Hm. Guess I’m not going to list NCIS as the font of all wisdom then 😉
Let’s see, what have we done today? More primary history. Another reading lesson, another few grey hairs. Discussed it with Kirsty later, and decided a new approach is required – I’m getting locked into another of those string pulling exchanges with Big, so a better approach whenever she starts with the wind up routine will be to just give her the answer and move on. Worth a try.
Seriously though, having never worked with anyone learning to read before, it does seem possible that I’m pushing this a bit. Big has all the letters down pretty much, although we have confusion with d and b, and slightly bizarrely w and qu. Our biggest sticking point at the moment though is remembering “th†although we’ve done a few extra exercises on it. Just gone searching for more worksheets (she *likes* worksheets!) and discovered a bunch of grade 2 sheets, hm, maybe we are taking this a bit fast.
But she wants to read books! Today she picked up the book that she made, In Flanders Fields, and wanted to practise on that. Hohum. Kirsty’s lent me a couple of beginning readers that we’ll try out. Must find ours as well, somewhere behind or under the sofa and give them a whirl.
After that we headed out for the day, wanting to get material for a costume for tomorrow (working to a deadline, me?) Dunelm mill stores let me down, as they don’t stock felt 🙁 Decided I’d take the shortcut through the local town, and 40 minutes later arrived 12 miles away at Kirsty’s. Sigh.
Kirsty made us lunch, and the children played together very amiably. Very few raised voices, and generally over accidents – such a change from a year ago! Afternoon was rather brought down though when Big contrived to fall down the very steep, very narrow stairs. 🙁 She carpet burned her back quite badly, and was very shaken (as was I!), and then heartbreakingly, asked if she would still get to go out tomorrow, after putting on a performance 🙁 How to feel like horrid mummy in one easy lesson – so explaining the difference between major performance and understandable crying took up a few minutes.
Small had a lovely day, and Kirsty and I got to spend lots of time chatting, so that was lovely too.
Home for tea, bath and bed, and somehow the evening appears to have disappeared. Lots to do tomorrow and Sunday, so be good without me 😉
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12 responses to ““Internet romances never work out.—
lol to the comment title ;=)
and hope Big’s bumps are not too bad.
Thanks for sorting me out Jax:-)
making little books with photos and repetitive easy captions and covering the house with post-it labels I remember as successful. Her fab class R teacher also sent home guidance notes including advice such as not to leave child struggling with a word for more than two secs, just tell them and to read them the story or whatever first so they know where it’s going and never to test. She was a pretty sound teacher all round.
Ouch to the stairs thing:( Heather.
and I am baffled by the post title- private or ‘inner circle’ joke???
Just as an off the wall remark… maybe what she wants to do is tell stories? Could you sit down with whatever book 9assuming it has pictures) and just ask her to narrate to you what she sees? Would that work for her?
Oh yes, and Amelie has just spent the morning tantruming at Max – i walked in and it stopped instantly. So equally depressing to be such a complete bitch of a mother that my 2 year old doesn’t bother to try it with me! :~D
Jax, the Bob books really got us through that first bit of reading. They’re so simple and introduce such small steps at a time. Would you like to borrow some of ours? Set A1 has 10 or 12 books I think, and they’re tiny, wouldn’t cost anything to post them. We aren’t using them atm, and I’m not planning on using them in the near future with the boy. Let me know, and I’ll stick them in the post.
Is the w qu confusion because they have almost the same sound? With th, we did the 100EL joined together th initially and made a joke of it, because saying th making my tongue tickle! Would something like that help? If you want to try the easy readers from Reading A to Z you’re welcome to try ours out. There are some very repetitive stories for getting confidence. Sounds like you are both doing well with the learning process though. It will take time!
LOL at the title! 🙂 And ouch at the stairs -that’s a favourite trick of D’s when she’s wearing her silly slippers.
You’re welcome to have a go with the reader D is about to finish – it came from Sonlight (via Barbara!) and follows the really repetitive school of teaching – but is also amusing (on a 5 y o level). D ought to be finished with it in about 2 weeks. 🙂 There’s even work sheets to go with it for writing etc.
Jax have you got a Leap Pad? I have found the phonics on D’s to be pretty good actually on several of the games (Toy Story 2 springs to mind instantly, as do the microphone books).
oh – and when are you doing another Set order? 🙂
If you’re looking for easy books to read, you could try the Happy Families books by Allan Ahlberg – Mr. Cosmo the Conjuror, Mrs Wobble the Waitress, etc. They are repetitive, both within each book and within the series as a whole, but also very witty and beautifully illustrated. Leo has also enjoyed the Red Nose Readers, also by Ahlberg – they have very few words, and are also very funny.
Jax, if you do want to try the Bob books, Alison doesn’t need to post any – I’ve got them sitting here doing nothing. E hated them, lol. Hoping B will like them when his time comes or they were a waste of money!