underacheiving readaholic

[hsingscrapper]

My middle son has really good decoding skills and could, if he wanted to, read at a 7th grade level. He's only 8 and prefers to read stuff that I think is way too easy.

 

I guess I'm wondering if I should push him to read longer books to keep his skills really sharp or let him read whatever he wants? On one hand, I think if I pushed that it might kill his love of reading. On the other hand, however, I don't want to see him get rusty from reading super easy stuff that interests him. (There might be a better way to word that but I can't figure it out at the moment.)

 

What do you lads and ladies think?

[EmilyGF]

I think SWB suggests a certain amount of time each day for parent-decided reading and a certain amount of time each for child-decided reading. The simple reading is what develops fluency. If a child is sounding out words more than a word or two per page, reading isn't fun.

 

(I experienced this first-hand in my second language. I can read treatises in German, but if I have to sound out more than a word or two per page, I just give up. I generally stick to stuff like Agatha Christie.)

 

My ds was choosing only to read board books like "Goodnight Moon" (he's 6.5) but stepped it up a notch when I told him I'd reward him when he read 40 books approved by me. He's at book 39 and chose (on his own) to read a chapter book yesterday.

 

Emily

[boscopup]

I have "assigned literature", which is good literature at or at least somewhat close to his reading level. Most of it is in the 5th-7th grade range, and he already read one that was grade level 7.3 with no problem, so I know he's capable of that. I have him read one-two chapters per day, depending on the book.

 

Outside of that, he can read "good books" that are well below his reading level. They're easier to read, so he can absorb the content easier. History and science books at a 3rd-4th grade level are perfect for this type of thing.

 

I also sometimes get a Star Wars book as a treat. That's definitely in the twaddle category, and I don't get one every library trip, but I do sometimes. He's also reading some Heathcliff and Garfield books he found on the shelf (my DH's old books). Again, twaddle, but enjoyable, and not harmful, IMO. Not everything has to be good, classic literature. :)

 

So I would just try to balance it out some. Is he only reading twaddle? If so, find some good, classic literature that might interest him, but pick something below his reading level so it's EASY and ENJOYABLE to read. He doesn't need to read 7th grade level books all the time. That wouldn't be fun. The books that you do get that are higher level (to stretch him), make sure they're interesting to a child his age. Don't pick the most boring classic ever. ;)

[Kuovonne]

Your 8 year old loves to read and could read at a 7th grade level, but he doesn't want to read books that hard.

 

I'd say don't make him read books that hard, but carefully strew high interest library books *slightly* above the level that he currently chooses.

 

My 8 year old DD also loves reading and is capable of reading much higher level stuff than she usually does. It's quite common for me to find her perusing the pages of her younger sister's easy readers.

 

Reading harder books is, well, harder. It's not just a matter of decoding words. It's also understanding more complex sentence structures, plot twists, making inferences, remembering a complicated series of events, keeping track of more characters, and generally putting together a much bigger puzzle. If you have to work to keep track of and understand what's going on in a book it's no fun, even if you can decode all the words.

 

Since he already enjoys reading, he'll start reading those harder books on his own once he's developed enough fluency so that those harder books aren't quite so hard any more.

[Ellie]

I think an 8yo should get to read whatever he wants. ;-)

 

You can read aloud to him the good books you think he'd enjoy but isn't ready to pick up and read on his own.

[----]

.

[abbeyej]

I would make some compromises:

 

First, just because a child can *decode* words at certain level doesn't mean they're ready to *read* at that level. Decoding is one small aspect of reading.

 

Second, I would give him two "reading sessions" per day. Probably half an hour. For one of those, he reads an assigned book -- or picks from a small basket of good books chosen by you. Pick things you think he would enjoy and that are interesting and that are just a *little* above the level he would choose for himself. Pick things that are well-written, but don't assume you need to be at the outer edge of his ability. For the other half hour each day, he can read anything of his choice (assuming that any books in your home meet your minimum standards for content and quality). If he wants to snuggle up and read Curious George books, let him -- as long as he's really reading. If he's reading the same Magic Tree House book he read for the first time three years ago, let him. Re-reading and reading below "level" helps with fluency and enjoyment and assuming they aren't just *trash* books :) he should be allowed freedom in his "free reading" time.

 

But don't worry too much about what he could decode vs what he chooses day to day. I mean, goodness, I can stumble my way through all sorts of things that are good and worthwhile, but if they were they *only* things I was allowed to read, they would make reading a burden and a chore. Sometimes I read things that are just plain fun. :) And often I read books somewhere in the middle.

[dcjlkplus3]

I agree with some of the others about having him do 2 kinds of reading, 1 his choice, 1 yours (with his input - I have been known to present 2-3 books I think they will like and have them choose from those).

 

I have noticed with my kids, they prefer reading about kids, they can identify more with kids closer to their ages, and it is hard to find challenging books about 8 year olds.

[SnMomof7]

Well, I would say it depends upon the type of books he is selecting. I have DD going with the SL readers progression to build up her fluency and ENDURANCE. She can decode 4th - 5th grade words, but her endurance isn't up there yet, so we are building, building. She also reads for fun too.

 

SO, I guess we go with some assigned reading each day and as much free reading as she likes, and that works very well here.

[5LittleMonkeys]

 

Reading harder books is, well, harder. It's not just a matter of decoding words. It's also understanding more complex sentence structures, plot twists, making inferences, remembering a complicated series of events, keeping track of more characters, and generally putting together a much bigger puzzle. If you have to work to keep track of and understand what's going on in a book it's no fun, even if you can decode all the words.

 

 

 

First, just because a child can *decode* words at certain level doesn't mean they're ready to *read* at that level. Decoding is one small aspect of reading.

 

 

 

:iagree: Decoding doesn't equal comprehension.

[LittleIzumi]

Well, I would say it depends upon the type of books he is selecting. I have DD going with the SL readers progression to build up her fluency and ENDURANCE. She can decode 4th - 5th grade words, but her endurance isn't up there yet, so we are building, building.

 

:iagree: Dd can decode 4th grade words, but she is only comfortable in level 1 readers right now. She's getting VT for vision issues and her fluency is just not there above level 1. I'm letting her build confidence & speed with the lower readers for now. Our read-alouds provide her higher content.

[morosophe]

Well, I would say it depends upon the type of books he is selecting. I have DD going with the SL readers progression to build up her fluency and ENDURANCE. She can decode 4th - 5th grade words, but her endurance isn't up there yet, so we are building, building. She also reads for fun too.

 

SO, I guess we go with some assigned reading each day and as much free reading as she likes, and that works very well here.

 

This is what we do. I mean, I'm not sure my seven-year-old son is quite up to fourth- and fifth-grade reading level yet, but he's doing fine with Sonlight's third-grade readers, and is given unlimited "free reading" time reading whatever children's books he wants, whether from our library or the public one.

 

I've also been known to have directed reading time of about half an hour a day, where I'll check out nonfiction books whose content matches what we've been studying in history or science. Some of these are way too hard for him to read, since I've really gotten them for the pictures (particularly science diagrams). I always try to have a mix of selections available in his basket to choose from and/or flip through, so he doesn't feel intimidated or bored by the hard books.