How to encourage reading in a child who says she hates it?

Question

I am a reading/writing tutor for a 9-year old girl. She is a couple of years behind her grade level, reading in a jerky, somewhat uncoordinated fashion. She tends to guess at words she doesn't know without taking the time to sound them out or consider whether the word she chooses even makes sense in that context. I must confess, I worry how much of the meaning behind the words she actually absorbs. I do checks for understanding from time to time, and she understands what happens in each sentence, but sometimes has difficulty keeping track of the bigger picture (i.e. what's happening in the story).

Additionally, she resists reading and dislikes it because it's difficult for her. We have a deal where she reads every other sentence and agrees to follow along when I read. But she rarely does and quibbles over the length of the sentences ("Why do you get all the short ones?"). How can I help her understand that the length of the sentences is not important and help her see why reading is?

Thank you. :)

Is there a way to help me change her attitude, though? Because that's the part I'm most concerned about. As I explained to her in frustration one day, she doesn't have to love reading, but I want her to want to learn how. Otherwise, I feel like my role as tutor is basically purposeless. The other thing is I want her to understand how imperative it is that she learn to read and write at a level of average proficiency. Being a student myself, I can appreciate how much of my current learning comes to me through the printed word, and I wish there was a way to convey to her that she needs to learn because things are only going to get tougher from here on up (I don't want to say this to her, though, for fear of discouraging her).

Any advice? Thanks again!

I don't think she has a reading disability, although she might have a mild form of dyslexia. She will occasionally reverse letter-order in words, but it's not the most problematic thing. She does have a slight tracking problem, and is working with an eye-doctor. But despite all of this, I still can't help feeling that even without these hinderances, she still would resist it. She likes math because it comes more easily to her and she likes not having to read things except for story problems. I guess part of what frustrates me is that I can't really relate to the feeling of not liking reading, and thus, don't know how to change it (I was one of those precocious kids who started reading at age 4). Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

One last thing: I think she gets a lot of parental pressure regarding reading---to a certain extent, that's why I was hired. Her dad (a single father) has her reading with me twice a week, reading with him every day, doing schoolwork every day, and going to eye-appointments once a week. None of this is very conducive to making a child want to read, but I still feel that it's important that she work with me because it's an environment where she doesn't have to feel ashamed if she gets something wrong. I think her dad is a lot tougher on her than I am.

Answer 1

Too much pressure from parents & tutor is turning this child off and destroying her initiative to want to read. It is causing her to rebel against it as well. Student needs to be re-evaluated for learning disabilities. Some of her weaknesses in reading are not normal. She also should have some counseling to help alleviate the frustration she must be feeling. If she proves not to be learning-disabled, The subject of Reading should be approached in a casual manner as opposed to presenting it as job she has to do. She cannot be forced. She has to be motivated. Here are a few methods that might help. 1) Find out what her favorite interest is. Talk about it & let her talk about it. Find out what she is enthusiastic about. I suggest that reading should be skipped & not even talked about during this motivation process. Skip the textbook for awhile. Check out some library books revelant to her interests. 2) Do not introduce the books all at one time. Each day, bring a pre-selected book . Tell her you dont want her to read today, that you are going to read her a book about xxxxxx. begin reading. Ignore fidgeting, etc. Finish the book and put it back in your belongings. Go to next subject. 3) Every other day, close the book wtithout finishing it & tell her it' s time to read out ofthe textbook. Again, quietly return library book to your belongings. Make textbook session short, increasing the time gradually. 4) Begin bringing an object appropriate for the book of the day. Talk a little about it a little, then lay it down & begin reading. If she picks it up & plays with it while you are reading, let her. Ignore it & dont miss a beat. Finish the book on days like this. I suggest that , henceforth, all reading sessions be a combination of textbook & pleasure reading. 5) Make some small rectanguler papers. Design them like paper money. In the middle of each one, print "Atta Girl." On the days you are pleased with her reading efforts, give her an":Atta Girl". Tell her when she gets 5, she can return them to you for a treat (a candy bar will do). Calm down & carry on. .

Answer 2

I would be getting books at a level just above where she is at so she knows most of it. As her confidence, interest and reading ability improve I would up the book level, giving her something to achieve bit by bit. Before I even start the book I would be discussing the front of the book with her. Read the title for her, get her to look at the picture and predict what the book will be about. From there I would engage in a conversation about the book topic, what she knows about it, what experiences she has had with the topic etc. You will then be ready for the book, you may like to say, "I wonder if that will be in the book, let's find out." Make books interesting for her.

Some tips:
Look at the word
Look at the picture if it helps
Start to sound out the first part of the word (first letter or blend)
Read on
Go back and read again
Does it make sense?
What would make sense?
Praise her for every little effort! Tell her the word eventually if she can't work it out. You may also like to have paper or magnetic letters ready to break down the word into parts then think of other simular words and make a list to keep and refer back to.

Ask a question at the end of each page. Then at the end ask her if she liked the book and why? You could mention something in the book then ask then what happened next? Why did that happen? etc

I would be talking to the parents too, getting them involved in reading books to, with and by their daughter; books that interest her. Encourage them to take her to the local library to find books she likes. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

What does she like?

Some people read because they enjoy it, others as a means to an end.

So if e.g. she likes making crafts get a book on crafts and get her to follow the instructions. Something like a book on m making hand made cards, don't tell her she is reading say she is helping you make cards and you need her to tell you the instructions.

You could do it with any practical task - cooking, outdoor activities, spotting birds near the school and then looking them up in a book, anything that interests her.

Answer 4

I used to be like that before when i was younger and english is my second language so it wasnt as good as it is now, but the way I got better is by reading comic books which are interesting and they have short sentences and sometimes complex words. once she gets really good at reading even if it was short sentences I think she will be fine with longer ones. Try Archie comic books....they are really fun to read. If she doesnt like them then maybe try disney books, ones which are for children from 7-14 not the ones for 1-5 to let her read more. hope this works.

Answer 5

it sounds like she has a lot of trouble decoding the text, let alone making meaning from it, i would suggest you go back a few steps and work on her knowledge of sight words, phonetics, and letter combinations and blends, when she demonstrates a degree of understanding at this level, then move on to reading complete texts and allow her to use her knowledge to sound out words, if she can gain some success from going back it may provide the encouragement she needs

Answer 6

has she been tested for a learning disability? if that's not the case find out what her hobbies or her interests are.
for example, if she loves horses get her books about horses. hopefully those will interest her more and she won't be so resistent to reading.

Answer 7

Let her read from books which have nice, colourful pictures. Choose books which she might like eg. fairy tales.
Ask her to read aloud.Reward her when she reads a whole lesson well. You should also ask her parents to read to her when she goes to bed.

Answer 8

I really wouldn't push it or force your will upon her, despite what "experts" will tell you.

You can see what great of job the "experts" supposedly have done (which is really bleak, jokes aside).

Let her pursue what she's interested in, and watch her become a success beyond your dreams.

Answer 9

let her read age appropriate magazines that she is interested in.

Answer 10

Bust her upside her head with the book, that should do the trick