HE SHOULDN'T READ THAT...
This was said to me recently by a father with his young boy at his side. The rest of the sentence was ...crap.
Father was referring to Andy Griffiths book 'The Big Fat Cow goes Kapow'.
'I don't want him reading this kind of stuff,' he snatched the book out of his son's hand, 'I want him to read better than this. What can you give us?'
Now we all know that Griffiths is a writer that kids adore. His books fly off the shelves. And yes this is an easy read...but as all easy reads it leads to harder books. This is what it is all about...we start with something simple and easy, then we try harder books with harder words and more difficult concepts.
An interesting conversation followed. The boy was not a good reader. He liked funny books, he liked stories that took him to different places (a place where cows explode is just one of them).
BUT...his father wanted him reading books that were beyond his ability. For now.
It would be like telling me I had to run up and down these stairs, five times...quickly...go now!
I would try but honestly by my third run I'd be so frustrated with my inability to do it that I'd give up.
If someone said okay have a go of going up and down...then we'll try again. I'd give it a go...why not? Perhaps I could run up and down once. Maybe even twice...I could try couldn't I?
It's like with reading...you start with something you are capable of doing ...then you try something a little bit harder.
With this father and his son I went and found a few more books in that early reader stage - but with a bit more 'meat' to them.
When they came to borrow dad was adamant that son could not take the Griffiths book. Son wanted that book, in fact he was close to tears as dad kept saying he was too old for 'this kind of thing'
I said why not let him have the book he wanted, but also a few of the 'harder' ones. I told them it was like having something yummy after doing something hard. That maybe it would be a good idea to read a book that was a bit difficult, then read his exploding cow.
The son was interested in this idea. I told him that I read everything. From picture books to chapter books like the ones he was holding, then some young adult and then adult. And that I read something hard, then something a bit easier.
'Marshmallow' books I call them. Something a bit light and fluffy because reading hard books all the time just makes your head hurt.
Not only did the child take four books, yes the exploding cow was there, but one choose-your-own-adventure book and two others....but dad thought this was an idea they could work with.
I hope so.
If you start with something so difficult that you find it impossible to start let alone do, you give up. Beginning gradually and then building up the levels of difficulty is how you get to the end. With good results.
Vicki
http://vickithornton.weebly.com/
Father was referring to Andy Griffiths book 'The Big Fat Cow goes Kapow'.
'I don't want him reading this kind of stuff,' he snatched the book out of his son's hand, 'I want him to read better than this. What can you give us?'
Now we all know that Griffiths is a writer that kids adore. His books fly off the shelves. And yes this is an easy read...but as all easy reads it leads to harder books. This is what it is all about...we start with something simple and easy, then we try harder books with harder words and more difficult concepts.
An interesting conversation followed. The boy was not a good reader. He liked funny books, he liked stories that took him to different places (a place where cows explode is just one of them).
BUT...his father wanted him reading books that were beyond his ability. For now.
I would try but honestly by my third run I'd be so frustrated with my inability to do it that I'd give up.
If someone said okay have a go of going up and down...then we'll try again. I'd give it a go...why not? Perhaps I could run up and down once. Maybe even twice...I could try couldn't I?
It's like with reading...you start with something you are capable of doing ...then you try something a little bit harder.
With this father and his son I went and found a few more books in that early reader stage - but with a bit more 'meat' to them.
When they came to borrow dad was adamant that son could not take the Griffiths book. Son wanted that book, in fact he was close to tears as dad kept saying he was too old for 'this kind of thing'
I said why not let him have the book he wanted, but also a few of the 'harder' ones. I told them it was like having something yummy after doing something hard. That maybe it would be a good idea to read a book that was a bit difficult, then read his exploding cow.
The son was interested in this idea. I told him that I read everything. From picture books to chapter books like the ones he was holding, then some young adult and then adult. And that I read something hard, then something a bit easier.
'Marshmallow' books I call them. Something a bit light and fluffy because reading hard books all the time just makes your head hurt.
Not only did the child take four books, yes the exploding cow was there, but one choose-your-own-adventure book and two others....but dad thought this was an idea they could work with.
I hope so.
If you start with something so difficult that you find it impossible to start let alone do, you give up. Beginning gradually and then building up the levels of difficulty is how you get to the end. With good results.
Vicki
http://vickithornton.weebly.com/
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