Free reading year 2 dd unenthusiastic about reading

[bigbluebanana]

Despite being one of the better readers in her year, I feel like I have to force her to read. Eldest ds is a complete bookworm and loves reading, so I suppose I am a bit baffled. It isn't as though it is really hard work for her as she can read fluently. We go to he library each week, I buy her magazines and books about things she is interested in etc. but nothing really encourages her. I would really appreciate your advice, or am I worrying about nothing?

When you say she's enthusiastic about reading do you mean that she's doesn't pick up by choice or that she really dislikes the act of reading? I wonder if your DS is more unusual in that quite a lot of children would prefer to say play computer games, be active, play with toys or watch tv rather than read!

Sounds like she has some good reading material and it may be a case of finding the right time of day/mood for her to engage with a book. My DS will never read except just before bed but is a great little reader when he does pick up a book, DD often reads for enjoyment or to her 'class' of dolls/teddies - they are just different!

*unenthusiastic about reading not enthusiastic!

That's a bit sad, for both of you. Is she on track with other subjects, and happy in school, having friends, activities etc?

As long as she CAN read adequately for her age, and reads her school book once or twice a week, personally I wouldn't 'push' her too much. What is her writing like, from a creative, spelling and punctuation angle I mean, not handwriting style which is slightly less important at this stage.

With older children I have suggested what I call 'value added reading', and by that I mean having other activities or items that are connected with the story, and make it more interesting. In particular I have suggested stories that can have a MAP associated with them; the Arthur Ransome books all contain maps, but Coot Club which is set in the Norfolk Broads, has all real places in it which can be found on the Ordnance Survey 2-1/2 inch map of the Broads. That way, a reader can follow all the places mentioned, and these days, also find pictures of them on the Internet.

Another story set in a real place is Watership Down and there are several web sites dedicated to that. The housing development that drives the rabbits out of their homes is on the outskirts of Newbury, Berkshire.

But at Yr2 DD is perhaps a bit young for those books, unless you can give her a lot of support.

Encourage her to do more writing, such as a diary or journal. Or write about your local area, and illustrate it with simple pictures.

Having worked as helper and TA in KS1 for over twenty years, ANYTHING that gets children reading - magazines, catalogues, recipe books, - is to be encouraged, and it doesn't always have to be ordinary books.

my dd2 was the same in Y2. I think she found texts of any length daunting, so, even though she'd read self selected library books, it was more going through the motions than ding so with gusto, like Dd1. Fast forward a year and I cannot get the book out of her hand. She reads for too long at bedtime and carries her book around the house with her to delve into when she's bored.

Do you read to her? If she can read fluently and is practising enough for school purposes then I wouldn't worry if she is not passionate about it (yet). Perhaps she wants to be different from her sister? Choose a book that you really love and read it to her. Apologies if you do this already . Just do it for the sake of it no other purpose and chill out about her reading.