Thank you to my work Dad Friend, who also has a blog called adverlicio.us, an online ad archive, for this great article from the Wall Street Journal on How to Raise Boys Who Read by Thomas Spence with a note that says “Hint: Not with Gross-Out Books and Video Game Bribes.” Spence is apparently disgusted by the pandering of publishers to reluctant boy readers with Gross-Out books and proposes a simple solution that worked for his 6 (that’s right, folks, SIX!!!!) boys: TURN OFF THE SCREENS! FILL THE HOUSE WITH GOOD BOOKS.
Category: Literacy
Getting kids to love reading including reluctant readers as well as competent readers who just don’t like to read.
Neil Gaiman’s Newbery Award Acceptance Speech
I thought Neil Gaiman gave such a lovely, funny and inspiring speech. Thank you to Beth Schulman for the post. Neil Gaiman is going to be the Boston Public Library Children’s Book Fundraiser tomorrow, Sunday, Sept 26, 2010. It’s a tea party starting at 2:00. It might be too late to jump in, but you never know. You get to meet four Newbery authors and have them sign your books. I’d love to meet Neil Gaiman after reading his speech!
Invented Spelling Necessary for Learning to Read: Froshus Dobrmn Pensr
Invented spelling is the name for children’s misspellings before they know the rules adults use to spell, often before they know how to read. In some respects inventive spellers are learning to write as they learned to talk. Invented spelling is not so much an approach to writing as it is a way of removing obstacles in the path of a young writer. Children don’t automatically and spontaneously arrive at the correct spelling of a word simply because they read.
Books that SHOULD Be Made Into Movies
I am also amazed that The Catcher in the Rye isn’t a movie starring some young, hunky-but-sensitive, guy. But please don’t make it into a musical! For the full post, please click here to go to ModCloth’s blog.
SAT Words for Kindergarten from Picture Book It’s Mine
Kindergarteners do have the ability to understand and really enjoy learning big, fancy words. It makes them feel like big kids. It was fun also to see his big sisters chomping at the bit to define “his” words.
How to Train Your Dragon ebook for reluctant readers
Usually I am one to tout the book over the movie, but in the case of How to Train Your Dragon, it was a toss up. I loved both. It’s hard to choose because both are so different and yet each are well done. The iPhone/iPad/iPod ebook app is a well done synopsis of the movie and great as a “book on tape” for reluctant readers.
Turn Your Child Into a Reader
Did you know the number one determiner of success when a child enters formal schooling is the number of hours he has been read aloud to by someone close to him? The simple act of reading to your child will make all the difference in the world!