Struggling with reading and does not like books!

[muggglewump]

DD is in P3 (Scotland) and is not a fan of books, never has been but she seemed to be doing OK.
I'm fine with OK, I don't have a need for DD to be good at everything, but I had a call from her teacher yesterday to say that her group will be repeating books as they are struggling.
I explained to the teacher that DD is not a reader and she doesn't like books so I've not pushed her to read. She will read the shopping receipt, or the titles that come up on the telly, or the ingredients on a tin of beans etc, but give her a book and she has no interest.
The teacher totaly understood, and said she's the same herself. I struggle as I'm a reader but how to encourage DD without making her hate it?

My dd aged 9 was never really into books until I found her a subject she really loved - then she couldn't get enough of them! At the moment she has found a new subject and is asking for part 2.

What sort of thing would she like to read about? Some books are just boring. Try history, horeses, ballerinas, whatever she's into. Infact when ds got into reading he tried some spooky ghost stories (when he was 7) and now he loves reading too, before that he wouldn't read books at all.

That's what the teacher said too!
I think it's how books are written.
DD will read bullet points, or pictures with information at the bottom, so long as it's not illustrations if that makes sense?

I've tried already with animal books and she likes them but we've exhausted the Library, I bought her a CD and songwords book when we went to see Joseph and she loves that but what to try next?

Oh, and I've tried with comics. Spent a fortune and she just wants the toy.

More non-fiction could be the answer. When ds gets one of the reading series type non fiction books they seem to have information in captions and little boxes and titles, rather than in one block.

What about books on tape/CD, then she doesn't have to read as such but follow the words along, which will improve her stamina.

Or Cranium cadoo - where you have to read out your own question. Not a book, but a games has a lot of reading in it.

She really wants the Dr Who series that's been advertised recently. I think it's a big con, to get me to spend money, but if it gets her reading then perhaps worth it?

I'm losing my job on Friday so it couldn't happen at a worse time but I will do anything I can to get DD to read!
I don't expect her to love books, of course it disappoints me, but I know that spelling and grammar is so important and she will struggle to learn that without reading.

She's going to think it's brought instead of bought and there instead of their, and she'll call people hun, and sweetie won't she?

I admit to having a vested interest here.

1. I'm an author.
2. I'm heavily involved in an adult literacy project ( it was only supposed to be once or twice a month but I'm hooked).

My first piece of advice would be don't worry. Don't make reading a chore. Reading is a life skill but also one of ife's great pleasures. Don't sacrifice the later for the former.
Second. Read to your child. My kids are fluent readers and have been for several years yet still I read every night. Pick funny books where you can mimic hilarious voices to get your child enthused. Think laterally Tom Sawyer, Alex Rider, The Witches.
Third. Invest in story tapes and CDs. The library should be stuffed with them. Miranda Richardson reading Horrid Henry. Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter. Bloody fantastic.

Then a big tip I leared from adult literacy is to involve people. I usually stsrt by telling them something interesting/shocking/hilarious I read...then read it. Show them it. Let them see the magic words. Soon they will be determined to read it for themselves.

Order the Dr Who books from the library. Knowing the characters is helpful for reluctant readers.

My DS was a reluctant reader, but when he was tested his reading experience age was still a year ahead, even though he is dyslexic.

Any reading is ok, not just reading novels. Buy her comics and magazines, factual books from the library.
Also get story cd's from the library for her to listen to at bed time.

My DS is now 13 and became a little bookworm last august. He had some of the Alex Rider on cd and the next book was not on cd, so he asked to buy it and he hasn't stopped reading since.

would she like computer games to help if so then try coxhoedurham school's literacy links
or try a trail at educationcity for a week (£30 a year ) after that.
ictgames literacy also good

Thanks, I will try all of these. I do read to her/with her every night but she's still not really interested.
She enjoys cooking with me so I've bought her a recipe book, a Shrek one and she's quite keen to read that but of course wants to cook at the same time so not always practical!
She got a DS for Christmas and there's a lot of reading involved with that and spelling too so hopefully that will help and I'll check out the links thanks vickyconfused Are you from Durham btw? I ask as it's where I', from originally and I know Coxhoe

No, london way here! It's just it is always recommended on here and has fab links for the key stages.

Litchick's advice is great. Also, regarding audio books, have you tried StoryNory?

www.storynory.com - a completely free audio books for kids site.

You can just listen or you can print off the stories and read along as well. There might just be something there to peak her interest.

As an aside, my daughter went completely off writing for a while - I think the stuff she was asked to do at school was so boring, it put her off. When I decided to home-educate she didn't do any writing for a year or more but then she started doing it of her own accord. She is now a really excellent creative writer as well great at her school work, so don't be too worried at this point.

Just keep it fun