My son is 8 years old he cannot read or recognize his alphabets

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lizzyalex80 asks:

Member Added on Jun 29, 2009

lizzyalex80 asks:
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My son is 8 years old he cannot read or recognize his alphabets and he is going in the fifth grade he knows maths very well.

We live in the Bahamas he's the second of three kids the others are different because his sister is in the sixth grade and has always been an honor student. My son knows maths, games and sports real well but reading and alphabet a no no thats why I asked the school how did they allow him to slip through the system without learning to read.

In Topics: Helping my child with reading

> 60 days ago

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Expert

Candace_Lindemann

Jun 18, 2009

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What the Expert Says:

All children learn at different rates.

While children naturally learn to walk and talk just by being around other people, alphabet recognition, as with all literacy skills, has to be consciously taught.

You do not mention if your child is enrolled in school, if you have made a conscious effort to teach literacy skills, if your child has been identified as having a learning disability, or if any pediatricians or educators have mentioned concerns in the past.

If you have not yet made an effort to teach your child these literacy skills, Education.com has some great activities to make learning to read an enjoyable experience: http://www.education.com/topic/reading-and-the-alphabet/

Reading to your child and modeling literacy is one of the best ways to teach your child to read. If you read in a language other than the dominant language, then read in your native language. Literacy in any language will help a child and eventually children will learn the dominant language--learning another language may even confer additional benefits!

If you are unable to read to your child, ask your local library or school about reading programs.

If you have been teaching literacy skills to your child and he continues to struggle with alphabet recognition and reading at age eight, I would urge you to bring your concerns to your pediatrician and to your child's teacher.

These professionals may recommend a specialist who will administer diagnostic tests and work with your child. If you are in the United States, your child is entitled to a free and appropriate public education, including individualized support for diagnosed learning disabilities.

There are a number of reasons why a child may struggle with reading and many of them may be overcome with additional support. A diagnosis of a learning disability does not mean that your child will not eventually read at or above grade level. Early intervention increases the possibility of a positive outcome,

Reading can open up entire worlds and I wish your son a great experience learning to read!

---
Candace Lindemann, Ed.M. - JustAsk Expert
Educational Consultant and Writer
http://CandaceLindemann.com

Resources:

http://www.education.com/topic/reading-and-the-alphabet/

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Additional Answers (4)

pogopeggy writes:

Does he have trouble telling time by looking at a nondigitial clock?
Does he have trouble tying his shoes?
Is he light sensitive?
Is he disorganized?
Is memorising difficult for him?
Does he confuse his left and right?
Does he hold a pencil strangely?
He may be dyslexic.

> 60 days ago

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RJhinnu writes:

Hi lizzyalex80, I can make some suggestions on activities you can do with your son to help him in reading and recognizing the alphabet. To help him in reading, why don’t you make trips to the library every week in which he is able to pick out books that interest him. If he is interested in the book, he will be more inclined to try to read it. Then you can set time aside each day to read each book with your son. To help your son learn his alphabet, you can try out worksheets that your son will enjoy. Below are links to specific alphabet worksheets. You can find more helpful worksheets by just going to the education.com website and clicking on worksheets. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Resources:

http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/alphabetical-places/

http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/alphabetical-animals/

> 60 days ago

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LDSolutions , Child Professional writes:

As an educator, this is a big red flag for me. I recommend you have him tested immediately by your school district or a private educational psychologist to determine whether he has a learning disability or not. By 8 years old you want your child to have a strong phonemic awareness. You want him to understand sounds and how they interact in spoken language as well as written language. There are so many reasons why your son is not reading already. They could include attentional issues - such as ADHD or learning disabilities such as dyslexia. But... it could also mean that he didn't receive a program that was suited for his learning style. So.... if a child is in a very good reading program at school, given instruction so that the majority of the children are learning but he is NOT grasping the phonemic awareness then..... this is a big red flag for a possible learning difference. Reading problems can be helped with the correct intervention.

Resources:

http://www.pridelearningcenter.com

> 60 days ago

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