Comments on: On Reading: Encouraging Tweens

By: Children’s Literacy Round-up – 2 February | Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:50:29 +0000

[...] want to cook with her, they need to know how to read a cookbook. Jennifer has a great post about Encouraging Tween Readers at 5 Minutes for [...]

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:15:52 +0000

I really enjoyed this post, as we’re soon heading into that ‘tween’ stage with our oldest son. I completely understand about the different directions he’s pulled in– for him it’s Wii vs. books! His school also particpates in the AR program, although I am a bit ambivalent about it, just based on the little bit of feedback we get from the school.

You’ve given us lots to think about here!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:48:37 +0000

This was a great post for me to read because I have a ten-year old daughter who loves to read as much as Amanda. She gets so mad at me when I don’t give her enough warning before bedtime because she loves to curl up in bed with a book. When we are going somewhere and I tell her to grab a book, she comes back with 5! Her teachers do a wonderful job allowing her time at school to read, but I have noticed that the AR program limits them. They are only allowed to check out AR books and they have to be at their level, not even below. We don’t love AR, but I am glad it exists for kids who aren’t as excited about reading.

By: corey

corey — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:00:08 +0000

We lived in South America for 4 years as missionaries, and returned to the states in 2004. When we got back, my son could not read in English, only in Spanish. We began teaching him to read in English and found that he struggled and struggled with reading time, in school. In fact he would cry when we would make him read fro 20 mins a day (that is what he was required to do) It was extreemly frustrating for him and for us. We started giving him options to read things that we wouldn’t have normally given him, comic books, pokemon how to win the game and save the world books…cook books…. ANYTHING that he wouldn’t stress out over to get him more comfortable with English. He started sixth grade this year and came home with a huge smile on his face… and said he’d finsihed his first book…on his own –it was a 300 page book. Allowing him to relax to get more comfortable was an approach I never anticipated taking, but has made him LOVE to read, now I have to tell him to put the book up and go to bed!!!

I guess sometimes the off the wall is right on track!!

By: Katrina (Callapidder Days)

Katrina (Callapidder Days) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:59:09 +0000

Thanks for this, Jennifer. It really does sound like Amanda’s school does a great job encouraging them. I just found out that Camden’s teacher has them keep a book in their desk and during certain times of the day, they are required to either start their homework or read. Camden sometimes does homework (so there’s less to do that night), and sometimes chooses to read. I didn’t realize it, but he’s read several books purely at school already this year — in addition to what he’s read at home.

By: Diana

Diana — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:02:01 +0000

Not everyone finds the same things interesting. My daughter liked science fiction and fantasy which is very popular. My son reads comic books and also popular science. You have to encourage them to find someone they do like and then search for similar authors with similar themes. Don’t give up.