Sparx reader how to take the fun out of reading

[Sparxdislike]

Started Sparx reader last week. It's a painful start so far trying to get my DS to do it. He likes reading his paper books but the book selection on Sparx is dire. Also reading on a screen is not great in bed.

He's had 7 pieces of homework this week and they want him to read Sparx reader for half an hour a day 😬. He's managing 10 minutes max. Anyone else struggling with it.

He picks up a normal book after quite happily. I guess if that's what the school wants to use not a lot I can do.

It's odd though they have a library full of books.

No answers but feel your pain 😭

I'd send feedback to the school to the effect that it's discouraging him from reading!

The main issue I have with it is the selection, you only have a small number of books to choose. If I go to the library I want to choose from the whole library, not 5 books the librarian randomly chooses for me! Once you get a certain number of stars (or something) you can read your own paper book and add it to Sparx, but then I believe the stars reset so you have to go back to the same small selection. I guess the idea is to sometimes force them out of their comfort zone (and this did work for my daughter last year who read several books she never would have dreamt of selecting herself).
I get your point about the screens, I suppose you could always get a paper copy of the same book from the library, read that and then flick through the same number of pages on the screen. Seems a total faff though!
Generally, it's a thumbs down from me! And we are one of the few families in the UK who don't mind Sparx maths!

We’re having similar problems here. The amount of points my DD needs to get seems massive. She hates it. She hates the timer going down and feels a lot of pressure to answer in the time then panics and gets it wrong.

My son has War and Peace to read at the moment. I can guarantee he wouldn't have chosen that book.

The comprehension question's aren't as good as the accelerated reader quiz he used to do.

I'm just going to break it down into small chunks so he can read what he wants after.

I know what the school are like and doubt they would welcome feedback or change anything.

I brought it up at parents’ evening and told the teacher it was putting him off reading and she gave him permission not to do it.

That sounds good. I'll get have said if you don't do homework it's detention at his school. I'm not sure when the first parents evening is but I will mention it.

You should be able to find contact details for the Head of English on the school website and contact them - parents' evening might not even be this term.

Oh yes definitely feel your pain.
It did push ds out of his comfort zone but the selection of books it give him is very small and the passages are a slog. He just ploughs through to get to gold reader and read his own books.
I don’t think the comprehension questions actually assess their comprehension-literally just seems like a test to make sure they have read every word.
Sparx maths is ok except for the ridiculous requirement of having to write down every answer as well as inputting it.
He’s just started getting sparx science too so will see how that pans out!

Yep, my 13 year old just started this. She loves reading, probably 3 to 4 hours a day, she's obsessed with books but hates Sparx reader. In her words it takes all the fun out of reading. You have to stop after every page to answer questions so there is no natural flow to reading, no enjoyment, you just end up double guessing what the questions will be about instead of enjoying a book. She also says the book selection is awful. Might speak to her school about it but her school seems largely strict and unhelpful.

EVERY WEEK I MUST COMPLETE AN HOUR OF READING AND 50 QUESTIONS OVER THE SPARX APPS. THIS CYCLE IS GENUINELY DRIVING ME INSANE AND IS THE DOWNFALL OF LIFE. I AM TEMPTED TO JUMP OFF A BRIDGE IF THEY ARE NOT REMOVED. IT IS SHAMEFUL HOW THIS HORROR IS ALLOWED ONLINE. I WOULD RATHER HAVE A MOUSE SHIT ON MY FOREHEAD EVERY DAY THAN COMPLETE THIS SHIT.

I wish they had a better selection of books for the kids to read

Hello, ihatesparx. Lots of sympathy.
If this is genuinely affecting your mental health, it’s not worth it. Remember it won’t be forever. Keep reading books you like and keep some kind of record of the fact you are reading (a list of books you complete) to give to your teacher which helps to evidence the fact that the problem is not you and your refusal to read, the problem is Sparx.

I get Sparx reader and I get set about a hour a week but the book I read gives me about 1srp a page which is abit if reading

To all parents reading this, please take this up with your child’s school. Or, as we have done, take over the Sparx reader, pushing through until you get a Gold reader pass, then your child can read what they want. To see Poe featured on Sparx reader is dystopian and bizarre, and I do wonder whether Michael Morpurgo has actually given his permission for his work to be used on Sparx. I hate, nay detest, Sparx reader, but my love of reading isn’t going to die now. Where have we ended up in education where I am defrauding the system in order to allow my child an education?

My dd's school have just started it - in year 10! She hates it.
I'll admit she's not a bookworm like me or her sister but this is not going to encourage her.