How much does a very *average* 9 or 10 yo read per day?

[PeterPan]

Don't tell me about your precocious 2-3 hour a day  kids, cuz I already know that happens.  Just your nice, average, busy, moderate about everything kinda kids, and how much they read a day. Do they read that in chunks or all at once? Independently or with you or assigned? My ds has ASD2 and SLDs and language delays and functions 2 ½- 3 years behind. He reads nicely *with* me, but I'm thinking about working on *independent* reading and want to know what is developmentally typical for that age (9-10).

Thanks!

Edited November 4, 2020 by PeterPan

[Mommalongadingdong]

My DD10 would rather stare at a wall than read. She actually does this sometimes when I have her do reading time. She's ADHD and never enjoyed reading. She reads about 5-10 minutes of poetry to me daily, and reads about 30 minutes on her own. (What should be 10 and 20 minute chunks are usually spread out to two half hours+ because I assign pages not time and she just... wastes her time). 

I also read aloud to her about an hour or so daily. I try to get her to listen to audio books, but she only wants to listen when she's doing HW. Uh, no. She isn't a reader, and I have to force her into it. She does almost zero reading for pleasure, even though she likes what she reads. She straight up once had her 6yo sister read TO her because she wanted a story but wasn't willing to read herself. 

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, Mommalongadingdong said:

She straight up once had her 6yo sister read TO her because she wanted a story but wasn't willing to read herself. 

Oh that's rich! 

4 minutes ago, Mommalongadingdong said:

She reads about 5-10 minutes of poetry to me daily, and reads about 30 minutes on her own.

That's exceptionally helpful, and it's a good point that it doesn't have to be either/or. I do a lot of reading that I sneak in, having him read aloud everything on the page for worksheets he does with me.

6 minutes ago, Mommalongadingdong said:

She's ADHD and never enjoyed reading.

Yeah, ADHD is a raw point. My dd (prolific reader, ADHD inattentive) and my ds (ASD2 + ADHD combined + SLDs +++) are both diagnosed with it. Because of my ds' aggression, they aren't going to touch him with stimulant meds. I don't know if some other kind of med could make a difference. My dd (straight inattentive) could sit and read for hours, go figure. Ds' situation is just more complex. Wish I had a magic wand...

People talk about developmental vision problems affecting reading. My dd had that, and it's true working on the vision helped. (glasses, bifocals, vision therapy) But ds' vision, ironically, is AMAZING. I think his narrative language issues affect it some, sure. But beyond that, I think it's just behavior, that it's hard for him to stay regulated and make himself do something. Screens are easier.

You know, it strikes me that if I weren't an idiot I would put the book on a SCREEN. This kid will read anything on a screen. He's constantly reading on apps, mercy. We've done some comics on his kindle fire and he liked reading them that way. I hadn't thought about having him read other kinds of books as ebooks. I could, just to see what happens. Hmm...

14 minutes ago, Mommalongadingdong said:

I try to get her to listen to audio books, but she only wants to listen when she's doing HW.

What's HW? Both my kids are very into audiobooks. Ds is on the National Library Service/BARD, and he's a heavy consumer of audiobooks.

Thanks for the food for thought!

[Mommalongadingdong]

9 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

What's HW?

Lol it's homework. Or what I call schoolwork that's done without me right there. I just call it homework. She'll want to listen to an audiobook while doing her math, or copywork, or writing assignment. It's heartbreaking, because I see how she can't focus well, so it seems like a great idea in her head to listen to a book and read an entirely different book at the same time. 

[amiesmom]

I'll answer for my 8 y/o and 11 y/o which is none, except for what I assign. For my 11 y/o assigned reading usually takes her 30-45 minutes a day, and my 8 y/o is about 20 minutes a day.

My older two love reading and were gladly reading for several hours a day at their ages. My 8 & 11 y/o will gladly listen to audiobooks for hours on end on a daily basis, so I am happy about that at least.

[Melissa in Australia]

Not atypical twin boys. Only what they read to me. They cannot read independently yet.

we have 3sessions of them reading to me a day. Each no longer than 5 minutes. 
 

I read to them lots during the day and they listen to 1 hour audio book every day

[Melissa in Australia]

My other children at that age read 30 minutes a day or one chapter, whatever came first. They only read in that assigned reading time 

[TheAttachedMama]

I just pulled up a school "checklist" from when my oldest was 10 and this is what his day would look like.  I bolded the parts where he was reading.  It is not a lot!  But a ton of audiobooks!

1) Chores/hygiene/breakfast

2) Play for 2 hours,  read younger brother 3 picture books of his choice, and get a snack

3) Lessons with mama- (basically the 3 rs) (Math, ELTL, Phonics, Spelling).  (There would be some reading practice with me built into this time.)

4) Lunch and Clean Up

5) Rest and Reading.   He would listen to an audiobook for the literature portion of ELTL, read some extra history books or science books that I checked out of the library.....Or maybe even listen to a history book audiobook.  Whenever given the option, I almost always chose the audiobook version of a book because his comprehension was so much higher.   ("Rest and Reading" went on for about an hour every afternoon unless we had a field trip planned that day. ).  

6) Song School Latin   

7) Independent work (Shepherd Software for geography, typing lesson via website, xtra math, etc.)

8. Play, Dinner, Clean up

Not on this list was free reading he would do before bed.   (BTW...I joke that this is my secret guarantee to produce a reader.  I would give them a pretty early bed time, and they could either choose to sleep or read.   There were only stuffed animals in their room, so not much else to do.   Even after a lot of resistance, they all chose to read.)

----

And here is a checklist from when my middle child was 10 for comparison.   At about this point, we switched to a modified version the Memoria Press core.  They contain pretty much the perfect amount of "school" each year IMHO.  I get into trouble whenever I try to add too much to them. 😉 

It looks like her day looked like this:

1) Breakfast/hygiene/chores

2) Lessons:   Latin, Math, English Grammar, Composition (maybe a small fable reading or something in that lesson), Copywork/penmanship, and Spelling all before lunch!

3) Lunch and Literature and clean up (This must have been a Christmas week because we have some Christmas books scheduled!  I probably read those aloud.  Normally we worked through the MP lit selections and would buddy read about 2 chapters per week.  The rest would be writing and reviewing.)

4) Christian studies / Classical Studies (we would "buddy read" one chapter from the Golden's Children's bible PER WEEK.  And one story from Greek Myths per week.   then review it the other days, etc. Not a lot!)

5) Science / Geography (one small reading from each every week doing buddy reading. Again, not a lot.  Most of the work was writing and review.)

6) Audiobook or read aloud (we often did audiobooks so I could relax too).  

7) Play / Dinner / Clean UP

She also had a lot of free time to read before bed.    

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by TheAttachedMama

[SilverMoon]

My 10yo is a rather asynchronous kiddo who has big markers for various acronyms but *always* falls a point or two short of an actual diagnosis. However average that is. 😂 He's high energy and I don't doubt leans ADHD. (Older siblings have ASD, severe ADHD, etc, so I'm familiar.) 

He's doing Build Your Library level 4, which is reading heavy. Every day has a literature book (more challenging), a reader (at or below level generally), and a couple more from science or history and art or poetry. At the beginning of the year he insisted he'd do all the reading in one sitting, because he was watching his 12yo book dragon sister read even more in one sitting. I let him try it his way and it didn't take him long to realize he couldn't focus at all barely halfway through the stack. Now he mixes his reading between other subjects and chores for physical activity, and he only takes one book off the shelf at a time, so he intentionally has to walk through the house to get the next one (doing dance drills on the way half the time). It's hard to track exact times since it's broken up throughout his day. He can discuss any of them in painfully precise detail whenever I bring it up so I know he's not skimming. 

Edited November 4, 2020 by SilverMoon

[kirstenhill]

When DS13 was that age, he would probably read no more than 30-40 minutes a day, only what was assigned, in probably two chunks (maybe 20 min/10 min or 20/20 with another non-reading-intensive subject in between).  He almost never reads for pleasure (audiobooks yes, but doesn't enjoy just picking up a book and reading it).

When DS11 was that age, he probably did about the same amount of school/assigned reading as older DS and in a similar format (two shorter chunks), but would also pick up graphic novels or picture books to read for pleasure...sometimes sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time, sometimes for shorter periods of time.  He didn't start picking up longer books for pleasure until he was 11. 

Youngest DS just turned 9 last week, and still isn't reading very independently (he's dyslexic) so isn't a good comparison for typical.  Oldest DD was a voracious reader at 9-10 and was the type to read for pleasure for hours at a time.

[PeterPan]

4 hours ago, TheAttachedMama said:

 read younger brother 3 picture books of his choice

I like this! He does really well with picture book and the comprehension support from the pictures. The narrative language expectations are more direct. That's a really good point that I could win there. I've tried so many other types of chapter book type reading and I don't win, not really, but that could actually work. It's always easier to move to independent something he's doing with me. Right now he reads sections out of readers (BJU, national geographic, grade leveled reading textbooks), but they aren't really conducive to independent reading. The length varies and they're just sort of stressful to him. He can do them with someone but I have zero sense he could do them alone. But he reads them really nicely with me! But come to think of it, we're reading them popcorn style. Sometimes he'll take over and plow through and read more. I'm just trying to keep it super low stress, so we read popcorn and I make sure he's following along in the text when I'm reading to get that bump. 

But I think we could win on picture books. I really need to think through how to get there. Like that idea a LOT.

4 hours ago, TheAttachedMama said:

Not on this list was free reading he would do before bed.   (BTW...I joke that this is my secret guarantee to produce a reader.

Ok, so we're ok with dirty secrets here, right? I wanted the bedroom to be free of tech, and somehow it has slipped in. And bedtimes don't get enforced. And he's a creature of habit (ASD2), so at the time when those habits of how he'd go to bed were being formed videos were easier. We've done audiobooks for bed and we've done me reading with him (popcorn) before bed. That's just over the years, because he's 12 and things change. But the last year or so that totally devolved. 

I don't *know* if I could win on that. I'm totally, totally with you that it would be super wise. It's what I did with dd. I just need to think how to get there, because water under the bridge and autism not being given to change and all that. I need to super think on that how to get there. Like there might be some combo thoughts like the only tech is a new kindle fire (current one is dying) and get a bigger screen so it would be easier to read. Then it would be no games on the device except educational games. (kindle apps suck, haha, well I guess now there's the google play store) He has done a little with ebook comics in the past but said the screen was small. So if I went with a bigger kindle, I might get over that hurdle. And of course I could use library content.

4 hours ago, TheAttachedMama said:

Christian studies / Classical Studies (we would "buddy read" one chapter from the Golden's Children's bible PER WEEK.

Yup, that's been on my hit list to see about adding some required Bible reading to his day. Right now I read to him, but I have a picture bible with cells (like a comic) that has sentences under each cell. He could do that, and the buddy thing would make it go even better. But he could actually do that for himself. So long as he didn't get stressed and destroy it. I'd be really cross if he did that, sigh. Maybe I could find an e version, lol. Cuz seriously one stressed moment and there goes a $15-20 book.

5 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

My other children at that age read 30 minutes a day or one chapter, whatever came first. They only read in that assigned reading time 

We seem to have a trend going here, thank you.

4 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

He's doing Build Your Library level 4, which is reading heavy. Every day has a literature book (more challenging), a reader (at or below level generally), and a couple more from science or history and art or poetry.

Ok, I'm going to have to go check this out. As you say, he does really well with structure. So if these are things with one source, a predictable structure/amount/pattern, he can get used to it and do well. I think it's why the readers do well, but the readers I thought he'd read independently he doesn't want to. I don't know if they're hard to follow or he just needs people. Well that and they throw in poetry and short stuff. That takes human support to get through. 

So I'll go look at the BYL and see what they're using, thanks. Right now I just use topical workbooks (science, geography, social studies, anything) so he's reading with me. And they're fine, but they're not independent. They require writing and they're at instructional level and have things that need to be done with someone. Not really the same as just reading and taking what you want from it and reading for bulk.

4 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

Now he mixes his reading between other subjects and chores for physical activity,

Oh that's smart!!

4 hours ago, SilverMoon said:

He can discuss any of them in painfully precise detail whenever I bring it up so I know he's not skimming. 

Yes, isn't it ironic? He's actually a pretty good reader if he actually DOES it, lol.

34 minutes ago, kirstenhill said:

When DS13 was that age, he would probably read no more than 30-40 minutes a day, only what was assigned, in probably two chunks (maybe 20 min/10 min or 20/20

Ok, that's fabulously helpful.

35 minutes ago, kirstenhill said:

When DS11 was that age, he probably did about the same amount of school/assigned reading as older DS and in a similar format (two shorter chunks), but would also pick up graphic novels or picture books to read for pleasure...sometimes sitting for 30-45 minutes at a time, sometimes for shorter periods of time.  He didn't start picking up longer books for pleasure until he was 11. 

That's such a good point that there's independent assigned and independent pleasure and that we could be working toward both. Nuts, we could even have TOGETHER pleasure reading, haha. I would be cool with that. We've done it, but I've always been driving it. But it could be "you pick it, we read it together" book. And yes, we've done well with that DogMan type reading. Actually we sort of exhausted it, lol. I just got a new book from the library that he fleetingly looked at. I really think sometimes it's that he would LIKE to but can't make himself do it. But if we said yeah you have both assigned reading and pleasure reading and that pleasure reading is required, that could work. LOL

39 minutes ago, kirstenhill said:

he's dyslexic

Yup, ds is diagnosed dyslexic, but he has other language issues on top and the ASD. I spend a lot of time whacking my head trying to figure out how to make things go better, lol. None of the idealistic, single faceted answers seem to work, but I keep trying. I think maybe the thing I've done *well* is that he actually CAN read. I think it's just complex, especially the comprehension. It's like every time I find something and deal with it, then ANOTHER thing comes up. I took him to an audiologist and they're like oh you worked this but not that and his auditory processing is still cr*p. His narrative language hasn't gone forward enough because his emotional learning isn't up enough because I haven't finished his interoception (self awareness) work because his language wouldn't get it out. I never get it all done, sigh. I keep trying, like some kind of Disney movie character, but he's 12 and I haven't won yet. He's nice (mostly) and wants to comply when he can. I guess those are wins. 

[PeterPan]

Thanks ladies, this was seriously helpful. You funneled a bunch of ideas to my brain, and I think I have some actionable things here, changes we can make.

[TheAttachedMama]

12 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I like this! He does really well with picture book and the comprehension support from the pictures. The narrative language expectations are more direct. That's a really good point that I could win there. I've tried so many other types of chapter book type reading and I don't win, not really, but that could actually work. It's always easier to move to independent something he's doing with me. Right now he reads sections out of readers (BJU, national geographic, grade leveled reading textbooks), but they aren't really conducive to independent reading. The length varies and they're just sort of stressful to him. He can do them with someone but I have zero sense he could do them alone. But he reads them really nicely with me! But come to think of it, we're reading them popcorn style. Sometimes he'll take over and plow through and read more. I'm just trying to keep it super low stress, so we read popcorn and I make sure he's following along in the text when I'm reading to get that bump. 

But I think we could win on picture books. I really need to think through how to get there. Like that idea a LOT.

Yes!  Picture books are wonderful.  I have noticed that if I even strew a few picture books on our coffee table, my 14 year old will still pick them up and read them.  Especially if they look funny!   He will stumble out of bed in the morning and pick one up and flip through and read it...to this day!  Even as an adult, I enjoy a good picture book!   Other easy books that kids tend to casually pick up are graphic novels, joke books, Guinness book of world records, "1000 amazing facts" type books, etc.  

One tip I have is to limit "easy entertainment" such as screens as much as you can*.   (I don't care how good a book is...it is HARD for it to compete with screens for a child!).  Then, put a bunch of easy books all around the house.  I don't care if they are twaddle at first because my only goal is to get them to associate pleasant feelings with picking up a book.     Lay them on surfaces next to chairs where they commonly sit, put them in the bathroom (seriously!), casually stack them on the kitchen/dining room table by their breakfast bowl like you are cleaning up, etc. etc.   My trick is not to put any pressure on them picking up these books.   Just make it an easy option that you subtly encourage them to do on their own.    

I also steer away from incentive charts for reading because I feel like that conveys that reading isn't something you would just DO for pleasure.   I don't give them incentive charts for playing video games, right!?  Well, reading shouldn't feel any different.  That is the subtle message we are trying to teach...reading is something you can do for fun!  Then, do what you can to set up their environment so it naturally happens by limiting other "easier" forms of entertainment and make books available.

*how do I limit screens and "easier" entertainment:  Well, it is not easy!   We have a rule that you aren't even allowed to ASK for screens until after 5:30PM.  If you ask before then, the answer is automatically no for the entire day.  I made that rule and then stuck to my guns.  I also emphasized that they are aloud to ask, but I may say yes or no.   I may also offer them screens before 5:30PM, but they aren't allowed to ask.

 

12 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ok, so we're ok with dirty secrets here, right? I wanted the bedroom to be free of tech, and somehow it has slipped in. And bedtimes don't get enforced. And he's a creature of habit (ASD2), so at the time when those habits of how he'd go to bed were being formed videos were easier. We've done audiobooks for bed and we've done me reading with him (popcorn) before bed. That's just over the years, because he's 12 and things change. But the last year or so that totally devolved. 

I don't *know* if I could win on that. I'm totally, totally with you that it would be super wise. It's what I did with dd. I just need to think how to get there, because water under the bridge and autism not being given to change and all that. I need to super think on that how to get there. Like there might be some combo thoughts like the only tech is a new kindle fire (current one is dying) and get a bigger screen so it would be easier to read. Then it would be no games on the device except educational games. (kindle apps suck, haha, well I guess now there's the google play store) He has done a little with ebook comics in the past but said the screen was small. So if I went with a bigger kindle, I might get over that hurdle. And of course I could use library content.

Hey, know that you are not alone with this technology creep into the bedroom!   There is no shame there and you are definitely NOT alone!  It is so easy to have this happen.   And it is so hard to make changes here once technology does creep in!  I feel you!  

Some ideas...

1) My son is on the spectrum...a bit of a 2E type kid, and I noticed that giving him knowledge with the intent to inform and educate is very helpful.  For example, instead of saying:  "You have to eat all of your vegetables!"  I will pull up actual scientific studies and authoritative non-fiction articles on the subject and read to him about all of the benefits of eating vegetables.  And studies on how the taste of certain foods takes a long time to develop.  (Sometimes you have to try things on average 50 times before they taste good to you!  That type of thing...)  Then, I will explain something like, "Because I love you so much, I want you to live a very long and healthy life.  That is why I will always put a serving of vegetables on your plate.  I know that these foods may not taste good to you, but if you can try your hardest to get them down, it is REALLY good for you body."  I feel like this acknledges that the act of eating vegetables is difficult, but it puts him in control to make good choices that benefit himself.   You know?  I do something similar with screens.  Outside of bedtime and during the day, when we are not stressed or getting ready for bed, I would give a little "health lesson".    I might pull up some studies on screen viewing before bedtime... and explain that even though we think watching videos makes us fall asleep, studies actually show that we get poorer quality of sleep.   I would also read or give some informational text on the importance of sleep on brain development, mental health, happiness/mood and talk about how his brain was growing/forming/changing.   I would also share some antidotal stories about times in my life when  I had gotten in bad habits with screens and bed and how I was going to try to make some changes.   THEN, I might explain that for that reason, we are all going to be limiting screens for 30 minutes before bedtime so we can get better sleep.   I would acknowledge how difficult this change is going to feel at first and share how it was going to be hard for me too!   And I would say something like... "to make it easier, I have all of these audiobooks from the library and these books.  You can stay up as late as you want reading/listening as long as you stay in your bedroom unless you have to go to the bathroom.  (Assuming that is ok with you.  That is what our personal rule is.  I know there is nothing else in their bedroom for them to really do too!)."    (Note:  I would totally put in any type of twaddle book that you think he might be drawn too!  Make this reading easy and fun feeling!). 

I know every kid is different, but when I approach difficult changes like this, it seems to have gone better in my house.   Maybe it will work for you too?  

My process for new hard change looks like this:     I prepare them WAY ahead of time when we aren't stressed or getting ready for bed that way they have time to wrap their minds around the change;I inform them about WHY we are making the change giving them science/facts/logic; I acknowledge how hard the change might feel instead of being dismissive...and share that I was feeling that way too!   etc.   

2). Finally, maybe bedtime is too hard to change right now!   Well, implement a quiet time each afternoon.   Send them to a reading nook for 20 minutes per day.  Let them read or listen to anything they like.    Treat it like a special time they can earn or look forward to, and give the child lots of choice on what they read or listen to at first.    If they are resistant to a 'quiet time', I would schedule it at the same time that I was cleaning around the house.   I would let them know that they can either help you clean or have a quiet reading time (whichever they would prefer). 😉  Then I would stick to my guns...cleaning or reading/audiobooks.  Again, every child is different, so I don't know if that would work for you.   My kids know that they are expected to help around the house--so they would jump at the chance to sit around and read/listen to audiobooks.   

3). Final idea-the tv suddenly breaks and you tell him you can't afford to fix it??    (Just kidding....half.) 😉 

Edited November 5, 2020 by TheAttachedMama

[Not_a_Number]

Hmmmm, that’s interesting. Both of my kids have so far enjoyed reading and do it on their own time. That’s not atypical, is it?

ETA: we don’t do screens, though. No games except for programming and grandparent time, and no TV except for Russian cartoons.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Not_a_Number

[PeterPan]

5 hours ago, TheAttachedMama said:

Yes!  Picture books are wonderful.  I have noticed that if I even strew a few picture books on our coffee table, my 14 year old will still pick them up and read them.

Yeah, I hear you. Just in general that has always been my approach. However it hasn't been working for him. I'm playing with this though, and I'm finally realizing what it's going to take. 

-ABA type support, breaking it into small chunks and providing support

-close reading strategies to ensure comprehension and engagement--what words don't you know (meaning or being able to say), make connections, ask questions

-option to use nonfiction instead of fiction

-books at a low lexile that can be broken into two page spreads, building up rather than assuming I can throw the book at him and have it work

So he's doing it for me today and really DOING it. But it's just taking support. The close reading strategies seem to be the gap he had. It's really hard to enjoy something if you aren't understanding it and with his issues that comprehension doesn't just happen. Maybe for now I'll try one nonfiction and one fiction book each day and see how far we get, something like that. The nonfiction book set ups are great for him, because he can chunk them and he can just read, take a break, read, take a break. And it's something I can cycle through on a worklist where we bang through things. The fiction book wouldn't chunk so well, hmm. I'll need to think through that. But for now I'm glad I'm getting the nonfiction to work. That's a winner.

Oh, I could use comics and get to a 3rd. Hmm.

Edited November 5, 2020 by PeterPan

[goldenecho]

So I don't think I have average kids when it comes to reading.   My older kids were the type to sit down and read a book all day until it was done, and then they might not read a book for a while.

My ADD kiddo who struggled with reading wouldn't even let me read him a chapter book until age 9.  By 10 he was starting to read with me.   We'd read graphic novels and we would take character parts.   Sometimes he would take all of the guy's parts, and other times, he would only take one character's part.   We'd read for 20 minutes to a half hour or so.   He was not reading anywhere close to fluently by then and needed help with a lot of words. 

If we were reading a reading a regular chapter book though I was reading it to him still.     He didn't start reading chapter books at all until age 11 and then only a few paragraphs and then he'd get tired and give it back to me to read.

This was in addition to stuff I assigned during the day (15-30 minutes of reading, including phonics work that wasn't part of a text...so plus the stuff at night up to an hour, but that was not every night, only when we were doing a graphic novel.   So other times it was a half hour a day or less). 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2020 by goldenecho

[Terabith]

Neither of my kids are average.  My oldest was an accelerated learner and my younger has an alphabet soup of stuff.  But neither are really readers if there is anything else, especially screens, on option.  However, they both read a ton at school, when they weren't allowed to have phones.  Probably 60-90 minutes or so, in little chunks of free time.  (Or, apparently in boring classes.)  They key was totally situations where there was nothing else appealing to do.  So....quiet time, bed time, car, bathroom, etc.  

[kiwik]

On 11/5/2020 at 7:47 AM, Mommalongadingdong said:

Lol it's homework. Or what I call schoolwork that's done without me right there. I just call it homework. She'll want to listen to an audiobook while doing her math, or copywork, or writing assignment. It's heartbreaking, because I see how she can't focus well, so it seems like a great idea in her head to listen to a book and read an entirely different book at the same time. 

If she has ADHD you may find she does the homework better while listening to an audio book.  I use audio books to keep me focused when doing computer work and at university I actually watched TV while studying.  If I didn't my brain would just wander off somewhere and I would waste great chunks of time.

[Brittany1116]

My boy age 9.5 reads 30 minutes a day, assigned. More if we count in Bible, even more if he's found a magazine or comic of interest. I also try to read to the kids several times a week, 20 minutes or a chapter, whichever comes first.

[jboo]

The mention of screens made me wonder - I don't know how you use it in your house, but if you have him limited in terms of screen time, could you offer him extra if he is required to use it to play old text-based games like Zork, Colossal Cave Adventure, Wishbringer, and so on, or even text-heavy old adventure games like Ultima IV or the original Wasteland. (My younger brother learned how to read so he could play Ultima IV, which gave him an extremely weird initial vocabulary.)

[PeterPan]

On 11/24/2020 at 2:03 AM, jboo said:

text-based games like Zork, Colossal Cave Adventure, Wishbringer, and so on, or even text-heavy old adventure games like Ultima IV or the original Wasteland. (My younger brother learned how to read so he could play Ultima IV, which gave him an extremely weird initial vocabulary.)

That's a good idea! I'll have to look up those games. 

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

My 2E nearly-8yr old who loves stories / storytelling / writing, but also has ADHD, reads for 30min most nights right before bed in addition to 20-30min (1 chapter) per day during lessons. He had CI & tracking issues when he was younger, but those were resolved through vision therapy. 

During the day he generally does not read for pleasure unless he is in the car - being unable to move helps 😅 Occasionally he will read during our quiet hour, but most often he’s playing or drawing then. 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Shoes+Ships+SealingWax

[ieta_cassiopeia]

On 11/24/2020 at 7:03 AM, jboo said:

The mention of screens made me wonder - I don't know how you use it in your house, but if you have him limited in terms of screen time, could you offer him extra if he is required to use it to play old text-based games like Zork, Colossal Cave Adventure, Wishbringer, and so on, or even text-heavy old adventure games like Ultima IV or the original Wasteland. (My younger brother learned how to read so he could play Ultima IV, which gave him an extremely weird initial vocabulary.)

This type of game is still being made today by amateur enthusiasts - usually it gets called interactive fiction or a text adventure. Obviously check any such game carefully before handing it over to children.

[Not_a_Number]

Just now, df3121 said:

Honestly, there's really no simple answer for what you're asking. Some kids with learning delays love to read and will spend hours reading. Others hate it and won't spend any free time reading. The only real answer to your question is: it depends on how much the child enjoys reading.

My son without learning disorders, who knew how to read easy readers before age 5, who would spend HOURS sitting listening to me read from the time he was 2, who devoured books when he was younger... by age 10, stopped being interested in reading for fun once "school" started. He basically got burned out on reading. So, he probably read 30 minutes per day, and unfortunately that's the way it is today (now 13.5). 

My daughter without learning disorders, who HATED being read to from the time she was a toddler, who had no interest in reading when she was young, was "late" reading by public school standards (she taught herself to read at age 7.5) is now 10, and devours books - she easily spends 2-3 hours a day reading. I don't consider her precocious. She just wasn't burned out by school (we took a very different approach with her). 

A bit off-topic, but I'm curious: how did you change approaches between the two kids? Do you know how your older boy burned out on reading? (I hope he comes back around, by the way! There's still time...) 

[Not_a_Number]

1 hour ago, df3121 said:

Our daughter on the other hand, has always been unschooled. So, she has never had cause to associate reading with an "assignment" or a chore, or had any reason to get burned out from it. Reading is something she always chooses to do. 

Ah, got it! I think I'm somewhere in between... I do assign schoolwork (right now, the major school work is math, piano, and Russian conversation/reading), but I don't assign any reading. We do read things out loud together, but that's it for "assigned reading" for now.

I guess she did take notes on a book about viruses about a year ago, but that was by request. 

I agree with you that letting kids choose their own reading makes it much more of a pleasure for them 🙂. DD8 reads for many hours a day, and DD4 seems to be following in her footsteps, now that she's reading independently. Thanks for explaining! 

[EKS]

A that age, both of my kids read for pleasure for about an hour per day.  They did it before bed.  They were also assigned reading for school that they did during our lesson time, which probably totaled a half hour.

ETA: I should mention that the reason they did the reading in bed was because the alternative was going to sleep.  In other words, they felt like they were getting away with something 🤣

Edited January 17, 2021 by EKS

[PeterPan]

On 1/16/2021 at 7:06 PM, EKS said:

A that age, both of my kids read for pleasure for about an hour per day.  They did it before bed.  They were also assigned reading for school that they did during our lesson time, which probably totaled a half hour.

ETA: I should mention that the reason they did the reading in bed was because the alternative was going to sleep.  In other words, they felt like they were getting away with something 🤣

Yeah, my ds does that with audiobooks. I try to move him that direction and 10pm and sometimes he's up till 2 or 3 am finishing a book, hahaha. 

[lulalu]

A half hour to an hour daily. But sometimes I really have to "sell" him on a book I think he would love. If he finds something he really loves he can read for 3 hours a day.