That's what I heard at meet the teacher today. How do you get kids to read who hate to read? Honestly, I've never had anyone who hated to read in my class before. Do you provide him with only books he's interested in? (For this kid: super heroes) My only concern with this is not everything he's going to read is going to be of interests if he's ONLY reading what HE likes. (ie: the material on state exams, homework, classwork etc.) Or is the hope that you provide him with books to get him interested? Can anyone recommend a way for me to help make the reading process FUN for him, that does not include AR points? If it helps, he is gifted.
There is a lot of power in choice. For his independent reading let him read what he wants to read about. Of course you can make suggestions, and encourage him in certain directions, but I really back off of their independent reading. During class time is when you can expose him to a variety of genres and skills.
Also, ask him if he enjoys reading. Maybe he just puts up a fuss at home! Kids are like that. He may be able to tell you what he does and does not like reading. It could be that he finds it really hard and then you need to make sure you have level appropriate texts for him.
What if he were to write books himself? Especially nonfiction texts. He might enjoy "researching" self-driven projects that culminate in his "publishing" a book. Just a thought.
Does he read even though he hates it? Why do we (society) try to insist that everyone loves to read? we don't insist that everyone loves to do math. IMO, as long as the student *does read and continues to grow in reading ability, does it really matter if he hates the process? My husband hated reading until he was a grown adult.
What grade do you teach? I've worked with a lot of reluctant readers. My next students will probably be even more reluctant. First, we discuss as a class why reading is important. We come up with a list of things that we read everyday so they don't just see reading as having to read a chapter book/novel. Sometimes students think that a novel is only what reading is and therefore become turned off from it. I do provide a lot of choice, a lot of high-interest nonfiction and make sure it's relevant. If it's not, I make it. Before reading anything, I always provide a hook or connection they can relate to...usually it's a question or a short video clip that get them thinking/interested. I also have the students do a lot of "turn and talks" while annotating with reading codes, so there's always engagement. When they're done reading something, usually they do something beyond the text....usually something very quick, but still shows me that they understood the point or central message that the author was trying to convey...if it was persuasive or informational. Sometimes they make a quick skit or a quick drawing....Usually they'll have time to investigate and do inquiry on further questions they might have. I'm hoping to also incorportate as much technology as possible this coming year. I'm hoping for students to be able to blog/have a forum about what they're reading about, rather than responding in their notebooks.
I used to love reading, but as I got older I grew to not like reading any more. At this point I am not a huge fan of reading. Don't get me wrong, I can get into a book and love the story lines, but to actually make myself sit down and read is hard to do unless I am already in the middle of a book.
I think modeling reading at home is helpful too- my parents were ALWAYS reading and would take me to the library to choose my own books to read. That really helped me to get hooked on to reading and I still love to read
It's challenging, but some kids do just hate to read--my daughter is a prime example. In spite of the modelling at home (I'm always reading), a wide variety of books available and gentle (and not so gentle) prodding, she would rather do just about anything. Of course, they have to do it at school. I provide lots of choice and try to extend their interest through read-alouds, use of technology and discussion groups. It helps for some of them, but I'm not sure that I have ever had a student who came in "hating to read" leave "loving" it.
What age is this child? I am a big proponent of reading to the child. Take all of the pressure off of the child and let them enjoy the story. Figure out the child's favorite author and then make it a goal to read every book by that author. Also, play the I read one word you read the next word game. I am amazed at how many kids then want to do I read two words, you read two words, etc. Eventually, they move to I read a page, you read a page. Sneak in the reading through recipes or projects. For example, they have to read the directions in order to complete the project. Then they see the value in reading. Tell the parent to not react when the child says they hate to read. My own children love to say things they know will push my buttons because they like the reaction they get from me.
How will they learn to read?’ you ask, and my answer is ‘Remember the lessons of Massachusetts.’ When children are given whole lives instead of age-graded ones in cellblocks, they learn to read, write, and do arithmetic with ease, if those things make sense in the kind of life that unfolds around them." – John Taylor Gatto
I agree that there is a small percentage of the population that doesn't enjoy reading, but not liking reading is also the cause of a great education divide in this country. Not liking to read effects all facets of life. Because, as a child, you are still honing those skills. And the reality is that getting to college as a kid who doesn't like reading is a hindrance due to the large number of books that have to be read. Not reading as a young child makes it hard to continue to build a better vocabulary, you miss out on allusions, and your reading level stalls. The problem is forcing kids to read things they don't enjoy. I firmly believe that if the vast majority of the population was allowed to read things they enjoyed, to make choices about their reading, instead of being force fed the canon from a young age, we would have a much better educated population who enjoyed reading. Today, kids are too reliant on instant gratification activities, like TV and video games. Let the child read whatever he wants. Reading is reading. And it is better to have him read and home he gets bored with the genre then maybe branches out to Sci-Fi or something then not reading at all.
I read nothing assigned to me in school. NOTHING! On the other hand I did read what interested me - sports, history mostly. And I did fine in college and grad school. It's all about interest and/or utility.
That is what I said at the bottom. Let the child read whatever he wants. I'm doing reader's workshop, so I'm assigning very little reading. We will do some small class read together pieces, but for the vast majority of their in class it reading, it will be independently chosen reading. Did you read my entire post? My point was that not reading pre-college sets you up for not having the skills to decode the higher level works present in many college level texts. I didn't say force feed reading. I clearly said let the kid choose. Some reading is better than no reading
What sets kids up for college is high-quality required school reading. The materials available now to kids is awful. Most of the popular series and books to read do not have the level of vocabulary needed to develop adequate college-prep reading skills. Much of what is being read is on a 5th - 7th grade reading level at best. Want kids to develop quality decoding skills, they need to read materials that have higher level vocabulary. They need a strong foundation in decoding which thankfully is starting to come back into classrooms when before it was figure it out as you go along... at least in our district and my relatives spread across the country. I don't believe that in-class reading should be a choice of the student. I believe that in-class reading needs to span genres and subjects. We do much too little reading in history and science in early grades. I do believe that they should be able to choose what they read independently. Decoding is taught, fluency is developed with practice (either structured or independent). Comprehension will encompass many areas of development from vocabulary development, linear thinking skills, abstract thinking skills, attentional skills, organizational skills, developed memory, critical thinking skills, etc.
I would go with the super hero topic. He can reserach and write. Maybe he could make a timeline of super heros. Or add labels, captions, fact boxes. Fill a binder with all his data. Since he is gifted, you should be able to add any state standard to his interests and test well. My own son was an avid reader of all the Magic Treehouse, Goosebumps, Encyclopedia Brown, Boxcar, etc. One day, nothing...and it lasted over a year. Instead he had this interest in baseball cards. I helped him organize a binder of them, Google, Youtube, you name it. I was sure his reading level would not gain as in the past (and I was OK with that because it was high). However, he gained the MOST ever! I truly beleive now that the baseball card thing filled some sort of hole he was lacking in reading.
My youngest sone (now 22) hated to read. He would refuse to pick up any book. However he can read. It was just a case of finding material that he wanted to read. He would read magazines about sports he like. He would read instruction manuals for activities. He no problem with actually reading but just does not read for pleasure at all. He still doesn't. He was brought up in a house full of books of every description, was read to as a child and had many, many books in his possesion all through his childhood. His parents and older brother are all avid readers. Give him the magazine produced by the Blackhawks when they won the Stanley cup in 2010 and he will read it from cover to cover. Give him Harry Potter and it remains unopened. He also has to read reports etc for his job. No problem there. You just have to acept that some people do not read books.
A lot of kids come in my class and tell me they hate to read. Sometimes, it's because they struggle with it or honestly, can't; sometimes, it's because they really just don't enjoy it. You know what interests him. Find him some high-interest books on superheros. Find nonfiction selections about superheros or real-life heroes.
My younger sister hated reading until she found Archie Comics. For her, it was all about finding material that she was interested in for reasons other than just the words.
Maybe he needs to be exposed to the type of reading he might be interested in. Boys tend to like non-fiction, so maybe find out a topic he's interested in and get him some books.
I'm not disagreeing with you when it comes to what makes kids successful in college. I do disagree that at the middle school level, (and this kid is elementary) in order to hook a kid, sometimes you have to give a little leeway in what they read. Forcing a kid to read your idea of high literature {the canon} is not building a lifelong love of reading. But allowing them to read the things that interest them serve as a gateway to their perception of reading, hopefully opening them up to loving reading their entire life. If a kid hates reading and is forced to read, read, read, they internalize that hatred of reading and that is a hard thing to break. But if you offer kids the choice to read what they find interesting, they become less resistant to reading as they grow older. They don't find the stuff they have to do as bad. I guess we will have to agree to disagree though. :thumb: I should note though, we will be doing whole class stories, poems and novels in my class. Because I do want to introduce them to pieces of literature and experiences outside their own. I hope to hook them during those, so that they do begin to branch out in during their independent reading. Everything I've read supports that children are very much like adults when it comes to their reading habits...they get bored with the same topics over and over and will eventually look for something new. But if you force feed anyone anything, they Just my
And someone deleted their response between my two responses on the last page so it makes me seem like I am responding to myself. Wanted to clarify
