This week's blog is for all the moms out their with sons who are reluctant readers.
We are taught from a very young age that the more you practice, the better you will get. So what happens when your son, finds no enjoyment or engagement in the books he's told he has to read?
I am imagining this...you open your son's backpack and find a book that he needs to read for twenty minutes for his reading log. When you mention that he needs to read, you hear a grunt.
A huge power struggle begins that results in frustrated parents and children.
There are negative thoughts and feelings being associated with books.
Valuable reading time is being lost.
What do you do as a parent?
First, talk to you child about why he doesn't want to read the book. It may be a topic he actually does enjoy but it's too difficult. This provides the perfect opportunity for you to read aloud to him and have an in depth conversation about the characters, plot, genre, and reasons why the author might have written the book.
If you know your child can read the words and understand the topic, but is just not into it, find out if this was a choice book or a required text. At many points in our life, we do need read required texts; however it needs to be paired with something enjoyable.
Why?
Your son needs to have a positive experience with a book; that's the only way he will want to pick it up again and.... the practice begins.
How do you hook your child on the right book? Recommendations from teachers and fellow parents are great, but we are not the ones who will have to read the book. To make this a more meaningful experience, engage your son in the process. Bring him to Barnes and Noble, the Library, or any other bookstore around. Look through all different kinds of books, see what he gravitates towards.
If he chooses a book too hard, don't discourage the choice. You can read the book to him and this will build his receptive vocabulary, so when he encounters these words, he will have an easier time decoding and understanding them.
I have referenced the following website many times in the past, but I keep coming back to it whenever a parent inquires..."How do I get my son to love reading?"
Check it out, and please comment below about your own experiences.
http://www.guysread.com/books/ 