Seeking Online Reading Help That Do Not Cost Much for a 5 Year Old

Hi C.

You can do lots of things to help your son. If you wanted to be a part of this, you could obtain the book Alpha Phonics and work that through with him. Before I did this, I would make sure he has a really good understanding of his phonics sounds, The writing road to reading is great for this. Both of these books are inexpensive and worth their weight in gold.

I trained my son on these and he began reading at 3. He is now 12 and could tutor your son if the above is not an option for you. We have a shop called the Homeschool Corner, just contact us there. I know we have other resources as well or would be a lot less expensive than most of the agencies. God bless.
D.

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Hi C.!

There's this terrific site where I post my work, (writing.com) and if you go there, in the top, right corner there is are selection boxes. Choose from the genres "childrens" and you will find a wealth of stories written for kids by people who are trying to be published. My only suggestion is that you browse the stories first, because it is a site where anyone can post their work. (The stories may not be polished.) Some of them are great, though. The ones with the yellow briefcases are preferred authors, and their stuff is usually pretty good.

Happy hunting!

C.

I'm an author at http://www.writing.com/authors/crissy

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Have you talked to his teachers and see where they think he is in his reading. Sometimes parents expect a genius when in reality they are doing pretty good. I only say this because for a while I thought my son was behind in his speaking and I was worried until I put him in daycare and in speaking to the director, I realized he was where most kids his age were. Of course my daughter spoke early, read early and did math early and that is why I thought my son had issues but I was wrong.

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Hi C.,
Starfall.com....FREE and AWESOME! They actually use it in the classrooms frequently and seeing it at home and being familiar with it could really be a confidence booster in class if he sees it later and is already comfortable with it. Start by having him do every letter on the first level. This will take a week or so but is imperative to review and will get him comfortable with a program. Then guide him lesson by lesson on the second level and so on. The third level has some really fun stuff (All About Me) that can be used as a reward. It is really helpful!

Also...often times reading can be choppy or slow because of lack of site word recognition. There are some wonderful sites that are free such as Mrsperkins.com/dolch. Site words are also known as Dolch words so you can search that. Mrsperkins.com gives you site words in a slide show type format and your son can click to hear the word said if he doesn't know it.

Starfall.com he can probably do with a little guidance & supervision to keep him on task, but Mrsperkins.com will require you to really sit with him and go word after word together. It's like online flash cards and it really helps. Definitely reward your son after he completes each step so he will want to continue. My boys earn there computer play or game time (like at noggin.com or playhousedisney.com or something) by completely their online lesson first.

Lastly...READ to him. I read stuff a little over their level (chapter books). It seems to be more exciting for them and allows them to really hear my tone, inflection and flow. Try Magic Tree House (start with book #1 - the tree house is a time machine transporting 2 kids through time on adventures). My boys are now addicted to those books and beg for them every night. They are very boyish and full of adventure. My 6 year old can read them now with help and my four year old really gets excited about them. We started them this summer and are up to book 22 and still going. The Nate the great series (Nate is a boy detective)is also fun and a little less complicated.

Oh...another thing...when you want him to read to you outloud...give him very easy books, even below his level to start...this will boost his confidence and make him feel more comfortable and eager to try a harder book. Then build the level of difficulty very slowly. Praise him and help him sound things out. Give lots of high fives and do some happy dances at the end of the book or have him take a bow. Be silly and make it fun.

Good luck! Think positive! At 5 they all read at different levels and some don't even read much at all until they get to 1st grade. One day it just sort of clicked with my 6 year old and he just started doing it. No stress!!!!!

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If you have time, check out scholastic.com or starfall.com.
I have an 8 yr old that was struggling with reading and learned from her teacher about starfall.com

Hope this helps you.
If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know.

Good Luck!
J. D.

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Hi!

My husband found the neatest program called: Jump Start. Although it can not replace family sit down reading time together it offers fun and creative learning. Everything from ABCs to languages and art, ect.

The ones we bought my husband found at best buy for $20!
4 cd's

I reccomend starting with the preschool set that we bought because it is very simple and won't be overbearing on him. Then if he's past that already, take the next step.

There is also a trial offer(that costs money) but will track your sons progress online so you can see the activities he is completing and how well/poorly he is doing.

Hope that helps.
J.

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Hi C.,

I agree with Ms. Digna to first speak with his teachers about what level he should be on with his reading. Likewise, I was concerned with the development of my son, however, after watching him interact with other children his age, I realize that he's actually more mentally developed then some of his peers. However, that only came after a "mental growth spurt" it pretty much happened over the course of one weekend...like something just clicked; so even if he is behind, he may just be a late bloomer...he's is only five. Anyhow, I do not know a program online that he may be able to use, however, Hooked On Phonics I will recommend and not just for a five year old. My mother who has had speech, reading and language problems throughout her whole life, purchased and exercised the Hooked on Phonics program when she was (I want to say) in her mid to late thirties and it helped her tremendously. Also the support of my sister and I coaching her and tutoring her as well. I would not recommend this program if she only had small speech, reading and language problems either; she really has had a very difficult time with it through her life, but the program definitely helped her. Best of Luck!

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I know of a free website called Starfall.com. This site helps with learning letters and sounds. Make sure you visit the website first and play some of the games. Then, sit with your child and play the games together for fun.

If your little one needs more practice with letter naming - start with a game that helps with just that skill. On the site, look for an icon that says "ABC".

If your little one knows his letters but not sounds - then find a game on that website that works on just that skill.

If he knows letter names and sounds - then find a game that works on putting sounds together to make a word - - EASY words like c-a-t - -words that have two or three sounds ONLY. Once he gets good at that, start working with words that have more sounds. STAY AWAY from words that have silent letters in it - like rake - it has a silent e at the end of the word. Start easy and slow - lots of practice and patience!!

Also, read EVERY night to your son. If you can find easy reader books - a book that has easy text and have one sentence on each page - be sure the "picture matches the word" (that way, if your little guy comes to a word he doesn't know, he can look at the picture to help him figure out the word) - buy it and read it each night with him. Have him point to the words with his index finger as you read.

If he's in school, request a conference with your child's teacher. Find out what he's having trouble with, and ask for some ways you can help at home.

I'm a former Kindergarten teacher, can't you tell???

Good Luck!!!

M. :)

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starfall.com is recommended (free -- on-line)......but really -- YOU - can help him the most. Reading with your son at least 20 minutes each day will do WONDERS! I know it is difficult to find the time, especially if you have other children. But, I have a lot of experience in this area (10 years teaching & for 1 1/2 teaching gang members "how to read") - Reading (and math, of course) -- are the 2 biggest predictors of a child's success in school. You have to find 20 minutes (at least) to sit down and read with each child. They could read, or you could read and point at the words. If they are close in age, the older one could read. And please make sure they see you reading -- the newspaper counts! The t.v. has to stay off if the brain (like a muscle) is to be exercised.
I know it is difficult......i have three of my own. We end up reading 20 minutes a night -- but I have my spouse (and we take turns).
Hang in there!
You sound like a good parent!
p.s.
I used Hooked on Phonics with the gang members - -ugh! Boring!
It is only good for specific help with "identified" reading problems. It does nothing to inspire young people 5 or 21 to read. YOU (DAD) sitting next to them -- happy -- encouraging -- that will do it!

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try using www.starfall.com. it is a great web resource for free and it is great for kindergarteners who need help in reading.

sincerely,
Lexie

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try www.starfall.com
Hope it helps,
K.

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Is he in school? If so, ask the school to test him, they will tell you if he's on target or not. If he's not, ask them what services at the school do they offer.
Otherwise the best help is the two of you reading together. At his age, Dr. Seuss books are appropriate. My son's favorite book was Hop On Pop. Remember, children that age have a great vocabulary, but they can't be expected to read beyond basic words. At his age, he's only expected to memorize basic words, schools don't teach phonics anymore. Everything is memorization. Another option to try, is making up index cards with the names of the things on them. Post them on the items in your home. Practice identifying the letters and the sounds they make. After about a week or so, take the index cards off the objects and ask him to put them back on the objects.
You also need to remember, boys are better in math and science then they are in reading and writing. Patience is the key, he will get better. He may not like to read, but he will get better.

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