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glinNC
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| Posted: Oct 27 2010 at 9:29pm | IP Logged
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Any suggestions for getting them out of the Lego buckets and into a good book? I've tried starting a book aloud with them, to get the interest going, but they don't continue past a few pages or a chapter. I've recently heard about paying them 1 cent per page, and I offered that this week, which got their interest as they want to save money to buy another Lego set! 
I'd appreciate any ideas or suggestions to encourage reading ... do you "force" them to read independently? How do you verify that they really read the assigned pages? These guys are 10 and 8, and I know they are capable of reading, so I need to get them doing it! 
Thanks!!
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joann10
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| Posted: Oct 27 2010 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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My boys always had a choice....they could go to bed with light out......or they could read for an extra half an hour past regular bedtime... This was always worked for us.
For some of my boys this was almost the only reading they did on their own besides schoolwork, so I was always pleased with it. 
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JennGM
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| Posted: Oct 27 2010 at 9:39pm | IP Logged
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Mine 7 yo is really into Legos, but he loves reading, too. Some of the ways I've gotten him hooked...
One is by having a book on tape which is really interesting, that has made him want to read the book on his own. "Mighty Men" by Eleanor Farjeon is an example of that.
Make sure the book is something that he'll find interesting, good narrative, living book.
I'll read a book out loud, just a bit, to hook him in, and then he goes off because he wants to know what happens next. He read "Mr. Popper's Penguins" and "Dr. Dolittle" on his own because he couldn't wait for the next night. Sneaky me.
I also pepper the good books with fun books, graphic novels, or old comic series like "TinTin" and "Asterix and Obelix" is his latest. I even admit to allowing occasional Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. His latest book he is reading with interest is a Lego Star Wars book -- about all the Lego Star Wars set. He hasn't seen Star Wars or anything, but loves to build them.
Tonight I read two excerpts from a large, very few pictures book (actually a textbook) entitled "Anthology of Children's Literature". He was hooked, and asked to take it to bed to read before he fell asleep.
Another trick is peer pressure, the good kind. Have your sons around other boys who read and talk about books. My nephew is getting inspired by his friend who is reading "We Were There" series.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Oct 27 2010 at 11:34pm | IP Logged
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My oldest boy was a reluctant reader.
What got him hooked was books of Shel Silverstein poetry. First of all, they are really funny, which is is a big hit with the boys, showing him that reading can be great fun. Plus the fact that the poems are short and sweet encouraged him to read as much or as little as he wanted. Instant gratification is a good thing with a little boy!
Once he started reading them, it wasn't long before he was tackling entire books, quite happily.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 12:07am | IP Logged
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We did tons of read-alouds until my son was in, like, 11th grade. I loved having the time with both children (they are almost 6 years apart, so they have never shared much in terms of activities/interests except for good stories, cartoons  and archery). We read all kinds of books aloud - picture books, chapter books, series (Narnia, etc.) - didn't matter.
Each boy is different, and to hook a particular boy on reading independently takes some trial and error. I got my brother to read big-time chapter books with (surprise!) The Three Musketeers. Total swashbuckling fun. Fantasy lovers might enjoy Edward Eager's books (Half Magic and more). Creative types might like the Great Brain or Alvin Fernald series. My history boy loved everything Hilda van Stockum. He loved My Side of the Mountain. He didn't like any of the series (see above) I read aloud. (Dd did, though...) Everyone loved the LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 12:17am | IP Logged
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What about books that aren't "stories".. my oldest son loves his scout book and The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Civil War
At the moment I'm still more interested in hooking him on reading than on "literature" so.. this sort of reading works just fine for me. And since those are books he's picked up on his own without me (ok so I am the one that makes them available ..) it works for me.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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JennGM
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 7:09am | IP Logged
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I had a few more thoughts. Like Nancy, we do read-alouds, and I read at night.
I "strew" books. I get lots of books on a theme from the library or from my shelves, putting in different places. I read one or two and then I find my son in the books, reading on his own.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Erin
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| Posted: Oct 28 2010 at 2:18pm | IP Logged
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Well Glin, you can always use an 'incentive.'
I was chatting with an irl friend yesterday and he ds11 is finally reading a little, she has promised when he finishes 10 books she will take him to the cinema.
In the past with boys your age who need a push to become more independent we have done things such as 'bookworms'. Every book = a circle, when your 'worm' has so many circles you have earned a prize. Generally another book
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: Getting boys to read
