What do you do if they don't want to read their book?

[julybutterfly]

DS is 5. He's nearing the end of the book scheme at school and is desperate to be a free reader so he can choose what he reads instead of having to read what school give him. Yesterday he brought home a playscript and he's refusing to read it even after I offered to be 5 of the cast list if he chose 1!

So, do I tell him it's his homework and he has to read it? Or should I just write in his diary that he wasn't interested in it and hasn't read it? I don't want him to think he can get away with not doing homework by just saying he doesn't want to do it, but I don't want to put him off reading!

Personally, I wouldn't make him do it, especially if this is a one-off. I'd just let him choose something else to read instead, and write in his book that that's what you have done.

If this happens on a regular basis, however, I think I'd have a word with the teacher about what might be putting him off.

I often had this problem, but DD's teacher was very accommodating and said that she could read one of her own books. She was happy as long as she was reading something.

If he is near the end of the book scheme at 5 he must be a pretty competent reader. I would just write a note in his book that he didn't want to read that but that he read XYZ instead.

He is starting to get bored with the school books which is why he wants to free read. He reads his own/library books at home anyway so maybe I should let them know that. I guess they just need to know he's reading something like you said bunbaker

One other possibility is that play scripts are deliberately included so children read texts other than stories. Is it the form or the content that he dislikes? Maybe he could try playscript with different content?

And if the teacher is readily accessible, ask. Ours never minded deviations into non-scheme books as long as the DCs were Reading and did enough of the scheme for them to check progress.

It's the form he doesn't like. He wont even consider trying it! I did write in his reading diary that he prefers non fiction at the moment but that comment was either not seen or ignored - I guess he needs to read all the books on the band he's on??

As for the teacher being readily accessible, I could speak to her after school so far she hasn't seemed very parent friendly. She doesn't give eye contact which makes her difficult to talk to! I will have a word though

Agree with Onimolap that the playscripts might be there for a purpose, in which case what I originally said wouldn't be so.

None of mine find the school reading scheme books particularly exciting TBH, they just tend to trudge through them through a sense of duty and then go back to reading something that they actually like.

DS1 (who is in yr3) prefers non fiction too, but it is still important that he sees a range of texts. As I say, he just reads the school reading scheme book out of a sense of duty and then goes back to Horrible Histories.

personally I make mine read it...I know it's hard...I think it's impotant not to baby too much about reading. Sometimes reading things we find boring is part of life...I reward heavily if she is really not into it. My DD is 6.

I can't really imagine how I would 'make' dd read a book! I have had this problem too - quite often. I talked to her new yr 1 teacher and asked if we could occaisionally return a book to be changed if I really couldn't persuade (or bribe...) dd to read it - on the understanding that I would try my best and this would not be a regular thing.

But now I have a new confusion in that it seems they are required to have read it more than once in order to change it - fat chance of that!

Teacher has also agreed that she can do books from home - but I am actually quite keen for her to work through the reading scheme as I do think it is helping both her ability and confidence. Teacher also said she would try to find some dd-friendly choices (not many fairy books to be had, sadly).

So no I don't make her do it but I have been known to bribe with chocolate - which I am keen to discontinue. I prefer to tell her that the reward will be that she will get better and enjoy reading more. I have occaisionally, last year in reception, written that she refused point blank. I am still negotiating with the teacher - but she seems friendly and willing. Teacher is thinking of showing her the free readers as an incentive - I estimate that we are at least 6 months off that level really though (especially at this rate of reading ).

I think if prep is set, it's completed unless the child is ill, unable to do it or there is a really good reason.

If he's keen to read his choice of book, that's great. You just go to the library or bookshop and help him choose, then he does his prep and he reads his free choice afterwards.

Unless you think the prep set is unreasonable, I think you should encourage your DS to compelete it. He must come out of school between 3-3.30, he then has about 4 hours until bed (at least) I would have thought it's not too bad to read or share some reading for 15 minutes.

I think that reading scheme books are generally dire and never made my two read them. dd chose to read them because she loved to please her teachers but there is absolutely no way that I could ever have got ds to read them. At that age he absolutely hated reading (he is dyslexic and was taught just before the phonic approach was mandated so struggled for many years) and it would have been very counterproductive to attempt to force him. So we just made sure that we read to them a lot, used lots of story CDs and when they were old enough to enjoy reading set aside time for them to do so (the only rule was that they had to read somethign new).

Now at 10 and 11 they are both avid readers.

I don't think that 5 year olds should have homework at all.