In the last post I admitted that I did not fully trust Charlotte Mason's reading-lesson recommendations. I didn't know then what I know now. But I did know that my kids hated reading, and were beginning to turn sour in other areas as well. I had to do something. Now, I'm not pro-reward systems, in fact, I remember at times feeling rather volatile toward sticker charts! So, I am not necessarily advocating the following unless you are desperate. I was.
In came a tailor-fit reading incentive program for our family. I worked out a points system based on words per book. With accumulated points they could buy stuff from the bin in the closet. Cool stuff. Big boy stuff.
Jackpot.
They left the library with a haul of books each week from then on out. Granted, a good number of those were board books for reading to their younger siblings, not worth a whole lot of points.* But, if you read enough of them, the points do have a way of accumulating. AND they were reading. AND they were motivated. Finally.
Quickly, they realized that more words = more points. More points = better prizes.
{Insert image of dreamy Dollar Store do-dads and giddy Goodwill gadgets}
This incentive program was HUGE in getting them over the hump. But it was not yet the clincher.
The point of no return came when they were introduced to Redwall. Brian Jacques IS my hero. Their first exposure was an audio book borrowed from the library. And let me just say that these books are not easy reading (certainly with the British accent they are NOT easy listening). Being a little skeptical of the series, and knowing they were not really ready for a nearly 200-page-pictureless-reading-experience quite yet, I told them they'd have to read the series in order. The library only had the print version of the next book. ;) Wasn't I clever? I dreamed of being able to dangle the Redwall carrot out to keep them motivated over the next month as they continued their slow but sure paced journey through the juvenile section of the library shelves.
This minor setback did NOT discourage them in the least, they were MORE determined than ever. They would have Redwall. They checked that next book out and suddenly they turned into little recluses and became furiously infatuated with the world of Redwall. To this day, I have no idea how much they understood of that first book. But they made it ALL the way through, tag-team style. One would read and narrate to the other. Then the other would read and then he'd narrate it back - all on their own time - over about a month. Hmmmm. Interesting, no? They were about relatively 7.5 and 8.5 at that time.
Well, from that point, it really only got better. We kept on reading aloud a little each day, they read more Redwall, but in addition they were also introduced to Roald Dahl. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or sad about this. I've never read even one of his books, and we own at least 7... all of which the boys read with gusto... in less than a month. Some of the things they've narrated, I've thought... uh, yikes? (So, though I think I feel comfortable with them, please do not interpret this paragraph as a full-blown endorsement of the Roald Dahl books.) We had finally arrived at the point that I could confidently say that these boys were on their way to discovering new worlds by way of books! And, thanks to Redwall and Roald Dahl they had begun to LOVE reading!
So while they were finally reading...
I had NO idea what I'd do with my next up and coming reader who would turn 5 within a couple of months!
In the next post, I'll tell you what we didn't do! ;)
Posts to keep a look out for:
Our Story... I'm a failure. {part one}
Our Story... Struggle no more. {part two} << -- You are here. :)
Our Story... Just relax! {part three} Learning to Read - The Scary Myth {part four}
Playing a Foundation to Build on.
First Reading Lessons in Earnest.
*(please note, I do always screen the books that make their way to my house, and I have a very strong aversion to twaddle; but desperate times call for desperate measures... so don't blame me if they read a few borderline books there in the beginning. -- I'm just covering my bases here in case there are any CM police in the area... ;)
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