Silent reading.... what age and how to get them to do it!

[KrissiK]

What age to kids start really enjoying silent reading? My 8 year old ds absolutely loves to be read aloud to. He loves books. He will sit for 1/2 hour at least and listen to me read to him. And then he throws a fit when we get to the good part and my voice gives out.:glare: But he does not read silently. Should I be worried about this? Should I push him? Or should I just enjoy the time I spend reading to him? He's a good reader, actually. I have the kids read orally to me every day, so it's not a matter of not knowing how to or comprehension. He understands what he reads very well. I think it's a matter of expediency with him.

[matilda]

Do you give him the chance to read silently? Try adding 20 minutes of silent reading time into the day for everyone. They can all choose a pile of books and sit and look at them or read to themselves. You don't have to quit reading out loud to him, though.

[boscopup]

I have a time set aside each day for silent reading. Actually, two times... One is for the literature that I've chosen. This is good literature, though sometimes it's more fun and easy, and sometimes it's more classic-y (though still interesting, of course). I assign an amount of chapters to read, based on chapter length and difficulty. The other reading time is when he can pick anything from the book basket and read for about 20 minutes. I keep the book basket full of good non-fiction that he likes, as well as fun books like Amelia Bedelia (easy for him to read, but he enjoys the story).

 

We started this last year when he was 6 (and an advanced reader), and it really got him reading more on his own.

[ABQmom]

I had a child who resisted reading silently too. I figured out that she just didn't like going off by herself to do the reading. So, I allowed her to read in a room where she could hear what was going on, and not feel so isolated.

 

I also built up her time slowly. My other children jumped right in with 30 minutes daily. This dd had to have her time built up slowly. I required 10 minutes a day and worked up from there. By sometime in her third grade year, she was reading silently for 30 minutes, and not long after that, she was content to go somewhere quiet and away from everyone else to read. HTH.

[GingerPoppy]

At our house, bedtime means first you read silently for 15 - 30 minutes (depending on age) and then I read aloud for the next 20 minutes or so. These would be two different books. She always has one on the go, and I always have a read aloud on the go. I think we started this when she was about six--and at that age, it was ok if she only read to herself for 5 or 10 minutes. The point was to get her in the habit. Also, I make sure she has books that will really entice her. :D

[ThreeBlessings]

When they were younger I let them stay up for an hour past bedtime if they were reading quietly in their rooms. They both still love to read at night, though these days I don't limit them to an hour. Maybe tmi, but I always encouraged ds to read in the bathroom. If your not opposed, put a basket or small shelf with some high interest reading materials by the toilet. Also you might try comics. My ds got hooked on reading Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes books. Once the love of reading is there they will branch out and read chapter books.

[ElizabethB]

It can take a few years after they are reading fluently. I wouldn't push it, just let him read aloud quietly. Forcing silent reading before a child is ready for it can lead to guessing problems.

[chepyl]

He has to read 15 minutes a day before he gets Wii or computer time. We just had to find something he liked. Right now, that is his Picture Bible. He also loves comics.

[4littleones]

My mum used to read-aloud to me and stop at a cliff-hanger. I would protest, but she used to say that if I am so interested, why not read it myself? Well, it worked. Later on, I tried it on my brother and it worked like a charm.

 

Now that I have children, I tried this trick again. It worked, but we live in a busy neighborhood with a lot of children, so my kids want to go out and play instead of sitting in and reading (and I don't stop them...).

 

I got them a flashlight and I told them they were allowed to use it in bed to read with if they got ready for bed half an hour later. This trick cemented the habit.

[Tonia]

Daily reading time (for both of us! - I'm reading through the book list in The Well-Educated Mind) for 30 minutes a day. My dd can choose from a book basket of science/history/literature selections. The books range from on her level to a bit above. She doesn't love that reading time (because she's only interested in reading Rainbow Magic fairy books at the moment). She's also allowed to stay up at night to read whatever she wants (well, books that are family approved, of course).

[lulubelle]

My ds9 does an hour of reading per the WTM. Half good fiction and the other half of the time history based reading. He started after he was able to read a Boxcar Children to me - at around 7 1/2 or 8. The same is going on with my ds7. He is able to read Nate the Great and Magic Tree House at this point. I'm hoping in the next few months he will be ready for a Boxcar Children and he will be expected to do about 15-20 min. on his own and work up. Their reading is part of the school work day.

[KrissiK]

I like the idea of reading at bedtime. Part of the reason we don't have a "formal reading time" during the day is because by the time the rest of our academics are done my two wild boys really need to get out and burn off some energy. But reading at night, perhaps even extending bedtime for that sounds like a good idea to me.

[walkermamaof4]

I have a time set aside each day for silent reading. Actually, two times... One is for the literature that I've chosen. This is good literature, though sometimes it's more fun and easy, and sometimes it's more classic-y (though still interesting, of course). I assign an amount of chapters to read, based on chapter length and difficulty. The other reading time is when he can pick anything from the book basket and read for about 20 minutes. I keep the book basket full of good non-fiction that he likes, as well as fun books like Amelia Bedelia (easy for him to read, but he enjoys the story).

 

We started this last year when he was 6 (and an advanced reader), and it really got him reading more on his own.

 

Ditto. We have 2 times set in our day. One for book basket where they can pick from books that are out, and 1 for quality lit from a list. They can read at bedtime too if they wish.

 

I'd start with just 10 mins per sitting and have you in the room busily doing something else so he doesn't feel alone. Add 5 mins every so often, but not too soon so he isn't overwhelmed.

[EKS]

I told my kids when they got to the point that reading was enjoyable that they could stay up past their bedtime up to an hour if they were reading. It made them feel like they were getting away with something.

[Mommy22alyns]

We also have let the girls stay up later if they were reading. I think they started silent reading at around 5. They get read-alouds, SL reading, book basket reading, and personal reading.