Totally failing at listening to my reception child read.

[Asleeponasunbeam]

Please offer any suggestions!

She's still 4 and has been in school two terms. She's working within phonics phase 4 and school are happy with her progress so far. But reading is a horrible experience. She doesn't want to do it and it's so stressful. It takes about 5 minutes to read a sentence. She pretends she can't do it, rolls around, leaps about after each sound she sounds out. It's truly awful.

She loves stories, being read to, and will read the odd word in books I'm reading to her, albeit reluctantly.

Any ideas about how to make this less painful. It's supposed to be a pleasant experience. I know I sound horrible. I'm hating it!

I really wouldn't make a reception child read, just be available if they want to read. Still continue to read lots at night and perhaps ask if they want to do the odd word you point out.if not, no pressure.

my daughter reads well, but I've held back putting any pressure on her. You want her ro love it and not see it as a chore.

there's a reason many countries start later!

We used bribes! My DD gets stars, which she saves up for things (current thing is some books). The other thing we use for piano is stickers in a sticker book. The 1000 fairy stickers have pages to stick the stickers on, so she gets a certain number of stickers depending on how well she's done. She loves to stick those on. But once we got into the swing of doing it, things were much easier and there were no arguments.

I feel your pain - DC2 is currently abit like this, she rolls around her bedroom floor, can't be bothered to read some nights, its hard work. But what we found worked on those nights she really didnt fancy reading, was to ask her to teach her 2 yo sister some letters and sounds using her phonics pack and her biff & chip flash cards - they share a room, and now I'll often go upstairs at 8pm to find 5yo DD sat up on her cabin bed teaching a full on lesson with phonics cards / mini whiteboard, to 2yo DD down in her little toddler bed who is usually fast asleep!

Its sweet, funny, gets older DD doing some practice when she doesnt really feel like she's working.

Failing that, we ask older DD to help read younger DD a bedtime story - she LOVES that job!

Good luck - its nearly end of the school year and they're all getting tired I think. A good summer break should refresh everyone (me included, I pretty much remember the Biff & Chip books by heart from when DS read them 2 years ago, plus we'll have to read them a 3rd time when youngest starts school....ZZZZzzzzz)

I've found that my 3 have varied widely in their readiness to read. Dd1 &2 were reading a bit but definitely found it a struggle until they were 7. Ds has found it very easy and is reading well ahead of his peers. Interestingly though by yr 4 much of the early gains dd1's classmates had are disappearing and she is on a par with many of those reading well in reception. Ds' s early gains are likely to be short lived.

Don't put pressure on her to read books she doesn't enjoy. Make reading at home fun. Tell the school about your struggles and that you are going to get her to choose books from home/library for the time being. She is only 4, it's not a race and the cousin might not be ahead for long.

Mine also love reading to their younger brother, although dd2 not as keen now that he will correct her on the words.

Thanks - these posts are all really helpful.

We had lots of fun with reading this afternoon. We played a matching game with words written on the back of Frozen pictures. DS played too and DD corrected all his words (as he said 'it says poo' for most of them, this led to much hilarity and understandable floor rolling). At bedtime, we read the boring school book, taking turns to read a page - she chose the shortest sentences, which was fine, before I read her some books of her choice.

Much nicer for both of us when we were more relaxed! I don't know how I let it become like that.

How is she with Phonics?

A book that might help generate more interest for her: if you look in MN book reviews, "children's educational books and courses" you should find there the Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary, and there is a link to sample pages from it.

It's an attractive and easy to use book, even for a 4yr old, so having her own dictionary might motivate her a bit more.

She is happy with phonics, totally 'gets it', but it is far from automatic yet. I think it's probably frustrating for her. I'll check out the spelling dictionary, thanks.

ds would not read abook at this stage either. he was completely happy to read sentences from a piece of paper, and would melt down if this was not provided as an option before bed.

we are not playing the game and are not reading school books at all. I did not want to kill the love of learning and reding so early in his life. firstly ds did not want to, then they were too hard and based on sight words. now they are too easy. ds reads his own books. He will not read to me and I do stealth listening to him read. He does not take correction well and it is counter productive. I listen and point out the things he struggles with at a later time. we read instructions on the computer.