Hi, I teach Kindergarten and I'm frequently sent "your type" of readers. Check with the Special Ed. teachers at your school. They are required to make accommodations for all children. Many times text books are already available with an audio version for sight impaired kids. Remember squeaky wheels get the grease:)

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Have you ever considered reading software? I coach teens/college-age/adults with ADD/ADHD. I found that reading software helps increase focus. Try going to http://www.acereader.com/versions.html (copy this into your address bar and take a look. You can download a demo copy for free.

Also on this page is a link for e-books and e-texts. These books can be read within the reading program and a good many of them are texts used in schools, so reading can be more of a video-oriented experience, and more of an attention-grabber.

My youngest stepson is a junior in college now and has highly inattentive-type ADHD. Reading has been a struggle for him. My brother-in-law is also a well-known attorney but has not read a novel, ever, since he cannot concentrate. The reading software he uses is, I believe, The Reader's Edge, because he can pull in his legal documents/pleadings, etc, and work on them from the software.

The software allows one to develop a concentrated focus while reading and also gives some excellent tips as well.

Please be assured that I am not trolling for business and I am not compensated for passing on this software info. Feel free to contact me at cmmatthews2000@hotmail.com if you have any questions. Hope this helps.

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There are free versions of reading software at http://www.pixi.com/~reader1/allbrowser/.

Also, through many local library websites, netlibrary.com can be accessed. Once the account is set up through the library link, the site can be accessed directly. netlibrary.com has over 4000 audio books that can be accessed through a computer, and some can be downloaded as MP3s.

Another website, http://librivox.org/, has 1200+ public domain books in several audio formats.

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One of the consequences of struggling to learn to read is that the student often misses out on "grade level" materials and books that are classics. In my reading class, I choose classics to read aloud to my learning disabled students because they are truly starved for the literature that others access easily. I also choose humorous books that will interest them. For your son, look for "high interest, low readability" books. There are many companies that offer these titles. Also, if your child reads at about the fifth grade level, perhaps you can help him select books with a lexile of about 600-700. They will be easy enough for him to read independently. You can find out the lexile of most books and print lists of books in your child's range at www.lexile.com. Choose page-turners! Call of the Wild, Sign of the Beaver, Honus and Me, Treasure Island, and Holes are just a few titles that might interest him. If you are going to take a trip somewhere, try unplugging the onboard video and reading aloud for the whole family. We once read Isaac's Storm and a couple of novels on a family vacation----and all of the kids enjoyed it. They still talk about it years later. Don't give up. Many youth don't really dig into reading until they discover a topic they just can't help reading about. My son started with an instruction manual! Good luck in your quest. Remember not to push too hard. The goal is to help him access literature and learn through reading.

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Have you looked into the books where the reader controls the story? I'm not certain what the titles are but the librarian in your local library could help with this. Basically the books begin, then at the bottom of the page the reader can make a choice: Continue with the story, or go to Page . Gives multiple options. The books are fun to read (both of my stepsons are now college age, but the youngest was a tough one to get to read until we found these and he literally devoured them and asked for more).

Just a thought....

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If I'm reading this right, he hates to read because he can't understand the material and stay focused. I wander if he's medicated and if so, is the medicine doing enough for him?

The only time in the past.... 10 years, at least (I don't know if I can vouge for what I did before then, as I'm only 21 now), that I have enjoyed reading was the one month I was on Focalin. Meaning, the only time my medication was working for me was the only time I could finish a chapter.

Failing something so often is very disheartening. I now judge medications on whether or not I can keep focus up long enough to read a chapter. But not physically being able to complete that task... I know how it feels. It wasn't necessarily a comprehension problem in my case, though. I just couldn't make myself connect the words on the page with any other thought. I still can't. I'm having to repeat classes because I can't make it through textbooks. I can't make it through anything else, either. That can have a HUGE effect on a person's self-esteem.

Now? If I don't absolutely HAVE to read something, I don't. Because I know that I'm just going to get upset because I can't follow it. It's a bad system to live by, but it results in fewer tearful phone calls to my mom late at night.

One thing that has worked for me is reading along in the book while it is being read aloud. I am a theatre major and do this with plays. I've done it with reading assignments, too. Sometimes, just hearing something isn't enough. The same goes with reading. That's why I make everything go through multiple "senses".

This may help, this may cause more despair than you started with. If the latter happens, I apologize profusely.

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