R level comprehension problems

[cseitter]

My DS came home again from PS this year (was PS up until 8th. HS'd 8th went back to PS for 9th and is home for the rest of HS)

We are in Yr 2 unit 3 and he is reading the R books with me aloud. He does NOT understand what is going on at all. I try to do some discussion with him to no avail. What should I do?

Cindy

[Pat]

Is it a specific category of books that are the problem? History vs. lit?
Or is it everything?

If it is one category, especially lit, then you may wish to use the trimming lists and work intently with him to begin to understand how that category works. I mention lit because in Year Two there is a lot of difficult lit in terms of heavy use of metaphor and written in verse, both of which make for harder to comprehend. If that is the problem, then you'll want to work slowly with him to help him begin to use the tools of literary analysis to understand what is going on. I'd also suggest finding synopses of works he is reading (should be able to do that for free online). Reading a synopsis in advance of tackling the work will help.

If it is everything or just some particular books, you may wish to substitute dialectic books as needed.

[cseitter]

It is actually the History. right now we are reading Pilgrams Progress for Lit and that is pretty easy and we have done Andrew Adams Teaching the Classics course in 8th so he is familar with the terms mostly.

[Pat]

If it is all the history books I'd either drop back and try dialectic books, or consider using a text book from the alternative books. Maybe use a text and then one additional history book and see if that helps. Sometimes students need that more methodical non narrative approach that a text has.