[etni] Help needed re teaching student

Dear Etniers, 
I have encountered a very strange problem with one of my students and wondered 
if anyone can give me some advice, which i so desperately need. 

Background. I teach am teaching a boy who is in grade 6 with EXCELLENT English. 
He just moved to this school. In his old school, in grades 5 and 4 he studied 
English with grades 8 & 7 respectively. 
He has a problematic home life (mom twiced divorced, some other problems). I 
teach him privately at the time when he has English at school.

My problem is that no matter how much i explain stuff, he just doesn't GET IT! 
As an example, AT the beginning of the year, i spent quite a few lessons 
reviewing parts of speech. Other lessons have involved tenses. Lately, I taught 
him the definition of a sentence (A group of words expressing a thought), and 
the parts of the sentence (subject/predicate...which by the way, took AGES for 
him to get it.) Two weeks ago i reviewed with him the types of sentences 
(statement, question...etc). Last lesson, i get up and ask him: What is the 
definition of a sentence ...answer, "a group of letters." 
What are the parts of sentence? Answer: simple and progressive (!) 
What are the types of sentence? Noun and adjective. 

I could give more examples of this type of behavior! Another, quickly, is when 
i ask him to write a sentence with vocabulary words "to show that he 
understands the meaning." He just doesn't....I get this type of sentence over 
and over: The lady was phenomenal. The mechanic came yesterday. And i ask hm, 
how can i know what "phenominal" or "mechanic" mean from your sentence? Again, 
no amount of examples or rewriting helps the next time around. 

I am always feeling that he is just pulling words out of a giant basket of 
words, with no comprehension of what he is saying, yet when I am sitting with 
him on  a particular lesson, he gets it. The amount of frustration I feel is 
awesome! 

I feel there are vasts "holes" in his English. I am wary of approaching his mom 
too much, as she puts a lot of pressure on him on the fact  that he is "so 
good" in English. You know the type. I have to admit, that his vocabulary is 
phenomenal (and all from internet chatting, by the way.) 

If there is anyone there who recognizes this pattern, and what it could be, I 
would soooo appreciate a call. His other teachers don't find such a problem at 
all. It is halfway through the year, and i feel like we have barely progressed 
at all. 

I don't know to whom to turn for advice. I have spoken with the school 
counselor. She has told his mom he needs counseling due to his family problems. 

My phone no. is 03-9467955 or please email me so I can call anyone who may be 
able to help me. 

Linda
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