read a loud troubles

[momma aimee]

I have read to both boys since day one. stacks and stacks of the standard 32 page children's books. DS1 looooved it from the start and litteraly at not yet 2 would sit for over an hour at a time as i was preggo and cuddled to read to him.

 

we've had are challenges, DS2 STILL at 4.5 won't sit for a book; but about a year ago he FINALLY quit melting over books, ripping them out of my hand and so on -- so reading because 'doable' again.

 

so here is the challenge -- they are "making the leap" to chapter books. I have read to them The Matchlock gun (DS1 did well he wanted to get to the gun part, only like 76 pages, read it in 2 days) and Mr Poppers Penguins (struggles though a chapter a day). We also read My Father’s Dragon — our first read aloud and Elmer and the Dragon. Mr Popper Penguins.

 

so 4 total so far.

 

They don't seem to follow the chapter books.

 

I see time and time again about families readying meaty books like Treasure Island or whatever; and we are so not there.

 

the boys are 4.5 and 6.5. I have tried making them sit on the sofa with me (how we do the 32 page jobs) Big Brother will sit and cuddle me; Little still tends ot wander off and mess with me or the book. I've tried letting them color (Big loves this) but again Little wanders off. that is fine i get that he is not even 5 yet. I have tried letting them play.

 

they LET me read; mostly. but they just don't seem 'in to the story' or invlived or like they care. :confused:

 

some times Big can't answer the simpliest question at the end of a chapter. and doesn't seem to recall today, what we read yesterday.

 

I just got them "how to train Your Dragon" -- I thought they's be excited; he are at best nuteral and while **I** am enjoying it, again they do not seem to be even following the stroy.

 

:crying:

 

I get they are only 4.5 and 6.5 -- but I am really confused and I'll admit -- sad.

[boscopup]

My middle son couldn't listen to chapter books at 4.5 either, and really, even at 5.5, they're mostly above his head. He gets a little bit out of them sometimes... Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH caught his attention, and so did The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Both have occasional pictures. No way could I read Treasure Island and have him get anything out of it. Don't worry about that!

 

I remember when my oldest had just turned 6, I tried reading Detectives in Togas (which is in Sonlight Core B as a read-aloud, I believe), and DS1 didn't even get anything out of it. He's an advanced reader too, but listening to that chapter book just didn't do it for him. The following summer when he was 7, I had him read that book himself (his reading level had increased enough to do so), and he didn't even remember me reading it the year before - at all! It was like a brand new book to him. He got something out of it this time though, because he was more mature and more used to the higher level of language and vocabulary. Plus he gets more out of a book if he reads it himself anyway. :tongue_smilie:

 

So now our read-alouds are usually me reading to DS1, while the younger two try to be quiet, because they really just aren't ready for real chapter books of any substance. I do lots of picture books for the little ones. There are some really nice, wordy picture books out there. Those are perfect for this stage.

 

You don't have your alphabet-soup in your sig anymore, but I remember both kids had speech/language issues, didn't they? That might be part of it also. My middle son has speech/language issues, so I think it will take him longer than DS1 to understand longer chapter books. That's ok, he'll get there. I've seen huge improvement in the last year, and I know I'll see more in the next year, and the year after that. Just keep plugging along, and don't expect to go from Dr. Seuss to Treasure Island in a short time. Gradually move to lengthier picture books, then short chapter books with lots of pictures, then regular chapter books with a few pictures and a kid-friendly story (Beverly Cleary, E.B. White, etc. are good for this). Baby steps, baby steps. :)

[Farrar]

They're not ready, maybe? There are lots of picture books for older kids - think William Steig, Allan Say, John Muth - maybe go that route more. Or, maybe read series chapter books aloud. I don't always think that's a good idea because ideally you want to save them for kids to read independently later and they're not really great literature for the most part. On the other hand, they teach kids exactly the skills your kids seem to lack, which is how to follow plot and character. They're formulaic so kids get into the rhythm of the formula and learn to transfer that to other things.

[Dinsfamily]

They're not ready, maybe? There are lots of picture books for older kids - think William Steig, Allan Say, John Muth - maybe go that route more. Or, maybe read series chapter books aloud. I don't always think that's a good idea because ideally you want to save them for kids to read independently later and they're not really great literature for the most part. On the other hand, they teach kids exactly the skills your kids seem to lack, which is how to follow plot and character. They're formulaic so kids get into the rhythm of the formula and learn to transfer that to other things.

 

This is what I was thinking. There are so many great picture books out there. We don't really start longer chapter books until around 6 and I still read plenty of picture books to the littles. I don't expect them to always stick around during big brother's books but he always listens to theirs.

[LaughingCat]

Maybe try more episodic books like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle? (also Pippi Longstocking, Wizard of Oz or Mary Poppins - but I think Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is the easiest of those)

 

I must admit I am amazed at some of the books used so early on these forums - they definitely wouldn't have made it at our house. At 6, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle was one of the few "harder" books that worked - otherwise any book with an ongoing story line had to be at a much, much easier level which made them torture for me (read far, far too many Magic Treehouse and Katie Kazoo books for example) - or else short enough to finish in a couple days (Lady Lollipop by King-Smith pops to mind). Now DD3 is far more verbal than DD9 was - so maybe it will be a different story for her? I can only hope - if not we will be sticking to picture books over most of the "twaddle"* I read to DD9.

 

*I'm not anti-twaddle - I'm just anti-reading twaddle aloud :lol:

[brownie]

Your younger seems to have a negative association with reading aloud. I know my youngest did. My older two loved to read aloud and my active youngest saw it as time taken away from him and what he wanted to do, so not only did he not love it...it made him frustrated.

 

I would try to create a very positive association with reading aloud. For example, bake some cookies, cuddle up and read...but limit it to 15 minutes so they don't get tired of it. Then the cookies go away and you repeat the next day. Or build a tent and crawl under it to read. Read a book about pirates and get the eye patches to wear...anything to make it special mommy time and rebuild that association of reading with something fun and positive.

 

It took time but now ds7 loves to read and be read to...maybe not as much as the older two but he does love it.

Brownie

[momma aimee]

thanks ladies.

 

I guess even at 6.5 DS1 just isn't totally ready.

 

there is just so much good stuff out there -- i want to start sharing it -- yk?

[Farrar]

Some kids never love it... Once they're ready, they read to themselves. Alas.

[Mandylubug]

Have you tried shorter spurts of reading? You can only expect one minute of attention per year of age really, and then I would say go by your youngest child's age because once they chime out and start about their business they will distract the older. It isn't really about retention at this point but just experiencing and hearing the vocabulary, etc... at least that is my opinion!

[besroma]

This is what I was thinking. There are so many great picture books out there. We don't really start longer chapter books until around 6 and I still read plenty of picture books to the littles. I don't expect them to always stick around during big brother's books but he always listens to theirs.

 

Same here. Have you tried letting them choose books at the library? DS6 is not always interested in listening to me read aloud when I am reading to DS8, but when he chooses his own book (with my supervision), he carries it around the house asking for *anyone* to read it to him.

[sleeplessnights]

You might want to start with books in which each (short) chapter is a different story, like Uncle Wiggly or Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Or you can read books with really short chapters like Thornton Burgess' books.

 

A lot of picture books are more advanced than early chapter books, so don't write them off altogether. And Jim Weiss' audiobook cd's are a big hit in the car with us.

[Julie Smith]

To give my boys something to do when listening I will sometimes make a bucket of food. They use to get seperate buckets so no fights would break out. Now it's usually a sharing bucket.

 

The buckets are shaped like fruit trays and I put something in each compartment. Fruit, vegetables, crackers, cheese, ..,

[2squared]

A lot of picture books are more advanced than early chapter books, so don't write them off altogether..

 

:iagree: My 8yo & 10yo still listen when I read picture books. I read chapter books to them as well, but I am in no hurry to move them past picture books. There are so many fabulous picture books that we won't be able to read them all before they truly age out. I dearly love the picture book stage where my kids all crowd around me to see the pictures.

 

FWIW, my 5.5yo listens to chapter books, but he clearly doesn't "get" them very well. I wouldn't be reading chapter books if he was my oldest. My oldest two wouldn't have been ready at 5.5yo either.

[TKDmom]

When my boys were those ages, I did SL core P4/5, and they loved it. It didn't really have long chapter books. It had things like Milly-Molly-Mandy, Stories from Around the World, and Uncle Wiggly's storybook that had self-contained chapters, along with several picture books that didn't have chapters at all. I think that was better for 4-6 year olds not to expect them to remember things from one chapter to the next. You might want to look at SL's book list for that level for ideas. I wouldn't recommend the schedule--it was too choppy for me, but most of the books were great.

[MissKNG]

Aside from not being ready, Mr. Popper's Penguins is a pretty "meaty" chapter book imo with few pictures and "proper" language. What about trying reader chapter books like Cam Jansen or Henry and Mudge? Bigger words, shorter chapters and nice pictures.

[Julie Smith]

What I think helped us make the step from picture books to chapter books is I would read books in a "series".

 

For example we would sit and read lots of "The Railway Series" books. (Thomas the tank Engine)

 

or lots of "Hairy Maclary" books or, lots of "Franklin" books. So it was in many ways each picture book was just a chapter from a chapter book. We did thousands and thousands of picture books. For example when my boys were into "Franklin" I think I would read all 36 Franklin books we had several times a week - it addition to a few other picture books.

[Walking-Iris]

I wouldn't necessarily turn it into a lesson either. If my kids sense that anything schooly is going on with the read alouds they are turned off. That's mainly why I started using WWE. If I had asked questions or expected narrations while reading the actual book, it would kill my ds's love of reading. I know him too well. I just ask them where we left off and letthem answer in any way they can, and then give a quick summary myself to catch them up.

 

My youngest (almost 5) didn't like reading aloud either. He just couldn't sit still. Especially during the day. So I keep my read alouds in the realm of picture books. Even with your 6 year old there are some great picture books. Anything by Patricia Pollacco, Bill Peet, Eve Bunting, Holling etc. There's nothing especially necessary about the longer chapter books. There are fantastic books with wonderful artwork and longer stories.

 

And 4 year olds and 6 year olds need to cozy up with a parent and listen to If You Give A Mouse A Cookie sometimes. My 9 year old still thinks Runaway Bunny is wonderful and brings it to me to read even though he can read it himself and it's a board book. It's just the cozy feeling he's looking for and his love of the artwork.

 

I live with the philosophy of reading aloud as a relationship builder. A chance to bond and share a moment with my kids, whether I'm reading Goodnight Moon or Wind in the Willows. I don't educationalize it at all. Or assume one is better or more necessary that the other.

 

My wiggly 4 year old also likes to move. So I've started adding activities with the books. A game or reenactment. Art project. If he knows he is going to do something, he's much more apt to listen to the end.

 

Also you might just read fairy tales and folklore or Aesop and poetry in the day and leave longer books for bedtime. My 4 year old is obsessed with Magic Tree House and I've read all of them to him at bedtime. He couldn't sit still for a chapter during the day. I've also managed to read Peter Pan and Wind in the Willows and a few Beverly Cleary books to him---as long as it's in the evening snuggled in bed.

[RachelFlores]

I agree with all the previous posters that some kids just take longer to get into non-episodic chapter books, BUT if you want to try it and want them to retain what was read from one chapter to the next, this is my suggestion (it works for my 6.5 year old really well). Read the chapter, then have them narrate 1-3 favorite things that happened (if the chapter is long, break it up and do it for shorter passages). Write down the narration. Then, the next day ask if they remember what was read, if not (as often happens) read the narration back to them. With dd, this can (but not always) trigger the memory of the whole chapter or book. I wouldn't do this for your youngest unless he LIKES narration. It can be tedious, but retention for my dd is so much higher when we do this that it is worth it for some books.

[redsquirrel]

Just look for some longer picture books. My boys really enjoyed Shirley Hughes at that age. Those Alfie books are great! There are so many other longer picture books for your 6.5 year old...Miss Rumphius, Our Friends at Maple Hill Farm, One Morning in Maine, Roxaboxen, Children of the Forest, Peter in Blueberry Land, Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Bear,.. so many. Don't forget a nice illustrated Hans Christian Anderson. Some of those stories can get pretty long.

 

My 7 year old wasn't totally engaged with How To Train Your Dragon. It is dense with a complicated plot. He stuck with it because his 11 year old brother was reading it to him, but I could tell it was a struggle.

 

You might also try allowing the younger to colour while listening to the story. My boys stopped wanting to sit and listen at a fairly young age. I have always allowed them to draw or play with blocks or legos while I read. As long as they are quiet it is fine with me. They are absolutely listening to every word, they just feel better with some freedom of movement.

 

For first chapter books my younger son liked were the Moonsilver series and The Fairy's Promise series. They are by the same author. They look like TRASH but have a surprisingly high vocabulary level and a rich story line. Both boys enjoyed things like D'aulaire's Greek Myths and Norse Myths at a young age. Myths in general went over well with the boys at a young age. They are very exciting and often have great pictures.