I have been trying to think of a better title but just can’t.

Anyway, I have a few concerns how ds is getting on in school and without going it to a huge posting about it I am just after some ideas that will engage him at home with writing which he does well at already but the teachers don’t see that and reading which he has no interest in at all. Although he loves sitting and having stories read to him which we do all of the time.

How can I encourage a love of learning?

By letting it be a pleasure and not forced.  Carry on reading.  He is only 4 isn’t he?  It is very young in my opinion for a child to be wanting to learn to read, admittedly some do,but many others don’t.  DS2 is a classic example. He showed no interest in reading until about years 4 or 5 (age 8 or 9), we introduced graphic novels to him then, and he has never looked back, the problem now is keeping the supply of fresh books up!

Follow his interests too, even if you think he is not learning, something will be making connections.  DS2 is a very visual child, puzzles, lego, diagrams, drawing etc and this is how he learns.  Give him a page full of text and he still panics even though he is a proficient reader.

you encourage a love of reading by reading to them, IMO. Stuff that is slightly too hard for them, and stuff that they would not necessarily have chosen themselves. I think, for example, that fiction for boys aged around 7-10 is really important as they will often read factual books themselves but not always fiction, yet if its read to them they often love it. Also, audio cds are great. “Reading” is actually a lot of skills, and the skills needed to read a book are far more than just an ability to decode phonics. I actually think its reasonably common for a child to learn to read well, then not actually start reading books in earnest for a while longer, while all the other skills catch up.

How old is your son? I think another related problem is that the stuff kids are expected to read in school often isn’t very interesting for them, simply because what it is possible for them to read, given their abilities, is also not very intellectually interesting.

ETA oh if he is only 4, really don’t worry. If school is pushing reading, I’d be totally the opposite. Just read to him a lot.

Hi honey,
it sounds as if you;re doing this already, encouraging his love of learning. I think I remember your son is quite young still, so I wouldn’t worry too much. Reading stories is the best you can do i think. It reinforces the message that books are fun and reading is good, without it being hard work for him. I think until children are about 8 ish (very big generalisation, based on one of my own daughters) reading by themselves can be hard work, like us trying to read a book in a foreign language that we did at school. You can do it, you can work it out, but it’s work, not pleasure. By reading books to him, you make books, stories and reading fun, and then when his reading is more embedded, he’ll start to take more interest. For some children reading stories will never be interesting enough as an activity, but perhaps a non-fiction book can suddenly make it ‘necessary’ for them to read. Or a website.

If he needs to read books at home as part of homework, perhaps you can make it a game. Alternate a sentence, or a page. You read one, he reads one. Lightens the load and moves the story forward to keep it interesting, and he’s still reading. Word games? Lots online, depending on what he’s doing in school right now.

But most of all, I think you’re already doing the right thing: reading him lots of books which he loves. the rest will all fall into place when his brain is ready for it.

Love, Sunshinexx

What Mama Aisling said so well!
Definitely keeping it pleasurable. He is still quite young so reading himself may just not be on his radar yet. The fact that enjoys being read to is good, just keep doing that, go with his interests. Perhaps he’s not engaged in the school reading books, which is fine - they aren’t that interesting! See what sparks his imagination at home - books you have, libraries, graphic novels are great for some children - dd loves these some days. Non-fiction books are great too, if he has a big interest in anything - doesn’t have to be fiction to engage his learning. My dd has always created herself little projects, making books, etc from an interest, her imagination and especially non-fiction books.

You say he likes writing - maybe encourage him to write his own stories, using his imagination - whether it be in words or pictures, all helps with his drawing/writing skills and grows an interest.

Continue reading with him, so long as he knows you both find it pleasurable, it’s not forced then it will all be part of his love of learning.
My daughter rarely reads the school books she brings home as they aren’t very interesting to her and in her words are too easy (she is an advanced reader for her age) - he teachers know this and aren’t bothered, they see she has a love of learning and reading through other things.

Thank you for being so kind and encouraging. Yes, we read lots and no, he has no interest what so ever in the school books. I never make him do something he doesn’t want to do.

I am very much of the don’t push him sort or mother and let him enjoy. But then I see other children on stage 6 of reading and he is on stage 1. I also see that the teachers are still getting him to write out his name on a laminate sheet, writing over his name. He was writing his name before he started school. The other children have work books where they are letter practicing and copying what is written. ds can write sentences, all you have to do is verbally spell the letters. I just don’t feel like they see him or perhaps it doesn’t interest him enough in school. I am worried he is going to think he can’t do things because the school is not encouraging him. I don’t know if that is going to make sense or is just a rambling. I never had parental help and looking back I really could have benefited from it. So I think that is my concern.

I really won’t make him do something he isn’t interested in. Just don’t want to be a pushy parent and then I worry I am not. Silly really.

snowleopard - 01 February 2012 01:49 PM

I am very much of the don’t push him sort or mother and let him enjoy. But then I see other children on stage 6 of reading and he is on stage 1. ...
I really won’t make him do something he isn’t interested in. Just don’t want to be a pushy parent and then I worry I am not. Silly really.

I think you have the right approach, encourage, inspire but don’t push.

I also wouldn’t worry too much about what other children are doing, they are all so different. My daughter is in year 1 now and the class are all at such different levels and that’s okay. Have you talked to the school about his learning and how they spend time with him? It may alleviate some of your worries.
My personal experience is quite different with a fluent reader before year R - the school have never really been able to keep up with dd’s reading level which is way above any others in the year (and above) but rather than her feeling different and left to her own devices, they spend time doing other literacy work with her at her level and she loves it. There are others in the class who still don’t read much at all, cannot write much either but they have support and encouragement - the teachers use different strategies to connect and encourage whatever the level.

Above all, he’s young, so long as he enjoys himself, he’s learning. It’s hard not to compare, but really don’t, everything comes at the right time for each individual.

Another thing that occurs to me on the reading stages (sorry not sure what the numbers mean, it was colours at dd’s school) - it may be that they haven’t assessed him recently and he could move on - have found they are sometimes a bit slow in moving some children up the stages. My daughter only ever read the school books at school with the teacher and did often ask for “harder” books or got me to talk to them about moving her up.

Maybe a chat with the teacher will help and perhaps mention he likes writing so they can look at doing different things with him on that.

My DSs teacher has a habit of being negative about his reading which drives me to insanity. He is 6yrs old. He’s in year 2 so he’s mid age for his year so there are at least half the class older than him. He’s always quite enjoyed stories but not to the extent DD does (but that’s a totally natural girl/boy difference at that age.) The teacher keeps putting comments in his book about him being able to read fluently but not with any real feeling!!! Does it matter??? At 6 - why on earth does FEELING matter??? He knows the words, he’s fab at correcting himself and sounding out words. Reading with feeling may never happen. DH doesn’t read with feeling which is why my children always want mummy to read to them! Ha ha!

Anyway, don’t worry about what the teachers say. Just carry on reading to him - the books he wants to read and let it go. I get my back up quite a lot about the way schools tend to push young children into learning too soon. x x x x
Hugs. x x x x