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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

Do other children seem to read school books just because we make them?

22 replies

atiredmum · 27/11/2011 22:47

Just wondered what other children do.

DC in year 3 doesn't ever read for pleasure. We encourage the home readers but it's more that we insist (school requirement) than for love of reading. DC is now on level 15 ORT and I sometimes wonder if we are making this more painful than needed. Is DC benefiting at all from these last 2 levels.... Tempted to read a page each just to get through them so DC can choose their own books......

Thanks.

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aviatrix · 27/11/2011 22:51

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aviatrix · 27/11/2011 22:51

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Sparklingbrook · 27/11/2011 22:54

My two DC are 9 and 12. They have never read books for pleasure . They will read magazines cover to cover and DS1 reads the newspaper every day. Reading schoolbooks when they were little was seen as a chore to them. I'm not sure where we went wrong.

Original poster

atiredmum · 27/11/2011 23:00

Thanks for your reply...

Isn't it interesting we always think "what did I do wrong". Wish I had a couple of those children that were happy to take books up to their room at 7 and read for an hour a while! Do I insist they have time with books and try and establish a routine and hope it comes????

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TapselteerieO · 27/11/2011 23:09

I wouldn't insist, that is a sure way to put them off. Get them to choose their own books, find a subject/style of book they like.

Do you read to them? Tell them stories, take them to the library? Dd loves books, she is always happy reading and re-reading books, we've always read to her a lot, she got into reading with the Beano, ds is a good enough reader but not with the same passion as dd, but he still loves books and being read to, he has sn and the school use books as a reward. We still read to them most nights.

Both my dc like listening to audio books too, the funnier the better (Mr Gum is great as are Horrible Histories). If they are laughing then it isn't a chore.

aviatrix · 27/11/2011 23:10

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TapselteerieO · 27/11/2011 23:13

I don't think it matters too much if they are reading magazines/papers anything, if they are reading well, some people don't enjoy reading, if it isn't holding them back at school then I wouldn't nag them, but always try and find books they might like, not just fiction.

aviatrix · 27/11/2011 23:15

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Sparklingbrook · 27/11/2011 23:18

Their reading is fine considering how little 'proper' reading they do. I know reading helps with vocabulary so that's a bit of a worry. DS1 likes things like The Guinness Book of Records which still counts as far as I am concerned. You can't make them read anything if they don't want to.

Glad you feel similar Tapsel.

Joyn · 27/11/2011 23:43

I wasn't sure from your post if you wanted to know whether your dc should be reading more by choice & how to encourage this or if your issue was with the school books & the fact they dislike them & you'd thus like them to be able to choose their own books (as the fact they don't like them is putting them off reading & therefore they're not getting anything from them anymore).

Ds(yr3) loves reading but Dd1(yr1) reads school books without much resistance, or other books aloud if we choose something different (eg when school book finished but hasn't been changed,) but has never read anything by herself. Ds was happy to do this from reception onwards, but they all different.

If we are talking about generally encouraging reading, the fact your dc is on level 15 shows they're obviously able, you just need to find something they're enthusiastic about, (sometimes easier said than done). (If you let us know whether your dc is a boy or a girl I'm sure you'll get lots of recommendations).

If your query is more about whether your dc is benefitting from still having school books, I'm sure you know that teachers decision to make someone a free reader is not just based on their ability to decode & read the words but also on level of understanding, empathy etc. Could this be the reason they're not yet a free reader? If they're not enjoying the books maybe they're not paying full attention & not able to relay the story to the teacher etc? Perhaps you need to explain the importance of this to your dc & make a point of having a chat about the text as part of your reading session. You could always ask the teacher if it's a comprehension that needs work to get to free reader & I even see no harm in telling them if they're not enjoying the books.

Original poster

atiredmum · 28/11/2011 00:20

Thanks Joyn for your response. You picked up on a lot of things that I've been mulling over so appreciate your response.

The issue I have is that reading all comes from us encouraging and then secondly an issue with the books from school. I feel I need to help her get different books so she can enjoy reading. I don't think she is ready for the content of these books sometimes but it depends if she's in the mood. I know she's just trying to get them done. I even said to my DH that she may as well do a short reading comprehension worksheet than spend 20 minutes reading something she isn't interested in. It strikes me that they have just ORT and a limit to the books in each level and once they've read them they move to next book and level etc. I did raise my concern about the non-fiction books at this level as DD wasn't taking in any of it and it was painfully slow (the only bit she took in was a book about punk rockers - thanks :)). Her teacher said to just read stuff at home and then she got sent level 15 books for her to read so we've been going with them. I think I'll chat to her again as she is very approachable. I think more books at the previous level would be good.

Thanks again.

OP posts:

3duracellbunnies · 28/11/2011 02:47

My dd likes the rainbow fairies, and have got some new ones which I have told her she must read herself. It is the first time she has really enjoyed reading. I remember when I was little people criticised enyd blyton, but I loved the stories and moved on to c.s. Lewis etc by time I was 7, but I still have fond memories of curling up on rainy days and reading books. All I remember of school books was being boring and as it was ita, being totally confusing. I think we will let her do some school reading but push her own choice much more now, she is 6 and in yr2. I think reading at home once you get to a certain level should be more for fun and enjoyment than ticking boxes.

nooka · 28/11/2011 03:39

My children are both keen readers now (they are 12 and 11), but when they were this age ds almost completely refused to read, and we didn't do his school books at all because frankly it was torture all round. dd on the other hand very dutifully read us x many pages of the dire reading scheme books as instructed.

We really focused on reading to them. I read to them every evening, from books that we all really enjoyed and bought them a large range of books on CD which they both really enjoyed. I bought them lots of books as well, so that when they were ready to read there was plenty to chose from.

We moved to the US when they were 9 and 8 and the rule was they both had to read for half an hour every day as part of their homework (2 hours each in total!) and we have kept that up. It's now a part of their evening routine to read before bed, and they also both can spend hours reading if they have something they are really into (they are both reading right now).

savoycabbage · 28/11/2011 03:54

The take home books at our school are so very bad that I don't let my dd read them in case it puts her off reading for life.

I bought the 'read, write inc' reading scheme books and she read those instead before moving on to 'real' books.

About 6 weeks ago she seemed to discover reading for pleasure. She was 8 last week. She is now reading the Secret Seven books and loving them. I couldn't have seen it two months ago though.

LivingDead · 28/11/2011 04:21

My Dd has been a fluent reader since reception, however in year 3 she is on lime level, and has been forever it seems. She can read perfectly well, she reads her science books, and other fiction books we pick up along the way.

I must say I don't actually read with her, when she has read a book from school I sign her record (when I remember ). She does feel a bit disheartened when other people in her class are on ruby or whatever level, but I have explained that levels don't actually mean very much.

I really really hate reading aloud when it is not a very short childrens book. I don't mind children reading to me, or doing the daft voices in a short book, but I have no idea how you are all reading Harry Potter to your sprogs, I would go mad.

putmeashape · 28/11/2011 07:09

Think it is really just down to the child. My ds is 6, yr2, and reads as if the his books are being taken off him forever tomorrow, but my niece cannot be bothered. My ds has finally started bring home chapter books, and that has made it much easier to listen to him read, those ORT ones are rubbish to listen to. Now his school has started this Paired Reading scheme which you are supposed to read outloud, in time, with your child. I cannot stand it and have just let him read it out to me. Had a look at the junior school he should go to and they also do it-yippee!

TheHumancatapult · 28/11/2011 07:14

think lot depend son dc

ds1 still not a by choice reader at 17
ds2 loves to read
dd the same though hated the reading scheme
ds3 loves books though not overkeen on soem of the school readers

gabid · 28/11/2011 11:05

My DS (6) in Y2 does not read for pleasure. I love books, we always went to the library and we have lots in the house.

DS refused to read in Reception and Y1, he said he couldn't read. His teacher said he was doing well. Now we read daily and DS is an average reader for his age.

I think it was all to much too early for my DS. He wasn't ready and had no interest in reading aged 4. I blame the system.

CecilyP · 28/11/2011 11:23

Now his school has started this Paired Reading scheme which you are supposed to read outloud, in time, with your child. I cannot stand it and have just let him read it out to me. Had a look at the junior school he should go to and they also do it-yippee!

Sounds awful. What do they say is the point of that?

musicmalady · 28/11/2011 11:32

My ds 2[9] reads for hours on his own last couple of years.
ds1 had to be read to for years but loved it then became a wide reader from about 11.
dd reads as the fancy takes her but not a bookworm
All different and get there in their own time if they are read to/ supplied with interesting fodder

Joyn · 28/11/2011 12:30

Hi tiredmum, glad you thought my response was helpful, i was worried i might come across wrong or had got the wrong end of the stick!

My best advice would be read school books either every other time you read (as they have to get through them,) or split the session in half, eg 4 pages of school book & then 4 pages of whatever you choose. Then take her to the library & let her chose some books. Good luck.

Book ideas;

tiara club & rainbow fairies (seem to be the books for girls that parents hate & Dds love).
Horrid Henry (it's what got ds started)
Dick king smith
How to train your dragon
Enid blyton
Mr Gumm by andy Stanton (I'd read these myself, theyre brill).

beingarebel · 28/11/2011 18:41

My dd is in the top levels of the reading schemes now and she was just reading because she had to. It was kerbing her love of books. She really does love books. All her reading time was spent just reading the school book so she could get through them. We mentioned it at parents evening that we had noticed how she no longer chose to pick up a book at home and suddenly shes a free reader. Given her age she still reads at school but its a book of her choice from the library or one of our home ones.

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