To read or not to read

[Sonnet]

I would really welcome your views - and in particular if there are any ks2 English Teachers who could give me the benefit of their opinion.

Dd2 is a reluctant reader in that she can read but does not enjoy it. Her English Teacher - one who I hold in high esteem (my other DC have enjoyed his lessons and done well with)has said that in order to fulfill her potential she needs to read far more and read more widely. I am concerned it is becoming a battle and a battle which I definatly am not going to have. She will read fairly willingly the following:
Diary of a wimpy kid, Dork Diaries, W.I.T.C.H, Sisters Grimm and Sisters 8. Her English teacher on the other hand says she should not be reading these books but "better literiture". I understand (and in fact agree) with his view BUT I want DD2 to read willingly first of all.

so... is it better she reads these books avidly or I labouriously plod away at 15 pages a day of a "better" book and put her off??

Is she just reluctant to read aloud, or does she not enjoy reading at all?

Personally, I would prefer her to read something than nothing. Try to find out from her what it is about these books that she likes, and then perhaps try to find some better books on a similar theme. Expanding the range of genres she reads will really help her writing and comprehension, so if there is any way you can persuade her to try something different...

Did she ever struggle with the mechanics of reading, which may have put her off a bit early on?

There are some great books out there for KS2 - would she enjoy a trip to Waterstones (other bookshops are available!!) to choose a book specially?

Hi Vanillacandle,
Thank you for responding. She actualy loves reading aloud - but not idependently. We have done the whole choosing books thing but it is the actual reading she dosn't enjoy.

The odd thing is she never struggled with the mechanics of reading at all - was an early reader

My strategy, I think, will be to let her read what she wants until easter and then review - good idea or not??

It's better that they read something than nothing, imo. @ of my boys wouldn't read anything but comics when they were younger, now they are avid readers of all sorts of books, although few of them would count as literature.

As far as I am concerned, any reading is good because it all helps develop language skills. Why force the issue and put a child off for life?

I like that stressedHEmum - my thoughts exactly

Just now have to let old school english teacher know what I am doing so that he dosn't tell DD2 not to read those books!

Hi Sonnet

Yes, I agree that you must absolutely not put her off reading. If she prefers modern fiction to old classics, that's fine! Again though, I would maybe gently try to encourage her away from the more comic book style. What does she think of Jacqueline Wilson, or Meg Cabot?

I'd agree wiht the others - far better that she gets into the habit of reading. This way, even if she's reading trashy mags, it will become an ingrained habit and her literacy skills WILL improve. Also, she may well graduate onto more "challenging" material in time, once she senses all the emotional pressure is off. You can't force someone into a book, though it's sad not to be able to share a love of reading. I speak as someone who goes from Shakespeare to Heat magazine, and just about everything in between.

Something else you can try is reading the more challenging fiction out loud to her as a treat - something well written with a good plot like e.g. The ghost of Thomas keep by Penelope lively or frozen in time - last year's blue Peter prize winner - can't remember the author. I bet you will find her begging for more chapters and maybe occasionally you could tell her you don't mind if she reads ahead and you will catch up later. My daughter is 11 and I still regularly read out loud to her, just because we both enjoy it. Sometimes she takes on the "first person" parts of the narrative and gives all the characters different accents for a laugh.

It's Thomas kempe not Thomas keep - this auto-correct function drives me bananas.

Why don't you try audio books. My DS's teacher was happy for him to listen to audio stories as he was still accessing literature.

Our local library has audio books that can be downloaded for free now.

I would never battle with a child over reading. To me it's one of life's great pleasures and that's what I try and get across to my dc. I would take her to libraries and bookshops, let her read what she likes, buy her "better" books too and leave them around, read bits of them to her, but just encourage the activity of reading for pleasure.

Thank you for all your advice - much appreciated.

She has finshed the Dork Diaries this weekend and is, as I speak, perusing the bookshelves. She has just pulled out Pollyanna - but whilst I don't want to discourage her I fear it will be another she stops reading one third in!

I will let you know how we gat on over the next few weeks - thanks again

When I look back on the things I read at that age, I was very picky, very obsessed with my own narrow little comfort range and read and re-read over and over again, frequently giving up on a book. Eventually I went on to do English at Oxford so it didn't really do me any harm (though I did meet there loads of people who had had a solid diet of classic children's literature, then started reading classics age 11 and they were at a huge advantage for it).

My parents went on and on about how I had to branch out and read better things than the stuff I was reading at the time and it was very counterproductive. It made me feel judged - I thought Malory Towers was the greatest thing since sliced bread after all.

I had a shelf full of books in my room I'd never dream of reading, but eventually discovered they were quite good and worth reading. Shortly after that we did Jane Eyre at school for a set book (Yr 8 I think) and I was away.

So, buy her lots of books, praise her and encourage her with the reading she does do and let her be independent with it. Reading a third of a book is good (and one wet day she might decide to finish it)

I was very preoccupied with impressing my mother with my reading material as a teenager. I think certain kinds of young girls are quite prone to do this. I well remember struggling through hateful black- spined penguins by the likes of gogol and Dostoyevsky, thinking it would earn me praise and attention. I can even remember ceremonially abandoning Bertram russell's problems in philosophy in a telephone kiosk because it was so difficult and then going back for it because I felt so guilty. Relaxation was not something I associated with fiction in my teens (although I occasionally managed surreptitious sneaks at my sister's collection of jilly Cooper's - Octavia, etc (who remembers those!?). Now with my own children, both bright high achieving girls, I am really keen for them to feel that I accept them no matter what they decide to read. I think we need to be very careful with the messages we send to children about the behaviour we reward and value.

I have just come back to this thread to update you all.
I have read both the posts I missed with a great deal of interest - thank you
mrsgboring - I too was similar - Enid Blyton all the way for me. I did A level Eng so it cannot have been too bad for me!!

cymruoddicatref - I will be very careful not to do that

I have decided after all this lovely advice - thank you - to let her read what she wants to read. I am reading with her on a daily basis too and have unearthed some audio stories and invested in some more.

She has read "My Totally Sectret Diary" in less than a week. She started the Penderwicks but has abandoned 18 pages in. She picked of her own accord a book of short stories by Alison Uttley - and so far seems to be getting on with it OK.

I will read the Penderwicks to her - I think because she reads a couple of pages at a sitting she is not getting "into2 the story and then regecting it as boring. We had a similar experience with "The Dragonfly Pool" but she was enthusiastic about the audio version.

Thank you again for all your wonderful advice

I don't know if you really need any more advice - but anyway, I'll recommend poetry. As she seems to like reading for the story and gets tired out wading through a long book to get to the end, perhaps poetry could give her a chance to enjoy reading for the fun of the language. I think you need both these things to enjoy 'real' literature.

Even Shakespeare is really accessible for kids, especially treated as a kind of linguistic treasure-hunt - giving your daughter the chance to feel really clever and build confidence...

I'd let her be until way after Easter IIWY. Just be pleased she's reading. She'll probably grow out of a lot of stuff seh's reading just now anyway. Until then I'd let her enjoy having her head in a book.

I cane back to thank you all for your advice and update you (if interested!)

Thank you allypall - she does love poetry so will do that.

She picked up Ballet Shoes of her own accord and has read it over the course of a fortnight. she says she has enjoyed it but it has still been a chore - ie she has read it because she has too rather than through choice. Maybe I am expecting miracles though!!

So all was going well until last Friday when she brought home a reading list given to her by her teacher - None of which she fancies.....

I'd love to know what is on his list! Reckon my child would totally respond to a list from his teacher... rather than anything from boring old nagging mum.

BBC Audio books are on sale at Amazon at the moment. I do agree with whoever said they are a brilliant way to surround them with literature without having to read it. Mine have a stereo in their rooms and go to bed each night with a story CD.