Jr.
I would add that a vision check is good, but it has nothing to do with a field called "behavioral optometry." This consentrates on how the eye muscles move, and is highly controverial, and basically poo-pooed by the Opthomologists. Yet for at least 50% of the families who try it, they see big improvements. Not sure if you want to follow through with the therapy, but I do reccomend you contine to at least get the evaluation.
2nd, I have read outloud for many years to my son and DH at bedtime. Sometime I notice that I've been reading for 5 minutes, with experession, but Zero comprehension. I just stopped paying attention, right there in the middle!
Don't you? Reading aloud is just not as engaging as silent reading.
Also, I would hope that the books you read to him are much much higher level than the books he reads to himself. My friend reads "Magic Tree House Books" to her 7 year old, and I turn purple over it. Sure, he has to read easy stuff to himself, but can't he at least hear some interesting stuff when you read?
She looked at me blankly and says that he isn't interested in Harry Potter, she tried. So I learned that there are readiness levels for decoding, and for story interest. Those readiness levels might be similar or 5 years different. It doesn't mean a child is or isn't as gifted, it just says: "Here is my readiness level. I'm a kid, so I can't tell you, or I might try and you might not believe me. So you, the adult has to figure it out."
UG. I'm guilty of this too. DS11 wanted me to read "Animorphs" to him as some crazy age - 3, 4, 5? I objected, as the themes were "too dark." LOL! I thought that he just liked the pretty covers. Every trip to the library, I would allow him to choose one, only one. When we got home I would "read" it to him, skipping whole disgustion paragraphs, and them say, let's choose a different one for tommorow. The Animorphs book would go "up high" until the next library visit to be returned for a new one. I guess the first time I did give it a more honest try, and Science Fiction fan that I am, I still couldn't stomach these books. I wish I remember when we scooted over to the Young Adult section, but he was so young that I remember feeling embarrassed. We found lots of interesting SF there that we both could enjoy. Was he 5? Maybe, since he wasn't reading independently at all at that age. Except a few word from playing the computer - "EXIT" "START" and "QUIT"
Sorry if I'm a little weird here. We all think that our kids strenghs are "just a little advanced" and the fact that they forgot to clear the table shows their true mental functioning.
DS11 is kind of unusual even amoung the YSP kids. He fits nicely amoung the more mildly PG, but his areas of interest just seem different. He's taking Pre-Algebra and coasting along, but last year it was really too hard. He is much more the 'walking and spouting encyclopedia' and 'I need you to explain what you are talking about, right NOW' kind of unusual. He likes fiction better than non-fiction. A story boy.
So, although I've come a long way at getting less "denial"y, I still have a way to go.
Isn't every child a lovely puzzle?
Grinity
