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Reading in Reception

11 replies

user1467408645 · 22/01/2020 19:15

Any tips to encourage my son to practise his reading? He LOVES books and being read to so not worried about that. We read constantly at home. However he never wants to read his school books. We don't argue over it but that means he never reads his books at home. He won't even try the books we have at home.
He's on Red book band and can sound and blend words really well.

He is obsessed with numberblocks so loves maths and is really good at it as a result. Just wondered if there were any 'hooks' like this that anyone can think of to help me encourage him to at least try.

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CrocodileFrock · 22/01/2020 19:50

Would he be interested in e-books?

If so, Oxford Owl has a free online library.

www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/

bigbella26 · 22/01/2020 21:52

One thing that I used to do with my reluctant reader was to do a treasure hunt around the house with hidden written clues. Depending on the level that he was at, the clues would be as simple as 'mum's bed' graduating to full sentences as he progressed. His reward was usually a small Haribo bag of sweets or tablet time. He absolutely loved it and used to ask me to do one all the time. May be worth a try.

gran75 · 23/01/2020 06:49

If he can sound and blend words really well, you have nothing to worry about . Just keep reading to him. Revisit the books he really likes. Keep only part of the page open, covering the rest with a card, so he can partly track what you are reading and he might start to want to read bits with you.
In most of Europe he wouldn't be learning to read at all at his age yet.
He may not want to read his school books at home, because he wants home to be different from school.

Patchworksack · 23/01/2020 06:53

Alphablocks? Teach your Monster to read? The school books are pretty dull, I'd try and get him to read the bits he can attempt in your own books, with you moving the story along.

wendz86 · 23/01/2020 08:45

I just don’t push it . My eldest hated reading her school books (still does ) but is a good reader .

NeitherNowtNorSummat01 · 26/01/2020 19:53

Children come on leaps and bounds the more they practise so I think it’s really important to make him read frequently.
I would make it part of your bedtime routine.
He reads his school book for 10 minutes before bed, then you read a bedtime story to him.
I did this with my son. If he didn’t read to me, I wouldn’t read to him. He loves stories that much that the threat of not having a bedtime story was enough to get him to read.
By the end of foundation he was on orange books
We don’t battle any more. He just knows the expectations

NailsNeedDoing · 26/01/2020 22:20

If he can sound out and blend well then one red book won’t take him long to complete. I think it’s important to get him into the habit of reading school books so you need to give him an incentive, anything that you think will work. Maybe a sticker for every day leading up to a treat at the weekend, or no screen time until the reading is done. Rewards and bribery are your friends!

user1467408645 · 27/01/2020 21:41

Some great advice and lots of fantastic tips. Thank you everyone x

OP posts:
Linslademum · 04/02/2020 02:24

I’m having exactly the same problem with my 5 year old who recently started reception. He told me it’s too much like being the teacher if we read at home though I know when he tries he can blend words etc he says he can’t and too tired. I’m now very worried as his drop in interest in reading to me at home has coincided with school replacing 1-1 reading with guided reading sessions so I get no feedback at all and I feel like he’s not reading to anyone anymore.

RubaiyatOfAnyone · 04/02/2020 03:21

Things that are working for us:

  • do school book in car in the morning having parked for drop off (much more enthusiasm than when tired after school)
  • occasionally offer 2 stories at bed instead of 1 “if you read me a story first”
  • treasure hunt clues as pp (simple ones to encourage confidence)
  • writing insulting notes to each other (started as a game with a new notebook, but dd finds it absolutely hilarious that she can write “Mumy has smely soks” and i can pass back “dd is a silly” and she can take my note away and read it in secret, then be outraged and write me one back. This can go on for an hour and has honestly done wonders for her interest in reading and writing Grin
Linslademum · 04/02/2020 14:23

Thanks those are good ideas.

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