Anyone finding reading hard with their child?

[BoyMummyCambs]

Im really struggling with getting my son to read at home, school saying we need to do more.
Anyone used an App to help their child read a book?

What age is your son OP?

What age?

there may be a place for apps but not to replace books! Use the school reading books but also wide range of books, fiction and non fiction, to foster a love of reading in general.

How old? My DS is going through a phase of being silly when reading or claiming he can't the words (he can, he literally says 'I can't read the word 'always''). I think it's just a phase so I roll my eyes. I figure if I push it too much, it risks turning him off reading.

He does quite like it when I put subtitles on TV though.

If he is being sent home with those dull Biff and Chip books then he won't be interested because they are VERY dull.
Get fact books of whatever he is into?
Big Book of Tractors
1001 Facts about Dogs
Encyclopedia of Marvel Characters
etc
Sit together and read them.

Bribery, read the book, get a sweet.
One of mine loves pretending to be the teacher, so I sit on the floor and they read me the story, or I read it and get words wrong. Sometimes we read a word each, sometimes we try and read at the same time.

If you make it a battle, it won’t work.

You can get “first reader” books from Amazon on various themes (Thomas/Paw Patrol etc) they’re not ideal for adhering to a scheme but they might engage a reluctant child.

One of mine is a gifted natural reader way ahead of their age and the other has a language delay and dyslexia and is behind for their age so both needed different approaches.

Also lots of applied knowledge during the day so they are reading words but don’t know it!

Read to him whenever possible, if he is old enough buy some interesting chapter books that capture his imagination. Don't make reading a chore. Please don't bribe him to read. There is a lack of developing an intrinsic motivation in school and parents have a lot more control over this at home. They will get there if you read to them - they are never too old for this (I'm an adult and I love listening to an audiobook). Have a look at five minute mum on Instagram with ideas about developing no pressure approaches to English skills.

If he's a reluctant reader you need to ask him why. First, how old is he? Is it the type of book? The topic?

Reading is an everyday skill needed to access so much in our world. It isn't just about fiction books. I would always look to read anything and everything - it can be as simple as helping to read a recipe whilst you cook together. Reading instructions on a game. How to look after a pet. A funny comic. Guinness book of records (the boys love these at primary, reading it together and showing me the bits they like the most). Football annuals incl ones from a favourite team they support. But what it needs to be is enjoyable otherwise it just becomes a chore he will try and avoid at all costs.

Be aware of the possibility of dyslexia. Is his reluctance to engage in reading unexpected? Does he inexplicably sometimes struggle to read even simple words which he's read before? If you find yourself thinking 'why can't you read that??' because it just doesn't make sense that he can't, then see that as a red flag. (When my DD was diagnosed, a lot of frustrating experiences suddenly made sense!)

@BraMaHaLas has great suggestions on how to use their connection to you in order to encourage them to read (taking it in turns, making it a game). Their desire to do fun stuff with you is your most powerful tool.

Keep reading to him - a love of stories is what will drive him to overcome the difficulty of reading. Try all sorts to find whatever books he likes: comedy books, magazines, lots of pictures, Minecraft stories. Any reading is good reading and the aim is to find something (anything) appealing enough to be worth the effort to him.

Hi OP. Reading has been a minefield for my DD.
With my DS it came so naturally to him and he was a bookworm but DD hated it.
It turns out she is dyslexic. Things that have really helped us.,,
Bribery.
Sod the books she was given at school (that she hated). Just read whatever they fancy.
The Beano
It has been a positive realisation that some kids just arent that into reading at the moment. She can now read beautifully (she's 8) but would never pick up a book by herself. That's just how she is at the moment. It might change in the future.
Beware and just ignore the smug parents who show off about their bookworm kids who wake up early just to finish their book etc. I have a child of each kind and I can verify that you can treat them exactly the same and some kids just take to books and some don't.
Gentle encouragement is key and all you can do. Don't force.

Please don’t use screens as a substitute for books.

How much do you read to him? Do you have really exciting books? Have you tried something different like comics? Mine used to love the Beano.

Read to him instead. The Head at my son's primary school said if we couldn't get him to read, to just make sure we read to him instead. So we did. We read to him every night. He never got on with phonics for some reason, but he did learn to read and now he's 11 and his reading ability is just where it should be. He much prefers reading comics and graphic novels, but that's fine.

If we'd turned reading into a battle he would have switched off completely so I'm glad we got the advice we did. I also highly recommend comics. The Phoenix magazine is amazing, best thing we ever subscribed too. Also books like Captain Underpants, Dogman and Cat Kid, Looshkin and Bunny Vs Monkey. Engaging, funny and fostered a love of reading in my son.

Dont replace a book with a screen. There are apps like Reading Eggs which are a fun game if he already has screen time but don't replace actual time with printed media. Oxford Owl is free and has all of their reading schemes available as an reader but you can't track with your finger as it moves the page along.

Break the cycle. Make reading a pleasurable experience. Make both of you a hot drink (perhaps cold now the weather's warming up) and a couple of biscuits. Cuddle up and read to him whilst he has his drink / biscuits and then when he is finished he reads to you so you can have yours.

Even if you don't get to the stage where he reads to you phonological knowledge is built almost as quickly via modeling reading skills as it is by doing it himself as does vocabulary development

Ensure he sees you and other adults around him reading actual books, being on an reader just looks like another screen. It needs to be the norm and what he sees all the time. Read him exciting books so that he is encouraged to do so independently. Continue reading to him till the end of Primary and into Secondary of you can, DD and I then moved to reading the same book and having discussions about it like a mini book club.

What time of day do you do the reading?
My DD got on better reading in the mornings before school when she was fresh.

Assuming your child is primary school age then you need to read to them daily, picture books or comics or short chapter books that are entertaining/gripping. Make it fun, discuss the pictures, do daft voices. You read to him books that are harder than the ones he is being sent home with from school so his vocabulary is building up.

Most of the school scheme books are boring. You may not end up with an avid reader but a little bribery does go a long way. Shall we snuggle on the sofa with a hot chocolate while you do your reading?

I'm a teacher and I couldn't get my dd into reading until,she started reading the Beano and from there she started reading other comics and comic like books like the Treehouse series.

She's doing A level English literature now which I wouldn't have seen coming when she was at primary school.

A lot of boys seem to gravitate towards non fiction.