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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

How can I get my Y1 DS interested in reading?

16 replies

Shuv66 · 04/01/2013 20:55

Help! My DS has always loved books and bedtime book has been religion since he was around 18 months, however getting him to read is proving really hard... He started Y1 in Sept '12 and has had very slow progress with reading despite lots of support, encouragement, reward chart (and bribary!) etc. The odd thing is, he knows all his phonics, spells really well but just doesn't want to read!

Any tips would be really welcome :-)

OP posts:

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alexw · 04/01/2013 21:05

Had similar experience with dd1 in yr 1. Bought her a kindle. Hasn't stopped reading since! She seemed to like the 'computer game' feel of it even though we don't even have a telly never mind any computer games.

bruffin · 04/01/2013 21:12

Have you tried magazines/comics.
Non fiction with short passages and lots of pictures.
He is still young , my ds didnt get reading until he was 7, and apart from harry potter didnt read fiction until he was 13. He did listen to a lot of audio books.

chicaguapa · 04/01/2013 21:14

You just need to find something he wants to read. I know it sounds obvious but that's probably all it'll take.

We used comics with DS as he was happy to look at the pictures and wanted to read the words. We also got the Horrid Henry easy reader books from the Book People. Boys also like non-fiction books.

DS loves reading now so keep persevering.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 04/01/2013 21:17

I agree with chicaguapa. Let him read/look at whatever he chooses.

We recently had a book fair at school, and there were some things that i was keen to get ds2 (year 2). He wasn't keen at all. The HT was there and encouraged me to just let him decide what he would like to read. She said there's plenty of time yet, but the emphasis in infants has to be on helping them to enjoy reading.

Ds1 currently like books about fast cars and boats!

drmummmsy · 04/01/2013 21:18

where's wally?

simpson · 04/01/2013 21:27

Possibly some non fiction books. My DS is in yr3 and it's still a bit of an effort to read fiction books but non fiction he loves...

Maybe get a book out about whatever he is into (power rangers, football etc) and let him read some of the words and you do it together iyswim...

The library have loads...

Also if it might be a novelty for him to read on the computer you can check out the Oxford owl website as its got loads of free ebooks (although they are school type ones,but I found with DS he loved using the lap top)....

HettyD · 04/01/2013 21:38

Have you tried encyclopaedias? My DS had some 'junior' ones and loved the factual nature if them and the bite-size reading. Just keep reading everything and anything (road signs, recipes, headlines) DS wouldn't really read at beginning of Y1 but once he got into it and enjoyed it he never stops!! Keep on reading aloud too though, we still have story at bedtime, my time to inspire him with some old favourites!!

Shuv66 · 05/01/2013 08:55

Thanks all - some great ideas! Now that I think about it, we've been focusing on the books he brings home from school, some of which are a bit boring! Trip to Smith's today to see what he'd like :-)

OP posts:

Leeds2 · 05/01/2013 12:30

Graphic books work well with reluctant older readers. I'm not sure if they do them for younger children, but there are plenty of comics which sort of serve the same purpose!

Audio books can help too, and the library usually have loads of these. Your son can follow the words in the book, as the story is being read.

At this time of year, there might be an annual available in something he is interested in. These are often less "intimidating" because there are lots of separate, short sections and lots of pictures!

Or, maybe, poetry. There are loads of books with "silly" poems which often appeal to small boys.

ReallyTired · 05/01/2013 12:32

He is still really little and prehaps reading is still hard work. I suggest that you carry on reading to him. Reading for pleasure will come later.

losingtrust · 05/01/2013 14:50

My dd hated reading in year 1. Spoke to her teacher and she said forget it. She was too young (July birthday). She told me just to read to her as much as possible. Best bit if advice ever. One day she just picked up a book and read it. Still read to her every night and she is in Year 4. It is our special time before bed. Neither of mine read till age 7 and both can read very well now. DS who was the same one of the top in top set for English at secondary so learning to enjoy reading far more important.

DeWe · 05/01/2013 15:40

Ds in year 1 enjoys reading, but it's very different from the girls. He reads websites, fact books and has just discovered Beast Quest.
I got him one Beats Quest and he's been absolutely hooked. Don't know what's different compared to the other 101 books he's had about person fighting mad beast, but it obviously has something...
Beast Quest is really the only fiction book he chooses to read generally, although he likes them read to him.

Tgger · 05/01/2013 22:14

Think you have good advice. Keep reading to him, do you have books he and you really enjoy? That's the main thing. Then, try to find some reading books that he likes and wants to read, whatever they are. Go to the library and get him to choose some, you choose some and maybe something will take. Choose some that you think are really easy, some that are about right and some a bit tricky and a range of things, non fiction/fiction/ rhyming/ different fiction, some with colour pictures. DS the same age has read a lot of Horrid Henry, although he's just getting into Flat Stanley now, phew, some variety (for the adult listening..!).

Oh yes, DS seems to like sharing reading now so we do we read a chapter or two, then he reads a chapter/a couple of pages/we read some more. That works quite well and gets them into the story a bit more/gets them over that initial reticence to read due to the effort involved.

EllenJaneisstillnotmyname · 05/01/2013 22:34

Captain Underpants went down well in my house full of boys! But maybe too hard for Y1. The Super Diaper Baby books are a lower level. (If you can put up with the American English. I hate it, but the boys don't seem to care.) Early readers from Horrid Henry are a great idea. Jeremy Strong books too, my Brother's Famous Bottom etc. Beast Quest books are more aimed at upper infants, lower juniors, IME.

EllenJaneisstillnotmyname · 05/01/2013 22:39

Dr. Seuss books, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. The Cat In The Hat, Comes Back, Green Eggs and Ham?

alanyoung · 08/01/2013 20:10

Lots of good advice above. Another tip is to alternate the reading. Sometimes children lose interest if they can't 'feel' the story, so let them read a few paragraphs and you read a few pages. Alternating in this way often keeps them interested. Another tip is to let them see you reading your own books. That way they get the impression that reading is important to you too. You could have 30 mins a day when everyone in the family does nothing but read. Seems strange in this world of Facebook etc, but it can work well.

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