantage of it when it does, but do not give him too much. I know it is so hard when everyone around you is telling you that their child of the same age is reading “everything” but the more mom’s I talk to the more I continue to find children that are 7 and even 8 before they are reading with ease. My older two did not start reading with ease (enjoying reading because it was easy) until almost 8. We just plugged along and I read a lot to them, and they both love to read now.
As for Delightful Reading. We are almost done with level 2. It is word building, level 3 moves into putting words into sentences. I really like DR! The lessons are short and the simple games built into the lesson are just the right amount to make it fun, but not too much work for me, and the lessons stay short.
My youngest is the only one I taught to read at home (the others were taught in public school before our homeschooling journey began). He was late reader by public school standards, I think he was about 7 before it really started to click for him. He’s definitely an auditory learner and much prefers to be read aloud to than to read himself. I used Hooked on Phonics to teach him (before I knew about CM), but it worked for us (sounds like the old commercials they had on TV! lol).
My best advice is to read aloud to him and wait for his interest to pique. It seems to me, kids show when they are developmentally ready for something. For my son, I tried to push him when he was 5 and it didn’t work in my favor at all. I tried again a little later and he was much more ready for it. I personally feel like there is so much pressure for our kids to excel at such an early age now. When I was in Kindergarten, we learned to tie our shoes, stand in a line, and play well together. Beginning reading started the last half of 1st grade and then real reading seemed to begin in 2nd grade.
I know as the mama, we put so much pressure on ourselves too. Relax and let him be a little boy! Hugs to you, you’re doing a great job!
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