My gifted child is so lazy

[mchel210]

Ok...My one dd8 loves to read. She is reading and comprehending up 7-8th level...tops out on all her testing. Natural speller...can spell anything!!

 

My dd6 takes the easiest path. Ughh. She is so lazy. Tested higher gifted then the 8 yo...I know she can read 3-4 grade books with no issues. Answers all the comprehension questions perfect. Remembers everything. She is NOT a natural speller. She does spell phonetically. Just like mom. Both had started school last year and I after school them. (long story...in some other post) Anyways...my dd did testing this week in first grade in her high achievers/gifted class...and they said she is only at 1.3 reading group? What...she did that last year in K.

 

How do you get a LAZY child who CAN read but HATES to read working to their potential? I am so mad. I wrote a whole long email back to the teacher stating she will not be working at that level...:tongue_smilie:and needs to be challenged more. She can do the work...She just wont decide to sit and do it. I really dont want to bring her home as I am so busy here with my son in 8th grade...he needs me all day...but I need to motivate this kid some how. She read to me last night...teeth clentched monotone. Ughhh...she just hates to read. Even though she is very good at it. My hubby suggested offering prizes or candy for her after she reads without clentched teeth! :lol::lol: What a stinker!

[lionfamily1999]

Ds was like that. It took until this summer, when I finally found books that interested him. Unfortuneatly, I don't have him reading at his actual level, but I DO have him reading. Books for him have to have friendlier print (they cannot appear daunting) and a picture every few pages (up from every single page). I think, for him, it was getting him used to relying on the words for the story, without seeing it as work.

[JenneinCA]

Have you had her eyes checked? It may be that the smaller print of the harder books is causing issues. If she needs glasses it would be an easy fix.

[lionfamily1999]

Have you had her eyes checked? It may be that the smaller print of the harder books is causing issues. If she needs glasses it would be an easy fix.

I worried about that, until he got an erector set and had no problem reading the direction :glare:

 

I think it's more, for my ds, psychological, than anything else. Unfortuneatly, he is able to see an infinite number of reasons why nothing will ever work out and it's difficult to get him started. The tiny words just look like a wall he can never hope to pass. I'm slowly getting him past that, closer to seeing that he CAN do this.

 

Next year, I see decent sized books.

[EKS]

I would get an exam by a developmental optometrist. This is the regular exam but also tests for tracking and things like that. She may also have dyslexia. Google "stealth dyslexia" to see if the symptoms resonate with you.

[mchel210]

I would get an exam by a developmental optometrist. This is the regular exam but also tests for tracking and things like that. She may also have dyslexia. Google "stealth dyslexia" to see if the symptoms resonate with you.

 

Her eye exams came out perfect.

[OHGrandma]

Back down the levels and find a topic, series, or author she likes. When she gets hooked on how much fun it is, then increase levels.

[Elisa]

:iagree:

with OhGrandma. I'm doing this now with my son. He likes mysteries and humor. We also alternate reading to each other. He reads a page, I read a page ...

[AK_Mom4]

Yup! I agree too! We backed down and let DD7 start reading Magic Tree House and Cam Jansen series (....way below her reading level....) and it got her started reading for fun. For DS, it was all non fiction. He HATED reading stories and refused to read anything until I started giving him DK books on different topics. Now he reads everything, including fiction.

[alexfam]

In the same boat here. My ds7 can read anything but chooses not to unless it is a comic book. We have tried letting him read read books way below his reading level and still he chooses not to read. The only time he reads is if he is really interested in the book and more so if it is a non fiction book. UGH!!! Sorry can't help you just wanted to let you know you are not alone.

[mchel210]

I going to try some non fiction and boy type books. She loves books on snakes and bugs. She can tell you anything about them....but you do need to add in some fiction. I guess that is the problem. I have all my books from my dd8 that I am giving her. That child is so easy. I havent tried cam jansen with her yet. I might give that a shot.

[nmoira]

 

She read to me last night...teeth clentched monotone. Ughhh...she just hates to read. Even though she is very good at it. My hubby suggested offering prizes or candy for her after she reads without clentched teeth! :lol::lol: What a stinker!

I don't think forcing her to read to you is going to foster her love of reading. Do you still read aloud? Does she have access to good audio books? Are there lots of fun books lying around the house? At that level, DD the Elder enjoyed Roald Dahl, Geronimo Stilton, Astrid Lindgren, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, Ghosthunters (Funke), Dick King Smith, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, George and Martha, The Worst Witch and sequels, Here Be Monsters (Snow), Calvin and Hobbes and other fun books. Also books with shorter stories... myths, legends, folktales, fairy tales.

[zaichiki]

Her eye exams came out perfect.

 

So did my dd's... but she has dyslexia. She could read words at the 3-4th grade level, but her fluency was not there. She was losing her place on the page all the time. She could read "molasses" but struggled with "look." She had no intonation or expressiveness in her reading because she just wasn't understanding what she was reading. Those list-type reading tests had her at 3-4th grade reading level, but the tests that included fluency had her at 1st grade level.

 

Gone over a hump now. Although she still exhibits the dyslexia symptoms when reading, her ability to compensate has her comfortably reading chapter books at a 3rd or so grade level (approx 250 pages long). She's been spending *hours* with her nose in a book. She had always WANTED to enjoy reading before, but it was such HARD WORK that she *hated* it.

 

BTW She did get glasses for very slight farsightedness. I think it was placebo effect, though, because she says the glasses help her read better. The doctor says that most children between 4-7 are slightly farsighted.

Edited August 28, 2009 by zaichiki

[nova147]

I going to try some non fiction and boy type books. She loves books on snakes and bugs. She can tell you anything about them....but you do need to add in some fiction. I guess that is the problem. I have all my books from my dd8 that I am giving her. That child is so easy. I havent tried cam jansen with her yet. I might give that a shot.

 

 

Look for fiction that focuses on snakes and bugs! It may not be the best literature in the world (though I'm sure if you look really hard you'll find some), but it may get her over the worst of it.

[lionfamily1999]

Jungle Book

 

Maybe even an easy version of Call of the Wild.

[KarenNC]

My just turned 9yo also has a very high reading level of ability, but interest seemed to have stalled in short books, lots of pictures, comics, etc. When we went to the library, she only wanted to pick out stacks of very thin books. Now I know that some graphic novels and picture books have pretty high reading levels, but variety is also the spice of life :). We have always done read-alouds, audiobooks, etc, so I think she was getting her need for extended narrative that way and preferred to just "graze" with the other books. I let it go for a long time, thinking it would be a relatively short phase, giving her access to lots of books of different kinds, but it kept on.

 

Recently I have instituted "reading time" as part of official school work, something I hadn't done in a long time as she was reading so well. The requirements at the moment are that the book be greater than 200 pages and not be illustrated. So far, I've picked a couple of the books that I thought would be high interest (and have been---"The Penderwicks" and "The Ranger's Apprentice"), and she's picked a couple from the books in her room. It seems to be working to hook her into the story enough to continue reading them outside of school hours. She's actually been seen to grab a longer novel to carry with her in the car!

[EKS]

Was it with a developmental optometrist? Because the regular exams don't catch the reading problems (except if it's simply needing glasses).

[lgm]

I'd suggest the Andrew Lost series if she likes bugs etc.

 

With the school results, sit down with the teacher and see what she specifically missed on the test. Sometimes it's just a matter of nomenclature....not all first graders know that a talking animal is considered a character for example....

[Jill]

DS 7 is still generally not interested in "chapter books". We have exhausted the "Step Into Reading" level 4s and 5s (especially Otto and Uncle Tooth books) at our library but still those were good to have this summer. He read a half dozen Magic Tree House last summer, then stopped. Read a few Geronimo Stiltons, then stopped. He has exhausted the Cam Jansen's in that level ad the Nate the Greats. Moongobble was great - he had a CD to read to him for the first three and the last one he read it to himself. Mostly he reads his comic books and picture books still. He does read the higher level readers and will on rare occassion read something about 4th or 5th grade level if it is of _extreme_ interest to him - he can do it but that doesn't mean he is likely to do it. Yes, his vocabulary is very rich but similarly he doesn't venture into chapter books yet - he _loves_ to hear me read them now, and that is a change. Last week he told me that "now I can see the pictures in my head" so I guess he is ready for that. I don't think it's the small print, his comic books (and Asterix!) are in such small print that if I read one of them (yes I read the Asterix series) I have to squint and hold it so close to my face he can't see the pictures. So we shall see if it is just a maturity issue as in being ready to move away from the graphic crutch as it were over the next year.

(Where do I need commas in that last sentence?)

I will keep reading chapter books to him and let him develop his ability to picture the story. "Poppy" has been very good for that.

I'm hoping that patience is just the key.

p.s. Part of the reason the "Step Into Reading" books helped was that it cut down on the number of books I was lugging back and forth from the Library. Truly. If we walk out of there with a dozen picture books, they are read by the time we arrive home. What is left to read? I'm in that predicament again!

Edited September 1, 2009 by Jill

[Jill]

Here's the list of Step Intos levels 4 and 5 that I recently requested from the library. Ds will read these. 4th time for the Trojan Horse (at least) and 2nd time for a couple others. They are all non-fiction. There are a lot on dinos at this level too. Probably bugs but not in our system.

 

Barry, the bravest Saint Bernard /

First kids / (Sasha and Malia that is)

Joan of Arc /

Moonwalk : the first trip to the moon /

Race into space /

Sea of ice : the wreck of the Endurance /

The Titanic, lost-- and found /

The Trojan horse : how the Greeks won the war /

True-life treasure hunts /

Vanished! : the mysterious disappearance of Amelia Earhart /

Who shot the president? : the death of John F. Kennedy /

[KinderSafari]

I coordinate a readathon every year (for last 9 years) at our local private school. I have had SO many parents of "non-readers" (those who choose not to read) coming up to me and THANKING me for running the program - it has motivated so many to become better readers - my own daughter included. Competition works for some! This could easily be worked into your own family. Adults are encouraged to participate!

 

We set a goal of reading 300 minutes in 2 weeks (for 2nd grade and above). pre-k through 1st graders have to read just 150 minutes.

 

The prize? A certificate.

 

NOW if they read 500 minutes at the lower level and 1000 at the higher grade levels they get a medal. Not a cheapo plastic medal, but a heavy duty reading medal (Costs under $2 apiece, cheaper for me when I get 100 at a time).

 

I have no idea why this works - I wouldn't be motivated by that, but I simply love reading anyway - but it works for a LOT of kids. Ask them. Have them pick a prize - maybe it's a lunch at McDonald's with you. Maybe doughnuts for breakfast. Something silly or fun.

 

I also go in to each classroom and do a quick 5 minute presentation on WHY reading is important (if you can read well - you can read ANY of the 5 billion books in the world - the ones YOU want to read, but we, your parents and teachers, don't have time to read ALL of them to you). We pick a sampling of books that will teach you the basics of reading and help you, but that will only get you so far. How can you get to be a better reader? (How do you get to be a better swimmer? A better anything?) PRACTICE!

 

For the readathon, they can read ANYTHING they want. Baby books (they think that's funny and try to read them, but get bored quickly and move up to their own level), comic books, magazines, required reading for school counts (reading math problems don't :) ).

 

If they enjoy reading, they will choose to read. Where can they read? Anywhere! (Upside down on a swing, in the bathtub - if it's empty, read to a neighborhood cat...)

Edited September 2, 2009 by KinderSafari

[ChristineMM]

Hi, I bet the book "The Motivation Breakthrough" by Richard LaVoie would be helpful for you. If the LD parts near the beginning are of no interest skip past that. I learned a lot in this book.

 

Also if she is used to all learning coming easy then when something harder comes along that takes work, she may balk. And if something new is harder & she doesn't get it quickly or get a perfect score or high score it may be a blow to her, she may not like failure and then seek the path of least resistance by just not bothering to try. THat is an issue also for perfectionist kids who'd rather not try at all at something not easy then try and fail when in the past it all came so easy and all work was correct, great, etc.

 

HTH

[mchel210]

Hi, I bet the book "The Motivation Breakthrough" by Richard LaVoie would be helpful for you. If the LD parts near the beginning are of no interest skip past that. I learned a lot in this book.

 

Also if she is used to all learning coming easy then when something harder comes along that takes work, she may balk. And if something new is harder & she doesn't get it quickly or get a perfect score or high score it may be a blow to her, she may not like failure and then seek the path of least resistance by just not bothering to try. THat is an issue also for perfectionist kids who'd rather not try at all at something not easy then try and fail when in the past it all came so easy and all work was correct, great, etc.

 

HTH

 

I will check out this book. Thanks!

[mchel210]

I coordinate a readathon every year (for last 9 years) at our local private school. I have had SO many parents of "non-readers" (those who choose not to read) coming up to me and THANKING me for running the program - it has motivated so many to become better readers - my own daughter included. Competition works for some! This could easily be worked into your own family. Adults are encouraged to participate!

 

We set a goal of reading 300 minutes in 2 weeks (for 2nd grade and above). pre-k through 1st graders have to read just 150 minutes.

 

The prize? A certificate.

 

NOW if they read 500 minutes at the lower level and 1000 at the higher grade levels they get a medal. Not a cheapo plastic medal, but a heavy duty reading medal (Costs under $2 apiece, cheaper for me when I get 100 at a time).

 

I have no idea why this works - I wouldn't be motivated by that, but I simply love reading anyway - but it works for a LOT of kids. Ask them. Have them pick a prize - maybe it's a lunch at McDonald's with you. Maybe doughnuts for breakfast. Something silly or fun.

 

I also go in to each classroom and do a quick 5 minute presentation on WHY reading is important (if you can read well - you can read ANY of the 5 billion books in the world - the ones YOU want to read, but we, your parents and teachers, don't have time to read ALL of them to you). We pick a sampling of books that will teach you the basics of reading and help you, but that will only get you so far. How can you get to be a better reader? (How do you get to be a better swimmer? A better anything?) PRACTICE!

 

For the readathon, they can read ANYTHING they want. Baby books (they think that's funny and try to read them, but get bored quickly and move up to their own level), comic books, magazines, required reading for school counts (reading math problems don't :) ).

 

If they enjoy reading, they will choose to read. Where can they read? Anywhere! (Upside down on a swing, in the bathtub - if it's empty, read to a neighborhood cat...)

We started this during this week! My hubby made a star chart with prizes at the end of the week. That way they dont have to wait too long!

[mchel210]

DS 7 is still generally not interested in "chapter books". We have exhausted the "Step Into Reading" level 4s and 5s (especially Otto and Uncle Tooth books) at our library but still those were good to have this summer. He read a half dozen Magic Tree House last summer, then stopped. Read a few Geronimo Stiltons, then stopped. He has exhausted the Cam Jansen's in that level ad the Nate the Greats. Moongobble was great - he had a CD to read to him for the first three and the last one he read it to himself. Mostly he reads his comic books and picture books still. He does read the higher level readers and will on rare occassion read something about 4th or 5th grade level if it is of _extreme_ interest to him - he can do it but that doesn't mean he is likely to do it. Yes, his vocabulary is very rich but similarly he doesn't venture into chapter books yet - he _loves_ to hear me read them now, and that is a change. Last week he told me that "now I can see the pictures in my head" so I guess he is ready for that. I don't think it's the small print, his comic books (and Asterix!) are in such small print that if I read one of them (yes I read the Asterix series) I have to squint and hold it so close to my face he can't see the pictures. So we shall see if it is just a maturity issue as in being ready to move away from the graphic crutch as it were over the next year.

(Where do I need commas in that last sentence?)

I will keep reading chapter books to him and let him develop his ability to picture the story. "Poppy" has been very good for that.

I'm hoping that patience is just the key.

p.s. Part of the reason the "Step Into Reading" books helped was that it cut down on the number of books I was lugging back and forth from the Library. Truly. If we walk out of there with a dozen picture books, they are read by the time we arrive home. What is left to read? I'm in that predicament again!

 

I think this is MY problem. I hate carrying a million hard cover books back from the library. I prefer a few chapter books as they take longer.

 

We hit the library and she chose Scooby Doo Adventures, Magic School Bus, Geronimo Stilton, and a-z mysteries. She also chose 5 hard cover books. All week she only read the hard books...even though she chose all the others. She picked up Geronimo Stilton twice...but thats it. The other book she chose was Birds of Florida by Smithsonian. She has read that everyday!!! That is like the 10th time I had to go to the adult section to get that book. She loves it. She has been carrying it around pointing out birds.

 

You know what she ended up telling someone? Her favorite subject is reading. After all this...she says she loves reading time! Im telling you.:D

[mchel210]

Was it with a developmental optometrist? Because the regular exams don't catch the reading problems (except if it's simply needing glasses).

yes...actually. It was the same one that told me my son needed vision therapy.