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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

6 year old DD says she hates reading

22 replies

Anenome · 03/10/2010 22:41

She's just started year 2...I'm so worried about that statement. Her reading age has been put at around 8 years old but she HATES to read for me and her teacher with a passion.

When I try to get her to read for me she will whisper, grunt or read in an uninteligable voice...so I could never judge which words she was reading correctly or not...her teacher says she reads very slowly for her on some days but fine on others...in the last few days I have managed to get her to read ok for me...rather bizarrely... by making it into a game show! She will read very well....more than able if I assume the role of a gameshow host and make her laugh.

But why? Why won't she jst read the bloody books!? She is slowing her progress with this boredom...her school do the Reading 360 books...I have spoken to her teacher who thinks DD is simply young....she was Summer born...and hasn't yet learned to discipline herself....they rewarded her last week beause she tried so hard to stay interested...but surely it should not be hard to interest a bright kid in reading? She reads with her teacher evey day as do all her class...there's only 10 in the class.

Please can you advise me as I am sad about her saying she hates reading.

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emkana · 03/10/2010 22:43

What about reading in her head, does she like that?

MissDolittle · 03/10/2010 22:48

Does she hate stories when you read to her?

Maybe she is just sick of having to perform all the time. She might assaciate reading with being judged. I think I would either stop making her read altogether for a while or read easy but good stuff together, like funny poems. Joke books and riddles are good as if they read something funny in 15 seconds and they laugh then they want to repeat the experience and will read the next one.

Original poster

Anenome · 03/10/2010 22:55

I see her reading in bed emkana...stuff she chooses form her own shelf...she likes me o read to her too though. I think the stories she is given arevery boring to her...age and ability appropriate but boring!

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BlueHair · 03/10/2010 23:13

I think this "she was Summer born...and hasn't yet learned to discipline herself" is an odd thing to say....reading is about stories - all children enjoy stories not just mature diciplined ones!!!

Let her choose her own books at home - pull out some picture books they are often very well written especially for reading aloud. If you want her to read to you aloud set a timer so that she reads to you for 5-10mins and then continues on into herself.

Lastly if possible don't push and don't try to extend - let her take the lead.

Original poster

Anenome · 03/10/2010 23:33

I always allow her to choose at home....but I can't choose what school gives her can I? She's at a private school and they are pushy...homework and reading nightly.

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BlueHair · 03/10/2010 23:53

I think they are on the wrong track...many schools seem to value the skill over the pleasure.

Both my children enjoy reading enormously but only one will happily read aloud so I limit it to once or twice a week and let her choose the book. I also read to them and we discuss the story as we go along.

Pushy primaries are a very depressing concept, I have just pulled my children out of one. Maybe it's the hippy side of me coming out but I feel primary school should be time to develop a life long love of learning rather than put them off it for life.
Highly skilled but disillusioned doesn't sound like an ideal result.

PrairieOyster · 04/10/2010 00:01

I think that you have to encourage a love of books, and that may mean you reading to her more often than not. But if she is 6 years old with a reading age of 8 years then I don't think that you have too much to worry about.

werewolf · 04/10/2010 00:08

I'd just back off and let her read her own books at home. If her reading age is 2 years above, she's not exactly failing at the moment, so you could afford to coast for a little while.

Original poster

Anenome · 04/10/2010 09:31

BlueHair She's at a very academic school...their policy is to ensure all kids are at least one year ahead in all subjects by the time SATS come around....I think if any child shows some ability then they're really pushed.

She is very happy there though...I can't just leave it....she and all her class are expected to read nightly.

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BlueHair · 04/10/2010 10:37

I guess that's the downside of a pushy academic school.

I'm currently training for a race - the race provides motivation for me to run more often and train harder but the pressure makes me enjoy running less, I know when I've run the race my love of running will return because I'll go back to running for pleasure rather feeling under pressure to train for the race. I see the two things as pretty similar and I wouldn't want my children to feel their academic life was one long race, time enough for that in secondary school. I don't see you have much of an option other than to move your child to a less pushy school.

Original poster

Anenome · 04/10/2010 11:05

I think it's a bit early days to move her...I mean if the school is gret in every other aspect then why bother? She will onl come againt some other difficulty...no school is perfect is it?

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seeker · 04/10/2010 11:13

You can leave it, you know. Say "I am not going to ask my dd to read aloud at home for 3 months. I will make sure she spends 15 minutes a day reading to herself, and I am happy for you to get her to read to you in class, but I am not going to make an issue out of this at home."

Then just do it. Provide her with loads of books of all sorts, make sure she sits witht hem for the 15 minuts a day - set the timer if you like - and see what happens. I am prepared to bet that in 3 months things will be different. Don't be bullied by the school - one size does not fit all.

whispers

Checkmate · 04/10/2010 11:14

Why is a pushy, academic school, got y2' good readers still on reading schemes though?

My kids are at independent schools, which are academic, though also very nurturing. DS2 is in y2, they haven't told us his reading age, but I know he's pretty good but not amazing. He chooses his own reading books (Mr Majeika at the moment) to read to his teacher and us. Its only those who are weaker readers still on reading schemes, they get them off them ASAP as they are so boring.

I'd make a deal with your daughter; if she reads you 2 pages (or whatever the minimum you can get away with is) of the boring book, then you can read together afterwards, something of her choice. Try doing a page each, or reading different characters words, of the book she chooses. Buy/borrow whatever you need to get her interested, even if its the dreaded rainbow magic!

DD1 doesn't like reading her school books aloud, but this is because she loves reading in her head and finds it too slow. So we do something similar; she only has to read me 2 pages, but if she reads them very well (loads of expression) then she can finish the chapter "in her head" and I sign the reading record that she's read the whole thing aloud.

seeker · 04/10/2010 11:15

Ad she'd be the year ahread in reading by May even if she makes no progress between now and then, so there is no need to worry at all!

seeker · 04/10/2010 11:17

Actually, checkmate - that's a good point. My ds was a free reader in year 2 at a bog standard, satisfactory state primary.

I think you need to ask a few questions, Anemone.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 04/10/2010 11:17

Same as checkmate. Our DD adores reading but loathes reading aloud apparantly 'it slows me down'. IIWY, OP, I would suspend reading it out loud and let her get on with reading for pleasure.

ColdComfortFarm · 04/10/2010 11:20

What is the obsession with making children read out loud? Your daughter can read, so let her read for HERSELF, not for you or her teacher. I binned reading out loud the minute my kids could read reasonably fluently, and frankly, didn't do much of it before then either. I don't see reading a a performance skill for children. Let her read for fun. No decent school would want to put her off books altogether.

Checkmate · 04/10/2010 11:20

I also want to point out then when DD1 was in pre-prep, there was so much angst from parents (inculding me) about reading age/reading book/etc..
They're all now y4, all independent readers, getting at least 2 chapter books a week from the library and enjoying them. All the angst was so pointless...

MissDolittle · 04/10/2010 11:21

Stick up for her. The school cannot make you make her read a dull as shit book out loud every night when she hates it and it is counterproductive. They will not call the police or expell her. If in 3 months she still hates books and her reading age has gone backwards then you can review but in all likelyhood she will be happier and a better reader.

Elibean · 04/10/2010 11:39

SEveral of the best readers in dd's class (just started Y2) are doing exactly teh same thing, Anenome. dd has done it briefly too - I think for her it was just a way of taking back a feeling of control at the start of a more demanding, structured year! She's settled down now, and is happier reading.

I would back off for a few weeks, personally...let her read in her head, or just read funny books. The gameshow is a good idea, I like that (and will steal ). If kids feel under pressure, refusing to read is one way they can resist it - and being summer born probably doesn't help, though some of the kids I read with in dd's class are older ones.

DreamTeamGirl · 04/10/2010 12:23

I tend to agree with the others Anenome
If she can read just not out loud then let her get on with it, on the proviso that if she finds a word she cant fathom out she comes and asks you for help
The 15 minute timer sounds like a really good idea too
Silly to ruin reading for her for no real reason isnt it?

Original poster

Anenome · 04/10/2010 13:07

I see what you're all saying re. why are she and others like her still on schemes...I think the school has it's "way" and sticks ridgidly to it....I think I will try letting her read to herself for now...just give her a break. At the end of term I will speak to her teacher about fining her more interesting books....seems silly to stick to schemes.

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