Great reader not bothered about reading......

[Comingfoccacia]

My DD in Y2 is a great reader, reading well above her level with all the expression and comprehension etc. However she doesn't seem bothered about reading stories. She has a shelf full of books which are at her level and above but she rarely sits and reads for pleasure. There was an interesting bit in today's paper suggesting that current teaching methods are killing the pleasure of reading. Anyone have any thoughts? She does read other stuff all the time, newspapers, signs, instructions etc but as someone who reads for pleasure daily, I wish she shared my enthusiasm! Maybe this will develop later?

[AMumInScotland]

I think it can start to feel like a chore for a while, but if she sees you reading for pleasure, I'm sure the idea will form eventually. You could also get her factual books about something she has an interest in - then it's not 'reading it's 'finding out about stuff'

[redskybynight]

Give her books that are below her level. Better still - don't give her books, but go to the library and let her choose what she wants to read - and genuinely let her choose what she wants, even if it's a very simple picture book.

Remember that your DD is still learning to read - that means that reading "at her level" is hard work! If you were reading for pleasure would you always chooose War and Peace, or would you sometimes choose something light and fluffy?

And keep reading to her - pick books you think she will enjoy - leave them at a cliff hanger, see if she will read on, on her own. Even if she doesn't, you're making reading into a joy!

[YackityYakYak]

Does she see grown ups reading around her? You need to SHOW her that reading is a pleasure.

[WooWooOwl]

I've had this with my ds, although he is much older now.

The challenge I find is finding the right books. There are so many out there, and although I know I enjoy reading, I only enjoy it if I'm reading a good book, it's not the reading itself that's enjoyable it's what's contained in the writing. When ds gets the right book, he can't put it down, but when the right book isn't there in front of him, he will only try and find good books at my and the schools insistence.

I've found it helpful to use the amazon website to find books that he will enjoy because they give recommendations beaded on other books that have been enjoyed, and you can read a decent sample of the book to get a good idea with it. Recommendations from his friends and their parents helped as well, as if a friend has enjoyed a book it's likely that he will too. It doesn't always work, and we have bought or taken books out of the library that have gone unread after the second chapter, but it is a continual effort to find books that he will enjoy.

I think there is a chance that teaching methods can spoil some of the fun of reading, but once the skill is learned, I don't think that has to be an ongoing problem.

[Heels99]

Agree keep reading to her.
Take her to book shop and let her choose a new book, don't comment if she chooses ameeasy booklibrary, for books and audio books

[Heels99]

Redskyatnight ideas are good

[mrsmortis]

Is it possible that she has no interest in fiction? Let her pick non fiction books on a subject she is interested in (even if it means you hear about nothing but horses or ballet for weeks...). My DD (Y1) will plough through a book that is way to hard for her if it is on a topic she likes. Last year she read a book on the history of London and other about the space station that no one can have expected her to manage. But the subjects interested her so she persevered. (If the topics were that interesting this year I'd be really happy, I'm getting very fed up of rainbow magic...)

There is also a children's newspaper. It's aimed at 7-11 year olds. My nephew really likes it: www.firstnews.co.uk/

And please remember that you don't need to be reading books to practice your reading. When you are cooking get her to read the recipe to you (claim your hands are too dirty to touch the book). If you are doing craft stuff get her to read the instructions. If you are going somewhere in the car ask her to read the directions (I'd make sure you knew where you were going just in case though). Set her up with an email address and get the grandparents to write to her (just make sure it's something that you control, my DD has an email address but all her emails go into her Daddy's inbox so no one can write to her without us knowing about it).

[Ilovexmastime]

I find that my DS1 does most of his reading in bed at night. He goes to bed at 7.30-8pm with lights off at 9 and generally reads for that time. He only reads during the day if there is no TV or ps3 on!
I believe boredom is a great incentive to read!

[18yearstooold]

You need to be modelling reading to her

A great way is by sharing stories and talking about them

Taking opportunity to read in daily life

Sit with a book yourself -pick a time and stick to it. So many parents read after their children have gone to bed so the children never see, pick an hour on a Sunday for example and just sit and read

The only book a child should have to read is their school reading book, other than that if they don't like a book, stop reading and pick another -there is something out there for everyone

KS1 is all about the mechanics of reading, KS 2 is where reading for pleasure is really emphasised but IMHO that should start from when they are babies

OP I would be interested to read that article -which paper is it in please?

[maizieD]

Guardian article reporting thoughts of author Frank Cottrell Boyce

tinyurl.com/ntb7ouu

I agree with him.

Reading for pleasure is something that all of us who do so would like to encourage but it's as well not to lose sight of the fact that many people go through life not reading for pleasure even though they are perfectly good readers.

It's a bonus; it's not obligatory.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

my yr2 daughter goes through patches (similar to me) where she will really want to read and then patches where we struggle to get her to even look at a book. She tends to like to look at a real mix of books and some days will be found very happily reading her younger sister's picture story books. I think she just finds it very hard work and would prefer to do other things.

It is hard because I am very aware that school expect them to read and record what they are reading so I want her to do it and to keep practicing but equally I don't want to force her when I know very well that I can go for ages without reading a book and then read 10 books in a few weeks.

[Comingfoccacia]

Thanks for great ideas. mrs mortis I do all the things you mentioned, she does love to provide the answers by reading. She gets a good mix of fiction and non fiction plus I am often banging on about a great book/writer. I will let her get to it in her own time but i just hope she sees reading as more than a chore!

[RiversideMum]

My daughter stopped "reading for pleasure" in the middle years of junior school and it has not affected her achievement.

[ladybird69]

I found reading the same book as my son was the answer then we could chat about it/discuss it and make it a more sociable past time too.

[mrz]

Sadly you can't guarantee good readers will enjoy reading for pleasure

[Hulababy]

DD was always a good reader and for the frtst couple of years she read loads. Then there was a big lull - she didn't want to read for pleasure at all, just her school books. Me and her dad both read every day for pleasure.

A little later the interest upped again, though not massively, for a bit when she discovered books like Wimpy Kid. And then dropped for another while.

However, then aged 11y she discovered a new book to her and read it - and it all kicked off again, and now she reads for a couple of hours almost every day and sometimes much more.

I do think these things are often cyclical and its often dependent on whether there are books that are interesting to them. And at some levels there is a bit of a gap.

But again, there are just some people who aren't interested. One of DD's best friends never reads for pleasure. She just ins't interested in reading. She's a bright girl and reads when she has to for school, etc. but never out of choice.

[starlight1234]

My DS year 3 went through this phase over hols. I let him look at latest books in asda then went and ordered them from library.

I have also gone back to reading the start of a chapter then let him read on. Other things he goes to bed but is allowed to stay in bed with light on reading so it feels like a treat.

We read a series of books called boys rule.. they were plays with two boys i read one..Ds read the other.. I believe there is another version called Girls rock.