Flingo
25th February 2007, 10:51 PM
Rescued Thread
Flingo 23rd February 2006 04:31 PM
New research has shown that reading to boys when they are small means they are less likely to turn into delinquents and horrors as teenagers. It doesn't seem to make any difference with girls though!
Full article (http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/1100education/tm_objectid=16690336%26method=full%26siteid=50082-name_page.html)
I'm sure that most of the parents of boys here are now feeling most virtuous!
minxminnie 23rd February 2006 09:43 PM
It strikes me that this is partly due to the fact that parents who read to their children are more involved parents, which is bound to have an impact on their child's behaviour.
(I'm a teacher but not a parent.)
Momo 23rd February 2006 10:43 PM
Originally Posted by minxminnie
It strikes me that this is partly due to the fact that parents who read to their children are more involved parents, which is bound to have an impact on their child's behaviour.
(I'm a teacher but not a parent.)
But that would mean it would make the same difference with girls. I do understand the link to literacy, though, as explained in the article. Boys who like to read have more and different interests and can express themselves better so don't have to resolve everything physically. In any case, if you read to them, they will more likely pick up a book by themselves and that can improve their grades.
I have read somewhere that children of families with a lot of books at home are more likely to like and be good at reading. And I have seen that with a lot of kids, as well.
Hazel 24th February 2006 09:06 AM
Originally Posted by Momo
I have read somewhere that children of families with a lot of books at home are more likely to like and be good at reading. And I have seen that with a lot of kids, as well.
Well, my two boys should be little literate angels! We have thousands of books all pver the house, they both get a story read to them every night, and I read whatever book I am reading to them during the day when they ask me to.
I'll let you know what they are like in 14 years...
megustaleer 24th February 2006 10:45 AM
I'm not sure where my elder son fits into the theory.
I read to him from the age of 2 months, but because he is dyslexic he struggled with learning to read for himself, and was 7 before he made the breakthrough (even as an adult he can't read aloud with any fluency unless he is familiar with the text).
Originally Posted by from the article
"Those who had difficulties at age five with readiness to read, such as a small vocabulary and poor verbal skills, became increasingly involved in anti-social behaviour, bullying others, telling lies, stealing.
Although he struggled with text, he had a huge vocabulary, and could talk to anyone, so really it must be verbal skills rather than reading skills that are needed.
Anyway, both my sons knew that I'd stop whatever I was doing and give them my full attention if they brought a book to me, and that I read for pleasure myself. So, even if it was difficult, reading was a pleasurable activity.
Neither of them brought trouble home, and living in a village we'd have heard about any misdemeanors, and both read for pleasure as adults.
(The dyslexic son is the one who read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to his own premature son in an incubator)
So, yes, I'm afraid I am feeling a bit smug!
Momo 24th February 2006 11:34 AM
So, Meg, your sons do fit into that category. If your son has difficulties with reading, it's not because of lack of interest or encouragement but because of a disability. I am sure that is not a situation you can "blame" on his environment. (Can't find a better word, I hope you understand what I mean.)
Hazel, my eldest son is 16, when he was at playgroup his teachers told me they only had to look at the book corner and he would sit there in an instant, no matter what he was playing with at the moment. He would love being read to and he learned to read without any difficulties. We would read to him all the time, we both love reading a lot and our house just bursts becaue of all the books (our movers said they only once moved more books than in our household, when they moved part of the British Museum ;) ). Anyway, my son read "The Lord of the Rings" when he was eleven, finished every "Harry Potter" within a day or a day and a half and constantly reads a book. So, this is what you will have in a couple of years.
My younger son had a little more difficulties to learn to read, it took him a little longer to find out that those letters (which he could "read" very early) put together meant words but he is a good reader now, he likes reading though doesn't read as fast as my older son. He is eleven now and I guess if those "Lord of the Rings" movies hadn't been out, he might be reading them by now. (Neither of them likes to read a book after a movie or the other way round.)
Flingo 23rd February 2006 04:31 PM
New research has shown that reading to boys when they are small means they are less likely to turn into delinquents and horrors as teenagers. It doesn't seem to make any difference with girls though!
Full article (http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/1100education/tm_objectid=16690336%26method=full%26siteid=50082-name_page.html)
I'm sure that most of the parents of boys here are now feeling most virtuous!
minxminnie 23rd February 2006 09:43 PM
It strikes me that this is partly due to the fact that parents who read to their children are more involved parents, which is bound to have an impact on their child's behaviour.
(I'm a teacher but not a parent.)
Momo 23rd February 2006 10:43 PM
Originally Posted by minxminnie
It strikes me that this is partly due to the fact that parents who read to their children are more involved parents, which is bound to have an impact on their child's behaviour.
(I'm a teacher but not a parent.)
But that would mean it would make the same difference with girls. I do understand the link to literacy, though, as explained in the article. Boys who like to read have more and different interests and can express themselves better so don't have to resolve everything physically. In any case, if you read to them, they will more likely pick up a book by themselves and that can improve their grades.
I have read somewhere that children of families with a lot of books at home are more likely to like and be good at reading. And I have seen that with a lot of kids, as well.
Hazel 24th February 2006 09:06 AM
Originally Posted by Momo
I have read somewhere that children of families with a lot of books at home are more likely to like and be good at reading. And I have seen that with a lot of kids, as well.
Well, my two boys should be little literate angels! We have thousands of books all pver the house, they both get a story read to them every night, and I read whatever book I am reading to them during the day when they ask me to.
I'll let you know what they are like in 14 years...
megustaleer 24th February 2006 10:45 AM
I'm not sure where my elder son fits into the theory.
I read to him from the age of 2 months, but because he is dyslexic he struggled with learning to read for himself, and was 7 before he made the breakthrough (even as an adult he can't read aloud with any fluency unless he is familiar with the text).
Originally Posted by from the article
"Those who had difficulties at age five with readiness to read, such as a small vocabulary and poor verbal skills, became increasingly involved in anti-social behaviour, bullying others, telling lies, stealing.
Although he struggled with text, he had a huge vocabulary, and could talk to anyone, so really it must be verbal skills rather than reading skills that are needed.
Anyway, both my sons knew that I'd stop whatever I was doing and give them my full attention if they brought a book to me, and that I read for pleasure myself. So, even if it was difficult, reading was a pleasurable activity.
Neither of them brought trouble home, and living in a village we'd have heard about any misdemeanors, and both read for pleasure as adults.
(The dyslexic son is the one who read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to his own premature son in an incubator)
So, yes, I'm afraid I am feeling a bit smug!
Momo 24th February 2006 11:34 AM
So, Meg, your sons do fit into that category. If your son has difficulties with reading, it's not because of lack of interest or encouragement but because of a disability. I am sure that is not a situation you can "blame" on his environment. (Can't find a better word, I hope you understand what I mean.)
Hazel, my eldest son is 16, when he was at playgroup his teachers told me they only had to look at the book corner and he would sit there in an instant, no matter what he was playing with at the moment. He would love being read to and he learned to read without any difficulties. We would read to him all the time, we both love reading a lot and our house just bursts becaue of all the books (our movers said they only once moved more books than in our household, when they moved part of the British Museum ;) ). Anyway, my son read "The Lord of the Rings" when he was eleven, finished every "Harry Potter" within a day or a day and a half and constantly reads a book. So, this is what you will have in a couple of years.
My younger son had a little more difficulties to learn to read, it took him a little longer to find out that those letters (which he could "read" very early) put together meant words but he is a good reader now, he likes reading though doesn't read as fast as my older son. He is eleven now and I guess if those "Lord of the Rings" movies hadn't been out, he might be reading them by now. (Neither of them likes to read a book after a movie or the other way round.)