How do I get DD to read for school?

[frugalmama]

DD has it in her head that she doesn't like reading for school - she has no problem with it outside of school work. She reads out loud to grandma nightly, occasionally to me as well. I know she reads well - she comfortably reads Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and similar books. She is way above in spelling - she spelled every word in the R&S 2nd grade spelling book last night while we were working on laundry without any prep {I was trying to figure out where to place her}.

 

I'm asking her to read out loud from Days Go By, the Pathway reader. It's below her reading level - she tested into the 2nd grade readers but I elected to start her in the 1st grade ones for the phonics practice and comprehension work. I know she's reading it silently with me if I read it out loud because if I miss a word she will correct me.

 

So - how do I get her to read out loud for school? She will not read out loud for ANY of her school books - she insists on me reading it all to her.

[Crimson Wife]

If she can read silently and answer the comprehension questions, why force her to read aloud? :confused:

[ChandlerMom]

Why do you think she does it? Control? Enjoys doing it *with* you? Something else? I'd think about what her motivation is and work with that. If she fears you'll hand her a stack of workbooks and walk off, then make reading to you a cuddly activity. If it's her way of having some control over her lessons, maybe you can she'd be motivated by, "if you read X to yourself, then you can choose which project to do."

 

But before I *made her* do it I'd try to figure out what needs are being met by her current behavior and find a more appropriate outlet. ;)

 

ETA: CW has a good point: I'd only make her read laud what was necessary. I was thinking this was not reading her math workbooks or such, but if it is just balking at reading her reading books out loud, I'd just ask her to read a page from her regular reading so I could gauge fluency but otherwise let her read to herself. Maybe I'm still misunderstanding ??

Edited February 1, 2012 by ChandlerMom

[....]

I have my kids (even the older kids) read out loud to me occassionally. I've caught a TON of reading errors that way. I think it's a good idea.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it at age 5...but 1st or 2nd grade, I would get a reward chart or something (we had to do that for our son).

[taffnus]

My dd8 is the same except she resisted reading out loud at all. It sounds like your dd is getting some practice which really, may be enough.

 

I know dd is a great reader but I want to work on her oral recitation and make sure she's pronouncing words correctly. I introduced her to the McGuffey readers before Christmas and told her that they were the books children used in the 1800s (which she thought was very cool). I also mentioned that the children had to read the lessons out loud. She seemed game so, I bought readers 2 and 3 and she reads at least one per school day - out loud. Although they're short (1-2 pages) and easy for her so far, I don't have her zoom through them. She's working on her enunciation and pronunciation and she's working on proper use of the letter "s." She's done really well and reads them very willingly. I'm satisfied with this for now. :001_smile: Again, when I packaged it as "this is what children HAD to do in the 1800s," she seemed interested.

[frugalmama]

If she can read silently and answer the comprehension questions, why force her to read aloud? :confused:

 

Sorry I wasn't clear - I am asking her to read out loud for 2 reasons - 1. To work on her pronunciation of some words {because she taught herself to read she tends to say things phonetically} and 2. Because I want to gauge her reading ability and comfort level.

 

She refusing to read out loud for any subject, not just reading. It's worst with reading though. I've tried making it a comfy thing, switching when we do it, letting her pick the story - nothing has worked. If I am not sitting right there with her she will not read silently for school either or complete any school work - she wants me to be like her idea of a teacher in school - a 1-on-1 tutor basically. I am trying to slowly transition her to working independently but it has not worked so far.

 

She's very bright - just very stubborn to go with it :D

[frugalmama]

I have my kids (even the older kids) read out loud to me occassionally. I've caught a TON of reading errors that way. I think it's a good idea.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it at age 5...but 1st or 2nd grade, I would get a reward chart or something (we had to do that for our son).

 

She is in 1st grade now - actually a 1st/2nd hybrid with a few 3rd items tossed in.

 

Reward charts have not worked - she sees no motivation in them :confused:

[boscopup]

I think she's being a normal 5 year old. You may be expecting more from her than she's really ready to handle, even though she's academically ahead (and I understand the difficulty - my oldest was like that at that age also, and he doesn't like to read aloud either, so I rarely have him do it).

 

When you have an accelerated child, you need to remember that they are the age they are. There is a difference between a 5 year old Kindergartener working at 1st/2nd grade level in some subjects and a 6/7 year old 1st/2nd grader working in those same subjects. The 6/7 year old is often more mature and ready for a bit more "work".

 

My 2nd grader reads at a middle school level, but he's not a middle schooler. He's a 2nd grader. I always have to keep that in the back of my mind, because he doesn't act like a middle schooler, doesn't have the stamina of a middle schooler, doesn't have the output ability of a middle schooler. He's not a middle schooler. Same goes for math - he's working at 4th grade math, but he's not a 9 year old and doesn't have the same maturity as a 9 year old. It's different, and I have to be careful that I don't expect 4th grader output from a 2nd grader. He's able to do the 4th grade math work no problem, but his stamina is not that of a 4th grader, and he won't yet sit and puzzle on a problem for a while like a 4th grader might (though some 4th graders might not also :tongue_smilie:).

 

Ok, so back to your reading aloud problem... Last year in 1st grade, as my son was getting used to reading chapter books, I had him read one page, or sometimes just one paragraph, then he could read the rest of the chapter on his own. That was usually enough to make sure he was getting character names (like Charlotte in Charlotte's Web) and catch a few other things, but he knew he didn't have to read aloud *everything*. He hates reading aloud. He can read faster himself, so he'd rather do that! I don't blame him. I don't like reading aloud as much either. ;) So you might try doing that - just tell her that she can read a certain small amount, then she can read the rest herself.

 

If she's balking at doing school in general, I think again you're expecting too much from her. Working on independence? She's 5! She's a Kindergartener. My 2nd grader isn't independent. :tongue_smilie: We work one-on-one. That's how homeschooling often goes for young elementary. I don't expect independence until 4th or 5th grade. I know she seems big now, but she's a baby still. Even my 7 year old is a baby still, though he seems big to me. :D

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Sorry I wasn't clear - I am asking her to read out loud for 2 reasons - 1. To work on her pronunciation of some words {because she taught herself to read she tends to say things phonetically} and 2. Because I want to gauge her reading ability and comfort level.

 

She refusing to read out loud for any subject, not just reading. It's worst with reading though. I've tried making it a comfy thing, switching when we do it, letting her pick the story - nothing has worked. If I am not sitting right there with her she will not read silently for school either or complete any school work - she wants me to be like her idea of a teacher in school - a 1-on-1 tutor basically. I am trying to slowly transition her to working independently but it has not worked so far.

 

She's very bright - just very stubborn to go with it :D

 

You said she reads aloud to grandma and sometimes to you. That should be enough to gage her reading level and correct any mistakes. As far as working independently, that's not realistic for most 5yo's. My 7yo second grader has become somewhat independent for some of her subjects, but if she wasn't I certainly wouldn't push her.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Lisa in the UP of MI

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I think she's being a normal 5 year old. You may be expecting more from her than she's really ready to handle, even though she's academically ahead (and I understand the difficulty - my oldest was like that at that age also, and he doesn't like to read aloud either, so I rarely have him do it).

 

When you have an accelerated child, you need to remember that they are the age they are. There is a difference between a 5 year old Kindergartener working at 1st/2nd grade level in some subjects and a 6/7 year old 1st/2nd grader working in those same subjects. The 6/7 year old is often more mature and ready for a bit more "work".

 

My 2nd grader reads at a middle school level, but he's not a middle schooler. He's a 2nd grader. I always have to keep that in the back of my mind, because he doesn't act like a middle schooler, doesn't have the stamina of a middle schooler, doesn't have the output ability of a middle schooler. He's not a middle schooler. Same goes for math - he's working at 4th grade math, but he's not a 9 year old and doesn't have the same maturity as a 9 year old. It's different, and I have to be careful that I don't expect 4th grader output from a 2nd grader. He's able to do the 4th grade math work no problem, but his stamina is not that of a 4th grader, and he won't yet sit and puzzle on a problem for a while like a 4th grader might (though some 4th graders might not also :tongue_smilie:).

 

Ok, so back to your reading aloud problem... Last year in 1st grade, as my son was getting used to reading chapter books, I had him read one page, or sometimes just one paragraph, then he could read the rest of the chapter on his own. That was usually enough to make sure he was getting character names (like Charlotte in Charlotte's Web) and catch a few other things, but he knew he didn't have to read aloud *everything*. He hates reading aloud. He can read faster himself, so he'd rather do that! I don't blame him. I don't like reading aloud as much either. ;) So you might try doing that - just tell her that she can read a certain small amount, then she can read the rest herself.

 

If she's balking at doing school in general, I think again you're expecting too much from her. Working on independence? She's 5! She's a Kindergartener. My 2nd grader isn't independent. :tongue_smilie: We work one-on-one. That's how homeschooling often goes for young elementary. I don't expect independence until 4th or 5th grade. I know she seems big now, but she's a baby still. Even my 7 year old is a baby still, though he seems big to me. :D

 

:iagree: It's especially hard with accelerated kids to remember that they are still quite little.

[Crimson Wife]

My kids hate to read aloud once they've reached the point where they can read silently (I think because it slows them down). I tend to require it only when I catch them not paying attention to me reading aloud. :tongue_smilie:

[grace'smom]

My daughter hates to read aloud as well. The thing that has worked for us is "partner" reading- where I read one paragraph and she reads the next one, as well as me reading her sections out of the Well Trained Mind where "the teacher lady" says that you are supposed to read aloud for such and such amount of time per week, LOL. She won't do it for me but if "the teacher lady" says you are supposed to do it then it must be OK.