Reading and boys

[Jch]

Both our sons had problems getting started reading, despite us have books floor to ceiling and wall to wall in the bedrooms and various other shelves.

What started them properly was computer adventure gaming where they had to read the screen to play. This was followed by reading the instructions on how to play and score in Warhammer games when they went to the Games Workshop.

The eldest never looked back and will read almost everything. The youngest? Well, we are hopeful that he will read other things eventually, but with dyslexia and the effort he has to put in to read anything...we are not pushing it.

Jch, yes, I can echo your experience. When my 7-year old son is immersed in playing a Pokemon card game, poring over a Pokemon collectors book or playing games on his gameboy, my many reservations about the desirability of these pastimes is counterbalanced by the fact that he is reading,concentrating and thoroughly enjoying himself.

His reading age is well in advance of his real age, so whatever he does, these games havn't had a bad effect. Coincidently, his reading ability rapidly progressed around the age of 6 - the same time he became interested in gameboys and Pokemon.

His father reads a lot at home and he was read to a lot, especially as a pre schooler, so this may account for his progress - in the end who knows?

Going on my own school experience, I was called a 'slow developer' by my primary teachers and caught up, without special effort or teaching, when I was about 9 years old. I suddenly wanted to see if I could do as well as the class clever clogs, for some forgotten reason. My reading progress speeded up overnight.

Yes, your're right about Pokemon although it's about nothing but fighting. My 6 year old had to learn all the names, he would sound out a few letters at a time before he got it right. He also plays a Pokemon Game Boy game which he has to read as he goes along too and make up fictitious names to put in. He loves Robot Wars too and has the magazine each month and was keen to read to see what was happening in the 'stories'.

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