how to transition to silent reading?

[JABarney]

DS almost 6, is reading quite well aloud. He also spends about 2 hours every day reading to himself... also aloud. I am wondering if the switch to reading silently happens naturally on its own time table, or if there is something I could/should be doing to help this happen. My patient encouragement and his sisters shouting at him to read quietly, is NOT working! :001_smile:

[LaxMom]

I think it happens naturally, as they start reading faster than they can talk. I would suggest letting him read in a quiet space by himself.

 

Gentle encouragement and screaming sisters are annoying when you're trying to get your lit on, man. :D

[LisaKinVA]

:iagree:It happens naturally -- especially as the stories get longer and more involved, and they become faster at reading. I still have my nearly 7yo read aloud to me for about 10 min. a day... and my oldest boy will participate in some read-aloud time... but they both prefer to read quietly. My 5yo, though... just has to read aloud

[lmrich]

It happens naturally. But I LOVE hearing them reading aloud to dolls and stuffed animals.

[abbeyej]

If you're encouraging gently, I think the only other thing to do is wait patiently (and perhaps find him a spot to read in where he won't annoy his sisters). Both of my kids continued to read aloud for a while then gradually stopped. My daughter seemed to do it longer, and the funny thing with her was that she just got quieter for a long time, but her lips still moved, lol. She was reading chapter books like Ramona and Little House books for months before she finally stopped mouthing all the words (and still occasionally she will, though it's rare).

 

If it's *really* a concern, you could play games with him. Give him a paragraph or a page -- something well-written, that he would enjoy -- and tell him he can look at it, but his lips can't move. Use a sand-timer from a board game, if you like, to make it seem more "game-like". Then when he's done (or when his time is up -- for this you want to make sure it's something he can easily read in the given time), ask him questions about the passage (and perhaps reward right answers with kisses or chocolate chips or tickles or...). The point being really to show him that he *can* read without verbalizing every word.

[beansprouts]

It happens naturally. Then when it does they won't like reading aloud :tongue_smilie:

 

I think dd was reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level when she began to read silently.

[E_Edgerton]

I agree with the previous posters about letting it happen naturally...however I do think you should pair that with comprehension questions, just to be sure. :)

[Lovedtodeath]

DD has always preferred to read silently. She is very visual. Maybe that has something to do with it. I prefer to read silently as well. So I would think it is something that comes naturally.

[JABarney]

I appreciate the feedback. He is a twin, and I have to remind myself that even though they are the same age, they are VERY different. She is able to read silently even though she is not as "strong" a reader yet. I will put this worry away for a while. Phew! One less thing to worry about! (Though I am sure I can easily replace it with something else without too much effort):D