Need advice for encouraging reading

[Lilacs4Me]

Just let him read whatever he wants. It's really not any more difficult than that. Leave a variety of books in his bedroom. He'll find the ones he wants to read in his own time.

Signed - a mom whose 3 kids range from mathmatically gifted-but-hates-to-read-or-write, to not gifted but works hard and reads everything in sight and earns straight A's because SHE wants to, to the last spending the first three years of public school in reading advisory because he hated to read out loud and that's the only fluency-testing method used. Guess what? In the beginning of 4th grade, the kid picked up one of his sister's Warrior's chapter book and has been hooked since. He can't get enough, and turned into a "reading under the covers after light-out" kid.

 

[HM]

Do you frequent the library? Let him choose his own books?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

find books that match his interest

This plus a little patience. A lot of really good readers won't voluntarily bite off chapter books until 2nd-4th grade.

My oldest dove head first into reading at a very young age. It took our youngest until the start of 3rd grade before she really got "into" it. Now in 5th, she's reading at the same level her older sister was at for the same age - despite a later start.

 

[pocomom]

I'm firmly in camp let him read what he likes. Think of the levels this way- it's the best he can perform at right now. So after you have had a hard day at work -do you come home and read legal documents or do you want a good novel?
At this age it is far more important that he enjoys reading than anything else.
As far as building confidence books a little easy for him will do that.
Some other ideas... you can suggest he reads to a pet - for a lot of kids this reduces anxiety over making mistakes.
You can also read interesting chapter books to him and then give them to him after you've read them to him once. It will be easier for him to tackle if he is already familiar with the story.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Let him read anything... Comics, magazines... Whatever as long as he's reading. He'll get more comfortable if he enjoys it.

 

[QueenIsabella]

You've gotten some great suggestions. Your goal is really "lifetime love of reading", so keep that in mind. It doesn't matter what he reads.

In addition to letting him pick library books, you might want to make a special reading nook for him (if possible). For some reason, this is super popular with my kids. It can just be a corner of the room with a beanbag chair and a bookcase. For my youngest, I strung some sheer curtains on a hula-hoop that we hung from the ceiling, over a papasan chair.

He's still at a good age to listen to stories, so encourage him to pick harder books to be read to him, in addition to easier books he can read to himself. It's funny, my oldest is 11 years older than my youngest. She bought the little guy his own copy of "Phantom Tollbooth" when he was 7, and read it to him. He went back and re-read the chapters himself, after she had read them. He still cherishes that book. It's a very special memory for all of us.

 

[Poohforyou]

I would highly recommend the book "toys go out". It's a chapter book but each chapter is its own story. That might be less overwhelming. It's a fun book for the whole family. It has some toy story aspects to it.

I also recommend the advice of others to let him read what he's interested in. You might also consider a magazine subscription. There are many for kids.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

You've gotten some great suggestions. Your goal is really "lifetime love of reading", so keep that in mind. It doesn't matter what he reads.

In addition to letting him pick library books, you might want to make a special reading nook for him (if possible). For some reason, this is super popular with my kids. It can just be a corner of the room with a beanbag chair and a bookcase. For my youngest, I strung some sheer curtains on a hula-hoop that we hung from the ceiling, over a papasan chair.

Definitely second the reading nook idea! As a kid, I loved a beanbag chair in a special corner of the living room that I could go to. It made me feel special and I went there to read often.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I would highly recommend the book "toys go out". It's a chapter book but each chapter is its own story. That might be less overwhelming. It's a fun book for the whole family. It has some toy story aspects to it.

I also recommend the advice of others to let him read what he's interested in. You might also consider a magazine subscription. There are many for kids.

Groupon has the ZooBooks magazines on sale a few times a year. It's a great deal!

 

[mefordis]

DS is in first grade and he's a good reader. He's not "reading Harry Potter at 4" type of reader, but he's in the top reading group in his class and his teacher recently said he's an F&P level L reader. When I looked up what that meant, I realized that the books he reads at home are waaaaaay easier than that level.
He seems incredibly hesitant to read chapter books or any book with a ton of words on the pages.
He loves having us read to him, and we happily do that every night. The books DH or I read are almost always chapter books, and he seems happy to listen and follows the story.

So... any advice for giving him the confidence to start reading some more challenging books on his own? I really don't think it's ability, but it seems like he just gets intimidated when he sees a whole lot of words on a page.

Junie B Jones is a good series. I just read to my daughter when she doesn't feel like reading. The interest in reading is way more important than the level.

 

[scrhsa]

One of my daughters was a pretty advanced reader too but she wouldn't read at home AT ALL. I tried to get her to read at home but she wouldn't have it. Finally she picked up My Side of the Mountain in 3rd grade and that was the book that made her want to read on her own. All it took was one book to spark it. All the other books that I thought would peak her interest fell flat. She loved, I mean LOVED dogs and I would buy all kinds of dog books to get her reading. Nope. Didn't work. One old book about a boy running away and living off the land did it So, let him go at his pace. Enjoy the time you guys have reading together. And like one poster said, share the reading. He'll come to it.

 

[CPanther95]

Have you thought about getting him a Kindle or other type of electronic reader? That way he doesn't see how thick the book is and you can adjust the font so that the type is bigger and less words will show on a page. We found this worked well with my niece. It also had the attraction of being an electronic device.

Exactly what I was going to post. It eliminates many of the things that cause children (and many adults) to feel that reading a book isn't "worth the effort". Size of book/print, number of illustrations, cover art, etc.

 

[scrhsa]

She bought the little guy his own copy of "Phantom Tollbooth" when he was 7, and read it to him.

My oldest read Bryan Jacques Redwall to my youngest (13 and 7 at the time). That is one of her favorite memories and now her favorite book series. I love when siblings and pass something they love onto each other

 

[Kogo Shuko]

A few things that my mother did to foster reading in our family growing up included:

1. Letting us children have adult library cards from a young age, and letting us take out pretty much whatever caught our interest. She had to fight for this to happen, as the staff didn't want us to get into inappropriate adult content, but we were never there without my mother so she would invariably check to see what we were getting before we got to front desk. Because of this, I started reading adult books fairly young - I read my first Stephen King book when I was in grade 5, I believe. I remember reading the second Earth's Children book when I was perhaps 12 or 13, because it was about Ayla raising a wild baby horse. I had to read the second half of that book in private because, oh my word, was it ever scandalous!! My mother had to have known though!

2. When I was fairly young, my mother started collecting Trixie Belden books, because they reminded her of her own childhood. We would sit together on the couch and she would read one chapter and then I would read one chapter. I remember really enjoying this. I suppose, if you want to get your son to start reading chapter books, I'd start with what another person suggested, one paragraph or page at a time to start.

3. Took us to a local used book store on a monthly basis, where we could look for as many books as we wanted. When we went up to Ottawa we always made a special stop at a used book store there as well. That's where I began to start collecting Stephen King novels. That was also where I met a really cool older girl (she was probably in high school), who suggested I read the Little Prince and gave me one of her cool unicorn rings. That chance meeting at the bookstore made a lasting impression on me!

4. Overall, she read. All the time. She read before supper. She read during commercial breaks while watching TV. She read in the morning. She taught us to love books by loving books herself.

I now live with my boyfriend and his son. His son was reading chapter books when I first met him. He was barely in 1st grade and he was reading books I had read in grade five. I suppose maybe some of the books that he likes your son might be into. These books include Animorphs, which is something I read in school. He was super excited to meet an adult who not only knew about the books but had read them all and could discuss them. He also likes the Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter. These days Pokémon is all the rage, and they have smaller chapter books, super easy to read.

While my BF's son does read chapter books all on his own, my BF has NEVER stopped reading to him before bed. He chooses books that his son wouldn't normally pick for himself. I have also read a book or two to him.

 

[loves to dive]

My son loved books from before he could crawl. For any gift giving reason, there was always a book there. Before he could talk well, if anyone and I mean anyone, sat in a chair in our house, he would crawl in their lap with a book and say "read a book". I read to him every night. Back in the 80s there was Teddie Ruxbin, a bear that had books that went with him. He had a tape player in his tummy and you could put the tape on that matched the book. He could then read his books himself, he would follow along in the book as Teddie read to him. I agree with the Kindle suggestion, possibly even getting some that are text to speech or the equivalent of books on tape so he can follow along. I also agree don't push him, you will most likely make it a chore, if he likes being read to, read to him. It is good bonding time, just the two of you. My son also loved the library, I can't tell you how many hours we spent there. To this day, he loves to read and even though now as an adult he reads on his kindle, he loves to go to book stores and just browse or grab a book and a cup of coffee and sit there and read.

 

[wide awake]

4. Overall, she read. All the time. She read before supper. She read during commercial breaks while watching TV. She read in the morning. She taught us to love books by loving books herself.

This! I couldn't wait to learn to read because my dad read all the time. Kids shouldn't be pushed into reading. When they're ready they'll move to something more challenging. And sometimes, if they're feeling a little stressed they'll read something from a much lower level. Adults do the same thing. I'm a teacher, and the worse mistake I see parents make is trying to make their child read something they're not ready for. There is a difference between having the ability to read something and really wanting to tackle it at home, when the school day is over. Model reading yourself, make stops at the bookstore and library, and let your child pick what he wants.

 

[scrapquitler]

DS is in first grade and he's a good reader. He's not "reading Harry Potter at 4" type of reader, but he's in the top reading group in his class and his teacher recently said he's an F&P level L reader. When I looked up what that meant, I realized that the books he reads at home are waaaaaay easier than that level.
He seems incredibly hesitant to read chapter books or any book with a ton of words on the pages.
He loves having us read to him, and we happily do that every night. The books DH or I read are almost always chapter books, and he seems happy to listen and follows the story.

So... any advice for giving him the confidence to start reading some more challenging books on his own? I really don't think it's ability, but it seems like he just gets intimidated when he sees a whole lot of words on a page.

AUdio books! Get the audio book plus the book, and have him try reading along with the narrator

 

[smiths02]

--Reading to your child is beneficial throughout elementary school
--Shared reading is a way to push Lexile level--he reads one page, you read one page (DS and I have done shared reading and then watched the movie for Harry Potter and some other books, like the BFG)
--Graphic novels are fun because there is fewer words on the page-Diary of a Wimpy Kid, though, is a really high Lexile (like 900s) and the material might not be appropriate for a 1st grader
--Non-fiction magazines are fun (national geographic kids is one), grandma and grandpa pay for my DS to get some
--There are little rulers and devices to help a student keep track...these can help kids with ADHD, visual processing problems...or just add a fun element to the reading http://www.amazon.com/Roylco-Readin...0368&sr=8-2&keywords=reading+highlight+strips
--Reading has always been the one thing my DS could do in bed before going to sleep. He didn't HAVE to read, but he's always been allowed to read in bed
--Trips to library and bookstore
--my DS got younger siblings at the age of 6 1/4, so he reads to them as well

While a child might test at a certain Lexile or reading level...that is generally tested in a short test...this could just be the ability to recognize and call out words or comprehend short material. Many 1st graders just don't have the attention span, interest, or motivation to conquer a chapter book.

 

[yoopermom]

You've had wonderful suggestions given to you. As a librarian/lifelong reader, who raised DS to love and adore books, I would just add two more:
1)model the importance of reading (a child who sees an adult reading often, and sees plenty of books around the house, will emulate)
2)dedicate TIME to reading (aka shut off the distractions!)

Two of my favorite memories are:
1) us telling DS "you can stay up as long as you want, but all electronics will go off at 8 pm", he would read, and read, and read....
2)me driving our motorhome to WDW w/him having nothing to do for 24 hrs of travel time but read (and sleep )

If you do decide to buy him an ereader, go with one that is a dedicated reader, without internet access (or w/access that you as the parent can control). Otherwise the allure to go online or play games will tend to outweigh reading...

Terri

 

[littleblackegg]

My mother, who was a librarian, made special trips to the library with us. We would go on picnics or to get ice cream, then we would pick out books to check out. I was an active reader but my brother and sister were reluctant. My brother was eventually diagnosed with learning disabilities. I think these fun trips with mom really helped.