Need advice for encouraging reading

[dja14]

I have a child with dyslexia, one reluctant reader, and one who shut down at the sight of large thick books. All are good readers now.With that said, this is my opinion..

I think we push kids too hard sometimes. What we really want is a kid who loves reading and learning. We want them to be able to find information and knowledge on their own (eventually) Since your child is already a good reader, all you have to do is keep it fun and eventually he will find what he likes.

Over the years we have used magazines, thinner chapter books, older (1950's) chapter books, classics in a children's format. We have read books together as a family, sometimes reading in turns and then chatting about them. Sometimes a tv show (Wishbone on pbs especially) or a play or movie would interest someone and then they would read the book. Lots of graphic novels, comic books. We have also taken them to the library often (any reading level book was fine) and to the bookstore (we did make them buy in their age range here since it was $) Even how to books, cook books, etc. Anything to keep them reading.

If you think it is the anxiety of the size or appearance of the books I would seek out thinner or abridged copies, or magazines or reading passages online. His confidence will build w/o his notice. As parents you can still read the larger, thicker novels. Eventually I am guessing he will want to know what is happening next and he will just move on to reading ahead on his own.

 

[elphaba91]

I would second chapter books that have more pictures in them, or a series of shorter stories. I know the first chapter books I read (in the summer before grade 1) were Enid Blyton books (Bimbo and Topsy, Magic Faraway Tree, Magic Wishing Chair, etc.), although I don't know that they would be as appealing to a young boy today. The books that spring to mind would be the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, or books by Terry Denton (e.g. Gasp!), Andy Griffiths (e.g. the Just series) or Paul Jennings (I remember my older sister loved the Singenpoo books). Those are all Australian authors (and probably a bit 90s/2000s!), but all have lots of illustrations and silly humour that typically entertains young boys. Mos importantly, make sure it is something that interests him - I was a really advanced reader when I was young and was the only kid in the top reading level in my class in grade 1 and the books that I was given to read were so boring (seriously, I can remember non-fiction books about genetics and whales - for a 6 year old!).

As others have said though, remember that he is still getting benefit from you reading to him. I think a large part of the reason that I was such a proficient reader at a young age was because my Mum read to us so much as kids. My sisters were both deaf so I think she read to them a lot more than a lot of other parents probably did as she had to work really hard to help them acquire language and so I just got caught up in it too, which meant I was more advanced than other kids my age with language skills and reading (at that point in time anyway!).