Early reader advice.

This is going to be a post and run. Hope I can get some answers. My son is in 1st grade and everyday they bring home a book they need to read and then be tested over. He brought home "The cat in the hat comes back". Its just like the regular one. Just as long and wordy. Most are words he knows but there are still some hard ones that can't be sounded out. My son is a perfectionist so if he can't do it right he gives up. I feel like this book is too much for a beginner reader. I know he needs challenged but I think it's just discouraging. Am I being overprotective or is that a pretty tough book for an early reader? It's soooo long.

I would push him. That book should be right at his level.

I mean, is he giving up because of the words it contains, or because of the length?
I think you should encourage him to keep working on it, he won't learn to read new and bigger words if he keeps reading the same simple ones over and over again

He can read 95% of the words. It's just the length is so discouraging. It would take him 20 minutes to read it. What 6 year old has that attention span? I know I need to push him but this is such a jump compared to what he is used to. Plus he is tested over it.

my son is 4 and can read that book by himself so it should be able to be read by a 1st grader. Try to make it like a play for him. Read it together 1st and get into the rhythm of the story sometimes I even use my hand to pound it out on the floor for my kids. Once they get the flow of it down it's easier for them to remember the words. Also make it really exaggerated, like the part about him eating cake in the tub, make that seem really funny. All that will help him remember the story and learn the words

Quoting ashley+2♥:" He can read 95% of the words. It's just the length is so discouraging. It would take him 20 minutes to ... [snip!] ... attention span? I know I need to push him but this is such a jump compared to what he is used to. Plus he is tested over it."

once again, make if funny. Make it like "can you believe what the cat is doing, what next!!!"

You need to encourage him...some how make it fun.
I have a 10 yr who is at a grade 1 reading level and she hates reading, its hard. But dont let him give up.

Its hard I know, my dd has a learning disibility and its hard, considering her sister is 4 and reads at a grade 1-2 level and some grade 3 books. Every child is different. But dont force it too hard where he feels pushedinto it. The best way is to skip those hard words, and see if by reading the rest of the text they can figure it out.

Then write those words down and have him practice them nightly till he can easily read them, do that with each book he brings home. Thats what I do. Also the board game scrabble is the best game ever to help kids with reading and spelling. I use it with my kids, and use the adult version not the kids one...You can do so much more with the adult one by making your own rules etc....

<blockquote><b>Quoting ashley+2♥:</b>" He can read 95% of the words. It's just the length is so discouraging. It would take him 20 minutes to ... [snip!] ... attention span? I know I need to push him but this is such a jump compared to what he is used to. Plus he is tested over it."</blockquote>



Maybe have him read it a few pages at a time? Read a few, discuss them, read more, discuss, etc...?

And then once he's done you can reread it back to him

<blockquote><b>Quoting Mayhem ♥:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting ashley+2♥:</b>" He can read 95% of the words. It's just ... [snip!] ... pages at a time? Read a few, discuss them, read more, discuss, etc...? And then once he's done you can reread it back to him"</blockquote>



That's a good idea. I just feel like a total failure because he doesn't like reading and gets discouraged so easily.