Doesn't like reading books
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| Sat, 08-06-2005 - 2:15pm |
Things have been hectic lately around here, with the move and everything. But with school starting up soon, I started getting the boys reading, and doing some academic type stuff before school starts. Nathan hasn't lost any of his skills, but he still doesn't like to read. We're still in the beginning stages of reading, and he's doing fine. He's not struggling or anything. I know that we'll just have to continue with it. But I read alot on the board about how our kids like to read, and read alot. Does anyone here have a child who doesn't like to read? Or didn't like to read when he/she was younger?
Nathan does like to know what things say. He always asks. So we do read signs to him and anything else that he might point out. If he sees a word that he knows, he does tell us. But sitting down to read a book....isn't something he likes to do.
Michelle

Michelle,
Actually, we have the opposite problem. Cassian reads too much, to the extent that he neglects other skill areas and is underdeveloped in them. I know a lot of NT kids who are like your son, though. I would bet that you will eventually find some special way to interest Nathan in reading. My own brother, Tom, who has a lot of Aspie traits and an IQ in the gifted range, was a reluctant reader at first. He couldn't read in 2nd grade, but my Mom found that he liked comic books. He became a comic book fanatic for a while, and Mom would sit by him doing the voice of one of the characters, while he played another part or let him go solo and provide help with pronounciation. Tom's reading interests grew from this into science fiction and fantasy novels.
For kids today, I hear the Magic Treehouse Series is excellent. I know several Moms who are avidly reading this series to their 2nd & 3rd graders because their kids cannot handle the text yet. The Magic Treehouse Series is also great for fostering a love of history. Reading to your kid is still a great way to get them started on a love of books. You might also try checking out a few phonics videos at the library to see if this medium helps your son learn the building blocks. I saw a Hooked on Phonics kit at Costco recently for $100 or so, which had lots of books, CD's etc. Ebay often has used sets like this for even less (sold by homeschoolers who no longer need them).
Cassian also enjoys Reader Rabbit CD's on the computer, which teach phonics and other reading basics. I am using these more to teach sequencing skills to Cassian (he needs to work on following through to a goal in a game), but Nathan might latch on to them too and learn some reading skills.
When Cassian was very young, he was also addicted to DK flash cards, which have words on one side and a picture on the other. I bought them for him to play with because he loved them and they were cheaper than board books. I never flashed them at him or tested him in any way. He just sat around and played with them. Trend has some very good cards too. I am not a big fan of flash cards as as primary learning medium, but sometimes they can give a child confidence by building a store of memorized information rather quickly. To try this method, show 5 cards a day repeatedly (in 3 really short sessions in a different order each time) and don't test the child at all (called mere exposure by some). In a week or so, your child will begin to recognize more words and will probably pick up rules of phonics incidentally. Testing the child often puts them off the learning altogether, unless they are picking up the skill quickly anyway and have confidence and interest in it. It is also fun to reverse the roles and pretend that you are the student, while you let your child test you (pretend to get some words wrong so your child has to correct you).
That's all I can think of. I bet Nathan will pick up reading very soon, though, and find his own way of enjoying it. Kids who read early are not necessarily the best readers by 4th grade or so.
Suzi
Michelle,
I am a teacher with a M.S. in Reading, so I thought I would chime in with my thoughts.
I don't know how old Nathan is, but...I'm guessing maybe first grade?
It is often the case that children (NT and SN) don't "love" reading until they become proficient at it. I know many children that love to read now but didn't initially.
Think of it this way, I sort of like tennis, but have never practiced enough or gotten good enough to love it. Does that make sense? Tennis is more work for me than a fun reward. I think I could love it if I played better...
Continue to support his teacher's efforts to teach him to read, by practicing at home, but also emphasize reading for fun. Suzi's suggestion of reading a book aloud is an excellent one. Parents often stop reading aloud to their children too soon. Many children also enjoy books on audio tape or books on cd-rom. If Nathan loves tv, try reading a book or series to him that he has watched on tv. Does Nathan have an obsession or interest that you can find books about?
One of the best ways to build fluency in developing readers, is repeated readings. That is when the child rereads a familiar book. Parents tire of this, but it is actually beneficial for the child. After he reads it to you, see if you can convince him to read it to Daddy or Grandma or brother or whoever. Also, make sure your son has plenty of reading material that is easy for him. When a child is doing "guided reading" (with a teacher or professional) the book should be on his instructional (learning) level. If a child is reading independently to you at home, it is more beneficial for the books to be on his "easy level". At the instructional level, the teacher can work on word recognition and comprehension. At home, you can work on fluency and enjoyment.
We have books in every room of our house (truly - even the bathroom) and in the van. I have small baskets of books stashed everywhere around the house. That helps make them an easy choice. We always have a pile checked out from the public library. Sometimes I go to the library when the kids are in school, so I can select books without being distracted.
I hope this helps. Overall, I would try not to worry. I think you will find he gets more interested when he becomes more proficient.
Chrissy
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Michelle,
To echo Chrissy, Mike was not very interested in stories all until he got profiecent on his own. Even when he was tiny and I would read stories he would never sit to listen to one. He hated it. I was happy if he would stay in the same room and occasionally show interest in what I was reading.
However, not only proficient with reading the words, but when he began to be profieceint at understanding the stories. He could "read" before kindergarten but it wasn't until I think 1st grade I think that he discovered some books he understood and where of interest to him.
Mike now loves to read but he is still funny about it. It is hard to determine what he will be interested in reading. A big part of it is the comprehension. He has a tough time with reading comprehension and if he doesn't "get it" he gives up very easily. Even if the book is one of his obsessions like Star Wars or Harry Potter, he won't read if it is too much for him to comprehend. Some thick books that are high level will be more concrete than smaller books for kids to him anyway. He loves fact books too. Bugs, science, electricity, that sort of thing.
Cait was/is the hyperlexic bookaholic type. Emily is not to interested because she is having a bit of a hard time learning to read. She is getting started though. Dave goes back and forth. I expect they will both love reading when they become profiecient too.
Renee
Thanks everyone, for your replies!
Suzi, I also saw the phonics packet at Costco, but didn't buy it. I was afraid that it would be another thing that Nathan wouldn't be interested in, and I didn't feel good about spending that much money on something that would just sit there! LOL Tyler also didn't like reading that much in the beginning, but Nathan's mind tends to wander much more--which makes reading for him difficult. Even when I read to him!!!
Chrissy, I read to the boys all the time, and we also go to the library and check out a tons of books!!! Sometimes Nathan enjoys it sometimes he doesn't. There are times that he will just scream right in the middle of a story!!! He gets restless sitting still---when he's not interested! BTW, he's 6 and starts 1st grade in a couple of weeks. He does like Thomas the Train and Dr. Seuss books. Which I read over and over again! LOL
Tina, Nathan couldn't sit still and listen when he was 3 either! He would also point to things in the book. ANYTHING...like shapes, numbers (he would count stuff too), we had to stop on every page so that he could point things out to us!! I was able to make him wait til I was done reading the page before he spoke up though! That helped a little!
Renee---Again!! Nathan sounds alot like Mike!! He has a hard time getting interested in things too. Sometimes he would and someimes he wouldn't. He likes books about bugs and animals, but if he's not "in the mood"....then it doesn't work!!
Anyway, I think being proficient at reading might have alot to do with it. He is a perfectionist!! Tyler was given about 100 of those little paper books----for beginners---at his old school. I kept them, and am having Nathan read those. They are short books, which helps. And once he becomes proficient at reading one...we pick another book. So far he hasn't resisted reading. He does sit with me and do his reading. But he doesn't like it. I'll just keep plugging away, and hopefully, he'll gain more confidence too!
Thanks,
Michelle
Hi all!
My name is Laura and I have been lurking for a while,and finally joined in!My son Will is 11yrs old,going into the 5th grade and is dx'ed with PDD-NOS and ADHD for which he is on Concerta.He hates to read anything but the Nintendo strategy guides and more recently comic books. We went to the library a couple of weeks ago and he saw that they had comic books on the shelf and he went to town.He actually sat still for 20 minutes reading aloud. I kept saying "read in your head"(silently to yourself) and he kept saying "I AM reading in my head!"
He does like the Magic Tree House books(he takes alot of AR tests on them in school) and loves the Captain Underpants series because it deals with potty mouth issues.He's reading on a 3rd grade level so I'm trying to find books dealing with boys this age,the sillier the better.
When he was younger he liked to read the back of cereal boxes and we did Reader Rabbit too.His sister is currently reading the first "Harry Potter" book aloud to him while I'm wading my way thru the newest one.He says to me everyday,"Why don't you just let Gretchen read it to you?"
I look forward to posting with you guys,the info on this board has been very very helpful!
Laura
Hi Laura,
Welcome to the board! My NT 8yr old, Tyler, likes to read the Magic Treehouse books too. He also took alot of AR tests at his school as well! I'm not sure if he has read Captain Underpants or not....but I wouldn't be surprised, my boys like the potty jokes too.
Hope to hear more about you and your family!
Michelle
My newphew is like that. He's going into 4th grade this fall, and has just started to find books that he will read. He has a long history of school problems although he's very bright. Up until recently my sister has refused to pursue a diagnosis because she didn't think the ADD/ADHD identification the school district had made was accurate. He will be evaluated for ASD/AS in September and his ped thinks AS is likely (my sister agrees).
Anyway, he was an early reader (4), and extremely interested in books in the beginning, but then lost that interest, although not the skill. He's always loved non-fiction and would read parts of books to get the information he wanted, but only recently managed to sit down and complete a fiction chapter book. My sis was constantly frustrated with is miserable reading grades because he could pick up anything around the house and read the words, he just didn't want to and wouldn't for school.
Mary
Michelle,
The attention span thing is so funny. Cassian (5 yrs old, hyperlexic, reading on a 4th grade level now) won't sit still and look at a book with me either. You would think a hyperlexic kid would be absolutely riveted to the book, but I have to give him a part to play in the book, so he will read it along with me. He is terrible at story times. I don't even bother to bring him to the library for these. I now use reading to him as a sort of practice for regular school situations, if he ever ends up participating in those. I have to do a lot of reminding him to sit beside me and constantly give him something to do (act out parts from the book mostly). Maybe, you could interest Nathan in reading more if you dramatized it more and had him act out the parts of the characters. If he has Thomas the Train characters to play with (or cut out pictures of these to save you the money), he could act out the story with you telling him what to say from the book, while you point to the words. Just an idea. For Cassian, every book he reads is a dramatic production. I know what you mean about spending money on stuff they won't use (the Costco Phonics pack). I have been burned too many times myself on this type of deal. At this point, I am scheduling time for us to spend doing the less appealing tasks and giving rewards for completing these, just so Cassian gets practice doing things like fine motor tasks.
Suzi
Mike loves those silly boy type books for about 3rd grade level too or alittle below. He is going into 4th and can decode much higher but can only read enjoyably those easier books. He loves the asperger adventure books which are around that age. He also likes Capt underpants too (potty stuff) and they have some about star wars on that grade level too.
Mike likes historical books too. There are lots of scholastic ones about that grade level and he loves to read about people like Thomas Edison, Einstein, Nathan Hale, and other such figures. And anything to do with science or scientists.
BTW, I recently finished the newest Harry Potter. Good book.
Renee