How do you "make" an 8 y/o boy want to read?

[Buckalew11]

here is the link for the technique my tutor is trained in. http://www.lindamoodbell.com/programs/conceptimagery.shtml

The page I think I have linked to is/was what my problem was specifically.

Many of our area teachers went to Charlotte last summer to be trained in this. As I said before, "Visualization and Verbalization" is the #1 undetected problem for people who can read (Like I was always in the highest reading group in school, graduated 11th in my class etc. but reading and knowing what i read was soooo hard for me. i hated it.

I hope with all my heart this info may help someone or someone's child here on the DIS. I will never be able to thank my friend judy enough for helping me learn to love to read.

 

[Buckalew11]

We struggle with this at our house too. DS 10 hates reading. He has been in remedial reading for years. He can read words but does not comprehend the thoughts. He is a wiz at math but the word problems are usually wrong. Where do you get help on comprehension. I have tried tutors etc and we ar in private school so special programing is not available. Help!

My link above is where and what kind of help you need (IMHO). When you read, you have to "see the movie" in your head. I didn't. Maybe I saw words or what the words meant literally but not a "thought or idea".

You know how people will say, "The movie was good but the book was better"? Well, I never said that. For one thing, I rarely read the book. I just watched the movie! And if I did read the book, I wasn't seeing the movie being played in my head like you should. I remember people saying, "that wasn;t how I had him pictured". ?? I never got a really good pic in my head to compare it to.

There is help. And it will make a difference!

 

[janette]

I agree with those that say it would be worth it to have some testing done. Often people that don't enjoy reading have trouble with it. Dyslexia is often thought of as not being able to learn to read but it has several different forms and effects. As Bucklew11 showed it is in the way it is taught, kids with learning differences can learn to read and to love it but they need to be taught different than most of the others. My youngest is dyslexic and the Lindamood-Bell method is one that is often used. Our school has a dyslexia program, if your school has something like that you might ask that he has the screening. Since it sounds like he compensates very well a special program may can help him with the parts that are giving him trouble.

I've also found that my DD responds well to reading together, with her reading requirements we have trouble because her interest/comprehension level doesn't match with her reading level so I often help her get through books by reading them with her. I've also got some on CD and converted them to MP3 so she could "read" them with her ipod shuffle. She liked that too

 

[MinnieM3]

It's too bad your DS is being forced to read particular books to pass 3rd grade! try to get a list yourself of acceptable books and go over the titles. Definitely read out loud with him, taking turns. Talk about what you're reading, ask questions, guess what will happen next, etc. When you start the next night, recap what you read the night before with him.

What reading series does the class use? The textbook website may have some comprehension exercises you can do. There are reading comprehension skill books out there. Try the teacher stores in your area. Usually they'll have a paragraph or two or three followed by several questions. Do these together at first, then let him try some on his own.

Try reading on Sat. and Sun. when he's not tired from all the school stuff of the day.

I'll post more when I think of it! Good luck!

My DD20 loved reading. DS17 hates it still today....as I type he's printing out Spark Notes instead of reading The Great Gatsby. DS6 loves reading. Hope it stays that way!

Oh, if you have a LeapPad or QuantumPad by LeapFrog, there are some excellent books that go with those. My 3rd graders can't get enough of them! At the lower levels, it will read the story to him. A little higher, he has to read it, but he can have it sound out words and give definitions; there are plenty of questions to go along with the books. This would be excellent to do together! You'd both love it!

 

[DisneyDotty]

Ok, I'm not a fan of the AR program (nor are many reading teachers come to find out)... many of the questions are very, very picky and "force" children to read for specific details not general content, which in turn may actually discourage some kids from reading AR books.

You are soooo right. I have been working with kids in my ds's 2nd grade class where I have read the book with the student and watched over her shoulder while she took the test, and I had a hard time with many of the questions (and there are usually only 5 questions at this level--not a good assessment tool, IMHO). And I have a master's degree in English! The one positive I see with AR is that it gets kids to read lots of different books. I agree with your frustration with the program, and I'm concerned that it actually causes kids to resent reading.
OTOH, the ideas on this thread for cultivating love of reading are EXCELLENT. I love the idea of reading with your child, or try going to the library together, spending a weekend afternoon as a family reading to each other, using reading in bed as an excuse for staying up late, etc.
BTW, my ds (7) LOVES the Magic Treehouse books--he gobbles them up!
Good luck to you!

 

[chris1gill]

My son was & is the same way, he's nearly 11.... He likes to read what he likes to read, but at 8, there wasn't anything he liked to read.... We found that he REALLY liked the Magic Attic books, he really ate them up.... He also loves the Guiness Book of World Records book & also Ripley's Believe it or not.... He absolutely hated Harry Potter books, that did not go so well.... Now he likes the Series of Unfortunate events books by Lemony Snickett, but those are a bit old for your son right now.... I'd try for the Magic Attic's first...

 

[wovenwonder]

I haven't read the replies -- but check into Captain Underpants books.

 

[RitaZ.]

Ok, I'm not a fan of the AR program (nor are many reading teachers come to find out)...

One thing I have noticed about the AR program, the teachers that seem to like it are older teachers. The younger teachers have their students complete a reading log, which I think is better.

Yes, the AR program, my boys hated it. My oldest did it when he was younger, some of his teachers used it. My 4th grader is now doing it again this year, also did it in 2nd grade. He says that the books on the AR list are boring, so his teacher has given him the option of reading any book he likes, then he writes a summary. The problem is that his current teacher does count the AR points toward their reading grade. So, DS's grade dropped one letter grade during the first marking period due to him not meeting his goal.

DS's teacher said that she has had very positive feedback from parents over the years on the AR program, therefore, it "must" be working (that's her opinion). Personally, I think it's taking the joy out of reading for some kids. Reading isn't enjoyable when you are forced to read something that doesn't interest you. I know that there will be books that students have to read to complete projects and so forth, but that's different than what the AR program is set to accomplish.

To the OP, you're obviously not alone. You've gotten some good suggestions and advice. Good luck!

 

[PlutoPony]

Thinking back, in 2nd/3rd grade my son religiously "read" the sports section of the newspaper as well as The World Almanac for Kids (put out each year) and a similar yearly publication for sports (still get them for Christmas each year). Granted he didn't (and still doesn't) read them cover to cover but you'd be surprised how much they can pick up from them. And because they cover a wide range of subjects, it got DS interested in some things he might not have otherwise.
I used to be so concerned about my son's lack of interest in reading.... I've taken him to library story hour from a very young age, read to him since he was a baby, he sees his dad and I reading books almost every evening. I've tried hard not to push it, but it's difficult... how could he NOT enjoy reading?! We're very fortunate that he's a good reader and student, if he wasn't it would have been a real problem. Just now we're seeing more genuine interest in reading at 11 - so hang in there!

 

[PlutoPony]

As I understand the AR program, the school actually buys each test for each book, and not all books have AR tests written for them. If your child likes a certain series of books and the school doesn't have tests for them, you might inquire at the school and see if there IS a test for the books and if they'd be willing to get the test. At our school, the librarian is the contact point for the AR tests I think.... don't know who it is other places. I don't mean to bash the AR program - I think it has its use but am not convinced that it's being used to its best advantage in many cases...

 

[RitaZ.]

and not all books have AR tests written for them...

I don't mean to bash the AR program - I think it has its use but am not convinced that it's being used to its best advantage in many cases...

Yes, exactly. The way we've gotten around that is that DS can read a book that he wants (approved by teacher first) and then write the summary. His AR points have been improving since his teacher gave him this option.

I agree with you, I think it may work for some kids, but obviously not all. My DD is in 2nd grade and loves taking AR tests, I think it's because she sees the points accumulating and that motivates her. My boys don't operate that way, if the book doesn't capture their attention, no amount of points will motivate them.

 

[Christine]

To the OP: You mentioned your son keeps reading the same sentence over and over again. This is a BIG issue with ADD/ADHD kids and my doctor specifically pointed this out as one of their problems. Then both my kids admitted that they had this problem reading (they are both ADHD). One secret is to get an index card and have him use it to read. As he completes a sentence, he lowers the card to the next sentence. This sort of helps them "cut off" or "hide" some of the other competing sentences.

I always want to recommend the Louis Sacher books. My son loved them when he was in the 8/9 range.

We also have to "deal" with the AR program and I really don't like it. I think for some kids it really takes the joy out of reading for pleasure. I do like the suggestion that your son check out a few books under his reading level. These will be easy for him to read, he should score an 80-100% on the AR test that way, and it will the motivate him to do a bit more (hopefully). That seemed to work for us.