Tips for getting child to read

Anoneemoose

maman wrote: »

I completely agree with pmlindyloo. You really need to have a discussion with his teacher about what the specifics are that he needs help with.


I do understand what people are saying about reading comics or scifi or history but I suspect that it's more inference that he's having problems with than literal comprehension. So it's more than just understanding the words on the page but rather what the author was trying to create/imply.


Teaching/Practising this with a child isn't easy. It's about asking the right questions. You really need some advice/resources from his school and then I'd suggest you meet with the teacher and your son together so he knows it's not just you being awkward but something he promises to do for a short time most days. Now's a good time to start with the school year ahead.

Yes, I think you’re both right. I shall ask for a bit more information and a more detailed explanation of how his dad and I can help - I assume that his new teacher will be able to access the relevant information from last year.

I will continue to encourage reading as well because it’s always a good thing. I bought a copy of the Beano for him today, thinking along the lines that as it’s shorter stories with pictures, it might hold his interest a bit more. He took one look, said “ooh, it’s Dennis the Menace” and then went to put his football boots on!:rotfl: But then I think as it’s getting colder, I’m glad he’s wanting to be out and about in the fresh air.

Thank you.

iammumtoone

Anoneemoose wrote: »

He took one look, said “ooh, it’s Dennis the Menace” and then went to put his football boots on!:rotfl:

Not many children are going to sit down and read early/mid evening when there is more exciting stuff to do, even my son who loves reading will not do that.


Try giving it to him again just before bed, you could tell him lights out will be 10 minutes later than usual if he wants to read for that time.

Anoneemoose

iammumtoone wrote: »

Not many children are going to sit down and read early/mid evening when there is more exciting stuff to do, even my son who loves reading will not do that.


Try giving it to him again just before bed, you could tell him lights out will be 10 minutes later than usual if he wants to read for that time.

I went to tuck him in after I last posted and he was laid in bed reading it. He’s had a bit of a late night as his sister has been poorly.

Alikay

One of my sons wasn't keen on reading, writing or doing homework despite being a bright child. Around 8/9 years old was probably the hardest time as he disliked story books and factual books aimed at that age group were a tad too "worthy" for him (encyclopaedias, DK knowledge books etc).

The things he DID read willingly though were facts and figures on sport, car brochures, snippets from the local paper etc. We also played Trivial Pursuit etc, did quizzes with him and watched game shows like Countdown, and, as he was (and still is) very competitive, so would dash off and look up facts on the computer or in an atlas etc. He would happily read a highly technical BMW sales brochure by torchlight in bed but flatly refuse to choose something from the vast array in the children's section of the library.

Tabbytabitha

Anoneemoose wrote: »

No. We didn’t want to get one if it wasn’t going to be used. And even though his dad and I have one, I think there’s nothing better than cracking open a ‘new’ book!!

But he may not be making the connection between seeing you reading on a Kindle and his being expected to read actual books. If there's nothing better for you than "cracking open a book", turn off your Kindles for a while and let your son see the pleasure you're getting from this. That'll also open up the opportunity for him to realise that the library is somewhere grown ups go for pleasure rather than somewhere children are taken as a chore.

Alikay

iammumtoone wrote: »

Not many children are going to sit down and read early/mid evening when there is more exciting stuff to do, even my son who loves reading will not do that.

That's very true, especially with very active children. Once mine got to around 6 or so, they had an extra 10 or 15 minutes between being settled into bed and lights out, just for reading, which they always tried to stretch to longer!

Anoneemoose

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

But he may not be making the connection between seeing you reading on a Kindle and his being expected to read actual books. If there's nothing better for you than "cracking open a book", turn off your Kindles for a while and let your son see the pleasure you're getting from this. That'll also open up the opportunity for him to realise that the library is somewhere grown ups go for pleasure rather than somewhere children are taken as a chore.

I struggle to hold books nowadays due to pain. The Kindle is much better for me. And husband has only just bought his after getting rid of his books that were taking up room, or else this would have been a fabulous idea. I will work on it though as there is a library close by.

He got up this morning and continued his Beano reading.

Tabbytabitha

Anoneemoose wrote: »

I struggle to hold books nowadays due to pain. The Kindle is much better for me. And husband has only just bought his after getting rid of his books that were taking up room, or else this would have been a fabulous idea. I will work on it though as there is a library close by.

He got up this morning and continued his Beano reading.

Whilst I appreciate that many people do this (we didn't when we got Kindles) it doesn't really put books and book ownership in a very positive light for a 9 year old who's not that way inclined. He's seen his parents get rid of books in favour of screens and yet he's still supposed to carry on doing something that his parents have rejected.

Please don't think I'm saying that his problems are all your fault but you might want to look at how your actions can be viewed by a child at an impressionable age. There's nothing to stop you doing most of your reading on a Kindle but taking out library books together and reading a real book while he's around to see might have a positive effect.:)

Hillwalker11

Before retirement I taught Infant children. The reading issue is a difficult one, especially for the reluctant reader. I think the comic approach is a good one. My two sons were both avid readers. I let them read anything, much to the schools horror. They loved TinTin, Beano and Dandy comics or annuals. Have a look in charity shops for Beano/Dandy annuals.They also read a series called Goosebumps, an American series by R.L.Stine. They were absolute rubbish but they loved them and read them.
Unfortunately at school now there is so much pressure on the grammar and inference of what is being read. There is no just reading for pleasure, therefore children often see it as another school chore, rather than soaking up the love of books.
I often think Shakespeare would turn in his grave if he knew that all his works which were written for pleasure are now being dissected and studied in depth.
Try not to worry too much, schools love to label on achievement, just so the pupil fits within a 'criteria'. He will probably find something that inspires him and without knowing it will begin to read for his own pleasure.

Anoneemoose

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

Whilst I appreciate that many people do this (we didn't when we got Kindles) it doesn't really put books and book ownership in a very positive light for a 9 year old who's not that way inclined. He's seen his parents get rid of books in favour of screens and yet he's still supposed to carry on doing something that his parents have rejected.

Please don't think I'm saying that his problems are all your fault but you might want to look at how your actions can be viewed by a child at an impressionable age. There's nothing to stop you doing most of your reading on a Kindle but taking out library books together and reading a real book while he's around to see might have a positive effect.:)

He never saw his dad get rid of them. He got rid of them quite a while ago, probably when little Anon was too little to even know and he certainly wasn’t there...and his dad stopped reading for a while - he’s only just (well, in the last 6 months or so) got back into it really, so our son sees him reading regularly now - but with his Kindle.

I got rid of my books a long time ago too. I’ve had my Kindle/s for ages now and it’s the same situation for me too. So he hasn’t really seen us favour screens - just screens as the only thing. I don’t always read a massive amount because I struggle with cognitive issues and the holding thing, but he still sees me reading with some regularity.

I used to love books as a kid and an adult, hence my comment about there being nothing like cracking a new book open.