Should my child repeat kindergarten?

Any parent can find themselves in this situation. Research shows 1 / 3 struggling readers have college graduate parents. Rarely does a child lack ability; instead the child lacks maturity.

1st Grade lesson-learning requires a child stay in his chair, follow directions, and complete assigned tasks. Observing this, a kindergarten teacher will talk to parents about repeating kindergarten. This is a truly difficult decision. Consider two factors: 

1) Doing well in 1st Grade is high-stakes. Leaving 1st Grade with less than grade-level reading skills makes it really difficult to ever get to grade level reading. Research shows most children graduate high school in the same class placement the child had in 1st Grade. It is better to repeat kindergarten than later repeat 1st Grade.

(Teachers believe a child will "catch up next year." Research shows this is not true; only 6 out of 50 children ever catch up from a slow start in 1st Grade.)

2) Whether you decide to repeat or not - your child has had a rough kindergarten year. Therefore, he has weak letter skills.  Please start today - below I tell you what to do - to build your child's letter skills. Depend on no one else. Starting 1st Grade with a specific set of letter lessons is crucial for every child. 

Use my search box - top left corner - put in backward b, later, working memory. 

And, you need a book for structured support.  I use ebay as my website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will come up. Get the book with the panda on the cover. 

If you do not have the time, get a grandparent, or tutor to teach my book. Some parents and kids do not work well together - common problem. My books include my contact info; email or call for help. Best wishes, Mary Maisner

is baby talk OK

Would it be fun to pet these sweet puppies?
This painting was done by Benno Adam (1812-1892).

Baby-talk is good for young children because the adult is speaking slowly and stretching out the letter sounds.

Your child learns to speak by imitating the sounds within the words he hears. It is alright for your child to have his own way of saying words. And, it is such fun to hear.

About the time your child is nearing age 3 - 3 1/2 years old it is best to slowly shift into being clear with letter sounds. Be sure you are putting the final letters on the end of words. Don't obsess, just be aware.

It will be much easier for your child to learn to read words if he has heard all of the letters he will see in the printed words.

And, extend your child's word awareness. For example, use grandma (gramma), grandmother, even granny. Using a wide variety of words will help your child more easily recognize them in print, and more quickly gather comprehension. 

A big "speaking bank" makes it much easier for your child to gain a big "reading bank." Being aware of complex words and complex ideas helps your child be ready to work with them in print.

You might like to look at the books I have created for your child. I use eBay as my website, people trust it. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will pop up for you.
Have fun with words, Mary Maisner

kindergarten reading, 1st grade reading help

Little owl is a watercolor by Albrecht Durer.

Kindergarten and 1st grade are the most important years of your child's reading life. A wobbly start decides a child's path because new lessons just keep coming; no way to catch up. 

Being bright should protect your child but it will not. 

What goes wrong? Parents believe great preschools and kindergarten will prepare their child but there is not enough time for the required practice of b, d, g, p, q.  

Do not panic. Use my blog's search box - top left corner - put in backward b and working memory.

Then, relax. Teach those letter lessons. And, point out one sight word at a time while you are reading stories together. 

Stick with that word until it becomes instant.  1st ten sight words: the, of, and, a, to, in, is, you, that, it.  All sight word lists are the same and in the same order.

My blog has 160 free lessons. If you want a book, I use eBay as my website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will pop up for you. All are brand new, none have grade level printed on them, all include my contact info; you can email or call with questions.

Have fun reading with your child, Mary Maisner

repeat 3rd grade reading help



This is such a tough situation. Reality is that a small set of letters and sight words must become instant; a child is going to stumble around forever without these lessons. 

Use my search box- top left corner - put in backward b, then working memory. Download these lessons. Download the 1st 100 sight words. (My books include 300 sight words.)

Take your child to a used bookstore (Goodwill, ARC, etc). Get whatever books appeal to your child. Ask your child to find and circle the 1st sight word - the. Work down the sight word list.

Tip: quit stopping to sound out words, tell your child any unknown word, have your child keep reading. Stopping breaks the short-term memory, thus all comprehension is lost. This is the way the brain works for everyone.

Instead, show your child how to keep reading using the words he does know. At the end of the page, you ask questions - what is happening on the page, who did what, etc. Then go back to unknown words and help your child figure them out or tell him the words. In a few weeks, this method will reap great rewards. (Many words cannot be sounded out. Plus, growing comprehension gathered by continuing to read the story will strengthen your child.)

Whether you hold your child back or not, start today - get a personal tutor to teach my book if you do not have the time, or do not work well with your child. (Common problem.)

I use ebay as my website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will come up. You do not have to use my books but get a book from somewhere to give you support and structure! My books include my contact info; email or call for help.

           Thank you, Mary Maisner