Read A louds-not happening

[happycc]

I feel bad. I have not been doing our read a loud book, Island of the Blue Dolphins.

 

Read A loud just isn;t happening. Instead I have been reading a loud picture books from the library from time to time.

 

Just not reading a loud enough plus I am worried that my kids are not comprehending when I am reading aloud.

 

Been noticing that while using WWE and seeing how much they are missing when doing the review questions.

 

 

SUGGESTIONS?

[Jane Elliot]

I feel bad. I have not been doing our read a loud book, Island of the Blue Dolphins.

 

Read A loud just isn;t happening. Instead I have been reading a loud picture books from the library from time to time.

 

Just not reading a loud enough plus I am worried that my kids are not comprehending when I am reading aloud.

 

Been noticing that while using WWE and seeing how much they are missing when doing the review questions.

 

 

SUGGESTIONS?

 

1. Pin your read aloud time to something that's already set in stone on the schedule. For example, pin it to lunchtime; read aloud immediately before or after lunch everyday. Pinning it to bedtime has never worked for me. Sometimes I'm just too tired by the end of the day.

 

2. Choose to read something you are sure even you will enjoy. I am more motivated to read when I am enjoying the book.

 

3. Have snacks during read aloud. Your kids won't want to skip it. We rarely have packaged cookies around here, but I keep some on hand sometimes for read aloud time. At other times, I've allowed tea or hot chocolate just for read aloud time.

 

4. Have one of your kids rub your feet or back while you're reading aloud. You won't want to skip it.

 

5. Don't use WWE as a definitive measure of read aloud comprehension. I often have to go back and reread portions of the WWE passage for my kids before they get the answer. Reading a short portion of something is different from reading a long novel where the kids get involved with the plot and characters. For example, when we did the Wizard of Oz sections in WWE, I had to reread parts of it because they missed some comprehension questions. It was all new to them. ("What's a scarecrow anyway?" My six year olds didn't know that.) But, when we read the whole novel, they became used to the characters, setting, and language, and didn't have difficulty comprehending or enjoying the book.

Edited October 16, 2011 by Luann in ID

[Susan in TN]

FWIW, I spent many, many years feeling guilty over the fact that I hated reading aloud to my kids, and so rarely did it. Then I decided to deal with the guilt and just start reading. My oldest was in about 5th grade then. :blushing:

 

Do you have a regular "read-aloud" time scheduled during your day? Ours is after lunch - we have lunch at 11:30 and then 30-45 minutes of clean-up/chores/free time (including "decompression" time for me). Poetry/story time is at roughly 12:30. We work for 5 minutes or so on memorizing a poem (from Andrew Pudewa's poetry memorization thing) and then have a half hour or so of reading aloud. We don't usually have storytime on Fridays because my oldest has an outside class (we only do story when everyone is there).

 

I'm not sure what to say about the comprehension, except that it might just need time to develop. But if you can schedule a regular daily time, that will help. Even 10-15 minutes will be a great start. If a book just isn't keeping your interest, drop it and move on to another. Your kids can always read that one on their own or you can try it again another year.

 

I also notice that you have a rather full household. That in itself can make it hard to squeeze in "one more thing". Don't stress out over it. Give yourself a few days or weeks to work things out. And if not, well then maybe next year :).

[The Governess]

I read aloud a lot during lunch and dinner, after I eat and while the kids are still finishing up. It has helped me become more consistent with our read alouds. We also read aloud at bedtime, but not as consistently.

[hsbaby]

I always read aloud during lunch. Otherwise it would never get done. If we sit on the couch and do it, I want to fall asleep! So, I just eat during independent work time.

[delaney]

I read at lunch time too. I eat while they are working so that I can read freely while they eat. It won't get done if I don't do it that way:tongue_smilie:

[eternalknot]

4. Have one of your kids rub your feet or back while you're reading aloud. You won't want to skip it.

 

You're a genius! I love this idea :D!

 

As another poster mentioned, we do many read-alouds in bed (in the mornings, before we get up) and centered around meals (I finish first, then read while they eat at the speed molasses flows). That helps with consistency, so long as you aren't already using that time to catch up on housework/chores.

 

Island of the Blue Dolphins is available on audio books - have you considered that? Our library is phenomenal in this respect, and many of our read-alouds are now audio books (due to my job, I'm away from home for a few days at a time and this allows the kids to continue a book while I'm gone). You can do these in the car, if you spend a significant amount of time in it ... we play it in the kitchen while the kids attend to kitchen and laundry chores ... we also upload many of the audio books to the kids' iPods so that they can be docked in pretty much any room and listened to peripherally (they take in just as much, IME) while cleaning, resting, or even playing.

 

And, sometimes I just make my eldest do the read-alouds. It's good practice for him, and ensures the younger one gets read aloud to LOL.

[curlygirlzx2]

I read aloud to dd every night at bedtime.

[Ellie]

You know, I just read aloud to my dc at lunch, from good books (some of which I had read as a child, some of which I found while sleuthing through the library), one chapter a day, each day we were home. I didn't worry about how much they comprehended--I could tell how their comprehension was from the history or science or whatnot that we were doing; I just wanted them to have the exposure to the language, and for us to have that time together.

[warneral]

We do it before bed - the kids are almost always up for another chapter to delay bed time :)

[ByGrace3]

I was really struggling with this as well for awhile. We were reading aloud picture books for history, but our other read alouds were just not making it in. I was trying to squeeze it in after lunch. But life always happens. Last week we started doing the read aloud at bed time. After the baby is in bed, the 2 olders are more than happy to read as much as I will with them ;) For awhile I avoided doing that bc I am exhausted by bed time and all too often just want them in bed so I can relax, but honestly, this quiet time with them has been so wonderful. Not only are we getting good lit read, but we are ending the day in a positive way where we are snuggling and enjoying each other instead of just "getting them in bed."

Anyway, all that to say, try not to make read aloud time just something else to squeeze in and check off. Try to look at it as an amazing time to enjoy your dc, find a time in your day it will work, stick to it, and forgive yourself when it doesn't happen...

[Kidlit]

May I suggest also utilizing audiobooks--not as a replacement, but as something you can count on when your own read-alouds time falls through the cracks. Plus, it's a great way to get some intellectual stimulation while also accomplishing something mindless (like cleaning, etc.)

 

I host a weekly meme on my blog called Read Aloud Thursday in which bloggers share their read-alouds of the week. It's a great place to go for inspiration! :D

[kalanamak]

FYI, there is a terrific audiobook of IoftheBD: it is read by Tantoo Cardinal and amazon carries it.

 

Kiddo listened to it over and over when he was 4-7, often while playing quietly on the rug.

[Julie Smith]

FYI, there is a terrific audiobook of IoftheBD: it is read by Tantoo Cardinal and amazon carries it.

 

Kiddo listened to it over and over when he was 4-7, often while playing quietly on the rug.

 

You had me confused so I went goggling, IoftheBD is "Island of the Blue Dolphins". (Should I feel proud for figuring that out)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Blue-Dolphins-Scott-ODell/dp/0739374990/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318796773&sr=1-2

[kalanamak]

 

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Blue-Dolphins-Scott-ODell/dp/0739374990/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318796773&sr=1-2

 

Better link:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Blue-Dolphins-Scott-ODell/dp/0307243168/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318799284&sr=1-1

[Ellie]

The books I read aloud to my dc at lunch were good children's books. I didn't read to them at bedtime because it was time for them to be in bed, and we had already been face to face with each other all day long, so goodnight alread. :D

 

I also wanted to be sure that all of us were wide awake when I was reading, as the point was to enjoy good books, not to read them to sleep. :)

 

And since we were reading for enjoyment, it didn't matter if we didn't read every single day, but if we were home for lunch, we read. And usually, we were only gone at lunch time on Thursdays, and on one Friday a month (too busy on weekends to read). We still managed to read all the Little House books, all of Mrs. Pigglewiggle, all of the Rescuers, all of Mary Poppins, and a bunch of non-series books like the Secret Garden, the Little Princess, Lassie Come-Home, Understood Betsy, the Little White Horse, and more.:)

 

If the read-alouds had been part of Official School Stuff (ala Sonlight), we would have read during Official School Hours on Official School Days.

[sewingmama]

Yes after many failed attempts to do read aloud at bedtimes I am now moving it to after lunch. I'm going to make it our reading time - DD will do her phonics lesson and reading practice with me and then we will do a read aloud.

 

I don't worry too much about the comprehension -I can tell if my DD is enjoying it and understanding it because she will voluntarily bring the book to me to read to her. If she doesn't like it -she sighs when I pull it out and if I ask if she wants to read a second chapter she says "No thanks" :lol:

[TeachingTwins]

We do read-alouds at breakfast from classic children's literature lists that I pick. And then my dh reads to them at bedtime from books that they choose.

[Critterfixer]

I usually have a read aloud chapter book we work on during the day. I don't actually schedule it, other than to know it is there. Whenever I sense that everyone needs a little rest, I make my tea and we do our read aloud.

I keep an audiobook to run at lunch or in the afternoon. At bedtime we may continue our chapter book or use heavily illustrated story books as part of our bedtime routine.

I do not require narration or reading comp questions on any of this. During the day I will often read a fable or fairy tale that we use for narration.

[boscopup]

I was having this problem too. A BIG part of the problem was having a 2 year old, which I see you also have. :D So that part will hopefully get better in another year or so. ;) That said, I have found a couple times that I can squeeze it in more regularly. One time is breakfast. We usually do a Bible story at breakfast, but I often have time to also do a read-aloud OR I can do it immediately after breakfast, as a cuddle on the couch time before we start math. This helps make the transition from food to heavy brain work. The other time that has been working out better is about 30 minutes before bed time. That's when I'm usually losing patience and thinking "When is bed time going to get here?!?!?!?", and I think "Aha! I can read to them one chapter!" So we all snuggle on the couch (or the 2 year old plays in the room and just comes over when there is a picture to see), and I read a chapter or two to them. The 2 year old usually starts to get antsy at 2 chapters, so we're still working up to that. By time we're done, the kids are relaxed a bit, and lo and behold.. It's bed time! Oh happy day! :lol:

 

I'm not getting it in every single day, but right now I have two read-alouds going - one a biography for science, and one a regular piece of classic literature, and I've probably done one or both of them 3 or 4 days this week so far. That's big improvement over a month ago! :tongue_smilie:

[threeturn]

I second the thought that the 2yo might be part of the difficulty. I know mine is. Every time I sit on the couch to read he either comes up and wants to nurse (which I am slowly trying to discourage through the day) or insists that I read HIS books repeatedly. So, I have moved read alouds to the table. Everyone finds something to do with their hands -- coloring page, playdoh, toddler trays, etc and I can read and read and read. Sometimes the 2yo sits and does something and other times he runs in and out, but we don't have any of the lap problems. I've had to give up the perfect homeschooling moment of reading while snuggled on the couch, but it is working for us.

[lisabees]

Just an idea if a longer novel seems overwhelming - try stories - fairy tales, folk tales, myths, Just So Stories, Winnie the Pooh. These are all collections of individual stories.

 

I also agree with trying to fit read aloud time into a different part of the day.

[GingerPoppy]

This may be a totally newbie question, but I'm wondering if you just have your kids listen or do you ask questions when it's done?

 

Part of me wants to give them a story time they can just listen to in the car and enjoy and part of me wants to push a little harder.

I would absolutely just let them listen and enjoy. This is a chance to build the love of stories, books, language, words. Now if a discussion comes up about some element of the story, go for it. But I wouldn't make it mandatory.

[happycc]

Thank you for helping me figure why it just wasn't happening!

 

Coming up and nursing definitely an issue....

Grabbing and ripping the book another issue...

At the kitchen table-he gets out of his seat and climbs on the table-disaster....

 

Yep So I am getting audiobooks!!

 

YEAH!

[Ritsumei]

As another poster mentioned, we do many read-alouds in bed (in the mornings, before we get up) and centered around meals (I finish first, then read while they eat at the speed molasses flows). That helps with consistency, so long as you aren't already using that time to catch up on housework/chores.

 

This is what we do - either I read at lunch, or we'll do it at naptime, which both of mine still need most of the time. I'm actually starting to introduce some scripture reading at breakfast too, which is working very very well. Pinning it to something that's already stable has been the only way to get it done here.

 

And I agree, if the book isn't working for you, dump it and get a different one. Island of the Blue Dolphins is one that I love, but it's still too much for my boys, and I expect it to be for quite some time. Choosing a read-aloud is a bit of an art, and it takes some practice. To keep the habit alive, we read poems when we're between novels. Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, and I've got some kids' poetry collections. I'd like to expand. I really want to get some print versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's childhood collection... can't remember the title right now, and I'm too sleepy to go look it up. It's got "Bed in Day" in it, which I love, but my boys don't get because we're on a 2nd shift schedule and 10pm-ish is always night time... Anyway. Poems keep us on track when we're between books.

 

You might try Mr. Popper's Penguins, or Monkey loved The Secret Garden and Little House on the Prairie. Winnie the Pooh and House at Pooh Corners were other winners here. I want to try Cheaper By the Dozen and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang to see if they're good fits. He liked Stuart Little, though I hated the ending.