To make him read the book again?

[IsotopeMe]

Ds has a book from school that he whizzed through. The teacher was surprised at his speed and set him a comprehension exercise.

He has completed the exercise today but there is no set due date as such.

On further questioning, the comprehension exercise, which is very easy, was completed using only the first start of the story. When we told him he needed more detail to flesh it out a bit , it transpires that he has 'forgotten' the rest of the story.

I then read up a summary of the book, and asked him questions about various important events in the book, such as how did x escape? Who helped him? Etc Ds was unable to answer any of them.

So, whilst I believe that he has read the book, I don't think he has comprehended the story at all. Dh and I asked him to write out a book report template to show his understanding and he can't complete even the easiest of questions about the plot.

So, we have two options...

One, let him hand in the comprehension exercise to the teacher, and he has completed it to a level wher she will think that he has understood the story even though he hasn't.

Or two, we can make him reread it,complete the book report to show his understanding, hand the comprehension report in,with us , him and the teacher all knowing he can has understood the book.

However the suggestion has been jet with tears and tantrums. Are we being unreasonably pushy parents?

[Dawndonnaagain]

Tbh, I think you're doing the right thing. You'll just have to work through the tears and tantrums. Perhaps offer him a hand with it?

[EverybodysStressyEyed]

I would assume the teacher suspects he hasn't read it properly and will notice the same as you.

Does he want to have the conversation with the teacher instead?

[YouTheCat]

How old is he and how long is the book?

[Longtalljosie]

You are doing the right thing. It's possible to speed read to the extent that not much of it goes in. You need to nip this in the bud before it affects his studies.

Since you've told him to re-read it, I'd stick to your guns. However, if I were you I would also tell the teacher you think his eyes are faster at the act of reading than his brain is at keeping up, and that he might need encouragement to go slow (take breaks and think about chapters?) so he doesn't slip up

[kinkyfuckery]

Can you have him read it aloud to you, or read it aloud together? I wonder if he slowed down a bit he may take a little more in?

[kali110]

Yanbu.i honestly doubt he has read it if he cant answer any actual questions. Maybe hes angry hes going to have to read it?
If he really has and hasnt grasped it then he needs to do it again.
Is he having any trouble reading the book?could that be the readon for not grasping or skimming the book?

[Crowler]

How old is he? I would not force, for example, my 7 year old to read a book over again because he's not a huge reader and I take what I can get- I wouldn't want to put him off.

My (almost) 11 year old I would.

[IsotopeMe]

It is a Michael morpurgo book. He has stated before he does not like this author and the teacher knows this but is trying to persuade him to give the books another go.

If we question him on even the most random minute details of a book he enjoys, such as Harry potter, he will know the answers. So he is more than capable of understanding books at that level.

It is just that he has a mind block against mm books. Completely. W hav e tried explaining that it is not wether he likes the book or not,but the skill of understanding and extracting relevant facts that we/the teacher are trying to teach him.

I have agreed that we will sit down tomorrow together and read it and go through the 'story mountain' and pin point events.

I just feel like I am pushing him too much. He said it is in his 'red zone'. But equally I know he is capable and I am not willing to let him skim over work with the easiest of effort just to get it done.

[IsotopeMe]

Sorry for typos.

And no, he wouldn't want to have the conversation with the teacher. Tbh, I don't think she would let him either! She seems to have 'got' him in a way last years teacher didn't. Last year, as long as he did the work, even putting in the minimum effort, she ignored him. This year, the teacher doesn't let him weasel his way out of things and double talk her into confusion and let him argue with her. She doesn't take any bullshit!

[IsotopeMe]

Apologies again, he is almost eight, but a very good reader. (Suspected aspergers)

[EugenesAxe]

Well... no. Pushy parents to me is about shoehorning your DC into a mould they completely don't fit, for your own benefit.

Your DS hasn't done the homework - that's all. It's perfectly reasonable to make him do it again! I feel reading is called reading, not 'looking at words', for a reason. He's either been cocky and done a rush job, or it's something he finds difficult. Either way redoing it will help him.

Perhaps (in case it's the second) you could talk to him about why he doesn't want to do it, in case he's embarrassed to speak up about a problem that makes him hate the kind of work.

[Crowler]

I have a kind of almost 8 year old and I wouldn't force him to re-read it, but I have a really hard time getting him to read for fun.

[Alohomora]

Well, Michael Morpurgo books are grim - part of my job is to encourage children to read and while some like him a lot of them don't. Of course it's important for children to learn to read texts they don't like but if the rationale of the teacher is just that she likes Morpurgo and thinks he should, too.... well, that's not much of an argument.

I think the option of you helping him and making the book a bit more fun/interesting for him is a good compromise.

[kali110]

Think you are doing the right thing op. he may not like the author but in next few years there may be a lot of things he doesnt want to read.

[quoteunquote]

Get it on audio he may not be absorbing information from the page.

Just because he reads it, doesn't mean he processes it, some people need to hear it.

[MrsCakesPremonition]

Even I can't finish a Michael Morpurgo book, they are tedious and grim.
TBH - if this is the first time you've suspected him of not reading a book, then I'd let it go and leave the teacher to deal with it as they see fit. I'd keep my fingers crossed that it was a one-off mismatch between child and book.
However, I'd let him know that you aren't impressed and that you won't be so tolerant if it happens again.

[veryconfusedatthemoment]

Does he have to read that book or could he read another (perhaps one that he has not read before) and do the comprehension exercise on that.

Good point from PP about audio. My Ds (just 8) is a very, very poor reader due to dyslexia and audio has been very helpful for letting him "join" in the class discussion on eg harry potter which otherwise he would not have got.

[K8Middleton]

I think forcing a child to read a book they dislike is counter productive. Can you find a book he would like and get him to read that instead and then discuss it to check his comprehension?

I think that's a better solution that pushing all the extra work when he probably feels he's already done his bit by doing the homework.

[Monty27]

Make him do a paragraph each of the start, the middle and the end.

He should do homework as he's asked.

No wonder he doesn't want to speak to the teacher, and don't let him fob you off either. So make him read it again and deliver what he has been asked to.

In a nice way of course. And then applaud his efforts.

[garlicbaguette]

DS has my sympathy! Anne of Green Gables was my "Morepurghoh" at his age - I don't like his books, either. Everybody thought I should love the silly girl and her unexciting escapades. I really, really didn't love her. If she'd been moodily swinging at a playground near me, I'd have pushed her off!

What this did for me, as it will for DS, was teach me how to read a book critically ... very early stages, of course, and it's never too soon to start learning this. Instead of AoGG being a story I could get lost in - fantasy; entertainment - it was my introduction to the art of reading a book for the information in it. As well as the plot summary and key events, I was asked to do questions about the story structure and why the author chose to tell it the way she did: something I'd never considered until then.

I've still got no time for Anodyne Anne, but she set me on a valuable road

[ClayDavis]

How did he come to have a book by an author he doesn't like? Is it a class book that they are studying together or is it a book brought home for reading. If it's the former then yes make him reread it, if its the latter I wouldn't bother.

If you genuinely are looking for the reading skills just move on to another book and develop them through that. If this is supposed to make him give MM another chance it's a very odd way of doing it. It's probably more likely to put him off ever reading another MM book.

[Monty27]

I thought it was a book the whole class were reading and had been assigned the homework. Perhaps I'm wrong.

I loved Anne of Green Gables, Heidi and the Railway Children. :)

later on George Orwell, Thomas Hardy

I think it's just being taught reading skills. I read stuff all day at work that bores me silly but then I have to write about it. And I never read for pleasure any more :(

[ClayDavis]

I was assuming reading book but could be wrong. If it's a set book and they're doing more work on it, he'll have to reread it to do the work. If not, just leave it and find something else. Plenty of time in the rest of his school career and adult life to read stuff he's not interested in, no need to start at 7 unless it's absolutely necessary.

[Monty27]

Clay yes, depends whether ds picked it or was given it.

I was made to do certain books, but ended up loving them, just being taught why they were written that way floated my boat, as with poety. But then I like literature, but not all of it, it has to be said.

But if ds picked the book and committed to the homework then he should do it.

That'll learn him

[ClayDavis]

I was quite the opposite. I love to read and will read most things but have gone off books I'd previously liked after having to study them at school.

I get the feeling the homework on the OP's DS's book came after people had decided he hadn't read it properly not when he chose (or didn't choose) the book.