Janine and I have often written on how public schools destroy children's love of reading. We find it amazing that so few of our daughter's friends see a trip to the library as a treat. All three of our daughters use spare minutes to read books. All will stay up as late as we'll let them, to read. "Please dad, just one more chapter!"
Yet none of their friends read for fun. Reading has come to be a chore. I think this is mainly due to how reading is taught in government schools. Reading is something they have to do. It is required. It soon ceases to be fun.
Well Kelly Gallagher has expanded on this thought and written Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It. It was published February, 2009. It is currently ranked 1,725 on Amazon. I've asked my library to get it.
Here's an interview with Kelly Gallagher.
(Hat tip: Why Boys Fail.com)
----------
Technorati tags: Readicide, reading, Kelly Gallagher
4 comments:
Hmmm, I'm going to have to check this one out!
You might also be interestd in reading the older books Hooked On Books: Program and Proof or The New Hooked on Books.
The experiences of the authors and the stories of the changes in the at risk boys they worked with as they learned not only that they could read, but that they could enjoy it have stayed with me since I read those books many, many years ago.
How do you make reading fun to a 7 yr old boy, who would rather be out playing soccer? My son loves me to read to him, but when it comes to him reading, its a real struggle for him and subsequently he doesn't enjoy it.
Karen - thanks for the suggestions.
Samantha - my advice is to just relax. Keep reading to him. Have lots of books on tape. Each of our daughters were late readers.
My oldest was nine. I had read the first Harry Potter book. She didn't want to wait until I got around to the second book. My second daughter was ten.
Some children just take longer. And to be fair, some children don't ever become book lovers, but I think you have a much better chance if you'll look for ways to make reading fun.
Post a Comment