W is my reluctant reader. It's not that he can't but if something doesn't have a definite purpose he'll skip it, thanks all the same.
It's an ongoing challenge to find opportunities for him to experience reading for pleasure. Sometimes it happens spontaneously and I am delighted - like when he discovered a Simpson's comic in a waiting room. He didn't want to leave!
Here are more ideas for reluctant readers :
1. Making a snuggly reading space with cushions, blankets and toys who love to hear stories.
2. Treasure hunts - reading a clue to get to a prize is very motivating!
3. Your page / my page - W would get disheartened by how long a story would take so we do a page each.
4. Reading together (literally). The sound of my voice helps model expression, encourages W to use a louder voice and gives a starting sound to any tricky words.
5. Sign up to the summer reading challenge at the library.
6. Non-fiction is your friend - fact books or strategy books on topics that W finds interesting are a winner.
7. Embrace younger books. W has a board book that he bought with his pocket money in reception and he loves to read it, even though it has about 20 words. As a reading experience it's pure joy and reading easy material has a profound effect on confidence.
8. Screen reading is fine. Games, instructions, articles, news - it is still reading. It doesn't replace the quiet joy of a book in the sunshine but it does count.
9. Write your own. Staple paper together, get the kids to do the illustrations and write or type the story they dictate - it could be something that actually happened or imaginary. It's so cool to read a story about yourself. Be crafty and include vocab from their spelling lists.
10. Remember it's the skills not the literary prowess. Whatever W is reading he'll still get the key skills of absorbing, analysis and understanding. I read novels and biographies. S reads guides and articles. We're both prolific readers but we enjoy different things.
