I wonder how it would be for 4th grade ds to JUST do math, grammar, and READ widely?

[HappyGrace]

He came to read later, and doesn't love it, so he is not widely read and I can really see it showing up-he doesn't know common things, common terminology, basic things that kids would know from reading.

 

I'm thinking if I took the burden out of the rest of his school day, it would give him time and energy to be exposed to more information from books. By incorporating more reading into the school day, I think he'd feel almost like he's getting away with something to just read rather than do a lot of seatwork, which I'm thinking could start him thinking more positively about reading in general.

 

So we'd do math and grammar, and then a book basket that contains a wide variety of good fiction and non-fiction.

 

From the book basket, he would read, and then do some output from his reading-maybe have him write a paragraph about a favorite character, or draw/label a diagram of something he read about in a non-fiction book, make a timeline figure when he wants, etc. (I would have him definitely write something each day to do with what he read, whether it's a written narration or something more focused.) Also have a notebook and ask him to choose five words a day from his writing that he is unfamiliar with to put in the notebook and define and use in a sentence. Probably choose some sentences to dictate from the books for spelling. (and I've also noticed that he gets a lot of spelling visually and naturally just from reading.)

 

He will have SOTW, writing, and a few other things in co-op too.

 

So I guess it would almost be like a modified Robinson Curriculum-lol!

 

The biggest goals I have for him this year are to widen his knowledge base and start to love reading, so this seems like a good way to tailor our homeschooling to meet those goals.

 

I would mix the day up so it's not straight reading-he'd do math with me, then some reading, then snack break, then grammar with me, then more reading, then lunch, then write about some of his reading, etc.

 

I'm tossing it out here for any comments. :)

[mom31257]

I think it would work as long as you are including books that would cover some science and non-history social studies topics. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea for my 4th grade son, except that I've got curricula plans involving another child coming to our house once a week.

 

He doesn't love reading but didn't start reading at a later age. He just rarely finds anything that he enjoys in terms of fiction. He likes non-fiction, but I think it's because most of the books he has read have short sections that he can read quickly and then move on to something else.

[Adrienne_in_TX]

With you "managing" his learning without him knowing it, I think you can get a lot of mileage with a plan like this. I would simply add to include practice in oral skills (narration/recitation), which can be done in a very casual way and still accomplish a great deal. Make sure you spend lots of time talking about what he's reading, casually "quizzing" math and language arts skills and letting him expound on what he's read. Show great interest in any little thing he's willing to share from his reading, restate what he's told you to show that you're listening, ask leading questions and it should spur him on to want to delve in further.

 

Good luck! You're inspiring me to pare things down a bit and leave room to breathe.

[Ecclecticmum]

(sorry if this is in there somewhere and I missed it-it's late here)

 

It would be nice to possibly add some PE/Science/Project into your program. Maybe the possibility of adding combined studies?

 

Something Like this

 

(6 week rotation)

 

Week 1: Structured PE time (play ball with him, PE Game, Race etc)

Week 2: Nature Hike (Nature Studies visual/audio + PE)

Week 3: Geocaching (Geography/GPS/Compass Skills + PE)

Week 4: Backyard Nature Sketching

Week 5: Mini Yard/Nature Project (build a simple birdhouse, cut the trees, mow the lawn ;) lol = Nature + poss. PE)

Week 6: Mini Study of a local Animal/Insect (Anatomy, Habitat, Food, Lifecycle)

 

Adds that little bit extra, can be as simple as you want, gets them outside, and adds science & PE in without too much drama, and can be done as a family activity on the weekend.

[Ellie]

Sounds good to me. :)

[Hunter]

Sounds good to me. :)

 

:iagree:

[HappyGrace]

He gets sci at co-op, including a little homework, but I would have sci books of various types in the book basket. He also does Lego League and soccer, and we do little hikes, and walks, have nature journals, etc.

 

Love the geocaching idea-thanks! I will also add in some projects too. I like the 6-wk rotation idea and I think we'll use it for a loose guide for Saturdays for the fun stuff that Ecclecticmum mentioned.

[....]

You could even do:

 

math

writing

Latin

lots of reading

 

You might like reading The Latin-Centered Curriculum.

[HappyGrace]

 

You might like reading The Latin-Centered Curriculum.

 

LOL-I was one of the first ones to purchase this when it came out-Drew, the author, used to be here on these boards years ago!

 

After having older dd do Latin since 2nd grade, I'm not as convinced anymore as to the benefits, at least according to our family's goals. I know, I should be shunned on a classical hs board!:)

[....]

I know, I should be shunned on a classical hs board!:)

 

:lol:

[mo2]

I've been thinking about the same thing, but with a 5th grader.

[fourisenough]

I love the idea! My girls would think they had hit the lottery if I did something like this. Actually, it sounds a lot like our summer learning plan. My friend heard my 7 year old say recently, "Since it is a rainy day, can we just stay inside and read today?" My friend was shocked and has since asked me several times to explain how we educate/raise our kids so she can do the same with hers. Honey to a mama's heart! My girls ARE readers and I think it really shows. Go for it!

[tvaleri]

:iagree:

 

 

Sounds great to me! How I miss those days ......

 

We used Five in A Row in the early years. Kids did a turn in charter school. When my then first grader came home, I took several months to allow him to decompress. Just like your plan. It was one of the best school years ever!

 

Smiles,

Teresa

[ktgrok]

I think it is a great idea, but I would NOT make him write about what he reads. I think for a kid that isn't sure he even likes reading yet it could kill his interest. Have him write something else instead. In fact, I'd just have him do copywork maybe. Or write letters to people. But would just let him read and read and read for this year. But personally I think a love of reading, and good fluency, are more important than pretty much anything else.

 

Oh, or you could have one non fiction book a week, and have him write a list of facts he learned.

[kitten18]

He came to read later, and doesn't love it, so he is not widely read and I can really see it showing up-he doesn't know common things, common terminology, basic things that kids would know from reading.

 

I'm thinking if I took the burden out of the rest of his school day, it would give him time and energy to be exposed to more information from books. By incorporating more reading into the school day, I think he'd feel almost like he's getting away with something to just read rather than do a lot of seatwork, which I'm thinking could start him thinking more positively about reading in general.

 

 

Your post made me think of a couple books by E.D. Hirsch that I'm reading: The Knowledge Deficit and Books to Build On.

 

I bought Books to Build On, used for just a few dollars on Amazon.

[Sharilynn29]

I love the idea! You are inspiring me to pare back some of my plans with my 8yo dd. She doesn't like to read, but her laziness would probably think getting out of book work was a dream. Thinking...

[HappyGrace]

I think it is a great idea, but I would NOT make him write about what he reads. I think for a kid that isn't sure he even likes reading yet it could kill his interest.

 

I did think of that, and this is a concern for me for sure. I need to think more about it. I would definitely want to do the 5 vocab words, but I might do other writing separate. That would keep it simpler too.

[8filltheheart]

I think it is a great idea, but I would NOT make him write about what he reads. I think for a kid that isn't sure he even likes reading yet it could kill his interest. Have him write something else instead. In fact, I'd just have him do copywork maybe. Or write letters to people. But would just let him read and read and read for this year. But personally I think a love of reading, and good fluency, are more important than pretty much anything else.

 

:iagree: I think your plan is a solid one and one that will ultimately give your child more mileage than a more formal approach.

 

FWIW, I would do the copywork and step it up a notch and make sure that the copywork is actually used for writing instruction. (finding topic sentence, discussing supporting details, etc)

 

Another FWIW, I would recommend having him read to you aloud for about 15 mins each day. For my late reader, reading aloud for just those few minutes helped me reinforce phonics and correct pronunciation as he moved forward in his reading skills and I tried to rely on the read aloud time for most of my "reading comprehension" check questioning. It was a delicate balance between encouraging the reading and him developing a love for it and correct pronunciation in his silent reading as he progressed to higher level books. (he never had any difficulty w/comprehension, so that minimal time was fine for him.)

[mom@home]

We did that a few years ago. My ds was reluctant to learn to read. I went to a Carole Joy Seid seminar and basically she said all you need to homeschool is a Bible, a math curriculum and a library card and suggested reading good quality literature as the basis for everything. That year I scaled everything back and we only did Bible, Math, and Reading. We read, and read, and read. He read to me and I read aloud to him. Great year! In fact, it's probably the best year we ever had homeschooling. His reading skills and love of reading soared! Hummm.... makes me wonder why I felt the need to do anything differently.:001_smile:

[threedogfarm]

I think it is a great idea, but I would NOT make him write about what he reads. I think for a kid that isn't sure he even likes reading yet it could kill his interest. Have him write something else instead. In fact, I'd just have him do copywork maybe. Or write letters to people. But would just let him read and read and read for this year. But personally I think a love of reading, and good fluency, are more important than pretty much anything else.

 

Oh, or you could have one non fiction book a week, and have him write a list of facts he learned.

 

:iagree:

 

SWB's lecture on literary analysis explains why you should just let him read and maybe answer a few questions orally occasionally--not for every book. I think you will feel really embrace just letting him read after listening to her lecture.

[Nicholas_mom]

This sounds awesome! Too bad I already planned Grade 4 :lol: Ds has been reading only for a year but loves it. But reading this thread has me re-thinking what I planned for Grade 4 might kill his joy of reaading.

 

Need to think this thru some more..........

[Holly]

These are basically my plans for next year. My oldest is a young 5th grader. I'm planning on 3R's everyday, plus 2 days history readings, 2 days science readings (or maybe Apologia), 1 day arts. I'm hoping this will give us extra time for larger projects. I felt so overburdened by our curriculum this year and I want to really enjoy working and learning together as a family.

 

I found this resource that I plan on using to add variety to our narrations: http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/narration/ --I love the variety of activities--drawing pictures, drama, making models, etc. in addition to lots of discussion and writing questions!

[HappyGrace]

 

I found this resource that I plan on using to add variety to our narrations: http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/narration/ --I love the variety of activities--drawing pictures, drama, making models, etc. in addition to lots of discussion and writing questions!

 

 

If you search on these forums for "narration jar", or google that term, there are lots of cool narration ideas similar to that. Then you cut strips of paper and put one narration idea on each strip and they can pick one out of the jar to do!

[mathwonk]

" I wonder how it would be for 4th grade ds to JUST do math, grammar, and READ widely? I wonder how it would be for 4th grade ds to JUST do math, grammar, and READ widely?"

 

this is the best idea i have heard on this forum.

[stripe]

Another FWIW, I would recommend having him read to you aloud for about 15 mins each day.

 

Any tips for a kid who HATES to read aloud?

[Sahamamama]

He came to read later, and doesn't love it, so he is not widely read and I can really see it showing up-he doesn't know common things, common terminology, basic things that kids would know from reading.

 

I used to tutor boys like this. Usually by about 5th grade the "gaps" in General Knowledge would create huge hurdles for reading. In fact, we often think the gaps in knowledge are caused by later/slower reading. I think this is true to some extent, but it leads to a Catch-22 -- the boy's gaps will in turn make it increasingly difficult for him to understand what he does read.

 

You could try building his General Knowledge through:

 

• The History Channel -- I'm not kidding. Some boys are going to learn more history watching the History Channel than they ever will with books. I know this is not WTM/classical. If he retains what he sees and hears, though, it will get his General Knowledge caught up. Talk about the show afterward and call it a day.
  
• The Discovery Channel -- Ditto.
  
• The Military Channel -- Ditto.
  
• A Science Channel -- Ditto. Sensing a theme? I'm not saying to let him watch TV all day, but he might learn more through selected TV programs than through, say, video games. So use what works.
  
• Audiobooks, audiobooks, and more audiobooks -- Nothing abridged, just full-length chapter books that neither you nor he have to read (e.g., The Water Horse, The Chronicles of Narnia, Johnny Tremain, Your Story Hour CD sets -- excellent! I recommend any or all of these CDs. We have all of them, and my girls know a LOT of history!)
  
• Read Alouds -- At least 2x/day. Keep the sessions short. You do the reading aloud, even into the high school years. Mix up your pile of books -- some literature, some history, a short science article or magazine. Then later in the day, a Bible passage (if you do that), a poem, and a chapter from a chapter book.
  
• Library visits -- You could encourage/require him to choose and read from several categories of non-fiction, novel/chapter book, biography, how-to book, etc.
  
• Guided Reading -- When I did this with my students, I would first read aloud the passage/poem while the boy listened. Then he read aloud the same passage while I gently helped with anything that needed guidance. Then we would talk about some difficult words or dialogue or speaking clearly or some aspect of the passage that made it challenging to read (long sentences, for example). ;) Then I would read it again, modeling how to read aloud with a non-robotic expression! Then I would encourage the boy to HAM IT UP, and read aloud with GREAT EXPRESSION. You have to find fun books for this, but most boys seem to love being given permission to read aloud like actors and clowns. It brings out the performer in them. Anyway, I always started with "The Parrot Tico Tango," and never met a kid who didn't love being able to recite it all by the end. The next step in Guided Reading was to give the boy a CD of me reading aloud the same passage. He was to listen and practice reading aloud with the CD and book ALL WEEK. By the end of all that, he understood fluency! :D I am not kidding, it works. Some boys seem to need to realize that they can read well, if they practice. I don't know why the same passage over and over and over works. I think it helps them find their "non-robotic voice."
  

Just my two cents. HTH.

[FO4UR]

What a timely thread. We have already started 4th grade with a late/used-to-be-reluctant/still carries dyslexic tendencies reader. I have been pondering all weekend about how, in the midst of our busy school day (3 young dc), I have slacked off in keeping him reading.:001_unsure: (I need to read my own siggie!!!:tongue_smilie:)

 

 

Math

Grammar

Latin (takes us 15min/day)

Reading

 

hmmm.....

 

 

Sahamamama - That is some great advice! I have been reading aloud and finding audiobooks and we've watched a few documentaries (will watch lots of documentaries in January when I've nursing a nb). ds9 has a good broad body of knowledge in history/nature (better than I had at age 25...not saying much...), but he lacks several odd bits of info, common stuffs that people pick up by reading signs and such.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Any tips for a kid who HATES to read aloud?

Have him read into to a pocket recorder.

If he has a younger sibling, have him record a childs book for them.

Have him read dialog and come up with voices.

Read into a microphone.

[Mommyfaithe]

This is my plan for this year with my 3rd and 5th graders.

I am going to have a day each week where they read a page from their history book and another day where they read from their science book.

 

At that point, we will make a list of topics for them to look for at the library....and have a couple of hours of reading time a day.

 

I am not planning on much productive paper output....but oral narrations, and I am sure thOse boys will come up with their own projects....or project books from the library.

 

I may have my dd in 9th do a similar thing....just with a little more structured writing and reading assignments. She was late to reading, reads painfully slow and could use another year to work on her skills.....

 

Oh, as far as copywork.....I would definitely NOT skip it! Keep his hand writing getting stronger! He will need it soon.

 

Faithe

Edited July 29, 2012 by Mommyfaithe

[Country Mouse]

Any tips for a kid who HATES to read aloud?

 

Along the lines of what Down the Rabbit Hole said, do you have a pet your child can read to? I know the local library had a program where kids could come and read to dogs. I had ds do that some at home with our dogs, he loved it!

[stripe]

Have him read into to a pocket recorder.

If he has a younger sibling, have him record a childs book for them.

Have him read dialog and come up with voices.

Read into a microphone.

 

Recordings worked well for poetry memorization, but I kind of let it fall by the wayside.

 

Reading to a younger sibling only worked when he first started to read. But I could try again.

 

He has been following me around, making me listen to sections of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, maybe I should encourage that. Ha. Certainly vocabulary building!

 

Maybe the content matters more than I thought.

[HappyGrace]

Another FWIW, I would recommend having him read to you aloud for about 15 mins each day. For my late reader, reading aloud for just those few minutes helped me reinforce phonics and correct pronunciation

 

EXCELLENT idea, thank you! My advanced older dd, who has been reading a ton since age 4, will sometimes still occasionally pronounce a word wrong in conversation because she has only encountered the word visually in a book! lol

[HappyGrace]

I used to tutor boys like this. Usually by about 5th grade the "gaps" in General Knowledge would create huge hurdles for reading. In fact, we often think the gaps in knowledge are caused by later/slower reading. I think this is true to some extent, but it leads to a Catch-22 -- the boy's gaps will in turn make it increasingly difficult for him to understand what he does read.

 

You could try building his General Knowledge through:

 

• The History Channel -- I'm not kidding. Some boys are going to learn more history watching the History Channel than they ever will with books. I know this is not WTM/classical. If he retains what he sees and hears, though, it will get his General Knowledge caught up. Talk about the show afterward and call it a day.
  
• The Discovery Channel -- Ditto.
  
• The Military Channel -- Ditto.
  
• A Science Channel -- Ditto. Sensing a theme? I'm not saying to let him watch TV all day, but he might learn more through selected TV programs than through, say, video games. So use what works.
  
• Audiobooks, audiobooks, and more audiobooks -- Nothing abridged, just full-length chapter books that neither you nor he have to read (e.g., The Water Horse, The Chronicles of Narnia, Johnny Tremain, Your Story Hour CD sets -- excellent! I recommend any or all of these CDs. We have all of them, and my girls know a LOT of history!)
  
• Read Alouds -- At least 2x/day. Keep the sessions short. You do the reading aloud, even into the high school years. Mix up your pile of books -- some literature, some history, a short science article or magazine. Then later in the day, a Bible passage (if you do that), a poem, and a chapter from a chapter book.
  
• Library visits -- You could encourage/require him to choose and read from several categories of non-fiction, novel/chapter book, biography, how-to book, etc.
  
• Guided Reading -- When I did this with my students, I would first read aloud the passage/poem while the boy listened. Then he read aloud the same passage while I gently helped with anything that needed guidance. Then we would talk about some difficult words or dialogue or speaking clearly or some aspect of the passage that made it challenging to read (long sentences, for example). ;) Then I would read it again, modeling how to read aloud with a non-robotic expression! Then I would encourage the boy to HAM IT UP, and read aloud with GREAT EXPRESSION. You have to find fun books for this, but most boys seem to love being given permission to read aloud like actors and clowns. It brings out the performer in them. Anyway, I always started with "The Parrot Tico Tango," and never met a kid who didn't love being able to recite it all by the end. The next step in Guided Reading was to give the boy a CD of me reading aloud the same passage. He was to listen and practice reading aloud with the CD and book ALL WEEK. By the end of all that, he understood fluency! :D I am not kidding, it works. Some boys seem to need to realize that they can read well, if they practice. I don't know why the same passage over and over and over works. I think it helps them find their "non-robotic voice."
  

Just my two cents. HTH.

 

 

Thank you for this wonderful post-I am going to do every idea you mentioned. I guess we have been doing some guided reading just naturally-Shel Silverstein's poems are great for this-lol! We all read them around the dinner table for fun, even dh!

 

We definitely do audiobooks too-currently the unabridged dramatized version from Orion's Gate-they LOVE it and ask for it every time we're in the car!

 

I am for sure going to get the Your Story Hour Cds-I have one pack but they are cassette so we can't listen to them in car. We listen to Diana Waring CDs in the car but they are more for older dd-they are a little above his level.

 

I will have to search the library and Netflix for the documentaries/shows though because we don't have cable.

Edited July 29, 2012 by HappyGrace

[Mommyfaithe]

Any tips for a kid who HATES to read aloud?

 

We all HATE what we are not proficient at....iow, He needs to get proficient....:D

 

Buddy read....I read a page to you...you read one to me.

Each take a character...you be Bill, I will be Sally.

Read a portion to him....have him re-read the same portion.

Have him Pre-read the section you want him to read aloud...and practice it, asking any questions he may have on new words, punctuation, etc.

 

Have him read really easy books aloud until he becomes fluent.....short sections of more difficult books work well too. Don't over do it.....This is where graded readers come in handy:D

 

Go over any difficult words or words he may not know BEFORE you begin.

 

Read a play aloud taking parts and really hamming it up. Let him practice his parts BEFORE acting them out....short skits....or maybe setting up the whole skit with lego guys playing the parts, or stick puppets....or stuffed animals etc. really HAM it up with voices etc.....or have him do a video with the little Lego guys and him talking them out.

 

 

Reading aloud is a skill and it is HARD.....that is why schools had the subject of "elocution" back in the day. Reading aloud is the beginning of speech and oration skills.. We need those skills as we get older....

 

Good luck and have fun with it!

[HappyGrace]

We did that a few years ago. My ds was reluctant to learn to read. I went to a Carole Joy Seid seminar and basically she said all you need to homeschool is a Bible, a math curriculum and a library card and suggested reading good quality literature as the basis for everything. That year I scaled everything back and we only did Bible, Math, and Reading. We read, and read, and read. He read to me and I read aloud to him. Great year! In fact, it's probably the best year we ever had homeschooling. His reading skills and love of reading soared! Hummm.... makes me wonder why I felt the need to do anything differently.:001_smile:

 

 

Thank you-it is encouraging to know that this went well!

[HappyGrace]

GREAT ideas in this thread for having the child read aloud, thanks!

[8filltheheart]

We all HATE what we are not proficient at....iow, He needs to get proficient....:D

 

Buddy read....I read a page to you...you read one to me.

Each take a character...you be Bill, I will be Sally.

Read a portion to him....have him re-read the same portion.

Have him Pre-read the section you want him to read aloud...and practice it, asking any questions he may have on new words, punctuation, etc.

 

Have him read really easy books aloud until he becomes fluent.....short sections of more difficult books work well too. Don't over do it.....This is where graded readers come in handy:D

 

Go over any difficult words or words he may not know BEFORE you begin.

 

Read a play aloud taking parts and really hamming it up. Let him practice his parts BEFORE acting them out....short skits....or maybe setting up the whole skit with lego guys playing the parts, or stick puppets....or stuffed animals etc. really HAM it up with voices etc.....or have him do a video with the little Lego guys and him talking them out.

 

 

Reading aloud is a skill and it is HARD.....that is why schools had the subject of "elocution" back in the day. Reading aloud is the beginning of speech and oration skills.. We need those skills as we get older....

 

Good luck and have fun with it!

 

:iagree: w/it all. :) Dramatizing the words can make it more palatable. But, elocution is a vital skill and one I want my kids to master and feel confident in.

[stripe]

We all HATE what we are not proficient at....iow, He needs to get proficient....:D

 

 

 

Thank you for all the ideas. In my opinion, he actually reads very well for his age, in terms of his vocabulary and style, but he is young, and I want him to improve as he ages, and I am afraid that without practice, he won't develop as much as he should. Also he reads extensively on his own and therefore does not always know (or isn't sure) how to pronounce some words.

 

I like the performance ideas a lot, thank you all so much.

 

When I was in 7th grade, we had a whole class on recitation and speaking aloud skills. We had to memorize poems and whatnot. I don't think we actually were taught style, though. However I hated listening to some of my classmates in high school who didn't even pause in the right spots.

 

Anyway I don't want to distract from the thread. This past year I emphasized reading, math, and his reading on his own, and he has learned a lot. However I am not sure I personally want to do it again quite this way. My kids are asking for more science, and I also want to add in much more art to their days.

[Sahamamama]

I have been pondering all weekend about how, in the midst of our busy school day (3 young dc), I have slacked off in keeping him reading.:001_unsure:

 

Sahamamama - That is some great advice! I have been reading aloud and finding audiobooks and we've watched a few documentaries (will watch lots of documentaries in January when I've nursing a nb). ds9 has a good broad body of knowledge in history/nature (better than I had at age 25...not saying much...), but he lacks several odd bits of info, common stuffs that people pick up by reading signs and such.

 

Well, he's only 9 or 10, right, so I'm sure you haven't completely ruined him. :tongue_smilie: Just kidding.

 

Bolded: Yes, this is common among later/less eager readers, but it's rectifiable. Take heart. I once tutored a 5th grader who did not know the months of the year. "Um, do you mean, um January... April... November?" :001_huh: So I taught him the months. Done.

 

Likewise, I had a student who would not EVER write a word with a "br" combination. Mystery. Humph. Why did he refuse to write "b-r-e-a-d?" :confused: He never learned how to make the connection between the cursive b and the cursive r. Go figure. So I taught him that. He was relieved to finally be able to put that little piece of The Puzzle in place. :glare: Done.

 

Another example: I had a student who would not write his middle name. Why? Why wouldn't he write his middle name? He had never learned how to form a capital cursive E. :banghead: Don't get me started about ps cursive writing "instruction." Just don't....

 

But the point of all this rambling is that these boys CAN learn these missing pieces! They simply need explicit, patient, explicit, consistent, did I mention explicit teaching. They do not need to figure it out for themselves. They need teaching, to be shown how, to be told "Memorize this, recite it, good, now memorize this." Talking about what words mean, copywork, memory work, audiobooks, guided reading -- it puts stuff in the head. And it's good for this age to feel like they have something up there. These boys are so self-conscious and embarrassed when they know they should know it, but feel they've gone beyond it being okay to ask. KWIM?

 

FWIW, I think reading aloud/sharing the reading is a great way to build up General Knowledge, especially if you talk about what you're reading, even as you go along. "What does _______ mean?" Simple definition or explanation in language he already knows, then read on. Over time, he will build up his understanding and connections. I ALSO think -- my own opinion, for the hill of beans that's worth -- that many of these boys do well with more relaxed means of inputting information. Reading is such hard work for them for so long, it's exhausting. And all the energy goes into just the READING, what's left over for absorbing the content?

 

Watching the History Channel may be too passive for some, but if it helps that child grow in General Knowledge -- for example, to have HEARD of the Civil War and have some notion that it didn't happen last week -- it's worth using that means with discernment and teacher input/interaction. I do not think we stick him in the TV room and walk away. :glare: But there is a benefit to listening to, say, Your Story Hour CDs, since then when the child reads about Abraham Lincoln he will have confidence that he himself knows and can contribute something to the study.

 

Enjoy your year and get some rest before December. :D

[HappyGrace]

 

Yes, this would likely be a one-year plan to get him up and running with enjoying reading, and widen knowledge base.

 

I have noticed over the years with older dd that different years we emphasize different school subjects, depending on need. This seems to be what ds needs this yr.

[Heather in VA]

You've gotten great ideas here, many of which I'm going to steal myself :-), but I just wanted to chime in and agree with those who said not to make him write about his reading. I really agree with that. If you are concerned about writing, beef up the copywork and maybe look at Bravewriter. They have beautifully gentle ideas for writing. They are coming out with a program in the next month for this age group that lays out projects for each month. To get an idea of it look at their product Jot It Down which is for younger kids but it will be set up similarly from my understanding.

 

I don't know that I would even do formal narration at the beginning. Just get him talking about what he's reading. Get him to tell you the stuff he thought was interesting. Just try to facilitate discussion both so you know he's understand and because if he gets to tell you about what he likes, he's more likely to get excited about what he read and enjoy it more.

 

Heather

[HappyGrace]

They simply need explicit, patient, explicit, consistent, did I mention explicit teaching.

 

Lightbulb moment, thank you! :)

 

So different from older dd. "Explicit teaching" is the exact words I've been searching for to clarify it in my mind as to what he needs. (beyond the knowledge base stuff; I'm talking this is what he needs with grammar and so on-skill subjects. With Dd I could generally throw it at her and she had it, or she somehow just absorbed stuff.)

[HappyGrace]

You've gotten great ideas here, many of which I'm going to steal myself :-), but I just wanted to chime in and agree with those who said not to make him write about his reading. I really agree with that. If you are concerned about writing, beef up the copywork and maybe look at Bravewriter. They have beautifully gentle ideas for writing. They are coming out with a program in the next month for this age group that lays out projects for each month. To get an idea of it look at their product Jot It Down which is for younger kids but it will be set up similarly from my understanding.

 

I don't know that I would even do formal narration at the beginning. Just get him talking about what he's reading. Get him to tell you the stuff he thought was interesting. Just try to facilitate discussion both so you know he's understand and because if he gets to tell you about what he likes, he's more likely to get excited about what he read and enjoy it more.

 

Heather

 

Yes, I've thought about it a lot since my OP, and decided to disengage the writing from the reading.

 

He will have some other IEW writing this yr anyway.

 

I love Bravewriter Arrow-I'll ck out the other program you mentioned, thanks.

Edited July 29, 2012 by HappyGrace

[stripe]

Bravewriter is pretty expensive. I have Jot it Down and was abit underwhelmed. Alte Veste Academy posted about a book called No More "I'm Done", and orher books by Jeff Anderson in this thread

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=404940

[melmichigan]

My second twin was a late reader, and she actually hated reading. A year and a half later we have to drag her out of her room some days because she doesn't want to put down a book, and her reading comprehension is said to be at 7th grade on standardized tests. We did formal math, WWE with a little of the IEW PAL Writing 3 (into to IEW writing), and her spelling/grammar, less than two hours a day most days. I follow SWB's list of required subjects from the library each week and have my kids read, to themselves, to me, to each other. There is nothing more important to me than instilling a strong love of reading in my children.

 

Fourth grade was a turning point for me. I wasn't a reader before that. My teacher, Ms. Osborne (funny how we remember those things) read to us for almost an hour a day and had us read, to ourselves, and to each other in pairs, every day. Many of the books she read out loud to me are on our read aloud list for this year. ;)

[Annie Laurie]

Thank you for this thread, Happy Grace!

 

My son is about to be in 6th grade and has never liked reading. My other kids read a crazy amount and learn so much, I'm a reader, and dh is a reader, so I don't understand why he's so resistant.

 

I read aloud to him a lot, which he loves, he just doesn't want to read to himself. In my son's case, he struggles with comprehension, and does not catch on to things that are inferred and not explicitly stated. He's improved a lot with his comprehension through the narration and dictation from WWE, but I think something more is going on. I'm going to go through Visualizing and Verbalizing with him this year. I think I need to work on helping him learn to process his reading visually, he's an extremely visual learner.

 

But your thread made me realize I also need to tone down some of the other school things this year, and make helping him with comprehension, and helping him develop a love of reading priority #1.

[FO4UR]

Well, he's only 9 or 10, right, so I'm sure you haven't completely ruined him. :tongue_smilie: Just kidding.

 

Bolded: Yes, this is common among later/less eager readers, but it's rectifiable. Take heart. I once tutored a 5th grader who did not know the months of the year. "Um, do you mean, um January... April... November?" :001_huh: So I taught him the months. Done.

 

 

Confession: It was days of the week most recently.:blush: I gave him a problem from a Math Olympiad book. "If today is Tuesday, what day will it be in 100 days?" (I thought this would be easy...) He finally asked me what day comes after Tuesday...what comes after that? :001_huh: His sister picked up on the days of the days of the week from reading my calendar.

 

But the point of all this rambling is that these boys CAN learn these missing pieces! They simply need explicit, patient, explicit, consistent, did I mention explicit teaching. They do not need to figure it out for themselves. They need teaching, to be shown how, to be told "Memorize this, recite it, good, now memorize this." Talking about what words mean, copywork, memory work, audiobooks, guided reading -- it puts stuff in the head. And it's good for this age to feel like they have something up there. These boys are so self-conscious and embarrassed when they know they should know it, but feel they've gone beyond it being okay to ask. KWIM?

 

 

 

Watching the History Channel may be too passive for some, but if it helps that child grow in General Knowledge -- for example, to have HEARD of the Civil War and have some notion that it didn't happen last week -- it's worth using that means with discernment and teacher input/interaction. I do not think we stick him in the TV room and walk away. :glare: But there is a benefit to listening to, say, Your Story Hour CDs, since then when the child reads about Abraham Lincoln he will have confidence that he himself knows and can contribute something to the study.

 

Enjoy your year and get some rest before December. :D

 

 

I think we do very well with history. If you only listened to him talk about Abraham Lincoln, you'd think "What a gifted homeschooler! His mom must be awesome!" (:tongue_smilie::lol:) In fact, we visited New Salem, IL last summer and he kept the museum staff in conversation for long periods of time. Just don't ask him how many days until Thursday...b/c he will betray his weakness. He has a LOT of asynchronous learning going on...he can +-x/ big numbers, for example, but seriously stumbles reading/writing those same big numbers.

[Pen]

Sounds good. I'll be interested in knowing how it goes.

 

My son is officially going into 4th, but is old enough to be in 5th. Last year was devoted largely to getting him reading, and he does now love it--and it is a huge help for all other subjects. It is hard to keep him supplied with books now. Maybe you'll end up with the same "problem".

 

For us, the biggest parts of getting to the love it stage had to do with being able to do it well enough for it to get interesting (dyslexia-ish problems). Once he got to the Percy Jackson type books with exciting adventure he was hooked.

 

Also, when he wanted a bedtime extension, I did that, but the only activities allowed between old and new bedtimes so as to be settling down toward sleep are quiet reading, writing, or drawing. He usually chooses reading, and often pushes it past the ending time with a flashlight.

 

While I like your idea about the vocabulary words and so on, my experience was that the reading needed to just be reading, sometimes to him self, sometimes aloud so as to get help, but not with other things added that might make it less pleasurable an experience. Instead when he was enjoying something I provided other things for deeper delving--for example, during the Percy Jackson stage since those books involve Greek myths, I got him other things on Greek myths, The Greek Alphabet Code Cracker, and Mythmatic card game. But they were more there as available enrichment, rather than take a chance on making something he was starting to like become onerous.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Pen

[mommymilkies]

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to bump it up because it's one of my favorites. :). How are things going for everyone doing this?