Reading List and tips for English

yoyo123 · Post by **yoyo123** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:25 pm

FlightyRachel wrote:My post has been censored LOL The Michelle Magorian books don't have gender in them but s3x

it's the software, it does it automatically!

"Raunchy gender scandal" doesn;t have quite the same ring to it.

colchestermum · Post by **colchestermum** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:58 pm

Hi
Has had read the first percy jackson one and we have ordered the others at the library.

He has just started Just Henry last night (we got it at the library on your advice!) He made a face when he saw how thick it was but as I told him - he doesn't have to read it all(although I know he will! He won't be able to resist!) and he's read all but one of the Harry Potters and they are longer than average.

My mum has just lent him some classics too - treasure island,. black beauty, Tom Sawyer etc so I'm hoping that will be enough.

FlightyRachel · Post by **FlightyRachel** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:42 pm

Brilliant! Really hope he enjoys it, I'll feel responsible if he doesn't!

KB · Post by KB » Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:43 pm

Assuming things haven't changed in last couple of years there are alot of marks in the English paper for punctuation. Its something where the rules just have to be learned - especially complicated speech marks.

We bought an electronic dictionary/thesauras so DCs could look up a word they didn't understand when reading (more fun than a paper version).
They had a tendancy to skip new words as long as they got the general sense - they really do need to learn the new vocabulary for it to be of most benefit re the exam.

TP123 · Post by **TP123** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:46 am

Hi KB: can you recommend a good one please? I only knew about electronic dictionaries a few weeks ago. Though 11+ is over for us, i think it is an excellent idea for reading - which I am pushing with a vengeance at the moment.
Thanks.

KB · Post by KB » Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:59 am

We bought ours many years ago & its been 'handed down' so doubt they still make it!
Will ask DS to find it & let you know though- can't face looking for small items in his bedroom

TP123 · Post by **TP123** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:09 am

colchestermum · Post by **colchestermum** » Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:49 pm

Hi Rachel - no need to worry about that - he told me this morning that he is loving it and glad he gave it a go.

KB - we know punctuation is an issue and are working on that - little pop quizzes where I write a sentence with no punctuation and he has to re-write it.

He also has a dictionary - when his spelling are set at school part of his homework is to find the meanings so he's used to the concept, I'm encouraging him to do that when reading too!

Thanks for the advice guys - very much appreciated!!