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I had a similar child when I worked in a 4K classroom. This child already had identified delays, but same situation- we worked for months and he couldn't retain ANY of the letters we worked on all school year. Finally in about February, as we were grasping at straws, we made him a set of alphabet flash cards with super mario characters on them. This kid LIVED for super mario and thought these cards were the best thing ever. Within a week he knew 4 letters and by the end of the month had all 26.
It was crazy and amazing.
All that to say, there could be a lot of things going on here. He might just not be ready to retain letters yet, he might not find them interesting, or there could very well be other things going on (hearing, delays, etc) that are getting in the way for him. It's so hard when you can't pin point how to help! I would keep up with what you are doing and as others have suggested look for a screening tool or help from the school district if parents are on board (though that doesn't sound promising yet).Comment
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I have thought of some Thomas the tank engine flash cards. He loves Thomas. He thinks all trains are Thomas.I had a similar child when I worked in a 4K classroom. This child already had identified delays, but same situation- we worked for months and he couldn't retain ANY of the letters we worked on all school year. Finally in about February, as we were grasping at straws, we made him a set of alphabet flash cards with super mario characters on them. This kid LIVED for super mario and thought these cards were the best thing ever. Within a week he knew 4 letters and by the end of the month had all 26. It was crazy and amazing.
All that to say, there could be a lot of things going on here. He might just not be ready to retain letters yet, he might not find them interesting, or there could very well be other things going on (hearing, delays, etc) that are getting in the way for him. It's so hard when you can't pin point how to help! I would keep up with what you are doing and as others have suggested look for a screening tool or help from the school district if parents are on board (though that doesn't sound promising yet).Comment
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Maybe his hearing needs to be checked?
DebbieComment
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I would also suggest an eye test. He might need glasses.Comment
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A couple of people suggested assessments and the Ages & Stages questionaire.
Here is the parents part. It's all of them from 2 months to 5 years. One way you could get these answered without having to officially hand DCM/DCD the handout is to ask these questions casually during the course of time so thet don'y get miffed about it.
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I was able to find the individual questionnaires online also (separated by age instead of all together like in the link) and didn't have to pay for them.
Another route you can take is to find a resource that shows milestones. CA has a good one called the CA Preschool Learning Foundations which gives you what children should generally need to know within a specific age range. Keep in mind that at no time does any child withing an age range need to know all of the items listed, they should just know most. Whatever they don't know yet can be learned at their own developmental rate. If you want to know if the child is behind a good way to use the foundations is to go back an age group and see if the child is behind in a lot of those. If the child is then you probbly have a delay in learning.
Another thing to keep in mind is that a delay in learning doesn't mean a disability necessarily. The child could just not have been getting enough exposure to experiences where he could get the opportunity to learn those things but it's always a good thing to check and mention this to the parents anyway.
Also, there is a chance that you mention obvious concerns to the parents and the don't do anything about it and there isn't anything else you'll be able to do.
Here are the milestones (all domains ... social, health, math, science etc)
CA Preschool Learning Foundations 48-60 months
Vol 1 - Social-Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, English-Language Development (English language learners only), Mathematics
Vol 2 - Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development, Health
Vol 3 - History–Social Science, Science
If you decide to take a look that CA one here is the infant/toddler one so you can check if the 4 yo is developed in the 3yo range
CA Infant/Toddler Learning & Development FoundationsComment
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Not all of your links are working, but thanks so much for what is!
A couple of people suggested assessments and the Ages & Stages questionaire.
Here is the parents part. It's all of them from 2 months to 5 years. One way you could get these answered without having to officially hand DCM/DCD the handout is to ask these questions casually during the course of time so thet don'y get miffed about it.
I was able to find the individual questionnaires online also (separated by age instead of all together like in the link) and didn't have to pay for them.
Another route you can take is to find a resource that shows milestones. CA has a good one called the CA Preschool Learning Foundations which gives you what children should generally need to know within a specific age range. Keep in mind that at no time does any child withing an age range need to know all of the items listed, they should just know most. Whatever they don't know yet can be learned at their own developmental rate. If you want to know if the child is behind a good way to use the foundations is to go back an age group and see if the child is behind in a lot of those. If the child is then you probbly have a delay in learning.
Another thing to keep in mind is that a delay in learning doesn't mean a disability necessarily. The child could just not have been getting enough exposure to experiences where he could get the opportunity to learn those things but it's always a good thing to check and mention this to the parents anyway.
Also, there is a chance that you mention obvious concerns to the parents and the don't do anything about it and there isn't anything else you'll be able to do.
Here are the milestones (all domains ... social, health, math, science etc)
CA Preschool Learning Foundations 48-60 months
Vol 1 - Social-Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, English-Language Development (English language learners only), Mathematics
Vol 2 - Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development, Health
Vol 3 - History–Social Science, Science
If you decide to take a look that CA one here is the infant/toddler one so you can check if the 4 yo is developed in the 3yo range
CA Infant/Toddler Learning & Development FoundationsComment
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Oh NO! Sorry about that.
Let me try it again ...
Vol 1: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/docum...reschoollf.pdf
Vol 2: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/docum...ationsvol2.pdf
Vol 3: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/docum...ationsvol3.pdf
Infant/Toddler Learning & Development Foundations: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/docum...ations2009.pdfComment
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I am still working hard with this little guy. It is 60 here today so we went to the park. I told him to stay out of the big water puddle, and even when I was pointing to it he was looking around in the sky looking for a "puddy". I am doing the best I can with him and he is a smart cookie I think, just has some serious issue.Comment
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He's 4? A brand new 4? Does he sit for books? How is his speech? Can he sing songs? Can he follow 2 step EASY directions "Go get your shoes and bring them to me." How are his self help skills? Is he potty trained? Does he know other age appropriate things, like body parts, colors, shapes?
I would bring it allllll down to his level. Back track the heck out of it to find out what he DOES know, and then build from there. Maybe do a shape, color and letter of the month. Make it multisensory. Green slime, the letter G (those dollar store magnets work great in sensory bins. A song about G. I teach sounds and letters at the same time. G hide and seek, G word wall, etc.
I find that most kids who LOVE worksheets really LOVE the attention, not the work.
Comment
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He will be 5 in March. He does pretty good with his colors and most shapes. He doesn't know triangle or rectangle yet we are working on those. I have been trying to do more sensory stuff with him, and I think he is responding to it better. Monday we started doing his name differently he is putting bits of tissue paper on contact paper letters I cut out. Then we keep going over them. That seems to be working! I am not sure if it is because he is associating the color with the letter or what. We have taken a break from any preschool stuff today and played. The weather is so nice, that we are taking advantage of it because it turns cold again tomorrow. We went to the park, walked the dog to the end of the same park that is a couple of blocks from our house and played on the swings there. We may go back out in a bit. It is a little windy, but with 60 degrees, I just can't not get him outside!He's 4? A brand new 4? Does he sit for books? How is his speech? Can he sing songs? Can he follow 2 step EASY directions "Go get your shoes and bring them to me." How are his self help skills? Is he potty trained? Does he know other age appropriate things, like body parts, colors, shapes?
I would bring it allllll down to his level. Back track the heck out of it to find out what he DOES know, and then build from there. Maybe do a shape, color and letter of the month. Make it multisensory. Green slime, the letter G (those dollar store magnets work great in sensory bins. A song about G. I teach sounds and letters at the same time. G hide and seek, G word wall, etc.
I find that most kids who LOVE worksheets really LOVE the attention, not the work.Comment
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Wow, first age-appropriate advice in this thread. For sure check the hearing, but academics aren't appropriate for this age. NAEYC doesn't recommend worksheet til age six (okay I do them for age five). But not learning letters might mean that he's just in the lower range of normal for his age.He's 4? A brand new 4? Does he sit for books? How is his speech? Can he sing songs? Can he follow 2 step EASY directions "Go get your shoes and bring them to me." How are his self help skills? Is he potty trained? Does he know other age appropriate things, like body parts, colors, shapes?
I would bring it allllll down to his level. Back track the heck out of it to find out what he DOES know, and then build from there. Maybe do a shape, color and letter of the month. Make it multisensory. Green slime, the letter G (those dollar store magnets work great in sensory bins. A song about G. I teach sounds and letters at the same time. G hide and seek, G word wall, etc.
I find that most kids who LOVE worksheets really LOVE the attention, not the work.Comment
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See I don't know. Our kindy wants them to know all this when they start kindy at 5. They ask them to know way to much as far as I am concerned, but they want parents (and therefore providers) teaching it. I guess I didn't answer all the other questions though. He doesn't sit well for books at all, even Thomas the train which he loves. He is potty trained, can follow simple directions. Not much of our day is worksheets, really they are more for learning to hold a pencil right now. Assuming, he would pick a hand to use. He always wants more worksheets. And he loves doing the flash cards although I am not sure they are helping.Comment
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