Alan & Brenda Leonard

> By experience with boys has been different, the unschooled boys we know
> have generally started reading fluently around 10, but there's been a lot
> more variation.
>
> I'd like to hear others' experiences.

Dar,

My son read anything that didn't get up and move at age 5. My mother (a
school teacher) pushed, and I could read flash cards by 3, and read for fun
by about 8. My husband, who was never a great reader, remembers The Hobbit
being the first thing he ever read voluntarily. He was 15 or so. (Alan is
a very slow reader, but he's always reading something now that he's out of
school.)

My diligent, dedicated home*schooling* friend is still trying to get her 10
year old to read much of anything, her 8 year old reads upon request, and
much to her dismay, her 5 year old isn't interested in letters.

I definitely think pushing can make the process take longer, but at least
from what I read, children (both boys and girls) vary widely in their
reading ages. Sandra, wasn't it you that posted a great article about
reading a while back? Somebody did.

brenda

Jamie Lemon

>>>>>>>>>My diligent, dedicated home*schooling* friend is still trying to
get her 10
year old to read much of anything, her 8 year old reads upon request, and
much to her dismay, her 5 year old isn't interested in letters.

I definitely think pushing can make the process take longer, but at least
from what I read, children (both boys and girls) vary widely in their
reading ages. Sandra, wasn't it you that posted a great article about
reading a while back? Somebody did.

brenda<<<<<<<<<<

I pushed my poor DS on and off for the last few years (he is 8 now). I know
now that pushing did nothing but deter him.
No more pushing.

My dd (when we first started unschooling) taught herself to read with little
help from anyone at age 6. She loves reading now. My poor DS was scared to
read, he would yell at himself and get angry. I fear that I caused this.

BTW, the article you mentioned which is on unschooling.com was a perfect
eye-opener for me. I cried as I read it. I know now that I must allow my
ds to move at his own speed. Already (in the last few weeks) I see a
difference in him and guess what...he is reading here and there as he wishes
(with no yelling), which is how it should have been all along.

There will be no more (bad) tears and frustration over reading in my home,
Zan