Awful reading rut

[Anonymous]

I've had to struggle with the same thing, OP. My kid is a dyslexic, but has had heavy remediation and so reads above grade level. He is 10 now. But reading just isn't fun for him. It is work. HARD work. So even the most fun book, with the best art work and the best story, isn't enjoyable. When I stopped using my own experience (I love to read! Reading is relaxing and enriching and the way we learn about the world!) and started thinking about his experience (Reading is worse than cleaning the toilet! Harder than a 5 mile run! I learn by using my hands!) I approached it differently. He still must read 20 minutes a day, just like he needs to do his math and occasionally clean a toilet. I also still read out loud to him most nights, either poetry or something else we both enjoy, like fantasy. He has made noises about being too old for that now, but I reminded him that throughout history reading out loud (or at least story telling) has been THE family activity in the evening and he felt better about that.

I'm sad that reading might never be fun for my kid. But what is for sure is that it never will be fun if he doesn't read, and so I make him do it. But I think it adds insult to injury to not acknowledge to him that it isn't fun for him, its hard, and I appreciate his hard work and determination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Teachers work hard to discourage this behavior, past a late Kindergarten level as it impacts fluency.

Just curious, but why does it impact fluency? DS loses his place and just drifts off unless he does it.

Its because it limits the speed at which you read, and keeps your eyes from taking in whole lines of text, and above and below, which fluent readers do. So you don't want it to become an ingrained habit in an otherwise good reader. But for a kid who looses his place unless he uses it - yeah, use it! Absolutely. It will help him, not hurt him. They also make bright colored plastic windows that show only a portion of the text at once and you move down the page.

I have used a bookmark to isolate a few lines or a paragraph. This keeps my DC focused without losing the ability to take in the whole line of text.

My DC was where yours was last year. I finally found books she loved and it made a huge difference. I would keep trying all sorts of books. Also, keep reading to him in addition. It will help him associate reading with warmth, connection, and relaxation.

[Anonymous]

Try the National Geographic "Weird but True" series of books - they hooked my first grader who was also a reluctant reader. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Also, try books way below his reading level. It seems wrong but it will build confidence and allow him to comply with 20 min rule. My kids were allowed picture books at that age - keep doing them until he complains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, try books way below his reading level. It seems wrong but it will build confidence and allow him to comply with 20 min rule. My kids were allowed picture books at that age - keep doing them until he complains.

+1 Picture books are wonderful even after a kid has learned to read. Don't drop them too early! I also posted on another reading-related thread to say that my reluctant reader loved "acting out" the Elephant & Piggie books with me -- that really helped with his reading. He also loved to read any book by Gail Gibbons -- they're non-fiction picture books. He found them very interesting.

[Anonymous]

OP, this website has some great suggestions for struggling readers, including book recommendations:

http://www.readbrightly.com/reading-strategies-book-suggestions-struggling-readers/

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

#1 try doing homework earlier in the evening after a snack and withhold screen time until it is done!

My reluctant reader enjoys the Captain Underpants books, My Weird School, the Fairy books by Daisy Meadows (more girlie though) and recently we really liked a series on Greek myths by Lucy Coats - the stories are timeless and even my 9 year old who tears through Percy Jackson and harry Potter books likes to listen to them at bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Read with him (alternating pages).
Read to him.
Try reading before school in the morning if possible. My kid was tired and even more frustrated if we waited until the evening.
Reading my not have truly clicked for him yet. It did for my second grader rather suddenly over the summer, and I think a sudden uptick in skill & interest level is common (he was begrudgingly reading easy readers then suddenly started reading chapter books to himself and now wants to read all the time. Then and now, we've always read books to him in addition.)

[Anonymous]

Along with the My Weird School books, try the Black Lagoon chapter books. Large type, lots of pictures.

[Anonymous]

Do you have pets he could read out loud to?

One of my kids was a very reluctant reader. He was willing to read out loud with the understanding that I was not going to listen all that carefully, just make sure that he was doing it.