4 year old refuses to recognize ABC's & 123's

[thesteinerfamily]

My son is 4 1/2 and this is his second year in preschool.  He will be in preschool 1 more year due to his birthday and the school cutoff age.  

I can honestly say that I have been trying to teach him his ABC's and 123's for about 2 years now.  He knows the ABC song and can count to 16.  But when asked if he can find a certain letter or number, he usually does not know.  He does recognize numbers 0-3 and maybe about 10 letters, but that is it.  He is not interested.  While teaching him, I have used puzzels, books, workbooks, DVD's, number and alphabet charts, Leap Frog hand held games as well a v-tech.  I have also used a reward system with m&m's, tossing a ball for every correct answer, making a big deal about it, telling him how proud I am, etc.  He is just not getting it and I am at my witts end.  It took him about a year to learn his colors...and that was a nightmare.  I know this is not normal, and I don't know what to do.  I was hopeing to get more information on what may be wrong.  Thank You

[babygirl6152]

I was taught over 15 years ago that "reading" does not happen until both sides of the brain are totally grown together. Surely that is simplified- but in dyslexia both sides have to be stimulated and it almost takes exercising both sides for them to "Meet"- so I am concerned when you say he refuses because that would mean he is willfully and intentionally defying you- maybe you didn't mean that- but IF it's not his fault you would feel sorry later if you gave him a lot of grief over something he cannot help- right? Like  a true physical illness- you can't say someone "refuses to get well"- if you want to chat more about it I can tell you a few exercise ideas that use left and right sides of the brain to exercise- they are short and sweet- no big deal.
BTW lots of kiddos can memorize sight words like McDonald's or Wal Mart but they are not reading of course- don't confuse sight words with reading phonetically ok? My son who had IQ of 132 at grade 5 could not read til 1st grade.....he now has a college degree

hugs

[DianaCSimmons]

Any update on your child?  My son is very similar and doesn't recognize colors, shapes or letters.

[margypops]

this is a4year old thread you may want to contact her by a note see if shes still around good luck

[karinkm]

I am concerned about my 4 y.o, she will be 5 in 4 months time. She knows very few letters and can count up to 12 but cannot put the picture of the number together with the sound of the number. She now knows No.3, but she is likely to look at 4 and say 1, and then keeps one eye on me to gauge my reaction wether it´s right or not.
I am tenacious, so I set out the lessons, and go slowly: I show her: 4, then 5. then 4, then 5. ad infintum. Again 4, then 5, and now I ask her whats the first number again - she sometimes says 4, and now the second number? She has no idea. she starts offering random numbers hoping to hit the right one. And we have said NOTHING but 4 and 5 for past 20 minutes! I am so frustrated I could scream! I think the teachers don´t notice because she imitates other children in group learning and picks up clues for the right answer, instead of memorising the shape and the name. I
I get the point of different time of learning, but not being able to memorise two words linked to two shapes? It´s hard to see as normal... anyone else with a similar issue?

[sadied]

I am dealing with this right now, which is why I googled it (and ended up here). My four year old turns five this month, and only recognizes a handful of letters. He seems to be okay with his numbers, but I'm beside myself with frustration. I'll show him a few letters that he does know, and he'll identify them correctly. Show him one new one, and he'll repeat the name after me. Ask again, he'll get it. Show him the ones he does know, then back to the new one, he won't remember. Repeat repeat repeat, no change. *pulling hair out*  Add to this his refusal to use the toilet consistently, and this mama is going crazy. I am somewhat relieved to hear that there are others are going through the same thing.

[worriedmom1983]

i can completely understand u...i ve a 4 y o. with similar problem...she started off as a pretty smart kid...she s gud with her rhymes n stuff bt wen it comes to recognising her abcs n numbers shes a big failure...the fact dat she even confuses d letter A sometymes jst worries me...n sometimes i jst lose my cool in front of her n then i think omg...shes jst four...its frustrating ...hav tried all possible ways to make learning fun for her...d more i try d more shes uninterested...i jst hope she ll b back on track soon...