Reading question

[Smiles]

My ds is 6 will be 7 and he has completed the phonics 1st grade in My Fathers World. He did really well with it and can sound out about any word depending on his mood! Sometimes he might sound out something crazy but if I remind him of the rules he usually gets it. My question is how long does it take for them to build stamina? Like the book A Fly Went By, he can read it but it seems like he gets tired easy and doesn't want to continue. Is this normal? I feel like it will just take time and we just need to read everyday, but I would feel better if someone could tell me its ok! I'm also having a hard time finding books for him. He loves Mo Willems books but some of them just don't seem to challenge him enough. Also he doesn't seem to enjoy reading unless its something he likes which I'm having a hard time finding. He loves to be read to a lot and I have noticed he enjoys reading signs as we go to places, but finding books that interest him is tricky. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!

[Tanikit]

Stamina just takes time and reading every day - I did gradually increase the length of what my DD read aloud to me each day and did so very gradually so she was almost not aware of what was happening. I think stamina also has to do with how easy it is to read the words - if I give my DD a passage that is at the grade level she is working on then she will read less in a session than she will when a book is easy for her. Early on in reading instruction all books require a lot of your child - they may be sounding out every word slowly or having to work very hard on what sounds they see and naturally then the stamina appears less - its probably actually the same amount of work going in as when they read with ease but read long passages.

 

There are a whole list of Dr Seuss Books he could read, maybe he could start Frog and Toad - you could read with him so the length he is reading is shorter. You read - he reads also works well at this level when stamina is still being built. Usborne offer interesting readers that cover a wide range of topics but can have some difficult phonics in them. The I Can read series is another one to look at as it is levelled but provides some high interest books. Step into Reading is another series you can look at.

[Arcadia]

Also he doesn't seem to enjoy reading unless its something he likes which I'm having a hard time finding.

Look at the non-fiction section like science readers, national geographic readers or children's magazines that interest him.

My younger boy isn't interested in fiction but read all the penguins and bugs books he could find in the library as well as reading kids magazines . Now he is reading a stack of library books about cars.

[Walking-Iris]

My ds is like this. I just give him something to practice reading aloud each day. I try to let him read below his reading level and just at at different times. He would shut down if challenged every day. But he likes to be able to read effortlessly one day, and the next be challenged. Like a PP said the DrSeuss beginner books are great, as well as the I Can Read books (Little Bear, Frog and Toad etc)

 

Bill Peet books are my gold standard for reading. When my young readers can get through one of them (I usually have them try The Ant and the Elephant first) then I feel confident in their reading ability. 

 

You might try team reading. You read a section, page, sentence etc and then he reads the next. 

[Smiles]

Thank you ladies! I have notices he doesn't like fiction as well either, he seems to love books about animals, insects, snakes, etc. I don't know why I didn't think about this until I read the comments! I think I will try the some science books and we have the frog and toad books he just doesn't seem to get into them! I really feel like he will get there I'm just stressing too much! Thank you for your comments!

[MerryAtHope]

Very normal, at least it was for us! It's a lot of energy to use all of these new skills, and until it's really automatic, it can be tiring. Sounds like he's doing pretty well, and you have some good ideas on things to pursue. My oldest never liked early phonics readers--he liked meatier stories and non-fiction, which is harder to find for beginning readers, but your options will open up as his skills grow. 

[basketcase]

Sounds like he's right on track! And I'm with him - I'll read anything Mo Willems writes.

 

When ours were at this level, I didn't worry too much about stamina during a reading lesson, just about increasing their decoding skills. During our evening free reading time, they could look at picture books or read to themselves - I found that if they were in the habit of looking at books independently anyway, they'd certainly try to read some of the words when they wanted to. Easy books are great for building stamina and reinforcing sight words. All reading is useful at this point.

[Smiles]

Thanks again, its just nice to read that this is ok! I know it may seem silly but this is my first child and I really don't know what to expect! And he doesn't like early readers he usually stops reading and looks at me and says can we just read something that makes sense! Sometimes I have to giggle because I feel the same way! He really doesn't like some of the Dr. Seuss books for this reason, he likes a story! On the other hand I just want to say I feel so blessed to experience this with him, sometimes it is frustrating for him or me but what an awesome feeling when they pick up on things. A couple months ago he picked up a Mo Willems book  and read it to his younger brother and sister and when that happens it makes me smile and feel blessed! If you read this far thanks for reading!

[Mom2TheTeam]

Sounds normal for my oldest, who is the only one that fart along in our house. 

 

My son came out of MFW 1st able to read just about anything, but not wanting to and still struggling with confidence.  He could read it, but it was painfully slow too.  I was proud of him, but I wanted to him to really want to read and was a little discouraged that I knew he could read on a higher level than he was reading...if that makes sense.  He had the abiitly, but not the confidence and stamina needed.

 

In 2nd grade (this past year) I did find that he enjoyed non-fiction a lot more than fiction and I got him lots of those.  I got him lots of easy reader books that I knew he could read easily and would build confidence.  I got the books on HOD's emerging reader set (starting after the Bible because we already had a Bible program we were using daily...MFW ;) ).  We went through all of those which got longer and harder as the year went on.  Finally, after he finished those, I handed him The Trumpet of the Swan.  He complained and said he couldn't read it.  I assured him that he could and that it was required for school.  Well, within a few minutes, he couldnl't put the book down.  He has been reading non-stop ever since.  I'm now struggling to find books that are appropriate in content, but on a high enough reading level so he feels like they aren't "little kid" books.  He has read books like The Indian In the Cupboard, Charlotte's Web, On the Banks of Plum Creek and Cricket in Times Square.  I'm so proud of him.  He has read more books in the last 3 months than he did in the entire 2 grade year before that and they are 4x's the length and difficulty.   He took 3 books to a week long camp to read while there.  I would bet he is one of the few and very possibly the only 8 year old to bring any books to read at all and he brought 3!  I don't know if he read them.  He comes home on Saturday.  But, it makes me smile just knowing he loves to read so much that he wanted to bring them.  It was one of the first things he planned out when thinking about what to bring.  :D

 

For my son, he really just needed practice and to build confidence.  I was able to do that using mostly non-fiction easy readers at first.  Then, we branched out into true stories, like Balto, and historical realistic fiction, but still easy readers.  As the we went along, the books got longer and more challenging.  As I said, I used HOD emerging reader book list.  My son enjoyed them a lot.  Many of them were about animals which my son really loves.  They fit very well with MFW Adv for 2nd grade too, if you are doing that.  It was a struggle at first, but I praised him and told him how good he was.  I started at a much lower level than I knew he could read.  Reading isn't fun when you are constantly reading at the very top of your skill level.  It is hard work to decode word after word after word.  Start slow and allow him to build that confidence and fluencey.  If he can easily read it, he can enjoy it too.  You have to find a way to show him reading can be fun.

 

Sometimes, it actually brings tears to my eyes to think back on where he came from with reading.  My son really struggled in 1st (and even in K too) and still didn't enjoy reading and still struggled when he started 2nd.  He has come amazingly far this year.  To have him come down 2 hrs after he is supposed to be sleeping and tell me, "Mom, I just finished my book.  I couldn't stop reading," is music to my ears.  I can't get books into the house fast enough.  It is a wonderful problem to have.  :D

 

Sorry, that was long.  I hope you found something useful in it.  :)