Thank you so much for your insight, Allison! Great choice of interview and so relevant to my life right now. It is HARD to be patient with my emerging (and reluctant) reader after a full day at work and all the things but I'm trying so that it doesn't discourage progress. Any suggestions for a good reply to "I can't read?"
If it’s a confidence thing, I say something like, “Learning to read is a process and you’re working so hard and doing so well.” But if it’s anything else, I usually just say “okay” and shrug — unruffled. Sometimes it’s just a way to say, I’m too tired or I need you to take care of me or I just don’t want to, all of which are valid. I don’t push, and simply proceed with reading aloud.
This also applies to the line I hear frequently from one of my children, “I hate reading!” Okay. UNRUFFLED. 😆
Thank you so much, Allie! This was really helpful. And I love the reminder that everyone learns to read at a different pace, just like every developmental milestone. Sometimes it breaks my heart how much undue pressure these kids feel to "keep up" with very arbitrary learning guidelines.
I love THAT! It’s so good for them. And there are so many great picture books for older kids out there. I wish more people did this. Huge kudos to you!
My son and I read loads together but after devouring a 300 page mystery over Christmas, we’ve been scouring the shelves for all our old favourite picture books and really enjoying it. The vocabulary is more sophisticated than the early readers and it’s good for cadence and expression. When we are reading chapter books, we alternate pages which helps him catch his breath, get far enough into the story to get excited about what’s happening.
He’s just been bumped to the chapter book reading group at school and it’s Horrid Henry for the first one, and they are such terrible depressing books? I know British kids love them but British kids also love the abomination that is “not know, Bernard...” I am hoping this is a one off and we aren’t going to be reading HH for the next year.
I love these tips! I still have a "pre-reader" (she's 4, and starting to notice letters) but I'm also a public librarian and get lots of questions about this! Thanks!!
Thank you so much for your insight, Allison! Great choice of interview and so relevant to my life right now. It is HARD to be patient with my emerging (and reluctant) reader after a full day at work and all the things but I'm trying so that it doesn't discourage progress. Any suggestions for a good reply to "I can't read?"
If it’s a confidence thing, I say something like, “Learning to read is a process and you’re working so hard and doing so well.” But if it’s anything else, I usually just say “okay” and shrug — unruffled. Sometimes it’s just a way to say, I’m too tired or I need you to take care of me or I just don’t want to, all of which are valid. I don’t push, and simply proceed with reading aloud.
This also applies to the line I hear frequently from one of my children, “I hate reading!” Okay. UNRUFFLED. 😆
Thank you so much, Allie! This was really helpful. And I love the reminder that everyone learns to read at a different pace, just like every developmental milestone. Sometimes it breaks my heart how much undue pressure these kids feel to "keep up" with very arbitrary learning guidelines.
Love it!! I still read picture books to my high school students :)
I love THAT! It’s so good for them. And there are so many great picture books for older kids out there. I wish more people did this. Huge kudos to you!
My son and I read loads together but after devouring a 300 page mystery over Christmas, we’ve been scouring the shelves for all our old favourite picture books and really enjoying it. The vocabulary is more sophisticated than the early readers and it’s good for cadence and expression. When we are reading chapter books, we alternate pages which helps him catch his breath, get far enough into the story to get excited about what’s happening.
He’s just been bumped to the chapter book reading group at school and it’s Horrid Henry for the first one, and they are such terrible depressing books? I know British kids love them but British kids also love the abomination that is “not know, Bernard...” I am hoping this is a one off and we aren’t going to be reading HH for the next year.
I love these tips! I still have a "pre-reader" (she's 4, and starting to notice letters) but I'm also a public librarian and get lots of questions about this! Thanks!!