6.5 year old girl hates reading for 30 mins (she is able) tips!?

[OrganicMom]

I have my daughter read aloud to me for 30 mins a day. she whines every single time and avoids reading on her own... she will pick up books and only look at the pictures. it is rare that she will read on her own...

 

Any tips or tricks?

 

My plan is to just make it mandatory no matter what but keep adding books i know she will like. she likes it at the end and seems pleased to keep reading sometimes even though i tell her times up...

 

I also am beginning (only have done it once), at an additional time later in the day, having a quiet 30 minute reading to ourselves time where she gets to choose books to read to her self. but she drags her feet to choose... the first time we chose... she picked some of the very first readers she has ever read!? when she is really in 2nd and 3rd grade readers... i was thinking she would at least pick something at the 1st grade level... not the K

(out of all the books in our house to choose from)

 

I read to her all the time and she reads worksheets or small stuff in math in the past but i read to her all the time. her and her brother both get lots of reading to every day... and the love books...

 

but i don't know what to do... part of me wonders if i should just abandon it... and leave it alone... the other part makes me just want to stick to this for a few weeks or months and then reconsider... i.e. once she is used to it she will do it... but i don't want to burn her out... obviously i WANT her to love to read to herself and see the freedom in it... i'm beginning to wonder if she is just lazy about it... b/c she gets this attitude with any work... but again, want to be careful.

Edited September 9, 2012 by OrganicMom

[simplyme99]

I would choose a section of books for her to read and let her choose.

 

My girls love treasure box. I buy a bunch of stuff I know they would like (most under a buck) and put them in a box. I have them put a sticker up on a card each time they read, when they fill it up, they can draw from the treasure box. Works every time here!! :thumbup1:

[OrganicMom]

I wish the forums had a like box to click :) Good idea.

 

An additional question... do you add more time or do anything about whining... too?

[Miss Marple]

My boys would never have been able to read aloud that long to me at that age. Often that was the greatest length of time they could sit still for ME to read aloud to them.

 

We had quiet reading every day. To encourage the boys to read something that would stretch them a bit, I added in incentives (some people may call it bribes). When they finished a book I asked them to read, they got cool pieces of money (my boys liked money): 50 cent pieces, dollar coins, foreign money, etc. They still have those coins :) I also allowed them to pick books themselves within the parameters I set up. They could also read anything anytime after school was finished - I have shelves and shelves of fun reading. I had one son who preferred reading science texts for his free reading time :) He learned a lot from the pictures.

 

If it were me, I would have my child read aloud for 5-10 minutes max at that age. Then I would require quiet reading for 30 minutes gradually working up to an hour.

[Ellie]

I never required my children to read to themselves. I read aloud to them the books I thought they should experience, and let them alone otherwise.

[Marie131]

My 7 y/o also likes to read books that are baby-ish to him, I think that is pretty normal. At other times, he chooses books that are more advanced then his level. I figure as long as he is reading, I don't care what level it is at. My goal is to instill a love of reading, I feel to accomplish that I really need to allow him the freedom to read whatever he chooses, even if it's his baby brother's "My First Word" book. In all honesty, sometimes I like to read a book that is light and doesn't challenge me either, so how can I expect anything different from my children.

 

I find the best time to implement silent reading is at bedtime. I put my kids to bed a few minutes early and give them a chance to read whatever they want. They think they're staying up a bit later, but they are really not ;) We've also incorporated a 15 minute silent reading period during the day (for my older ds) where he can choose whatever he wants, as long as he gets to choose the book then I don't get any resistance. He usually reads much more than this in a day, he has become quite an avid reader, but it has only been in the last few months.

 

We also have books that we require the kids to read, but I don't require it during their silent reading times, only during our read alouds and not every day.

 

As for 30 min reading aloud, if your dd is resisting, why not start w/ a shorter period of time and work your way up incrementally. I agree w/ the other posters, 30 min at 6.5 is a really long time. Another suggestion is to take turn reading pages. Last year my ds would resist reading aloud, but he quite enjoyed reading to me when I read every other page.

[TheApprentice]

JMHU, but 30 minutes is a long time to read aloud. For a 6.5 year old I would probably cut that time to 10 minutes, and read to themselves for 15 minutes. You reading to her is the priority at this age. Her dreading reading is not the result you want.

[Twilight Woods]

JMHU, but 30 minutes is a long time to read aloud. For a 6.5 year old I would probably cut that time to 10 minutes, and read to themselves for 15 minutes. You reading to her is the priority at this age. Her dreading reading is not the result you want.

 

 

:iagree:

[OrganicMom]

yes. definitely NOT what i want... :( and i knew it was "an emergency" to change what we were doing... :)

 

I thought I was following the WTM recommendations for her age/grade and reading level...

 

Maybe I missed something... OR it's just not right for her.

[Deniseibase]

Is it reading in general you are trying to develop, or her reading aloud skills? My son, also 6.5, reads to me about 5-10 minutes a day and is just worn out by the end. He loves books and loves to be read to, and will spend a couple hours a day of free time just looking at books on his own and reading what he can of them. His reading skills are good, but reading out loud is really a couple different skills combined, and that's always harder for ones this young. I love the free reading idea, and I wouldn't suggest you cut out the reading aloud, it does develop important skills, but I think that's a pretty long time for most kids this age. Maybe you could present it as a deal - something like 'You do your reading aloud without attitude or whining and we'll stop at 10 minutes'? Something like that so she doesn't start thinking she's in charge ;-)

[OrganicMom]

hmm... that is not a bad idea. She will br thrilled if I giver her that plan tomorrow :) i.e. "you can read for 30 mins with a bad attitude and drag your feet or 15 (or 10!) mins with a delightful attitude. you decide.")

 

I just started reading "The Read-Aloud Handbook" and was wondering if the issues was because we started reading instruction before she was ready and now she is burned out on it... i hate having regret... i'm always torn with the early reading (if they are interested and "ready" in small amounts) or the wait until they are 7 approach...

[OrganicMom]

I also have my son coming down the line and don't want to make the same mistakes, if any where made with my daughter, with him.

[Incognito]

That is a really long time, IMO. My 6.5yo would have a really really hard time doing that, and there would be much whining. I wouldn't ask for more than 5 minutes and expect a happy child.

[serendipitous journey]

JMHU, but 30 minutes is a long time to read aloud. For a 6.5 year old I would probably cut that time to 10 minutes, and read to themselves for 15 minutes. You reading to her is the priority at this age. Her dreading reading is not the result you want.

 

I agree. We dropped independent reading entirely for first, because when we had it Button NEVER read at any other time; but when we dropped it, he would occasionally dip into a book that he liked. This year for second we're doing some reading each day (mostly!), usually 1/2 of a "Third Grade Detectives" or Magic Treehouse at the moment.

 

If you have an uninterested reader, you might look at the Sonlight readers/read-alouds. They definitely got Button interested -- though he didn't like the historical readers. He did like the fiction and true-story; but he couldn't follow the plot of the stories of pioneers and immigrants.

[Plateau Mama]

Heck I have a hard time reading out loud for 30 minutes! I would have her read you a book, something at or below (preferable) her level. Have her be successful and enjoy it. Eventually she will pick harder books. Don't set a time, just have her read until she either finishes the book or you sense she is getting tired.

 

My son does not like to do indepent reading during the day, but at bedtime he will read for hours if he is allowed. He also read books well below his level forever. He loved the Magic Treehouse & Magic Schoolbus books. Read them over and over until almost 4th grade. Now I catch him reading the Magic Schoolbus to his 4yo brother.

 

When you read to her is the time to pick harder books. The books you read to her should be way ahead of her level, this build vocabulary etc.

 

Don't push it, it will come.

[2squared]

That is a long time! My beginning readers read for 5min and work their way up to 10min. We stop when they get tired. I can easily tell that point because they start making errors that they shouldn't, and their pace slows down.

[SunnyDays]

I agree that 5-10 minutes, or maybe one chapter or section, depending on the book, is plenty to read out loud each day. My 9 year old would have a cow if I made him read aloud for 30 minutes a day!! I suspect if you cut down the read aloud time, then assign 15-20 minutes of quiet, independent reading, she will be more enthusiastic about it.

 

No need for regret... you are seeing a problem and correcting it!! :grouphug:

[Momofeat]

At this age, I think helping a child to love books is more important than how much they read themselves or the difficulty level of the books. Read, read, read to her. If you feel like she needs to practice, try having her read just a few pages to you before you read to her.

 

If you want to institute a quiet reading time, that's fine, but don't worry if she chooses easy books. As part of the reading education I've had, I have learned that there are 3 basic reading levels for each person: independent, instructional, & frustration. When you are actively teaching her, she should be reading at her instructional level--slightly challenging, but not so hard that she gives up. When she reads to herself, she should be reading books that are easy for her--and it sounds like right now, those books are ones that she doesn't really read. That's okay. Just gently expose her to books, and one day you will find her really reading something on her own.

[kristinannie]

I just listened to a talk that suggested starting out with ten min after every meal. That might work better. Letting my son pick out books at the library works really well. He loves animal books. Also make sure that some of the reading is easy for her to gain fluency and confidence.

[rzberrymom]

My 7 1/2 year old is the same way. Reading is still really tiring for her (I had her eyes checked but they're fine) and so she gets whiny about it. Reading aloud has been getting a *little* bit better over time, but she still was never reading for pleasure. To help encourage the reading for pleasure, I let her take her books and a flashlight to bed--not picture books (she gets plenty of those during the day) but only her chapter books. Sometimes she stays up way too late, but this does seem to be making reading way more fun for her. :)

[ktgrok]

I couldn't read aloud that long NOW! Can you do two shorter sessions instead? Or even 3 sessions? That just seems like SO long.

[Soror]

I agree with pp, it is too long, many adults would have difficulty with that. 5-10 min, 15 max. I'd read to her as long as your able to though.

[justamouse]

yes. definitely NOT what i want... :( and i knew it was "an emergency" to change what we were doing... :)

 

I thought I was following the WTM recommendations for her age/grade and reading level...

 

Maybe I missed something... OR it's just not right for her.

:grouphug:

 

If you can, listen to SWB's lectures on smaller kids and reading.

 

Take years and work UP to a 1/2 hour.

 

For now, to stretch her attention, you need to be reading TO her. I still read to my older kids about an hour a day, and then the older ones (9-13) read for an hour, when I know they are *strong* readers.

 

I read stories to my 6.5 all by herself, and only as long as the story.

[boscopup]

Wow, I can only handle about 15-20 minutes of reading aloud myself. I can't imagine a 6 year old reading aloud for 30 minutes. You should be reading aloud to her for that amount of time (possibly spread throughout the day so your throat doesn't hurt ;)).

 

I don't have my oldest read aloud to me at all, but when he was 6.5 and just at that point where he wasn't really reading for enjoyment yet, I had 2 reading sessions that were fairly short. One was his instructional reading level - read a chapter from a chapter book (he was around a 4th grade reading level at that point and ready for things like Charlotte's Web and the like... which he actually didn't enjoy that book :tongue_smilie:), and the other was a longer time - about 20-30 minutes (however long it took to put his baby brother, then 18 months old, down for a nap), where he could pick anything out of the library book basket. I was totally fine with him reading EASY things for that period. Afterall, who likes to read legal documents that are hard to read? Reading at his instructional level was probably about like that. Instead, to gain enjoyment of reading, I found interesting books that were around a 2nd grade reading level, sometimes even lower! He liked non-fiction mostly, so I got a lot of science and history readers. He also enjoyed Amelia Bedelia, and some others like that. Hit the library on a weekly basis (same day every week so you don't have fines ;) ), and find a wide variety of interesting books. Don't expect her to go for the classics at this point. Just find her something that she will really like to read. For my son, Star Wars did it. I don't know what the equivalent would be for girls, as they don't exist in my house. :tongue_smilie:

 

Also, it's perfectly ok to read books she's read a million times before. That's how they develop fluency! In that 6.5-7 year old age range, I saw a definite shift from being capable of reading to enjoying reading. Now, my son is a bookworm, and even enjoys some fiction finally (LOTR has been a big hit the last couple months). He just had zero stamina at age 6.5. I had to slowly develop it.

 

But PLEASE don't make her read aloud for 30 minutes. That is definitely worthy of major whining! :D

[kiwik]

I find it tiring reading 30 mins aloud and I don't have to decode as I go. I agree with the less is more approach to reading aloud. Perhaps taking turns etc

[Erica in OR]

I agree with the previous posters about the daily 30 minutes of read aloud for her. For first grade, I did maybe only two short sessions of oral reading per week after we had completed the phonics curriculum. I don't like reading that long myself and have also somewhat outsourced my own reading aloud for some subjects—purchasing the Story of the World audio CDs, for example, and listening to audio books as we do things around town.

 

I do have one suggestion for another opportunity for her to read aloud to others. She might like to read aloud picture books to her younger sibling. My older children always enjoyed doing that. They took pride in showing their reading skill to someone who wasn't reading yet and sharing some of their favorite books.

 

Erica in OR

[Tracy]

I would try "trade reading" with her. You read some, she reads a little, you read some more. You start with you reading a page to her sentence and then gradually shorten what you are reading and lengthen what she is reading. It is a very cozy way to get your dc to read to you and allows them to have some breaks to enjoy the story.

[Heart_Mom]

I only have my 6 year old read to me for about 10 minutes each day. It's still hard work for her, and I think more than that would tire her out! I think it's really okay for you to require less. :)

[FO4UR]

I agree with reducing the amount of time you require her to read to you. 10-15min is perfectly suitable. If you want her to read more, break up the time into 10min chunks spread through the day.

 

 

Read aloud to her for longer periods, and much more frequently.

 

 

For quiet reading time, make a basket for her with several books (put in some at the comfy K level - it's good to have easy reading too) and some colored pencils and nice Dover coloring books. Give her an hour to relax with that basket completely without restrictions/requirements/distractions so long as she is in the designated quiet time spot.

[besroma]

I never required my children to read to themselves. I read aloud to them the books I thought they should experience, and let them alone otherwise.

 

I only require my children to read aloud to me until they have mastered reading, and I never require more than ten-fifteen minutes at a time. I always allow them to read longer if they wish. We use CLE and Pathway readers, which they read to themselves some each day (though no minimum time or chapter requirement).

 

I have three who read independently now, and when they are really quiet during a time that I am not expecting them to be, when I go looking for them I find them in a quiet spot with a book. ;) When I tell them I need them to do something, they ask if they can *please* finish this page (or chapter).

 

They have access to a wide variety of books at different grade levels, but have never been required to read as you mentioned. If you do decide to continue requiring it, I would take a break for a bit. If you are tired of reading aloud a lot, perhaps you could find an audiobook everyone would enjoy (like Swiss Family Robinson).

[Element]

Until they developed the "reading bug," I just let my kids read whatever. My daughter only wanted to read Henry & Mudge, Fluffy, and Fly Guy at age 6 and Rainbow Magic (Rainbow Fairies, whatever it's called) books at age 6.5. That was it. I just let her read whatever, even if it was a Rainbow Fairy book for the fortieth time. Something happened over the summer after she turned 7 and she just exploded into a little bookworm. She reads everything she can get her hands on now.

 

So... I guess I don't feel like 30 minutes of required reading is too much for a 6.5 year old as long as she can choose her own books. I didn't require my son to read any specific book until he was 8. If there was something I thought he should read, I read it aloud to him. I don't know if this has anything to do with making kids enjoy reading, but I have read aloud to my kids at least an hour every day since they were 4 and 2. (They didn't always listen. ;))

 

ETA: Wait, I didn't realize you were talking about read-aloud time. I thought you were just talking about "read silently to yourself" time. I certainly would not require any kid to read to me for half an hour. I might just stop her now and then and have her read a couple sentences out loud to me, but I wouldn't do that more than once a day.

Edited September 10, 2012 by Element

[simplyme99]

I wish the forums had a like box to click :) Good idea.

 

An additional question... do you add more time or do anything about whining... too?

 

No, but stimulate that. Say you have to read for 30 minutes without whining to earn the sticker.

 

Let her pick out some of those treasure box items to put into the box - if the "treasure" is something she really wants, she will work hard to get it!!

[chepyl]

Don't push it. The more I push the less my son wamts to read. When I don't push, I find that he Is reading on his own. He reads aloud to me for 5 minutes a day, one lesson from the mcguffey reader. He must read on his own in the morning to earn video game time. I stopped requiring a specific time and he is now reading longer.

 

 

30 minutes reading aloud is a lot for me to do. That has to be exhausting for a 6 year old.

 

I have my daughter read aloud to me for 30 mins a day. she whines every single time and avoids reading on her own... she will pick up books and only look at the pictures. it is rare that she will read on her own...

 

Any tips or tricks?

 

My plan is to just make it mandatory no matter what but keep adding books i know she will like. she likes it at the end and seems pleased to keep reading sometimes even though i tell her times up...

 

I also am beginning (only have done it once), at an additional time later in the day, having a quiet 30 minute reading to ourselves time where she gets to choose books to read to her self. but she drags her feet to choose... the first time we chose... she picked some of the very first readers she has ever read!? when she is really in 2nd and 3rd grade readers... i was thinking she would at least pick something at the 1st grade level... not the K

(out of all the books in our house to choose from)

 

I read to her all the time and she reads worksheets or small stuff in math in the past but i read to her all the time. her and her brother both get lots of reading to every day... and the love books...

 

but i don't know what to do... part of me wonders if i should just abandon it... and leave it alone... the other part makes me just want to stick to this for a few weeks or months and then reconsider... i.e. once she is used to it she will do it... but i don't want to burn her out... obviously i WANT her to love to read to herself and see the freedom in it... i'm beginning to wonder if she is just lazy about it... b/c she gets this attitude with any work... but again, want to be careful.

[alpidarkomama]

DD9 who now reads easily 4-5 hours a day by choice couldn't ever have read that long at 6.5. With all my kids, I've done 5-15-minute reading lessons daily, plus they had open access to books. That's it! And so far, they're all reading monsters.

[stripe]

I get tired after reading aloud for thirty minutes many times! I would break it up and expect a bit less. I don't have my 6 year old daughter read this much. She does read on her own (her own choice of material from whatever she finds at home that looks interesting, and I am often surprised and what she selects) in addition to the reading aloud to me, which probably is 10 min or less a day.

 

Hunter (a member on this forum) says it is often valuable for a child to sit with a book and listen to the audio book and follow along, like the "turn the page" records I had when I was young. This is another way to reinforce the connection between the written and the sound.

[OrganicMom]

YES I WILL NOT, will NOT make her read that long again. :D haha. I really regretted bringing her to that standard for a week. :) I had read it as a recommendation for the reading level she is at. And she doesn't like doing anything that is requested of her. But wanted to be gentle and loving in leading her in this area too... i thought she would just adjust to the time... but that wasn't happening...

 

I read aloud to my kids more than an hour a day. AND we listen to audiobooks too! LOVE everyone's comments... THANK YOU!

 

We most definitely are going to build up now... one short reading assignment at least one time a day,for now... maybe do it a few times a day if it fits in naturally and then going to stick with the quiet reading time... but not HOLD her to it...

 

I felt that fluency has been the one area that we have missed so I may even, for a brief time, lower my instructional reading level too...

[MagnaSky]

I would try "trade reading" with her. You read some, she reads a little, you read some more. You start with you reading a page to her sentence and then gradually shorten what you are reading and lengthen what she is reading. It is a very cozy way to get your dc to read to you and allows them to have some breaks to enjoy the story.

This is what we have been doing for a while now and it still works great for us. Now we trade chapters.

[alisoncooks]

YES I WILL NOT, will NOT make her read that long again. :D haha.

 

LOL, well at least the word from The Hive was unanimous! (One less thing to have to research & decide on. :p)

[TengoFive]

You don't have to wait until 7. You can just follow their cues, and when it gets too difficult (they start resisting lessons) back off and review and make it easy for a while. Then when they have that down, move on in the lessons.

 

On your original post, 30 minutes is a long time for a 6 year old to read aloud. I would probably choose to let her read to herself or aloud whatever she chooses, even if it seems to easy for you, anad you read her everything else. My 7 year old reads on a 6th grade or higher level, and I wouldn't have her read aloud for 30 minutes. FWIW, I haven't pushed her at all with reading. It's been at her pace the whole way. Same thing with my next oldest. The oldest two I pushed with not stellar results and I'm still dealing with the fall out of pushing them, over 10 years later. They're great readers, but they both deal with self-esteem issues over learning and don't think they can learn things. It's difficult to fight something like that.

 

hmm... that is not a bad idea. She will br thrilled if I giver her that plan tomorrow :) i.e. "you can read for 30 mins with a bad attitude and drag your feet or 15 (or 10!) mins with a delightful attitude. you decide.")

 

I just started reading "The Read-Aloud Handbook" and was wondering if the issues was because we started reading instruction before she was ready and now she is burned out on it... i hate having regret... i'm always torn with the early reading (if they are interested and "ready" in small amounts) or the wait until they are 7 approach...

[besroma]

LOL, well at least the word from The Hive was unanimous! (One less thing to have to research & decide on. :p)

 

Is that a first? :D

[OrganicMom]

LOL, well at least the word from The Hive was unanimous! (One less thing to have to research & decide on. :p)

 

LOL indeed!

 

I had no idea this topic would be so popular. ;)

 

All the mom's say: "NO! SAVE HER, PLEASE! DO NOT MAKE YOUR CHILD READ THAT LONG!!!!" lol

[OrganicMom]

You don't have to wait until 7. You can just follow their cues, and when it gets too difficult (they start resisting lessons) back off and review and make it easy for a while. Then when they have that down, move on in the lessons.

 

On your original post, 30 minutes is a long time for a 6 year old to read aloud. I would probably choose to let her read to herself or aloud whatever she chooses, even if it seems to easy for you, anad you read her everything else. My 7 year old reads on a 6th grade or higher level, and I wouldn't have her read aloud for 30 minutes. FWIW, I haven't pushed her at all with reading. It's been at her pace the whole way. Same thing with my next oldest. The oldest two I pushed with not stellar results and I'm still dealing with the fall out of pushing them, over 10 years later. They're great readers, but they both deal with self-esteem issues over learning and don't think they can learn things. It's difficult to fight something like that.

 

good stuff.