Starfall

If your boys are just learning how to read, or even just learning their letters and sounds, one very helpful resource is Starfall (http://www.starfall.com/ ). This website is dedicated to teaching children to read using phonics. The best thing about it for parents is that it is free! While you can purchase a yearly membership for $35 to have full access to everything on their website, it probably is not necessary. Starfall has four different levels that progressively help teach kids how to read. The first level “ABC’s” teaches kids their letters, both upper and lowercase, and the sounds that they make. As I just discovered the other day, there are also free letter print-outs so that kids can practice writing their letters as well. The second level is “Learn to Read.” On this level there are animated books and games that help teach kids how to put their phonics into practice. It also teaches various letter combinations. When kids are done with this level, they move on to “It’s Fun to Read.” These are mostly games to get them further practice. On the last level, “I’m Reading,” there are digital books that kids can read ranging in categories from fiction and nonfiction, comics, folk tales, and several others. If kids can’t figure out a word, they click on it and it is read to them. Both of my kids really loved this website and still do, even though they no longer need it. Because they perceived it as playing games, they did not even notice that they were learning a lot at the same time. I find this site especially helpful for boys who really don’t want to sit still for very long unless they are playing a video game!

Read to a Dog

For struggling or reluctant readers, there is a new program that is gaining in popularity in libraries across the country, called “Read to a Dog,” or usually something similar. So what is this program and how does it help kids? Check out Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D). They have a website which explains their program and the benefits to children’s literacy (http://www.therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html). Although the program can be set up differently in individual libraries, the basics remain the same. The library utilizes the assistance of trained, certified therapy dogs and their owners who volunteer their time for free. The library provides a room or some other private location free from distraction where individual kids can read to the dog (and handler). My local public library, for instance, sets up volunteers for several hours on Sunday afternoons during the school year. Kids can show up with a book or check one out and sign up for sessions to read. Usually the sessions range from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the individual library. The program has grown in popularity and we often have people waiting for a turn.

So, what exactly are the benefits? For one, when children are around therapy animals, they are more relaxed. Blood pressure and heart rate decrease, and they are less self-conscious and nervous. Many times children do not read well in front of others because they are scared and afraid of messing up. Reading to a dog can help this improve and help them gain more confidence. Many kids report an increase in self esteem also. Kids can go from dreading reading to actually enjoying it. The benefits accrue even to kids who don’t sign up for the reading sessions. I know in our library, kids love seeing the dogs there and look forward to petting them. This positive association with the library can only be beneficial. Here is what the R.E.A.D. website lists as some of the benefits of the program:

“The wonderful thing about the whole setting is that, just as trouble with reading is usually not a purely intellectual problem, the presence of the dog helps more than reading skills, too. The kids start coming to school more consistently, volunteering to read aloud in class, being late less often, turning in more homework assignments, showing improvements in self-esteem, forming trusting relationships … the list just goes on!”

Check with your local library or your school system to see if they are participating in this great program!

Reference book for boys’ book titles

Check out the book Boys and Literacy: Practical Suggestions for Librarians, Teachers, and Parents by Elizabeth Knowles and Martha Smith.  Most of the focus is on annotated listings of good books for boys by genre, including graphic novels.  Since the book was published in 2005, it is missing the most recent books, but there are some great titles in here. Also helpful is a list of notable authors of “boys” books with titles of all their books. In addition, there is a list of magazines popular with boys. This would be a great reference book to have on hand when your boys run out of reading material and are looking for the next book.

The book does contain a chapter about research regarding boys and reading. I was a little disappointed that there was not more of this information in the book. However, there is a great list of strategies that parents can implement with their boys to get them reading. Here are some of their suggestions (p. xix)

• Provide a wide range of reading materials in your home.
• Dads need to become active in their sons’ reading.
• Dads should share their reading preferences with their sons.
• Parents need to model reading.
• Have a daily reading time, where everyone reads (turn off electronic devices).
• Continue to read to kids even after they are past the lower elementary grades.
• Have reading parties for your kids.
• Reward boys with trips to the bookstore or library.
• Participate in any special kids’ programs at your local library.
• Read a book, watch the movie version, (or vice versa) and discuss the differences.
• Do not make fun of their reading choices.
• Always allow choice in selection of reading material.
• Don’t look down on graphic novels/comics as sub-literature.

I love these suggestions and most of them are fairly easy to implement, so get started today!

guysread.com

If you are looking for specific books to get your boys reading, you have to check out Jon Scieszka’s website, www.guysread.com As is fairly obvious from the title, the website is dedicated to boys’ literacy. Their stated mission is “to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers.” The biggest part of their website is their collection of book titles for boys of all ages many of which have been recommended by guys themselves. The categories of books are geared towards guys things such as robots, books containing at least one explosion, cars and trucks, how to build things, and many others. You can also find titles using the more traditional categories included such as biography, beginning reader, graphic novel, picture book, etc. or search for a specific title or author. You can also rate books and check out the average rating that others have given the book. While you are there, peruse the reading lists of some well-known guy authors. I really like this website because it is a great resource for parents. But, more than that, when your boys are old enough, they can check out this website on their own to find reading materials. Boys seem to have a dearth of male role models out there who are into books, so seeing some well-known guy authors really into reading and excited about books could be a good motivation to get and keep them reading.