If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

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scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by scarlett »

My DS who is in year 4 is still refusing to read.After a bit of a bash a couple of months ago it's all gone quiet again on the reading front. He will avidly read history / nature books but I'm wondering now if he just looks at the pictures...maybe reading a couple of lines. When I get him to read to me , there's no problem pronouncing the words or understanding what is happening ( although he does sound like he is running out of oxygen when he reads which is rather painful ).

Anyway, as time is ticking on I'm worrying about the 11 plus and how he will be able to pass the VR if his vocab isn't great although his teacher thinks he uses rich vocab in his writing ?!.He is working through some english workbooks which seems fine and the Bond VR book for 8-9 year old which he finds easy apart from the questions where you need to find a new word and the anagrams probably because he's not coming across much vocab.At the moment he can do the find the opposite and similar word questions but I'm not sure if he will be able to with the harder books.

I told him last night he's got to start reading more and went through the hundreds of pristine , unbent books he has on his bookshelf and he just burst in to tears and said bizarrely that the problem was he didn't get to read at school ?! :shock: Then he said couldn't I just teach him the vocab ? Maybe he's just plain lazy ! I've said he's only got to read a couple of pages each day and I do try to do it with him but then I have 6 year old DD interfering...so need some ideas on how to keep her out of the way too !

I think I will just have to be severe.I've banned the tv etc until later in the evening and told DS1 he needs to read more too so hopefully they can sit together.I don't know if they are all tired at the moment as they just nitpick constantly ! I feel drained !!

Sorry to go on. :)
fatbananas
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Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by fatbananas »

Hi Scarlett,

Can you get DD to play an (educational!) computer game whilst you and DS2 take turns reading a sentence/ para/ page each?

Also, my DS listening to talking books seems to be adding to his vocab :roll: ! And sometimes gives him the confidence to then actually read the book, or another in the series, because I think he feels he'll be able to recognise an 'difficult' word once he's heard it from the CD.

And YES, if my DC are anything to go by, they are KNACKERED!! Sorry for the capslock but it's how emphatic I feel :shock: :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
scarlett
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Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by scarlett »

Thanks FB...the other problem is that DS2 has severe middle child syndrome and when I sit down with him he constantly wants to know what the others are doing ...how much homework they will have to do and if one watches tv or the like he would be fuming ! I do give DD some sums or something to do but she'll either finish then in a flash or be asking how to do them and then helpfully tell DS2 how to do his work which just finishes him off ! I'm actually thinking at the moment is the stress ( for DS, not me ) worth it ? Maybe he just isn't cut out for the 11 plus ? Then I think I have to give him a chance. I have said that if he reads lots he'll find it easier and it will be just as good and easy as watching the tv...he didn't look convinced ! The problem is he just doesn't give books a chance..sometimes you need to read a bit to get into them, don't you and he's given up by then ! Need some book ideas of catchy books which grab you from the beginning !

I did buy lots of story cds but DD broke their player by standing on it to reach DS piggy bank :evil: Anyway fancy a 6 year old girl couple of days a week ?! She doesn't eat much and is small so wouldn't take up much space !
frangipani
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by frangipani »

I think you could say, they are probably, less likely, to pass but it's certainly not definate.

My DS has never been into reading, it was a struggle to get him to read anything, even his school books.(unlike his sister who reads excessively)
But he passed VR with full marks and no tutoring! :shock:
The only preparation he did was a couple of practice papers.
He was obviously learning vocab in other ways.
scarlett
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Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by scarlett »

That's reassuring. My DS didn't even like Horrid Henry ...did yours read anything ? I do read to him and when I speak I do try to talk as if I were on stage and use lots of flowery vocab ( a bit embarrassing when I'm at work and I haven't switched mode...especially when I knock people out with my elaborate hand movements ! :oops:)
frangipani
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Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by frangipani »

I've bought him so many great books. As i love reading and am almost obsessed with buying/reading them. They are all collecting dust and gradually being passed down to his brother. He has horrid henry, alex rider, harry potter to name just a few. He loves stories but just can't be bothered with reading or loses interest too easily. He prefers to watch or listen. I did read to him quite a bit, when he was little but he was apparently too old for that by about 9.
The only books i remember that have really grabbed his attention were Captain underpants. He loved those and read them all. I think it's probably the only series he has read more than 2 or 3 of.
He has read a few other books but only what has been neccesary for school.
The first two lemony snickets. First couple of harry potters, then they got too big lol.
I can't remeber if there were anymore as it was quite a few years back.
He is 15 now and still doesn't read books :(
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by scary mum »

I know it's difficult, all I can say is that DS2 didn't really like readin until earlier this year (year 5). He had always been reasonably happy to do it, so not quite like Master Scarlett jnr, but nevertheless he suddenly "got it" and now loves reading. I know it is difficult with middle DC - when mine did a reluctant readin project (rubbish books) at school I used to alternate paragraphs or pages with them with both of us reading outloud. Could it be done once DC3 is in bed and DC1 is doing homework or reading something himself. Or if DC3 is in bed, the three of you could all read together, maybe DC1 would be happy to help and DC2 would feel they were doing something together?
scary mum
Freya
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Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by Freya »

What about a more sneaky approach? Tell him that his little sister needs to improve her vocab for school and please could he help you by reading to her while you do 'something important for work' close by. If you can manage this without him seeing through it then it could take some pressure off him because it's more about 'helping his sister'. Big him up a bit first - "Oooh your reading has come on so well lately" then "I wonder whether you could help me out? . . ."

Once it becomes routine and the pressure is off he might just find a story he wants to know the ending to before the next session with his sister and you'll find him secretly reading in his bedroom at night!! [hopeful]

Good luck!
Looking for help
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Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by Looking for help »

I don't know, my 17 year old daughter has promised this year that she will read the novels required for A2 English, never having done so for English in the past :oops:

I think they must have other ways to absorb words.....there's a list on here of words that they need to know for VR reasoning, not sure where to find it. I found it after my youngest had done his, and erm well possibly should have looked for one before. Never mind. None of mine except the oldest have been great readers, so as long as he's doing well at English, and you drop a few words in between now and the test, I wouldn't worry so much about the amount of reading he's doing. Is it only VR that he needs to do in your area? Sorry I forget where you are, must be my age :o

I have four, and my second one was really fed up we had the fourth because then she couldn't play the middle child card anymore :lol: Maybe you should consider another baby :wink:
frangipani
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Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 10:17 pm

Re: If Your Child Refuses To Read Will They Pass VR ?

Post by frangipani »

I was having a similar problem with DS2 he's only year2 but was starting to lose interest in books. He needed to move on to older books but wasn't keen on them. Probably because they are not so visually appealing as the likes of sir charlie stinky socks. Then we discovered astrosaurs! He cannot get enough of these books and i think/hope, i might have cracked it with him.
Funny, I have 2 girls aswell and have had no problem with them reading. Just the boys :roll:
DH hates reading too...read the instructions? Never!

Oh also i forgot to say that finding a series he really loves has encouraged him to read independently. Because he used to want me to do most of the reading. But now the books are too long to read in one sitting and Mummy usually only has time for one chapter. DS often can't wait til the next night so he reads another chapter while i'm reading with his sister :)
Last edited by frangipani on Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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