Maths/English large difference

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ToadMum
Posts: 11947
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Maths/English large difference

Post by ToadMum »

woodmf28 wrote:I would love to know how to improve my child's English. I know he won't go to tutors. He is a very reluctant reader. would not pick up a book unless I ask him to... I'm also concerned whether he would be able to cope with English in secondary school as I have heard that it would be a leap?
Well, unless you send him away to a non English speaking country at the age of 11, he is going to have to cope with English (the academic subject) in secondary school :).

Presumably, his primary school is making him read books, so tbh, I would worry less about making him do the same at home - at least, books that you think he ought to be reading - and let him choose the media in which the written word is presented, in something which does actually interest him. Sport? Read the sports reports in a decent newspaper with him. Age-appropriate graphic novels etc. It's a bit of a cliche that boys prefer non-fiction, but if he actually does, for instance, it's better for him to be practising his comprehension skills on e.g. a Haynes car repair manual than tuning out on page 2 of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or whatever.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
woodmf28
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:21 pm

Re: Maths/English large difference

Post by woodmf28 »

Thanks Toadmum.

Will keep trying :D
hermanmunster
Posts: 12821
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Maths/English large difference

Post by hermanmunster »

I wouldn't worry - novels / fiction were rarely seen in this household - there was much more interest in factual stuff, this didn't stop a large clutch of humanities degrees etc
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Maths/English large difference

Post by yoyo123 »

ToadMum wrote:
woodmf28 wrote:I would love to know how to improve my child's English. I know he won't go to tutors. He is a very reluctant reader. would not pick up a book unless I ask him to... I'm also concerned whether he would be able to cope with English in secondary school as I have heard that it would be a leap?
Well, unless you send him away to a non English speaking country at the age of 11, he is going to have to cope with English (the academic subject) in secondary school :).

Presumably, his primary school is making him read books, so tbh, I would worry less about making him do the same at home - at least, books that you think he ought to be reading - and let him choose the media in which the written word is presented, in something which does actually interest him. Sport? Read the sports reports in a decent newspaper with him. Age-appropriate graphic novels etc. It's a bit of a cliche that boys prefer non-fiction, but if he actually does, for instance, it's better for him to be practising his comprehension skills on e.g. a Haynes car repair manual than tuning out on page 2 of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or whatever.
As a retired Primary school teacher, I echo this. Read what interests you.
Research a topic, read articles in papers, online. Perhaps a specialist magazine?
Even now, my husband rarely reads novels but loves politics and history, non-fiction and the Economist. If something interests him he’ll spend ages reading around it.
We share a kindle lust. Our choices are very different!
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