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AIBU?

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AIBU to think Sparx Reader homework is putting my son off reading?

55 replies

AnonMama87 · 20/09/2026 19:39

To think Sparx reader is so awful?!! I can't bring myself to insist DS13 do this homework, it's a joke! Over the summer he has read actual books, mostly dystopian novels or fantasy, some young adult some adult, but now he's back at school (y9) he's having to choose from a very narrow list of books which he has to read on his phone screen and answer questions on every other paragraph to prove he's reading.. It's putting him off reading and he's choosing the easiest quickest "books" to get them over with, and it's just frustrating us both. But if he doesn't do it he gets a break time detention apparently.

What would you do?

OP posts:
Lights33 · 21/09/2026 22:01

YANBU! It’s absolute shit and there is precisely zero evidence of any meaningful benefits (ditto much of the crap EdTech so beloved by schools atm). It has completely put my child off reading - the only thing the ridiculous level of screen use demanded by secondary school has given her is a need for glasses 🙁

CocoPops39616 · 21/09/2026 22:03

It’s awful, sucks the joy out of reading.

whereareyousleep · 21/09/2026 22:51

It’s awful my ds is year 9 has a reading age of 17+ but is also dyslexic so it would take him hours to do the same as someone who isn’t dyslexic. The school after lots of pestering have put the amount he has to do down but the books are terrible. I now do it for him while he sits and reads a proper book (currently reading the hobbit) as I see it as absolutely pointless. He also gets 2 hours each of maths and science. Then there supposed to do another 4 hours of independent learning so 10 hours per week. I think it’s too much!

Rituelec · 22/09/2026 20:53

Sparx reader is dire. Its actually put my daughter off books :(

RunningKatie · 22/09/2026 20:59

Totally agree that it is awful, my dc earnt the gold reader pass last year so they could free read. That has been removed apparently so they can't even get to that point.
He's so fed up and demotivated with it.

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