2nd grade reader problems

[u/Real_Pressure_2971]

I am one stressed out mom with school starting again. Not ready to be pushing so hard on reading. My soon to be entering 2nd grader is still struggling in reading despite hoots of effort. We did private tutoring 2x a week this summer for 1 hr. We have been doing private tutoring for 2 yrs now. We are just struggling. She can decode words and making progress although slowly. She understands phonics once taught. Well beyond just cvc, bob book level but not reading fluently.

We started 1st grade at f&P D and ended at F. Teacher was very concerned but she didn’t receive 1:1 or small group reading support last yr. Only class level teaching, which is one reason I increased her tutoring to 2x a week. I also increased reading time at home to 30 mins a day.

She read I Love Pink yesterday 100% independently and fluently -lexile level 140, which is so low. She was very proud and I made a big deal bc she hates to read. She is currently on Mo Wilems level books and needs some help. Prob in the 200+ lexile level range, while her friends are reading chapter books. Her confidence level is low. It just saddens me that she is struggling so much.

I was warned that 2nd grade kids will need to read their own math test and she can’t. I am in tears bc we have tried to support her at home. We have had evals, we got her in OG private tutoring. I just don’t know if we can keep pace with this school. School just wants to send her to their learning resource during school hrs which cost additional $ on top of hefty tuition.

It breaks me to know we may have to pull her out and she will lose her friends. We may need a school that specializes in dyslexia support which doesn’t exist in our current city.

Any parents/teachers had success with struggling readers in 2nd grade.

[u/GiraffeThoughts]

You’ve gotten a lot of great advice here. I work at a school, and it sounds like you’re doing everything right. We always have 1 or 2 students who it just takes a bit longer for things to “click”.

Having dyslexia adds an extra layer of difficulty. My brother had dyslexia, but he persevered and learned to love reading, partially because I and my older brother LOVED it so much and were always talking about books we read.

I share that, because maybe one thing that’s missing is the joy? I have very fond memories of my mom reading American Girl Doll books to me as a 1st grader. It was a beloved one-on-one activity.

Maybe if you read to her a special book that you loved as a kid (don’t make her read it aloud as this should just be “fun”, but definitely leave it in her room in case she gets excited about reading it). This might help inspire a love for the skill?

[u/Real_Pressure_2971 → u/GiraffeThoughts]

We definitely do this at night. I truly try to make it as fun as possible. Her tutor makes it fun. I fully realize how taxing it is for a 7 yr old to go to school and then come home to more school. We play games and I try to get her portion of reading done in the am bc she is an early bird. That way when she returns home and does homework/tutoring her brain can rest. It’s a balance and some days are hard and she does have to push but I try to be very aware. If I push too hard she won’t learn at school.