Child do not like to read books

[tamarind]

mum2dan:

Hi Mummies,

May i ask:-
My son is 4 yr old. He can read pretty well. But he doesnt seems to understand the sentence/bk. Perhaps could be he speaks mandarin most of the time. I would like to ask, is it necessay to explain to him in mandarin after reading the sentences/bk?
Also is it common for kids not to understand the bks?
Thanks in advance

mum2dan,
After the child reads a sentence or a paragraph, it is best that you explain in mandarin if you think that he does not understand it. We should not let children read without understanding.

You don't have to explain every sentence, only when your son ask you, or when you think it is something he has not read before.

[mum2dan]

Hi Tamarind,


Thanks for your advise.
Infact i like your blog. Thanks for sharing!
My son likes non fiction bks now but it’s diffcult to find it in Sg bkshop that are no so wordy, so that he can read on his own and i explain some of it.
I can only find it in bkdepository or borrow from library.
Any bkshop that you can recommend? Thanks!

[tamarind]

mum2dan,

My son also likes to read non fiction books. I bought most of my hard cover books from http://www.amazon.com and paperbacks from http://www.bookdepository.co.uk. Books are very expensive in Singapore so I don't buy in local bookshops. Our library has the largest variety of books. BTW, you can also recommend new books to our library and they are very willing to buy it if they don't already have it.

[Oppsgal]

tamarind:

Oppsgal,

You need graded readers. Try the Peter and Jane books, start from book 1a, then 1b, 2a, 2b, etc. These are the best books for teaching children to progress from words to sentences, then to long novels.

You can also try any phonics readers available in local bookshops.

Anyone got the Peter and Jane books 24 books to let go?

Expensive to buy set from local bookshops.

[michyms]

Oopsgal, I found the full set at bras bash second hand bookshops, only $1 each book.

[Oppsgal]

michyms:

Oopsgal, I found the full set at bras bash second hand bookshops, only $1 each book.

Good condition or yellowish type? If yellowish cannot. My kid will flip then eat fingers. Very unhygienic. Scold also eat fingers. :mad:

[tamarind]

Hi Oppsgal,

It is not necessary to buy all the complete set. I advise parents buy book 1a first. If the child can remember all the words in 1a, it is not necessary to buy 1b, just move on to 2a. In fact, it is not necessary to finish up to level 12. By the time a child completes book 10a, he is ready to read long chapter books.

[Oppsgal]

tamarind:

Hi Oppsgal,

It is not necessary to buy all the complete set. I advise parents buy book 1a first. If the child can remember all the words in 1a, it is not necessary to buy 1b, just move on to 2a. In fact, it is not necessary to finish up to level 12. By the time a child completes book 10a, he is ready to read long chapter books.

Thanks for the advise. Very expensive to get whole complete set

I got the boxset instead. 1a-c,2a-c, total 6 books only. Cheaper by a few cents each book if divided by books.

Does the story line link? Like episode?

After 2c, I jump to book 4a, is this ok?

[mum2dan]

Tamarind,

IC. Thanks!
Re: Peter and Jane series, my son actually started/completed bk 1-3 before 2.5 yr old. But he doesnt seems to have the patient to read bk 4 as it’s more wordy.
So i change to other story bks (Fiction and Non Fiction), few sentences in a page. How do i get him to read those more wordy bks?

[tamarind]

Oppsgal,

It is OK to jump if you are sure that your child can read 95% of the words in book 4a. In fact, my girl started with 5a then jumped to 8a.

Oppsgal:

tamarind:

Hi Oppsgal,
It is not necessary to buy all the complete set. I advise parents buy book 1a first. If the child can remember all the words in 1a, it is not necessary to buy 1b, just move on to 2a. In fact, it is not necessary to finish up to level 12. By the time a child completes book 10a, he is ready to read long chapter books.

Thanks for the advise. Very expensive to get whole complete set

I got the boxset instead. 1a-c,2a-c, total 6 books only. Cheaper by a few cents each book if divided by books.

Does the story line link? Like episode?

After 2c, I jump to book 4a, is this ok?