What to I do for my 8 year old girl to find reading enjoyable or not being forced to read?
485086
Think about what else she's interested in and then find ways to integrate reading into that hobby.  If she likes soccer ask her if she knows when soccer was started - when she says no - help her look it up in the library.  If she has a favorite TV show try getting some of the book tie-ins or even a book that's similar to her favorite episode (if she liked it when Dora explored a mine then get a book with a similar plot)\n\nWhen you read with her take turns reading a paragraph each and not only should you try to be patient with her - when it's your turn you can sometimes pretend to have trouble with a word and get her to help you.\n\nLike a lot of other posters have already said reading in front of her is one of the best things you can do.  I also loved the "Read to Rex" idea!
657274
Hi..i think you should find out what she intrested in, books, movies etc. Then when you see her in the hallway or at lunch just casually find some common ground about that intrest, if shes intrested in books than give/lend her a book that you liked when you were her age--dont forget to tell her that!\n\nif that doesnt work, trying playing with her and her friends something, jumprope or on the swings. Some kids arent comfortable talking to adults especially when its their teachers. So the key is not to be just a teacher, but a friend as well. \n\nhope that helped!\ngood luck!
351421
just be urself... also i think a love of litriture helps... every girl likes to have a peom read to her
978201
I love to read books, too...welcome to the club, girl! Don't worry about it. Reading opens up a world unfamiliar to our own & takes us away from reality.
1035383
Girl stop! Read some books, talk with your parents or the health department.
1087380
As a public school librarian (K-8) I feel it is important to make available all books. However, budget constraints force me to choose mostly books that appeal to the most students. Captain Underpants may not be my choice for a student to read, however, if the students are asking for this title I will order it. What tends to drive my selection more is not self censorship but pressure from parents not to shelve a certain title. I try to preview  most titles for objectionable words, etc. and go from there. When I have a complaint from a parent I remind them that it is easier for them to check their child's book when they get home than for me to know what is acceptable for 500 plus students. An interesting thing to consider is the reverse, do we tend to pick books that appeal to us as a reader? I am a big Civil War buff and my library happens to have a dandy selection of books in the 970 Dewey decimal catagory!!!
298378
Get an index card to place under the line that she is reading.  This will help her keep from losing her place.  A colored one might work even better...  But a flourescent one might be hard on the eyes.\n\nBefore she reads, give her an idea of what she's going to be listening for by reading her the questions first... Then tell her to highlight the answers when she finds them.  This will help her to learn to actively listen and search for needed information.\n\nTeach her to read the questions, read the passage, then re-read questions one by one, skimming for the answer.  Find the key word in the question and then search the reading passage for that word.\n\nTalk to her about things like bold print, italics, captions under pictures...  Talk to her about headings and the organization of writing.  Often the first and last sentences in each paragraph tell the story.\n\nLet her know the importance of being able to read to gather information.  There are many reasons to read, including enjoyment.  Make sure that she's having opportunities to read for fun, too.  Not just dreary homework.  Take her to the bookstore and let her buy a book.  It could even be a comic book!  The point is to get her to read.\n\nYou might notice that she is better at reading comprehension in fiction than non-fiction stories.  This is good to know, because you can point out her strength and focus on her area of needed improvement.\n\nLet her see you reading for both pleasure and for gathering information.  Help her to understand that every day reading is important in the real world.\n\nGood luck!
114451
I recommend movies with close caption.  Books that are interesting and related to topics the person finds interesting.  Make him read short perios (15 minutes), then have him wrtie a short composition about the book he was reading.  Show him what kind of sentences he is using, and compare them to the gramatical structure of the book.
839066
they often send those kids to a (lower grade)  class to read stories to them.  There are many ways of handling this.  Give him books on subjects that interest him (dinosaurs, etc).  but if what he was enjoying was reading better than the others, it's best to set it up so he can read to a group (or to you or hubby or younger kids).
801053
Barbara Park, author of the Junie B. Jones book series, has books that are geared for older readers.\n\nYou can't go wrong with the Ramona Series by Beverly Clearly.\n\nBoys may enjoy the Hardy Boys books\n\nTry the links below for suggestions.\n\nHappy Reading!
971327
If she like to read, find out what she likes to read and get her a bunch of used books in that genre.  Or, if she has avid interests, get her non-fiction about that.  Books never grow out of date as long as someone wants to read them.\n\nP.S.  Tell her the truth - all of it that you said above.  Especially the part about caring enough to want to make it special - that's the real gift.
53737
he doesnt like reading?????...oh you sweet mother! i will hear you say one of these days, "help me pleeease, my son does not like his clothes...can he wear fig leaves and two nuts to school?"...\n\nTie him to the bed post, give him a book on meaning of life, ask him to read, if he doesnt give him the hobby of pulling the book out of his asss, ....repeat the hobby till he thinks reading is easier on the eye...and the...\n\ncheers, and hope you read this ..if not, you have it coming too...
95344
Read outloud as we make our children do. It will improve your reading and speaking. Listening will come with a better understanding of English. Writing goes with reading. Your writting will improve the more you see how things are written when you read.
1166848
At this age everything she does is education: looking around, discovering things, learning her colors, letters, etc., because she wants to. So you don't have to worry about right now.\n\nAbsolutely you should read to her, let her see you reading. Start conversations with "I wonder how" or "I wonder why", and then find the answers together, at the library or on the internet. Make it fun.\n\nBy the time she's older and NEEDS to study, she'll already be good at getting information and think it's a fun thing to do.\n\nLearning doesn't have to be boring or hard, and it doesn't mean you have to memorize everything.
579159
There are so many great web sites out now that help to teach kids to learn to read - www.starfall.com is the best we have found so far.  Such a good site, my little girl (5)taught herself to read (much as your son taught himself english) using this site.  \n\nI think as homeschoolers we find that there are lots of fun ways to learn anything!  For more web sites, just search on yahoo for 'online reading games for kids'.  There really are a ton of sites (and so good software titles you can buy in stores) and I am sure a couple will spark your son's interest.
381219
i have an 8 yr old sister
953483
Try the following, although some may be a challenge, he should probably enjoy them:\n\nMoby Dick\nCharlotte's Web\n20,000 Leagues Under the Sea\nWatership Down\nThe Wind in the Willows\nBridge to Teribitha\nSeven Little Australians\nAnything by Robin Klein\nThe Railway Children\nHarry Potter books \nHans Christian Anderson tales are great (but he may feel a bit insulted by the 'fairy tale' element)\n\n\nAlso, magazines are good - Time, National Geographic, The Bulletin, etc\n\nAlthough some of these may come from a childs / teens perspective due to the level of education - a lot of these are universal favourites and classics that appeal to all ages.\n\nHope this helps\n\n\n\nThe guy above mentioned Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer - great choices!