Do you assign all of your kids reading, have a book basket, or what? I've always wondered about this. I have to tell my 10 and 8 yr olds to go and read, they are just not into it. So for years my son has worked on readers from Sonlight. Now he has discovered The Hardy Boys and Boxcar Children, and he would prefer to just read those. So, should I schedule his fun reading seperate from school (keeping in mind that even for fun, I have to tell him to go read)? If I do DITHOR this year, do I just do the DITHOR books, or ask him to read more on top of this?
Also, if he doesn't like the book he is reading, do you make them read it anyway? Mine naturally complains, he loves Hardy boys, but there just aren't to many other books that he just loves (but he'd never find any if he isn't asked to give them a try).
Advice would be appreciated, thank you.
Alison
Reading question
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WigglesMom
Re: Reading question
I would just take him to the library and let him find some that interest him. There are a lot of good book series out there. We go to the library weekly and my kids get to pick books and dvds and I don't really intervene unless it is inappropriate. For example, I hate Captain Underpants and they can't check them out. Right now our library has a summer reading program and you get to pick from the treasure box or get a coupon for a free ice cream from Baskin Robbins for every 5-10 books you read.
I do keep a book basket for our library books. And I probably will continue to mark the books they have read and take them for ice cream when they read 5-10 books. I do sometimes call for free reading if I notice they haven't picked up a book for fun on their own in a while. With my middle dd, sometimes I use this bookmark reading timer that countdowns how many minutes I set it to (I use 30 minutes).
If they don't like a book and can't get very far in it, then we just try a different book. No sense torturing both me and them. I still read to my kids. We are reading the Chronicles of Narnia aloud right now. My oldest is almost 9 and still loves to read books together.
I think Pizza Hut still has the book it program and you can do it for homeschool also. They read a book or so many books and get a free personal pan pizza.
Going to the library and having their own card and checking out their own books with minimal interference on my part has worked wonders with my ds and middle dd for reading.
Val
I do keep a book basket for our library books. And I probably will continue to mark the books they have read and take them for ice cream when they read 5-10 books. I do sometimes call for free reading if I notice they haven't picked up a book for fun on their own in a while. With my middle dd, sometimes I use this bookmark reading timer that countdowns how many minutes I set it to (I use 30 minutes).
If they don't like a book and can't get very far in it, then we just try a different book. No sense torturing both me and them. I still read to my kids. We are reading the Chronicles of Narnia aloud right now. My oldest is almost 9 and still loves to read books together.
I think Pizza Hut still has the book it program and you can do it for homeschool also. They read a book or so many books and get a free personal pan pizza.
Going to the library and having their own card and checking out their own books with minimal interference on my part has worked wonders with my ds and middle dd for reading.
Val
Re: Reading question
I got the rest of the HOD Bookshop titles I hadn't used yet (like the Storytime titles, since I'd only read 1 of the sets with the HOD guide). I put those on an independent reading shelf last year. He could read any of them in any order he wanted. I did have a checkoff for him (because he loves check-off listsAlison in KY wrote:Do you assign all of your kids reading, have a book basket, or what? I've always wondered about this. I have to tell my 10 and 8 yr olds to go and read, they are just not into it. So for years my son has worked on readers from Sonlight. Now he has discovered The Hardy Boys and Boxcar Children, and he would prefer to just read those. So, should I schedule his fun reading seperate from school (keeping in mind that even for fun, I have to tell him to go read)? If I do DITHOR this year, do I just do the DITHOR books, or ask him to read more on top of this?
Also, if he doesn't like the book he is reading, do you make them read it anyway? Mine naturally complains, he loves Hardy boys, but there just aren't to many other books that he just loves (but he'd never find any if he isn't asked to give them a try).
Advice would be appreciated, thank you.
Alison
), and he'd check them off as he finished them. I encouraged him to read 20 minutes or so after we did our bedtime chat. He loved this, and he started reading a lot more than 20 minutes. We always do our bedtime routine at 8 and then let the boys stay up to do "quiet time" in their rooms until 9. They've grown to love this, and they often read a big portion of the time (or play board games, books on tape, etc.).This has worked so well, we started it with our 2nd. son too. He now has his own independent reading shelf and also enjoys it. I tell them I'd like them to finish the titles by the end of the next summer, so they have a year to read them. I usually have to replace the books on the shelf halfway through the year. I try to choose high interest books, classics, etc. - and I always start with HOD's bookshop first.
HTH!In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
-
Alison in KY
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:00 pm
Re: Reading question
Alison[/quote]
I got the rest of the HOD Bookshop titles I hadn't used yet (like the Storytime titles, since I'd only read 1 of the sets with the HOD guide). I put those on an independent reading shelf last year. He could read any of them in any order he wanted. I did have a checkoff for him (because he loves check-off lists ), and he'd check them off as he finished them. I encouraged him to read 20 minutes or so after we did our bedtime chat. He loved this, and he started reading a lot more than 20 minutes. We always do our bedtime routine at 8 and then let the boys stay up to do "quiet time" in their rooms until 9. They've grown to love this, and they often read a big portion of the time (or play board games, books on tape, etc.).
This has worked so well, we started it with our 2nd. son too. He now has his own independent reading shelf and also enjoys it. I tell them I'd like them to finish the titles by the end of the next summer, so they have a year to read them. I usually have to replace the books on the shelf halfway through the year. I try to choose high interest books, classics, etc. - and I always start with HOD's bookshop first. HTH!
In Christ,
Julie[/quote]
So Julie, this is aside from DITHOR reading, isn't it? So basically you are picking out the books for them? What if they don't like a book, do you let them quit it and start another one? So for your oldest, are you picking some of the storytime titles from Beyond, maybe the smaller sized ones I'm assuming? It frustrates me that they don't all say the reading level on the back, that would at least help me a bit.
I'd like to find books that he is interested in, but at the same time, I just don't trust everything in the library to be what we are looking for, I'm more comfortable using some of the book lists that are already out there. I'm going through everything I have now, trying to weed things out.
I got the rest of the HOD Bookshop titles I hadn't used yet (like the Storytime titles, since I'd only read 1 of the sets with the HOD guide). I put those on an independent reading shelf last year. He could read any of them in any order he wanted. I did have a checkoff for him (because he loves check-off lists
), and he'd check them off as he finished them. I encouraged him to read 20 minutes or so after we did our bedtime chat. He loved this, and he started reading a lot more than 20 minutes. We always do our bedtime routine at 8 and then let the boys stay up to do "quiet time" in their rooms until 9. They've grown to love this, and they often read a big portion of the time (or play board games, books on tape, etc.).This has worked so well, we started it with our 2nd. son too. He now has his own independent reading shelf and also enjoys it. I tell them I'd like them to finish the titles by the end of the next summer, so they have a year to read them. I usually have to replace the books on the shelf halfway through the year. I try to choose high interest books, classics, etc. - and I always start with HOD's bookshop first.
HTH!In Christ,
Julie[/quote]
So Julie, this is aside from DITHOR reading, isn't it? So basically you are picking out the books for them? What if they don't like a book, do you let them quit it and start another one? So for your oldest, are you picking some of the storytime titles from Beyond, maybe the smaller sized ones I'm assuming? It frustrates me that they don't all say the reading level on the back, that would at least help me a bit.
I'd like to find books that he is interested in, but at the same time, I just don't trust everything in the library to be what we are looking for, I'm more comfortable using some of the book lists that are already out there. I'm going through everything I have now, trying to weed things out.
Re: Reading question
DITHOR completely covers my children's reading needs - 100%, which is such a stress reliever for me. If my dc only did DITHOR and did it well, they would be doing great. When my dc started the Emerging Reader's List (which came before DITHOR), that was the beginning of a love for reading. When they began DITHOR 2/3, that was the start of a passion for reading. This is why I came up with the independent reading shelf, to help fill the passion they had developed for reading and mainly for their pure enjoyment.
The dc do not see the shelf as anything to do with "school". It's just for fun . I don't ever look at reading levels for this. One of my main goals for reading (that is also a goal of HOD) is to have my dc reading quality books that are living and that teach good character. This is why I first begin with HOD books - they've done the work for me, and these books fit my definition of books worthy to read, and reread, and reread. After I've used up the HOD titles, I try to find series I know fit the criteria for good books. Usually, I use titles that follow the ones HOD used - i.e. Encyclopedia Brown, Scripture Sleuth, etc. Or, I try to pick books by the same authors - i.e. horse books by Marguerite Henry, Clyde Robert Bulla, etc. All of this started with me just looking at the HOD Bookshop titles.
I do not worry about whether they'll like the books or not, because they will eventually read them all since they are excellent. I encourage them to try to finish their shelves, and the general rule is they don't get new books until they do. For instance, my ds finished all of the books on his shelf last year except a Black Horse series book and a Trixie Belden book. They were the only 2 left, and he had reread the others a bunch, so I asked him why he didn't want to read them. He said they looked scary. That made total sense to me - he wasn't ready for these books yet maturity-wise, so I told him we'd set them aside and try them another year. If he'd said they looked boring (which he wouldn't because we don't allow the use of that word in our house
), or if he gave another lame reason for not reading them, I'd tell him to give it a try anyway because of all of the books I could have picked for him, this was the one I spent money on and thought would be the very best.
As far as reading level, I rarely look at that. I look at the length of the book and the size of the print, and I read a page at the beginning, middle, and end. I ballpark how many mistakes he may have reading it. He can have a few mistakes and still enjoy it - especially if those mistakes are special names or places. Generally, if my ds was doing Bigger Hearts, I'd start by looking at the Storytime titles we didn't use in Beyond and start there. If my ds was doing PHFHG, I'd start with the Storytime titles we didn't use in Bigger and start there. I read all different kinds of levels of books and enjoy them all, and I want the same for my dc. My oldest ds (who can read very well) will still choose picture books now and then off my younger ds's shelf in his room, just to reread them for fun. I encourage this, as I think it is a more natural way to view reading.
When I used to teach in ps, there were teachers who would not let dc check out books that didn't fit their AR level. That was crazy, IMO! I know they needed an AR book because we have to test everything in ps, but common - they couldn't read any other books in that library other than 3.2 level to 3.5 level? I had dc that would say to me "I like this book and want to read it, so I can't pick it because it's not in my level - it's a 3.6 so I know I won't be able to read it." This used to drive me nuts!
Anyway, books matched for reading instruction (DITHOR), are a different deal. They do need to be close to a child's optimal reading level. So, I do think it's important to check reading levels there. Otherwise though, reading levels are not so important.
So, I know this got long and you weren't probably wanting all of this information! But, DITHOR is all that is truly needed for reading instruction. From that, grows a passion for reading that can be filled with an independent reading shelf, and when that is started, it should just be for enjoyment. I would either hold off from starting this until ds is loving reading more, or I would get the books (maybe like 10-20 to start with) and start it in a very low key, no pressure way - like having 20 minutes of reading each day. If he starts and stops a bunch of books at first, that's o.k. - he'll find something he likes. He'll get into something eventually because if you use HOD books, they're impossible not to love. I do think he'll learn to love this; he just needs to see it as something you do for fun and not another assignment.
We want to cultivate a love of more refined, living, good character books - and HOD's bookshop taught me how to find those books and spot them among the rest of the junk. Eventually, dc love these books more, and they can choose them of their own accord because they've become good at spotting them; they've acquired an appetite for them.
In Christ,
Julie
The dc do not see the shelf as anything to do with "school". It's just for fun
. I don't ever look at reading levels for this. One of my main goals for reading (that is also a goal of HOD) is to have my dc reading quality books that are living and that teach good character. This is why I first begin with HOD books - they've done the work for me, and these books fit my definition of books worthy to read, and reread, and reread. After I've used up the HOD titles, I try to find series I know fit the criteria for good books. Usually, I use titles that follow the ones HOD used - i.e. Encyclopedia Brown, Scripture Sleuth, etc. Or, I try to pick books by the same authors - i.e. horse books by Marguerite Henry, Clyde Robert Bulla, etc. All of this started with me just looking at the HOD Bookshop titles. I do not worry about whether they'll like the books or not, because they will eventually read them all since they are excellent. I encourage them to try to finish their shelves, and the general rule is they don't get new books until they do. For instance, my ds finished all of the books on his shelf last year except a Black Horse series book and a Trixie Belden book. They were the only 2 left, and he had reread the others a bunch, so I asked him why he didn't want to read them. He said they looked scary. That made total sense to me - he wasn't ready for these books yet maturity-wise, so I told him we'd set them aside and try them another year. If he'd said they looked boring (which he wouldn't because we don't allow the use of that word in our house
), or if he gave another lame reason for not reading them, I'd tell him to give it a try anyway because of all of the books I could have picked for him, this was the one I spent money on and thought would be the very best. As far as reading level, I rarely look at that. I look at the length of the book and the size of the print, and I read a page at the beginning, middle, and end. I ballpark how many mistakes he may have reading it. He can have a few mistakes and still enjoy it - especially if those mistakes are special names or places. Generally, if my ds was doing Bigger Hearts, I'd start by looking at the Storytime titles we didn't use in Beyond and start there. If my ds was doing PHFHG, I'd start with the Storytime titles we didn't use in Bigger and start there. I read all different kinds of levels of books and enjoy them all, and I want the same for my dc. My oldest ds (who can read very well) will still choose picture books now and then off my younger ds's shelf in his room, just to reread them for fun. I encourage this, as I think it is a more natural way to view reading.
When I used to teach in ps, there were teachers who would not let dc check out books that didn't fit their AR level. That was crazy, IMO! I know they needed an AR book because we have to test everything in ps, but common - they couldn't read any other books in that library other than 3.2 level to 3.5 level? I had dc that would say to me "I like this book and want to read it, so I can't pick it because it's not in my level - it's a 3.6 so I know I won't be able to read it." This used to drive me nuts!
Anyway, books matched for reading instruction (DITHOR), are a different deal. They do need to be close to a child's optimal reading level. So, I do think it's important to check reading levels there. Otherwise though, reading levels are not so important. So, I know this got long and you weren't probably wanting all of this information!
But, DITHOR is all that is truly needed for reading instruction. From that, grows a passion for reading that can be filled with an independent reading shelf, and when that is started, it should just be for enjoyment. I would either hold off from starting this until ds is loving reading more, or I would get the books (maybe like 10-20 to start with) and start it in a very low key, no pressure way - like having 20 minutes of reading each day. If he starts and stops a bunch of books at first, that's o.k. - he'll find something he likes. He'll get into something eventually because if you use HOD books, they're impossible not to love. I do think he'll learn to love this; he just needs to see it as something you do for fun and not another assignment. We want to cultivate a love of more refined, living, good character books - and HOD's bookshop taught me how to find those books and spot them among the rest of the junk.
Eventually, dc love these books more, and they can choose them of their own accord because they've become good at spotting them; they've acquired an appetite for them. In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
-
Alison in KY
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:00 pm
Re: Reading question
LOL, I appreciate your enthusiasm, and also your long reply. However, I'm not sure my child will ever voluntarily pick up a book. He's been read to since he was little and all that jazz, most of the emerging readers from HOD I already owned because they were also in the sonlight readers section...but even though these great books sit on a shelf and I've given him choices, he still wont' go to that shelf and actually read them unless I remind him that he needs to read everyday. TV will always be his first choice, so I have to cut that off, then I have to cut off everything else....then I still have to remind him that he needs to read. I actually agree with most of what you said. My husband says he never liked to read (still can't believe it) so maybe my son has a bit of that in him. I'm hoping once my 8 yr old gets better at reading that she will pick up a book and dive into it.
I will probably start the DITHOR 4/5 with him this fall, once we finish our Pathway reader/workbook he started.
Thanks for the advice.
Alison
I will probably start the DITHOR 4/5 with him this fall, once we finish our Pathway reader/workbook he started.
Thanks for the advice.
Alison
Re: Reading question
Allison,
Many years ago, I discovered an incredibly simple idea from a friend who has 11
children. She had a rule that when the children went to bed that they had the
option of reading awhile before turning in. That was it. Read or go to sleep.
After a time, they always chose to read. Habits were developed.The mom said that
it was probably one of the best decisions she has ever made. Creating an enviroment
that encourages children to read voluntarily ... with no other incentive than
the fact that reading is better than something else, is powerful wisdom indeed.
Needless to say, we have adopted the same practice in our home.
This is more effective if bedtime occurs before flat-out exhaustion sets in
Many years ago, I discovered an incredibly simple idea from a friend who has 11
children. She had a rule that when the children went to bed that they had the
option of reading awhile before turning in. That was it. Read or go to sleep.
After a time, they always chose to read. Habits were developed.The mom said that
it was probably one of the best decisions she has ever made. Creating an enviroment
that encourages children to read voluntarily ... with no other incentive than
the fact that reading is better than something else, is powerful wisdom indeed.
Needless to say, we have adopted the same practice in our home.
This is more effective if bedtime occurs before flat-out exhaustion sets in
Geo
married forever to one man
hsing for 22 years:
6 children:
Eric (34) (not a typo)
Ian (26) leader
Lauren (24) steel magnolia
Sally (17), senior in phs
Zoe (10), administrator
Oskar (7), dead ringer for Thomas Edison
married forever to one man
hsing for 22 years:
6 children:
Eric (34) (not a typo)
Ian (26) leader
Lauren (24) steel magnolia
Sally (17), senior in phs
Zoe (10), administrator
Oskar (7), dead ringer for Thomas Edison
Re: Reading question
Alison,
You've already received so many great tips from moms in this thread already! I'll just link you to a previous thread that is also very good on this topic and gives you a peek at how we address this in our home:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2803
I do also have my boys head up to bed for the evening and then give them the option of reading or sleeping. At that point in the evening they aren't allowed to do anything but those two option. They always choose reading and are avid readers.
Blessings,
Carrie
You've already received so many great tips from moms in this thread already! I'll just link you to a previous thread that is also very good on this topic and gives you a peek at how we address this in our home:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2803
I do also have my boys head up to bed for the evening and then give them the option of reading or sleeping. At that point in the evening they aren't allowed to do anything but those two option. They always choose reading and are avid readers.
Blessings,
Carrie
Re: Reading question
We have also started a "read or go to sleep" option in our house. Bedtime used to be so chaotic. We'd go through our routine, get everyone into their beds, and then spend the next hour disciplining the 2-year-old for running aroud, climbing on the dressers, turning on the lights, etc. He'd frequently get his brothers wound up too. Now, they go into their room at 8 pm and they each get to take 2 books with them. They sit quietly and read. Sometimes they "read" to each other (the non-readers will recite as much as they can remember, or just make up stuff from the pictures). They also trade books back and forth. At 9 pm we turn the lights off and they usually go to sleep pretty quickly. We do still have some behavior issues from time to time, but it's no where near as bad as it was before. So, we are killing two birds with one stone here: helping to create that habit and love of reading, AND making bedtime less stressful for all of us!
By the way, while the boys are reading in their room, dd is reading in my room. She gets to stay in there and read until at least 9 pm (usually later), and then she sneaks into her room when it's time for her to go to sleep (so she doesn't bother the baby). My dd LOVES this arrangement.
Good luck figuring out what will work for your children!
By the way, while the boys are reading in their room, dd is reading in my room. She gets to stay in there and read until at least 9 pm (usually later), and then she sneaks into her room when it's time for her to go to sleep (so she doesn't bother the baby). My dd LOVES this arrangement.
Good luck figuring out what will work for your children!