Newspaper reading for primary school kids

[kiasimom]

HI buds,

Thanks for your reply. Guess I will get my DS to read ST instead

[Eagle-Ladybird]

Why not Readers Digest - a much better option I think.


Articles in there are much higher quality than newspaper reporting, and less the unnecessary media exposure like Bust Enhancements, or NTUC ad spreading 4 pages mid section

[watmekiasu]

It is good to cut out articles from the newspaper for their reading - current and relevant. I wouldn’t advise giving them the whole newspaper. My own experience with my dd is, she read lots of articles not suitable for her age or those that required adult clarifications, which she didn’t sought. For eg she read about the tutor who had sex with his student, the ACS boys who claimed sexual abuse by their teacher, a few student suicide cases - I was shocked when I heard her talking about sex and suicide in a blase manner. Further probing revealed that she thought these were common acts, nearly as common as road accidents that she finds in the papers…

[rocklee]

Hi Buds and all


Thank you very much for your valuable advice. My kids only like to read comic books . And whenever we go to the library, they will head straight to the section with books on dinosaurs and animals. Looks like they have not outgrown that age yet, still hanging on to their dinos and animals. I will always be the one busy selecting fiction chapter books for them to read. I like your suggestion of starting them with kids magazines. Will try it out, hopefully can stimulate their interest in reading.

Many thanks!

[cafelatte]

Hi all,


Is there anyone with children in upper primary or PSLE ? There’s a conversation component in the oral, is that right ? Will children who do not read newspapers daily have problems with this component ?

[buds]

kiasimom:

HI buds,

Thanks for your reply. Guess I will get my DS to read ST instead

Heyya kiasimom, it really depends on the individual family approach
and experiences. No hard and fast rule about this introduction. Like
schellen said, NP you should try to monitor the content and the kind
of writing style used in it. They do have interesting in-depth reports
about relevant stuff that can be good to let kiddies read. Just need
to observe that they aren't reading the not-so-good stuff... for now. :roll:
Plus, the NP pictures make the reports seem more interesting than
it reali is. The headlines too. :lol: Thats media for you.

[buds]

Eagle-Ladybird:

Why not Readers Digest - a much better option I think.


Articles in there are much higher quality than newspaper reporting, and less the unnecessary media exposure like Bust Enhancements, or NTUC ad spreading 4 pages mid section

Hahaa! I like how you sneakily add the Bust Enhancements part above. :lol:
I like to see those though. :oops: :lol:

Readers Digest can be quite an eyeful for children juuuust starting out.
But for confident readers... i'd say go for it!

[tutormum]

Actually, children can start reading Reader's Digest and Straits Times at bits size. Both of these are of very high standard and quality in terms of language used. If a child can read them very well, he will have no problem in his comprehension or PSLE English. I started reading the comic strips of Straits Times when I was in P2. DS3 followed my example and is now hooked on the Life Section. :lol: I slowly, slowly increase the scope and read the full paper by P5. I usually recommend reading the Home pages and move on to International/World news when the children are ready. Of course being boys, all my DS go for the Sports Section first. In fact, DS1 only read the Sports Section before covering the whole paper a few years later. Once the habit of reading the newspaper is cultivated, it'll become a daily routine. For Reader's Digest, I started with Laughter the Best Medicine and ancedotes. It's a great help in building up your vocabulary and general knowledge on the whole. The articles are very contemporary and well balanced. DS3 loved the jokes and by P4, he is able to read the whole magazine. Comics is the easiest read and the best spring board for any child. I think that's where we get our sense of humour. :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

[buds]

tutormum:

Actually, children can start reading Reader's Digest and Straits Times at bits size.

Agree with tutormum on the above.

Forgot to input that in my last post. Cheh.. I too, started out with the
comics strips in ST... followed by Life then sports and Home and so on...
by example from my daddie. :love:

Start capturing children's interest early, provide bite sized portions
beginning with what may be of interest to them first and follow up
slowly to the heavy-duty ones later on when you find the child has
picked up the interest with other varying content...after which
reading the paper will come naturally (like eating and drinking)
and gradually..... (progression in reading dosage) 8)..... in future
being something they cannot do without daily... (like taking a crap). :lol:

I know a handful of people who can't crap successfully without
reading something..... anything..... at the same time.
Now... :idea: Somebody should come up with a product for
the sanitization of reading material; like an antiseptic-misty-
spray or something.. :lol:

[jedamum]

bumping this up for discussion.

appreciate more sharing of how to start kids on newspaper reading.