Mom Seeking Help on How to Get a 15 Year Old Boy to Read.

I used to teach middle school and had a hard time getting some kids to read. I always read aloud for 10 min at the beginning of each period a good book to try and get them interested in something. The key with reluctant boy readers is to find something they are interested in. John H. Ritter writes a lot of books that are "boy" themed. Some include sports. One book is Over the Wall. It has a bit of sports, but includes many other themes. It is a great book. It isn't an extremely hard book to read as far as level so maybe that would help. Also, here is a link with some books for young adults that include many good books. An annotation is provided for each:

http://www.slco.lib.ut.us/yabest.htm

Also, the Among the Hidden series (Shadow Children) is a very good collection by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It's about modern society, but the government only lets people in America have 2 children. Families have additional ones but have to keep them hidden and it is about the children who are about 10 years old and how they try to communicate together among other things.

Jerry Spinelli is also a great author for young adults.

Even if he struggles with reading, if he finds something he likes and just gets into a book, even if he doesn't understand every word, that is okay. As he finds things he is interested in, that can help him as he continues to read.

He might just like to read magazines, but as long as he is reading, that is good.

Best of luck.

Kim

Hi L.,

There many programs out there to increase reading. Here is a couple you could try is Essential Learning Systems or Audioblox.
Both require about 45 minutes a day but produce results in about 3-6 months. There are not any quick fixes out there that I have found they all require time and dedication. Good Luck!

J. O

Has he been testing for any kind of learning problems, like dyslexia? The school should help provide those services.

Sounds exactly like my son. He hasn't read a book for recreation "for like 6 years!" (his own words!) that is until about 2 weeks ago. He plays a video game called Halo 3. So one day , while at the bookstore, we stumbled upon a series of Halo books. We bought them and he hasn't stopped reading them. I think we've bought about 6 books now. I told him "I'm so proud of you and happy to know that you really do know how to read!" So I guess what I'm saying is whatever he's interested in, be it video games or sports, there has got to be a book somewhere out there to peak his interest. Drag him to the book store and wonder around aimlessly, just like we did and maybe, just maybe, you'll get a spark of inspiration. I doesn't have to be his "age" level of a book, it could be something that's easier reading, even if it's a magazine with more pictures than words. At least it'll be a start. Good luck to you!

Well (aside from finding out if he has any learning issues etc.)finding something up his alley is a very good idea and is even essential for some boys.IF he is into computer/video games or watches anime he may be into Manga. (those japanese comic books, found at the bookstore under Graphic Novels) yes they are largely pictures but they have the stories etc that might interest your boy. My 14 yr old is crazy for them (they are kinda expensive but there's always 2nd hand on amazon.com. Or regular old school comic books for that matter-but the manga is the thing of the moment.THe main thing in my opinion is to get them to understand the enjoyment of reading. Somehow all the pressure to read from schools has turned it into a total chore, when reading is one of the most stimulating and funnest things EVER!!!!!

Comic books are great and could be used to start a collection also, try a book series,like "Left Behind Kids" or something like that. Cut the cable television service off, only have movie nights as a reward. Any time he needs the spelling of a word have him look it up in a dictionary, get one that he can carry with him. Buy a few so their is no excuse for your giving him the spelling. Have him write interesting words on index cards with the meaning on the back. Great for practicing while in the car or riding the bus to/from school. Have him mentor a younger child in a subject that he excels in, to build his confidence. Children who learn to play a musical instrument show improvements in other learning areas. Join a sports team like track, or tennis, something that require team work but shows individual progress as well. Hope some/all ideas work to his benefit!

Hi L.,

I don't have any real-life advice on the problem, but i'd like to offer my support, my kids aren't quite 15 yet.

My husband did terrible in high school... HATED reading, and still doesn't read for pleasure, and he reads slower than I do... his handwriting is virtually illegible and he literally cannot write cursive...

He did manage to earn a Bachelor's (in 2 yrs), and today he has a very good paying job, we have a beautiful home, 4 kids, and I am able to stay home.

I have a daughter who struggled in math, reading and spelling, and I found that when I removed the pressure, told her how good she was doing, and how proud I was of her working so hard, she wanted to feel the pride and seemed to work double hard.

Sometimes burn out can kick in, and the more we push, the more frustrated they get and start to feel stupid. If he is embarrassed about the special classes, this could be taking a huge toll on his self esteem (being 15 is hard enough). If he just needs a booster maybe try a tutor, or even some of the tips here http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/help_t...

here's another good resource for ways to encourage reading - nice they also include what *not* to do...

http://www.rif.org/parents/articles/teens.mspx

Best of luck to you... and just remember, that if he doesn't exceed expectations, it's likely that he will do well enough to get by (not that I am suggesting you accept mediocrity... but accept his limitations) and he still has a good chance for success later in life :)

Good luck, and Happy Mother's Day!

this may not be the best advice but it's how i started reading. i had an older cousin that liked "dirty" novels. I think i was like 10 years old when she introduced them to me. i learned that the creases in the book binding held the dirty parts....lol

Any reading that he wants to do will be beneficial. This means comic books, graphic novels, or those annoying video game how-to manuals that my husband brings home! If your son can "practice" on something enjoyable, hopefully he will be more willing to read school assignments as his proficiency grows. Hope that helps!

Check out the bright solutions for dyslexia website/ barton reading and spelling system. He may be dyslexic. You can tutor him yourself at home.

The key is to find books that he really wants to read and also to not have the TV and computer always available. Certain special interest magazines can be good as well.

I had these issues with my youngest daughter. It was challenging being that her sister and I are avid readers. Her teacher suggested books on tape so that she could read along with the tapes and help build confidence in her reading abilities. He should try to find books about things of interest to him. But give him the option. If it doesn't seem challenging enough, that's okay, we first want to get him started reading, then we can take steps up to more age appropriate books. Read with him, if time permits. Ask questions to get him thinking about what might happen in the book or what he feels about what is happening in the book. Trips to the library has really increased my daughters interest in reading and now she loves it! She just read a book over 150 pages in one day and was EXTREMELY proud of her accomplishment. She's always wanted to read as fast as her sister and I and I always told her to keep reading and one day she would find a book that she couldn't put down and she'd be done with it before she knew. That day came and I'm sure plenty more will come. I tutor in reading and math at Henson Elementary School and have been doing it for 4 years. It's been the single most frustrating and rewarding thing ever. Keep encouraging him. Try comic books. There are these Managa books (Japanese) that are comic books that you read backwards. My daughter got into those and has been on a roll. Good luck!

T. C - single mom of 2 high honors students

have him pick out intriguing reading material, comic books, graphic novels may appeal, because they don't consist of intimidating blocks of solid text

my son has these issues - he is 7. we had him evaluated at the pediatric place and it turned out that although he has 20/20 vision his eyes saw like a pair of binoculars. his eyes can not track. this also makes it difficult for any sport. with eye therepy he is getting a ton better! I highly recommend getting him evaluated- there is a behavioral vision dr off of main st in algonquin- dr sypherd and she is great! I think its great you want to help him and continue to remember the kids want to learn and do well its frustrating and sometimes easier to give up. he is so lucky to have a great mom to keep encouraging him.

I've you tried any of the numerous learning centers that are around?

At some point he has to realize that if he could read faster with better comprehension he would do better in school and he would probably like to read. The only way to get to that point is to practice and learn techniques that can be taught to him in a learning center.

He has been tested for things like dyslexia right? If not then a center could probably do that as well. It might cost you a bit, but it will be worth it if you can get him to a better place in his reading skills.

I found that most of my trouble students when I was in the classroom were non-readers. If you can't read well, then everything else involving school is difficult as well. It makes school a miserable experience. Reading is, in my opinion, the single most important skill for any student.

I completely agree that you should help him find books or other reading material that he is interested in--maybe even a biography of a famous person he is curious about.

Also, how about reading aloud to/with him? That or listening to books on tape. Give him a copy of the book so he can follow along.

If the goal is to get him to read find out what he is interested in. I use to teach and when students didn't want to read at home it was usually because they weren't very good at it and they were not able to read things they enjoyed. If he is interested in sprots maybe start getting him magazines that are sports related. The key is to try and find reading material he is interested in and at his reading level.

Textbooks are very difficult to read for low readers. When using a textbook to learn and study (depending on his level) you might want to rewrite the information into paraphrases so he is able to read it and understand as well. Make sure he uses the pictures and captions to gain interest before he reads a texbook.

I hope some of this helps.

My husband disliked to read (as well as his two brothers) when they were young. The only thing they could get them involved in were magazines and comic books. It worked.

The whole family of boys are AVID readers now. Like someone else said, you have to find something that they are interested in: sports, dirt bikes, skateboarding, theater, art, music, science, anything. There are magazines for every kind of interest.

Good luck - and by the way, please keep pursuing. My parents didn't and I NEVER read and I believe it has been a detriment to my vocabulary, etc.

Take care!

Try finding something he is interested in and have him read about that. My husband didn't like to read as a kid, but he loved sports, so his mom would have him read the sports section every day in the newspaper. (He still doesn't like to read books that much, but he's an accountant, so he doesn't need to be reading novels for work). My daughter went through a stage where she wanted to read only Calvin and Hobbes comic books. I was concerned and asked her teacher about it. She said Calvin and Hobbes actually has quite an array of vocabulary in it. So, you might try one of those books. The more he reads, the better he will write. And I wouldn't worry about the handwriting, since most everything is typed on a computer these days anyway. Good luck to you!

My son has always been an avid and advanced reader. He read Harry Potter books in one day. When he was younger, a trip to the library was a treat. When he was 10 he read 27 books over the summer. Then, all of a sudden, in high school, his interest in reading dwindled. I found there were certain magazines he really enjoyed reading. So I bought the magazines. Maybe not the preferable choice but he's reading. See if you can find some your son might be interested in. There are magazines on all sorts of subjects. If you can find some that focus on his interests, I'm sure he'd be interested.

My youngest brother went to Sylvin Learning Center for reading help the summer he graduated High School. He said he was probably was the oldest in his class, but it was the best thing he did. It helped him place better on his college enterence exams too.

L.-
You can try to first find books that appeal to what your son is interested in (if he likes sports, find a book that is written by a famous athlete from that sport, etc). I am a 7th and 8th grade Literacy teacher and I have noticed that my students who HATE reading are much more interested in the stories that have a bit of a gory theme. If you are not comfortable with that, try to find books that revolve around HIS interests. Also, you don't have to focus on him just reading books. Find magazines that he likes with articles and have him read those. A book that I just had my students read that ALL of them liked (even one student who said he wished books were never invented) was The Devil's Arithmetic. It is a book about the Holocaust and is a very moving story.
Regarding spelling, it takes a lot of practice. Try going over spelling patterns and things to help him remember. I always teach my students tricks (like breaking a word down into smaller words if possible or thinking of other things that help them remember how to spell a tricky word). Good luck!

Find something he likes-- ANYTHING-- comic books, magazines, anything he'll enjoy. I studied education and they told me that kids who don't like to read should start by reading stuff that's fun before you try to force them to read stuff that isn't. Baby steps. And I wouldn't worry too much about spelling at this point since some of it will come when he's reading more, and now microsoft word has spell-check so people don't need to be as spelling-conscious as they used to be. In terms of handwriting, try putting him in a 3-dimentional art class like paster, sculpture, clay, or something to work on his hand muscles. If he's into working out there are even hand&finger-muscle things to use that will help his hands. But again, handwriting isn't that big a deal these days now that we type. Look at the handwriting of doctors for example. Can you read ANYTHING those people write? And they're well-educated and smart!

Hi L. S,
I have a 16 year old child that needs help in school with reading and English. She too needs to read more to help improve her reading and comprehension skills. I try to get her to read books and magazines that are interesting to her. I find the teenage books about the current entertainers to be good picks. While you're in the car going to a new place have him help you read a map or directions from a paper this way he feels he's helping out and not being drilled to read and learn. Unfortunately we are still put to the test to come up with inventive ways to get our older children to participate in learning activities. Good Luck! L. S

try introducing him to graphic novels. they are like comic books with more substance. also, offer books from his favorite movies, as well as books dealing with subjects that he is interested in. u can even offer him role playing video games with lots of plot, because there is a lot of reading involved to forward the plot. as far as the handwriting...sometimes people just have lousy handwriting. i know adults who have the penmanship of a first grader. the content of his words are far more important than his penmanship. computers are wonderful for that. encourage him to look for things that interest him outside of school, and remind him that his world will be an awful lot easier if he just gets the school stuff out of the way without fighting it. i always read at a much higher grade level, and i usually hated the reading assignments in my english and lit classes. my 15 yr. old is the exact same way. good luck!

L.,
I woud talk to the school district and see about getting a tutor at home. Sometimes they can reccomend another high school or college student and other times they have substitute teachers.. 15 is a tough age and they become embarassed easily especially with learning issues.
Good luck and keep working with him with it.

I would first start by finding something for him that he is interested in...cars, sports, video games,etc. You'll have to sit with him, being his mom, and work word by word with him. Tell him noone has to know about you helping him, not even teachers. Embarrassment will be part of this so reassure him that no on needs to know. You could start with books for younger children.

Have you had him checked for dyslexia? Also, make sure he has a vision test. My son never once complained about not being able to see yet when he went in for a routine physical they checked his vision and it ended up he needed glasses! When you have the all clear on those then I would try working with a tutor.

See if he wants to change schools. My mother had a son like that and she put him in a different school. It was a little farther away but his grades improved a whole lot. He is now graduated and is in a managment position at Wal Mart.

L.,
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Hi L. I have a child that has special needs and i taught him to read. Starting with the basic build his vocabulary by giving him some words to look up in dictionary. Then let him learn to spell them. Make sure that its in a group of words pertaining to things he like. Then find some books and in the same subject and get involved with the subject along with him. Always praise him for every accomplishment and watch the results. Remember praise is powerful in a males life.

It is very hard to get a kid to read at this age, whether they struggle with it or not! If they are struggling it can even be harder. I suggest that you tell him that he needs to do an hour of quiet reading a day. Tell him that it has been proven to improve comprehension of school work and will be an asset to him for the rest of his life. Take him to Half Priced Books and have him wander around, let him pick 2 books that seem interesting. Find subjects that interest HIM. They have a teen section, point him in that dirrection. Make this a bi-weekly or monthly trip.
I have been doing this sort of thing with my kids since they were old enough to hold a book. All of them are voracious readers, including my 5 year old! (She is already making trying to write sentences)
This shouldn't be a punishment but a time to explore new areas of interest and enjoy some quiet down time.

I have one suggestion as parents we sometimes want our kids to read novels as we do, but that can be like pulling teeth with a 15yr old who not interested in reading at all. I'm suggestion finding out what he loves the most and getting magazines or something similar for him to read or even comic books and once he can sense the satisfaction reading can bring he learn to love reading.

hi,
have you had him tested for a learning disability such as dyslexia. childrens memorial in chicago does testing and so do other places. i have a 7 and a 2 year old and we have instituted a read only nite at home. we turn off tv and all other toys and sit and read for the nite.
M. silver