7: Great (Reader) Expectations

Dear Anne: I love your article about summer reading. But, what is a realistic amount of books to set as a goal according to age? My son is 8 and is very good at reading but won't read unless prompted. And, how do I make sure he actually READS all those books and not just skims over them? Pondering Mom

Dear Pondering Mom: Thanks for the love, and excellent questions. You are spot on for wanting to choose a realistic goal, or even a +1, that might stretch your student a bit but is within the realm of reason. To start, check out a “fun read” from the library that is at your child’s reading level and ask him how quickly he thinks he can read it; then, watch. Be sure not to tell him it’s a test until he’s done reading the book. Are his estimations accurate? From there, do a little math to sort out how many books of that level you think he can read over however many weeks you are on summer break (as well as what might be a fun incentive) and make a plan together. Kids are much more likely to achieve their goals if they are part of the process of setting them. Have him track how many books and pages he reads the first year, which will make planning for subsequent years that much easier. As for accountability, I recommend the familiar workaround of all great teachers—read a review or two of the book online to give you a solid idea of main characters and plot, and ask him to tell you what the book is about. He should be able to give you a general summary of the plot, list off a few favorite scenes or one-liners, tell you something he didn’t like, and whether or not he would recommend the book to a friend (and why!). It’s just enough kid-friendly analysis to make skimming apparent, without the impracticality of requiring parents to read every book.