Tips for getting child to read

gettingtheresometime

When my son was doing GCSEs I bought a copy of his set book & read it so I could discuss it with him, putting questions to him that got him thinking about the novel.

Doody

This book is full of wonderful games to play. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1329131.Games_for_Reading

PoorCharleyBear

our library has a shelf full of 'graphic novels'- Spiderman, Superman etc.
Just go for age appropriate as some of the Young Adult section are more relationships than action. My kids devour graphic novels (comics in longer form about one character)

Anoneemoose

Just thought I’d update.

I spoke to my son’s teacher, who was also a bit lacking in her answer. She couldn’t give me the specifics about why my son was ‘well below national average’ when it comes to his comprehension. It was apparently the results of the tests they had that determined it. She also pretty much suggested I needed to ‘force’ the reading when I raised concerns about not wanting to pressure him and put him off. She just said “well, he needs to do it, so you’ll just have to make him.”

So, I’ve decided to do it ‘my way’. My husband and I sat and spoke to our son and it became apparent that he really doesn’t understand any of what he’s reading. In the sense that he’s concentrating so much on the actual words, he doesn’t really take in the story. This is probably why he enjoys his Beanos so much.

We’ve also been to the library a few times and he has chosen his own books from there. We sit down for around 20/30 mins every day and I or his dad will read one chapter, and my son the next. Then we have a chat about it asking questions that get him thinking.

It concerned me when he said about not understanding things, and his teacher has also mentioned that sometimes he does his work wrong because he hasn’t understood the instructions. Bless him! She said he’s extremely well behaved so it’s not a behaviour thing. That’s something I’m going to keep an eye on and raise when it’s parents’ evening next month. He does actually seem more settled in this class than he was last year so that’s comforting.

Skibunny40

Just read this thread. My suggestion would be the Geronimo Stilton series of books. They are partly comic style with lots of illustrations and images but also use different colours, fonts etc for emphasis, in a similar way to comics.

By the way, I adore reading and constantly have a book in my hand...my son has never taken easily to reading - so I'm not convinced that being a role model is that much help.

Anoneemoose

Skibunny40 wrote: »

Just read this thread. My suggestion would be the Geronimo Stilton series of books. They are partly comic style with lots of illustrations and images but also use different colours, fonts etc for emphasis, in a similar way to comics.

By the way, I adore reading and constantly have a book in my hand...my son has never taken easily to reading - so I'm not convinced that being a role model is that much help.

Thank you. I’ll ask about those next time we go to the library. It’s been so handy as we have one on the way to school, so we pop in on the way home. It was all set to be closed, but they’ve refurbished it and made it slightly smaller, so it’s quite lovely now.

My son seems much happier with this arrangement. He has also picked up a couple of fact books which he can pick up and put down without too much thought. I’ve also been keeping a record of everything he does at home.

maman

Thanks for the update anoneemoose. That's a disappointing response from his teacher especially as he's now been in her class for almost half a term.


I think you're right to be concerned and right to do something to try and help but I'm surprised that other than telling you to make him read the school hasn't got more practical, focused suggestions. Presumably he has a graded school reading book which tells you the level they think he's at?


Do you know if he's so far below expectations that he has any extra support? I'd be asking if not, why not?


If he's just 'chanting' or building individual words then the books are probably beyond him at this stage. He'd be better off with simpler books that he can read fluently then take it from there.


Everything you're doing to encourage a love of books and good habits is a great idea. It would be very easy to be put off as he's finding it difficult. Keep at it!:)

Anoneemoose

maman wrote: »

Thanks for the update anoneemoose. That's a disappointing response from his teacher especially as he's now been in her class for almost half a term.


I think you're right to be concerned and right to do something to try and help but I'm surprised that other than telling you to make him read the school hasn't got more practical, focused suggestions. Presumably he has a graded school reading book which tells you the level they think he's at?


Do you know if he's so far below expectations that he has any extra support? I'd be asking if not, why not?


If he's just 'chanting' or building individual words then the books are probably beyond him at this stage. He'd be better off with simpler books that he can read fluently then take it from there.


Everything you're doing to encourage a love of books and good habits is a great idea. It would be very easy to be put off as he's finding it difficult. Keep at it!:)

Thank you. They (there’s a few of them) get some assistance in school. He’s been on ‘chapter books’ for about 9 months now. Prior to that he was on the Stages and IIRC, got up to Stage 9. He actually reads words well and his spelling is good, when repeating and learning parrot fashion, so it does sound like what he’s been doing is too advanced.

I asked if he understood the books that he reads in class and he said no to that as well. He’s been quite enthusiastic about making sure we have ‘reading time’..and it’s been lovely to have snuggles on the sofa so I’m happy he’s not feeling too under pressure.

I did wonder if there may be an element of dyslexia there. Not that I have much experience of it, but my eldest son was diagnosed when he was in sixth form. He had often struggled in a similar fashion with lots of different subjects when it came to reading and understanding. We didn’t realise at the time, because it often just seemed as if we were explaining something differently from the way he had been told at school and that was what was causing the difficulty, if that makes sense.

maman

Your boy ( and you) deserve a lot of credit for tackling this. It's great that he is willing to work at it and behaving well as many children switch off and often behave badly to avoid facing up to it.

It's possible that he may be a bit dyslexic if his brother is so it's worth mentioning that at school. But being dyslexic doesn't mean he can't learn to read just that it's harder for him.

If he was motivated by the chapter books then he might like to go back to the early ones and work through again. He will get some confidence from going over old ground at a slower pace. If he fancies that then the school might lend them to you or they are fairly cheap online.

Any books he fancies or comics are better than nothing but it's graded books that have a structure to work on skills in stages.

HTH

Anoneemoose

maman wrote: »

Your boy ( and you) deserve a lot of credit for tackling this. It's great that he is willing to work at it and behaving well as many children switch off and often behave badly to avoid facing up to it.

It's possible that he may be a bit dyslexic if his brother is so it's worth mentioning that at school. But being dyslexic doesn't mean he can't learn to read just that it's harder for him.

If he was motivated by the chapter books then he might like to go back to the early ones and work through again. He will get some confidence from going over old ground at a slower pace. If he fancies that then the school might lend them to you or they are fairly cheap online.

Any books he fancies or comics are better than nothing but it's graded books that have a structure to work on skills in stages.

HTH

Thank you again for your encouraging words. I was reading up on the different variations and symptoms of dyslexia and the more I read, the more I’m convinced there’s something going on in that respect. Whether it is dyslexia or maybe something else that just needs a different approach in the way we teach him, I don’t know at the moment. I spoke to the SEN coordinator for the school and she was actually my son’s teacher in Year 1 (now Year 4) and even she can remember him having similar issues back then. She’s arranging for a screening and there is also a psychological assessor who helps out on a Friday. She did the psychological stuff in a previous job, but helps out with this sort of thing now, too. So that’s promising!

Hopefully we will get some answers or at least specific help so we can help him progress. He’s definitely able to learn and seems bright enough, but he’s obviously having some difficulties.

And in the meantime, we’ll carry on with the snuggles on the sofa!!:D