AvasMom Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 :banghead: My 9 yr old ds has been a struggling reader (and very high energy) but has been making fabulous progress this year. He reads wonderfully out loud and I've been working on getting him to also read independently. The problem is that he can't stay focused unless he is reading aloud to me. He's said exactly that too. "I can't stay focused on it. Can I just read it to you???" What's the best way to remedy this? A few ideas I've had are 1)send him to his room to read out loud to himself (not sure that's fixing anything though) 2)have him read just a page or two at a time and narrate it back then go for a couple more (we're doing this today, so far so good as long as he's in the room with me reminding him not to look out the window, etc) 3)just let him keep reading everything out loud to me (not loving this option at all). Option 2 sounds like a good "nibbled to death by ducks" method which works well for my kids. Is there a better way I'm not thinking of? Any other ideas in case this one doesn't pan out? Anyone else have the same frustration?? :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Have you ever looked into fish oil? :D Seriously, its amazing for concentration! They have it in liquid form. It does not taste good but ds has a piece of gum ready to stick in his mouth after he takes it. My ds takes it daily and I am amazed by the results! Best thing is its natural ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Actually, we tried some of it briefly (because I was at the HFS with a friend who bought it and said it was good for them...such a follower...haha!) but didn't stick with it. We found some that is YUMMY!!! I'll have to ask her the brand again (or just go get some more myself) and let you know. How long did it take to see a difference?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Can he read into a digital or old-style recorder, perhaps even a camcorder if you have one around ... ? For you to be, uh, "read aloud" to much, much later like when he's in bed?? LOL I know my kids focus better when I'm there because they want/need/whatever that mom is there feeling. It's a mental thing. They COULD do just as well if I weren't there, but for whatever reason they don't think so and it shows. Boy or boy, does it show. I have my kids video record each other for me to "listen to later" and that did the trick for them. If he really does have a genuine focus issue, maybe it won't work for you but it's worth a try! Sure beats being nibbled to death by ducks ::laughs sympathetically:: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I would get his eyes checked if you haven't. I don't necessarily mean the special developmental optometrist or anything, just a good eye exam to make sure all is well. Option 2 sounds good. We have done that when I assign something a little meatier that is a step up in reading level, and I want to make sure he is getting it all. Other than that, do you have a pet he can read to? He might think that is silly, but just something I've heard of kids liking to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Those all sound like great options! He'd love the excuse to use the video camera (such a ham...lol!). They are totally the "I need to be by mom" thing going on too. lol! His eyes have been checked. He's actually had eye muscle surgery and I know his eyes get tired whether it's reading aloud or to himself so either way I give him smaller chunks and lots of eye breaks. :) He does have a guinea pig so maybe we'll try having him read to Zack (the piggie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Actually, we tried some of it briefly (because I was at the HFS with a friend who bought it and said it was good for them...such a follower...haha!) but didn't stick with it. We found some that is YUMMY!!! I'll have to ask her the brand again (or just go get some more myself) and let you know. How long did it take to see a difference?? Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: It took ds about a week and a half before seeing HUGE results, but within a few days I started noticing improvements! You have to remain diligent though! I actually set a calendar reminder on my cell phone 2x a day to go off daily (pathetic huh?) but it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 For my 9 year old: a timer worked wonders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingHope Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 (edited) I humbly suggest that you get a really good story (preferably a series) and read it aloud to him until you reach an exciting part. Put the book down and tell him you are finished. I am sure he'll fall for the bait and want to struggle to read the rest of the book to himself. Give him time...and leave that unfinished book on the dining room table. Books in the Sonlight catalog may be a good starting place to grow into independence (The Chronicles of Narnia did the trick for my daughter). My second suggestion is to get tons of library books...especially picture books...and leave them around as free reading. Return those books back every week on the same day...regardless if your child has read them. The variety will be as good as the independent perusal of beautiful picture books. He'll also realize that there is a time limit on those books. My third suggestion is a kindle...my children and I enjoy reading classics, G.A. Henty, Ballantyne, and other free domain books on our one and only kindle. The font can be set to very large. Janell Edited May 10, 2011 by LivingHope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewpeaceful Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: QUOTE] :lurk5::bigear::lurk5::bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have been having similar issues with ds, age 10, this year. He can read, but just hates anything I have asked him to read. He said "It's like torture, Mom." He also wasn't reading on his own. Finally, we are getting to a place where he wants to read. I have backed way off on assigning anything. I tried hard to find books he would like, but I usually fail. However, he is beginning to want to read and is finding some books on his own that he likes. This is all I want for now. I am hoping by next year this won't be such an issue and I can assign some books. Here are some of the books he has liked and read willingly: Choose Your Own Adventure books Cobble Street Cousins Dragonslayers Academy One Handed Catch Also, he likes books on juggling, airplanes, and he reads Time magazine. I think if it is interesting to him, he might be better able to stay focused on it. Maybe take away assigning, reading aloud to you, narrating or anything schooly and sit on your hands a bit and wait. Maybe in a month or so, he would start to find things he wants to read and that might make all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: :D Please tell us this brand of oil which you speak of...:blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I humbly suggest that you get a really good story (preferably a series) and read it aloud to him until you reach an exciting part. Put the book down and tell him you are finished. I am sure he'll fall for the bait and want to struggle to read the rest of the book to himself. l:iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: It took ds about a week and a half before seeing HUGE results, but within a few days I started noticing improvements! You have to remain diligent though! I actually set a calendar reminder on my cell phone 2x a day to go off daily (pathetic huh?) but it works! Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: QUOTE] :lurk5::bigear::lurk5::bigear: Here ya go! http://www.barleans.com/omega_swirl.asp Yummy!! :drool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have been having similar issues with ds, age 10, this year. He can read, but just hates anything I have asked him to read. He said "It's like torture, Mom."He also wasn't reading on his own. Finally, we are getting to a place where he wants to read. I have backed way off on assigning anything. I tried hard to find books he would like, but I usually fail. However, he is beginning to want to read and is finding some books on his own that he likes. This is all I want for now. I am hoping by next year this won't be such an issue and I can assign some books. Here are some of the books he has liked and read willingly: Choose Your Own Adventure books Cobble Street Cousins Dragonslayers Academy One Handed Catch Also, he likes books on juggling, airplanes, and he reads Time magazine. I think if it is interesting to him, he might be better able to stay focused on it. Maybe take away assigning, reading aloud to you, narrating or anything schooly and sit on your hands a bit and wait. Maybe in a month or so, he would start to find things he wants to read and that might make all the difference. We definitely, definitely couldn't set aside schooly stuff or assigned reading for a month or even a week. He was barely literate at the end of last school year when we pulled him out (2nd percentile) and we've gotten him nearly to grade level this year. When we took time off for Christmas, moving, etc. we did lose a little ground. No way I can let that happen. Thanks for the ideas though! I'll have to check out those series. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: It took ds about a week and a half before seeing HUGE results, but within a few days I started noticing improvements! You have to remain diligent though! I actually set a calendar reminder on my cell phone 2x a day to go off daily (pathetic huh?) but it works! Yummy?? Fish oil?? What is this you speak of? :001_huh: QUOTE] :lurk5::bigear::lurk5::bigear: I humbly suggest that you get a really good story (preferably a series) and read it aloud to him until you reach an exciting part. Put the book down and tell him you are finished. I am sure he'll fall for the bait and want to struggle to read the rest of the book to himself. Give him time...and leave that unfinished book on the dining room table. Books in the Sonlight catalog may be a good starting place to grow into independence (The Chronicles of Narnia did the trick for my daughter). My second suggestion is to get tons of library books...especially picture books...and leave them around as free reading. Return those books back every week on the same day...regardless if your child has read them. The variety will be as good as the independent perusal of beautiful picture books. He'll also realize that there is a time limit on those books. My third suggestion is a kindle...my children and I enjoy reading classics, G.A. Henty, Ballantyne, and other free domain books on our one and only kindle. The font can be set to very large. Janell I just got a Nook for Mother's Day. It's amazing how much fun it is! :D I've been reading more and I already read a lot. The kids both got a book downloaded and really enjoy reading on it. I have to watch ds though because he loves chess and it came with a chess game loaded so he tends to sneak over to the game instead. lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I was having a hard time with getting my son to focus even when he was reading to me. I actually figured this out by accident. I bought 2 of the same Magic Treehouse book at the thrift shop and I decided to have him read to me while I followed along in my copy. This also kept me from going nuts from his need to hang upside down while reading but still needing help with some of the words. When he has his own book but I am following along, HE keeps track of where he is on the page, and rarely stops in the middle of the sentence anymore to tell me whatever pops into his mind. So I started doing it on purpose, the library often has more than one copy of the same book, and yes they do look at me strangely when I get 2, and I now have quite a few double copies of MTH. The best part is that by being more in charge of his own reading, he has transferred those skills into his independent reading and it was a great midstep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvasMom Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I was having a hard time with getting my son to focus even when he was reading to me. I actually figured this out by accident. I bought 2 of the same Magic Treehouse book at the thrift shop and I decided to have him read to me while I followed along in my copy. This also kept me from going nuts from his need to hang upside down while reading but still needing help with some of the words. When he has his own book but I am following along, HE keeps track of where he is on the page, and rarely stops in the middle of the sentence anymore to tell me whatever pops into his mind. So I started doing it on purpose, the library often has more than one copy of the same book, and yes they do look at me strangely when I get 2, and I now have quite a few double copies of MTH. The best part is that by being more in charge of his own reading, he has transferred those skills into his independent reading and it was a great midstep. LOVE this idea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I honestly think 9 is young for a boy to be expected to sit and focus on reading a book alone. My DS reads constantly - but only things he picks up and finds interesting, like cookbooks, science books, electrical manuals, instructional guides, etc. He is an advanced reader, but would never sit by himself and read a chapter book I assigned. For me, this isn't a hill to die on. His overall love of reading is more important than him reading independently. He does read from a chapter book aloud to his father at bedtime. He reads his school book aloud to me, sitting at the kitchen table while I make breakfast and/or lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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