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Question:

My twin girls just turned 6. They did very well last year with CHC's kindergarten program. We are doing 1st grade this year and I am concerned about their reading. Maybe they were simply memorizing the reading books last year as they seem to have forgotten how to read. We went over most of the kindergarten stories so far and have started the 1st grade books just a little while ago. They just don't seem to grasp the reading and I am concerned. Do you have any advice for me? Since they are so young, could it be that it is a developmental thing that will eventually "click" with them? Should I continue as I am doing?

Answer:

Dear Parent,

Thank you for your question!

You might want to see if your daughters are familiar with the sounds and blends up to the level in which they are currently working. Using the word family cards, the Name Game, and reviewing old stories in Little Folks should help you discover if they are on the right track or not.

If you find they are not remembering the different sounds, then it is important to take a few steps back, and do a review through the stories, carefully following all the instructions in the Little Stories for Little Folks Parents' Guide. I would not advise moving on if they have trouble identifying sounds, letters and blends, because if they do not have a strong foundation in reading, it will only become more difficult and frustrating as time goes on. Be sure to do all the activities with each story, including the Name Game.

Reading should be a part of every child's day. You can incorporate this into your day without being actual 'teaching time'. For instance, exposing them to many books from the library and reading aloud to them are very important. Also, the practice of blends and sounds can be done using refrigerator magnets, reading signs as you take a trip in the car, or as you are teaching science or social studies. Making reading interesting and engaging is an important part, as well. If you can connect what they are reading with what they are learning in their other subjects or in everyday life, this will also help your daughters remember what they are learning.

If you feel that your daughters are not ready to move on in reading, then it would be better to back up, and concentrate on review before progressing further. At their age, they are not 'behind'; they are simply in process of learning.

God bless you and your family!

Laura Nicholson

   
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