[jimpick]

I should also mention that the teacher worked hard to get him to read but was limited by the schools course work requirements. No phonics only sight words taught by a computer program.

In other words the failure was mandated by the state. We have no choice it is public school or pay for it again out of pocket after our taxes are stolen from us.

[Smokin' Joe]

That's where the workbook and a stack of flashcards come in handy. In half an hour a school night, you can teach your child the basics of phonics well before the end of the year. It takes a fair dose of patience, too, to do this, but there are ways.

Name the letter, what sound does it make? Have them name it and make the sounds.

Use it in a word, (A is for apple, L is for lion, and so on.

As they get letters right let them hold them When they get a big stack in their hands they start to feel good about it. Put a couple together and spell names or short words for them to sound out. Sound out the sight words.

In short, subvert the system. Might as well teach them that early, too, but present it as another way to read, one that will let them read almost anything (except, perhaps, Welsh and Icelandic).