What level should a 5th grader be reading at

What Reading Level Should a Fifth Grader Be At?Making English Fun

While elements of learning to read remain in fifth grade english curriculum they are also interspersed with reading to learn skills, and the development of a reading culture both with in the school and the home. To be able to learn through reading it is important that students of are a sufficient reading level to be able to comprehend the text they are presented with. Fifth grade reading levels are there important to both be aware of and understand.

An average fifth grade reading level ranges between 22 to 30+ on Reading Recovery and PM levels or up to level 50 on DRA levels. There will be outliers depending on individual students. Grade five levelling assessment focuses on reading comprehension skills, assuming that phonics and reading skills are already known.

This “what reading level should a fifth grader be at” article will also cover the following information:

• What are reading levels and how they can be used to help your 5th graders to improve their reading skills especially comprehension.
• What you can do to support your students, 5th grade and others, to progress.
• Reading skills and concepts are covered in fifth grade classrooms.
• Links to our 5th grade reading resources (and other resources)

If you are looking for reading and writing worksheets for grade 5 we have a large collection here in the article below.

What Is a Reading Level?

There are multiple different programs and tools to assess students of all grades reading levels. The majority of these reading level assessments all share common indicators. They assess the comprehension, pronunciation, decoding and fluency ability of a student of English while they are reading a short leveled text.

Fifth graders are highly unlikely to be reading at a high school level just yet, and although they are getting closer it they are not quite ready to be reading the same materials. At this stage, in fifth grade, there will be a focus on introducing age appropriate chapter books, non fiction texts, and some traditionally stories, possible rewritten, in English.

Reading comprehension is included in 5th grader lessons on a much more frequent basis as at this level, barring any barriers or additional needs, their hard reading skills will be developed enough to start to look at whole text meaning and looking at higher order reading comprehension skills.

We have a resource below for this if you need, as well as posts and articles on the Reading comprehension skills, however its a better deal to pick it up in the bundle offer we have on this page as well as that comes with reading material, worksheets, games and this higher order set!

Reading A2Z have detailed information on the different reading level assessments and programs which all have commonalities. They also have differences as well, with some like Lexile concentrating on word count or difficulty of words and others like the PM benchmark looking at simplicity of both words and sentence construction as well as including comprehension of text as a ranking and leveling factor.

Makign it more confusing that it needs to be, you will find educational systems, nationally and internationally all use different methods to level their grade 5 students. this means they will also use different reading assessment tools.

To bring some clarity to this the chart below offers a handy comparison to help both teachers and parents when it comes to choosing reading materials. However, it is a guide not an instruction list as grade 5 readers are starting to develop their own interests, not just what parents or their English teacher puts in front of them.

The different systems can be confusing at first and when choosing what reading levels books to choose for 5th grade classrooms it is definitely of use to spend some time with both your reading resources and the chart to make sure they fit the reading level of your students.

however never under estimate motivation! You can have a perfect levelled reader for grade 5 but the subject is of no interest then it is unlikely they will engage with it. It is better going slightly above or below their reading level and choosing something of interest, than finding something they won’t enjoy.

We use this chart in all our reading level articles.

Many Guided reading publishers have developed their own systems as well.

• Scholastic Guided Level Reading Program
• CCSS Lexile Recommendations
• DRA Level
• PM Benchmark
• Reading AtoZ ( online resources – which have become or important in the recent past!)

For both ease and continuity, ( as we have used this Reading level assessment tool in our other reading level articles) we will use the DRA reading level today as RR tends to stop and move to comprehension after level 20+) As you can see DRA goes up to level 80.

Other Grade Reading levels

We have articles discussing the expected reading levels of other grades below.

Other Grades Average Reading Levels.

We have a selection of articles on reading level expectations for different grades below.

The DRA ( Developmental Reading Assessment) is a reading skill assessment tool that aims to evaluate students reading levels to enable teachers and parents to assess students reading skills including fluency, comprehension and phonics. They aim to discover the independent and instructional reading level of students. it is suited for grade 5 levelling and beyond as their leveling system expands beyond reading ability and into reading comprehension.

What is an Instructional Reading Level?

Instructional Reading level is the reading level directly below independent. Students should be able to comprehend and decode upwards of 80% of the text at an instructional level. At grade 5 texts will be introducing more complex topics as well as language. This level can vary between students and also between subjects as students have interest and motivators that differ.

What is an Independent Reading Level?

An independent reading level is a level of reading ability that allows students to read texts without assistance from teachers or parents. Most grade 5 students will be independent readers, depending on the level of text given to them. ( no medical dictionaries etc!)

Hopefully they are reading for fun in grade 5 , but if not encouraging them with books covering their areas of interest will help to develop that love of reading.

When reading this level of text students will be able to decode over 90% of words and answer increasingly complex comprehension questions independently.

Frustration level reading can be defined as text that are to complex for a students current reading level. Texts at this level will not help progress students to higher levels, conversely attempting to read at this level will demotivate students and hinder their development of reading skills.

In 5th grade english lessons, as well as other grades, classrooms and homes teachers and parents should aim at using an instructional reading level. This allows students to comprehend and therefore engage with texts with some assistance, and gives them the motivation to see they are doing well, but still have the support and guidance of teachers and parents when they need it.

Guided reading, for which we have many articles and resources, is an excellent way of introducing text at appropriate levels to small groups of 5th graders.It is better to introduce guided reading at an earlier stage ( though late is better than never)

Guided reading in grade five can (and should) be more about the ideas of text and higher reading comprehension strategies. (which we have an article below) but have listed as well. Students should be encouraged to look beyond the obvious meaning of the texts. This can be done with different text types such as news, advertisements or magazines.

The Seven Reading Comprehension Strategies

Check out the links to know more. We also have an article here on what age you can start teaching guided reading.

What 5th Graders Learn Throughout the Year.

As we mentioned above a Fifth grader can be reading from about reading level 20 to level 30+ (on Pm benchmark) or up to level 50 with the DRA reading levels. However please don’t worry if your students or children are below this reading level, or be too confident if they are above this.

Also assuming phonics skills have been developed already grade 5 students will build and add to these as they read. it is now important to look at reading comprehension, critical thinking and higher ordering thinking. Albeit at an introductory stage.

Children will develop their reading levels and skills at different paces to each other. Although there should be certainly some progress in grade 5 to have a strong knowledge of phonics rules and reading skills there is still time if these are a little behind. we have countless resources to help with these skills if you need.

The next section covers what skills they will learn to help them improve their reading levels through out the Fifth grade.

Children develop at very different speeds, and different learning environments will impact on their reading development. If English is a second language, or if there are other demands on students or parents time will all affect their reading skills acquisition. Be assured that in the vast majority of cases, with a little planning, all students progress and develop their reading skills.

Marc Ford

What Reading Skills They Will Learn in Fifth Grade

An essential part of learning and reading in fifth grade is comprehension, this is not just a face value statement. In Fifth grade there is a focus on independent reading and reading to learn as well as reading comprehension strategies.

They will have to learn and practice skills like interference, summarizing and questioning. and apply them to their reading texts. Fifth grade classroom lessons, in good English classrooms at least, should be focussing on how to apply these. We have links above to explain how these can be taught and resources to use with 5th graders and above.

According to The Common Core Standards, a Fifth grader will be focusing on the following English reading and literacy skills. We have put this information in a table to provide resources for FREE download to help you as well.

Common Core	Resource	How it can help
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1: Quote from the text and use inferencing answers to questions	Reading Materials at Grade 5 level.	-Comprehension Questions -Vocabulary Matching
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2 Determine themes of the story, and empathy with the characters	Grade 5 Readers	Mix of fiction and nonfiction short passages and comprehension questions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters.	The Complaint letter, The Lizard and the Sparrow and the Stupid crocodile	All of these texts offer the chance to do a character comparisons or discuss how they react to a situation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4 Meaning of words and their place in the text.	Adverbs, Reported speech, passive voice	Selection of grade 5 grammar and reading skills worksheets. Adverbs for example
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.6 Awareness of narrators view and influences.	A complaint letter	Could be used to write a reply for each complaint from the person its aimed at to explore different views.

Grammar and English Language arts more than phonics provide the main focus of a grade 5 English curriculum. Concepts like, adverbs, passive voice, use of tenses, phrasal verbs, reported speech, error correction, reading comprehension skills all start to become more prominent.

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Sentences and constructing sentence are more important in fifth grade. Reading materials will include more complex versions and teachers and parents can use reading levels to gain appropriate levels of text for their students and children. We have some on the site for free, and in addition we also have sentence making and sentence scramble worksheets as well although these may be a little simple for most fifth graders.

Online games are one of the best ways to engage all students including 5th graders. We have articles on some of the best online games, and have a page that has all the ones we make as well. These are free to play and very popular and certainly add motivation to your lessons! Although some have a focus on phonics they can still be useful for vocabulary building and sentence construction.

What Can Teachers Do to Improve Reading Levels at 5th Grade.

Grade 5 Teachers can develop a love of reading in classrooms and encourage students to take control of their own learning as well.

• Have a selection of levelled readers suitable for 5th graders covering fiction and NON fiction texts. Thi would be ranging form about level 16 to level 30 on Pm benchmark scales.
• Make sure there is a mix of text types and text subjects, including opinion pieces to allow students to start to understand that texts can be written from certain viewpoints.
• Include reading time in lessons. Allowing students to read their choice of books for set periods through the lesson / day.
• diversify how resources are presented, online games, worksheets, readers, multi media etc.
• Take time to read to your class, it doesn’t happen often and students can learn alot from teachers putting correct emphasis and time into literature.
• Give handouts on reading skills, and reading comprehension skills and have them displayed in the classroom.
• Make sure you demonstrate when using these higher skills, and let students know when is a good time to use them in their reading.

What Language Will Books at Grade Five Reading Levels Contain?

• Fifth grade reading resources will start to include use of metaphor and smilie as well as more advanced grammatical structures and sentence construction. There will be more subtle humor used as the presumption will be that students at these levels can understand the words and now there will be more emphasis on how these words are used.
• The texts will be more adventurous not just in their use of language but also in their subject matter. the aim in fifth grade is to keep children reading to help them develop a love of reading. ( which we cover below as well)
• There will be different text types introduced more frequently in fifth grade. Students should be at the level where they are able to discuss and talk about the differences between informational, poems, news articles, fiction and nonfiction texts
• With the increase in difficulty will come an expanding vocabulary. Academic language and vocabulary may have been introduced in grade 4, but will increase in grade 5, some of these may be related to non fiction texts.

How Can Parents Help Their Fifth Grader Develop a Love for Reading?

Parents, play an important part in helping children become interested in reading. Story telling, appropriate reading resources, reading yourselves and books in the house will all help. However we have a list below to help you gather some ideas as well.

Here’s a list of ways that you can help your Fifth grader develop a love for reading:

• Find reading material that they’re interested in. For example, if they love dinosaurs or adventure then let them choose those books over anything else. The idea is to keep them reading at home, and off the playstation or phone!
• There was a lovely quote i read from a parent saying they offered their son or daughter a dollar for every book they read over the summer, and it was the best 120 dollars thy have ever spent. Incentives shouldn’t be your first step but if needed they could be a great investment.
• Read the newspaper together, or parts of it and ask them their opinions on news. Let them know what they think is important, and allow them to practice putting their reasons and arguments together.
• Ask them to read a book with you. They can choose one for you both to read and talk about.
• Look at competitions to join ( although the less pressure the better) if your children like to perform consider a youth theatre or readers theater group.

Grade 5 students, whatever their reading level, are always learning. Parents can help to steer that away from getting high scores on PUGB or Minecraft and into reading to learn.

Finally

As we have highlighted above the average reading level of a fifth grade will fall between a wide range. From around 20 to 30 using a PM Leveling benchmark and 20 to 50 using a DRA reading level framework.

However we have also mentioned that there will be difference is students abilities, circumstances and backgrounds that will all effect their reading levels. The key aspect i hope has become clear is that at this age, in grade 5, students should be given both opportunity and time to progress their reading on their own wherever possible.

The aim is to keep them reading, and to move from learning to read to reading to learn. to do t

At this age students hould be developing and practicing giving their opinions on their learning.

Here’s a quick recap of the post:

• Fifth graders typically fall between a 20 to 30 reading level depending on the leveling framework.
• Use different text types, allow them time to read independently
• Encourage them forming opinions on what they read
• Follow their interests, it helps motivate them to read
• Expand their vocabulary, including academic vocabulary.
• Start to develop awareness of empathy and looking at texts from other points of view.

Sources

• Scholastic – Learn About Leveled Reading
• Reading A to Z – Levelled Books
• Amazon Fifth Grade Reading.
• Common Core ELA Standards

Hi I’m Marc. A teacher of over 15 years, English, General Studies and Outdoor Education. Thought it was about time to sharing both what I have learnt during that time and the resources I have put together. On this site we aim to teach the theory and share our thoughts, but also go that one step further and give you access to the hard resources you need for your class or for you children

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Making English Fun!

I have been a teacher of English for over 15 years, in that time i made hundreds and thousands of resources and learnt so much i think its worth sharing. Hopefully to help teachers and parents around the world.

5th grade reading books for children aged 10-11 in Elementary School

Books for grade 5 – this list of recommended reading books for grade 5 has been curated and compiled by teachers and librarians to appeal to elementary school children in the 5th Grade, aged 10-11. There is a range of exciting and thought-provoking books to suit all abilities, including easy readers and more advanced texts. This list of 5th grade reading recommendations contains titles by Kate Messner, James Patterson, Madeleine L’Engle and E.B. White.

I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day

A middle-grade story of self-discovery. Edie finds a box on the attic – full of letters – and a photo of a woman that looks like her. But her mother, who was adopted, refuses to explain further. So begins a quest to find the truth, full of difficult moments, tragedy and revelations. An important book that provides a good starting point to discuss the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act.

Historical | Diverse

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

Filled with beautiful and evocative images, and sparing yet moving text, this picture book captures the sense of hopelessness and despair that children can sometimes feel. After walking through dark and disturbing landscapes, a beacon of hope appears in the shape of a red leaf. When dawn breaks, a red tree is revealed as a symbol of hope and renewal.

Picture book

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

When a mysterious stranger arrives at the Wallace household, Meg and Charles’ world is changed forever and they set out on a quest to find their missing father. A great science fiction mystery story.

Science fiction | Classic

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

A fascinating story told from the point of view of Ivan, a captive gorilla. One day, after years in a cave, Ivan sees life differently when a baby Elephant arrives at the zoo. A great story about friendship.

Animal story

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Magee is an orphan child who lives with his aunt and uncle. One day he decides to run away and start on a series of heroic and unexpected achievements which change his life and his town forever.

Adventure

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

The classic story of Pippi, who has wild hair and an even wilder, sassy outlook on life, getting up to all sorts of mischiefs. A very funny book and ideal for reluctant readers.

Classic

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

A stunning set of stories about the orphaned Baudelaire children and the increasingly dark situations they manage to scrape through, including avoiding the money grabbing clutches of the evil Count Olaf.

Adventure | Mystery

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

An inventive and slightly scary graphic novel about a young girl looking for new adventures who gets caught up in a strange situation which requires all her courage to escape from.

Graphic novel

The Borrowers by Mary Norton

A modern classic about little people who live unnoticed in the walls and under the floors in a country house. Charming, this book is a great read full of twists and turns.

Classic

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

The original and timeless pirate adventure story, full of cliffhangers and plot turns. A thrilling read from start to finish and full of unforgettable characters.

Adventure | Classic

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum

A classic fantasy and allegory story, written at the turn of the 20th century. The timeless story of Dorothy, The Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Toto, The Wizard and the Wicked Witch of the West will still resonate with middle-grade children. There’s also a series of lesser-known sequels.

Classic | Fantasy

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

When Jess and Leslie become friends through a shared love of track running, they spend time creating an imaginary world – Terabithia. But when Leslie goes there without Jess, something terrible happens and life will never be the same. A modern classic.

Classic

Wonder by RJ Palacio

A touching and thought-provoking story about Auggie, who wants to be like everyone else but struggles with how the other fifth graders react to his unique face. A great book to help children empathize with differences and understand the importance of inclusion.

Diverse

Descendants series by Melissa de la Cruz

A gripping and imaginative spinoff from the Disney movies Sleeping Beauty and Maleficent and set in the world of Maleficent. High fantasy adventure and strong characters dominate this series which is great for reluctant readers who can watch the films first.

Fantasy | Adventure

Narnia series by CS Lewis

C.S. Lewis’ classic series of children’s fantasy books – best known for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – has captivated young readers for generations. Fantasy, good vs evil, and adventure underpin these parallel world adventures where the lead characters are middle-grade children. This is an ideal 5th grade reading book series for the classroom.

Fantasy | Classic

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

This beautifully written novel flits between two characters and time periods – Nya, a girl in 2008 and Salva, a boy in 1985. Both live in Sudan, searching for their families and safety from war.

Historical | Diverse

The Tapper Twins by Geoff Rodkey

Set in the modern digital world, the Tapper Twins Claudia and Reese are always looking to prank each other in school and online. A very funny and easy to read graphic/illustrated novel but also thought-provoking.

Humor

The Water and the Wild by KE Ormsbee

Elliot is ill and gets more and more sick by the day. Lottie doesn’t know what to do until she discovers a route to another world through the roots of an old apple tree. Although there’s plenty of danger, she hopes to find a magic cure.

Fantasy

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

A must read modern classic for middle-grade children. Omri was hoping for a little more than a cheap plastic toy for his birthday. But through unexpected and old magic, the toy is turned into a real person. Can Omri keep him secret?

Classic

Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern

Benny isn’t enjoying school. He doesn’t have a friend, isn’t good at bike tricks and blames himself for things which have gone wrong at home. When he thinks things can’t get any worse, he slowly realizes his caring nature is all that he needs to survive. A great book to inspire resilience.

School story

Lost in the Pacific by Tod Olson

A gripping survival story set in WW2. When as USAF bomber runs out of fuel over the Pacific Ocean, a great war hero on a top-secret mission is in great danger. The only option is to ditch in the sea. Can the crew survive? This is a great 5th grade reading book for reluctant readers.

Historical | Adventure

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele

John Coggin runs away from home with sister Page to avoid a life in the family coffin-making business. But soon they find themselves in great danger. Darkly humor, with strange and colorful characters. Ideal for grade 5 readers interesting in science and making things.

Humor | STEM

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen

When Mary’s family move from the city to a farmhouse in the country, her life changes completely, and she is drawn into a simpler, kinder world full of adventure and awe. Full of happiness, this book is ideal for children interested in the outdoors and wild places.

Adventure

Treasure Hunters by James Patterson

Fast-paced, with short chapters and gripping plots, this series of adventures is ideal for reluctant readers in grade 5. Think Clive Cussler style page turners for ten year olds in grade 5.

Adventure

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

A unique series of books about a skeleton private investigator with attitude who solves mysteries and fights crime. Edgy, but fun and easy to read. A gripping series for grade 5 readers.

Horror | Mystery

The What on Earth Timeline Collection by Christopher Lloyd

Visually stunning and huge foldout books which can either be used as wall charts or room length friezes full of facts and illustrations which children can walk around to read. Quite unique, the books cover history, nature and science topics in vast detail. This is an ideal 5th grade reading book for the classroom.

Non fiction

Stuart Little by EB White

Stuart Little is a mouse who has lived with his family in New York his entire life. But when his best friend Margalo disappears, he ventures outside to search. By the author of Charlotte’s Web. Perfect to read aloud in grade 5.

Classic | Animal story

Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Set in the Pacific islands of Polynesia, Maftu – the son of a great chief – is afraid of the ocean. When a storm comes, he is determined to show everyone his courage. Inspiring and timeless. A great 5th grade class reader.

Adventure

Garden Princess by Kristin Kladstrup

Adela is a princess who would rather be a gardener than part of the royal family. When she visits the enigmatic Lady Hortensia’s spectacular garden, she realizes there’s something very strange about her plants – which flower even in fall and winter. An atmospheric and interesting novel.

Middle grade novel

Half Upon a Time by James Riley

Jack, the son of Jack and the beanstalk Jack, meets Princess May from the land of punk in his journey to fix his family’s bean thieving reputation. A very funny and interesting fantasy world take on the classic children’s folk-tale.

Fantasy | Fairy tale

Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Annabel cannot bear her mother, sister and brother; chores and being told off. Longing to be an adult, one day she wakes up as her mother! But her dreams of watching TV all the time eating whatever she likes don’t quite work out as planned.

Humor | Middle grade novel

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Charlie wishes she could catch a fish so big it would pay for an amazing dress for the next dance competition. But when she hooks a magical speaking fish which can grant wishes, things don’t go to plan at all in this hilariously funny family story of resilience and independence. A great story for grade 5 book clubs.

Fantasy | Humor

The Green Ember by SD Smith

Rabitts Heather and Picket live in a world of power struggles, good vs evil, dynasties, treachery, and revenge in this clever combination of aminals, fantasy and quest. An ideal 5th grade reading book for children who like animals.

Animal story | Fantasy

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

Sugar’s life is turned upside-down by the death of her grandfather and her father’s gambling. But when a new family and rescue dog Shush comes into her world, Sugar finds new and inspiring ways to survive. A heart-warming and fulfilling read.

Family

Atlas Obscura by Joshua Foer

A stunning nonfiction guide to lesser-known wonders of the world. Stunning and vibrant illustrations make this bound to appeal to more reluctant readers. A great addition to every 5th grade library.

Narrative non fiction

Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Harry Potter is an ideal series to hook a middle grade child on reading. Easy to read and fast paced, these gripping fantasy wizard school adventures develop in plot complexity and characterization throughout the seven books.

Fantasy

If you would like to order all or most of the books in this list; or if you want to order classroom sets or multiple copies of books; or if you are ordering from outside the US,  have a look at our ‘bulk orders’ page which makes this process easy.

Click for more reading recommendations – Kindergarten books | Grade 1 books | Grade 2 books | Grade 3 books | Grade 4 books | Grade 5 books (this page) | Grade 6 books | Grade 7 books | Grade 8 books | Grade 9 books | Grade 10 books | Grade 11 books | Grade 12 books

Please do share or link to this page via social media; but refrain from copying or reproducing our book synopses. Please respect intellectual property and copyright. Thank you.

How to read from 7 to 12 years old

In elementary school, a child learns to work with text professionally. The school subject of literary reading is of particular importance, as it teaches children to perceive the text in different ways: listening, reading aloud, reading silently. How successfully the child has mastered these skills depends on his further education in all subjects, since understanding the text, written and oral, is the basis of education and self-education. The goals of education in elementary school and the basic skills that children must master are spelled out in the Federal State Educational Standard, Model Program for Literary Reading, and they are very serious (a brief excerpt from Primary School Literary Reading Program ).

Purposes of home, family reading:
— to have a rest, relax after study (it is good to read such literature aloud to a child before going to bed),
— to master the curriculum in literature and other subjects: reading according to the list of program literature, textbooks, scientific books for children (you need to set aside a certain time for this type of activity and always try to stick to it, developing the habit of studying at home - in the future this good habit will help at school, at the university, and in self-education),
- teach to read and write: riddles, short plot stories, fairy tales are well suited for this.

The child reads by himself.

This work should be joyful and creative.

Expert tip: If your child is just taking their first steps into the world of reading, celebrate every word they read as a victory. Do not draw his attention to reading errors. Do it discreetly. Take for the first readings only suitable books - bright, with large print, where there are a lot of pictures and a plot that is interesting to follow (I.I. Tikhomirova).

Primary schoolchildren have problems with reading:

1. It happens that a preschooler loves books, but when he becomes a schoolchild, he does not want to read them. Why does interest in reading fade? The reason is that the child is now motivated to read to himself and stop reading aloud to him. Reading from pleasure turns into hard work. The child gets tired of it at school, so he does not want to read at home. At home, he should rest with a book, listening to or reading with his family works "for growth" and those that have already been read before school, and those that are included in the school curriculum. Reading should still be fun!

The younger student still has a weak reading technique, so he cannot read what he wants and in such a way that it gives pleasure.

Expert advice: Read aloud to children not only throughout their preschool childhood, but also when they become schoolchildren, choosing for this such books that they cannot cope with on their own.

2. The child has learned to read and write, but does not want to read, and parents have to persistently teach him to read on his own. How to do it:

- give your child books with large print and bright pictures so that the book intrigues and does not frighten with large text;
- read aloud a few lines, the plot of the story, and step away on business - it is possible that the child will want to know the continuation and he will read it himself;
- Meet the school librarian and introduce your child to the library. The librarian will professionally select the right book, then talk about it;
- and most importantly - you need to set an example: the child must see the reading parents.

3. Literature appeared in the child's life, which he must read, that is, interest in the book began to push away the need, the compulsion to read.

Expert opinion. Forced reading, as a rule, is not fruitful. It becomes fruitful when the child reads because of interest. Interest is the only one of all the motives that keeps reading on, that is, ensures the influence of the book on the reader. The crisis of children's reading is manifested not so much in the fact that many children have stopped reading, but in the fact that they have not developed or lost interest in this area of ​​​​activity (I.I. Tikhomirova).

How to read to maintain interest in reading, in a book?

Expert tip: Encourage your children to read software literature before studying it in school. Use summer time for this. Get involved in reading it with your child, find pleasure in it. Looking at you, the child will receive joy. The subsequent study of the work in the classroom will fall on emotionally prepared soil (I. I. Tikhomirova).

Expert tip: Have your child get letters from their favorite character about what books impressed them and why they recommend reading them. Such an authoritative opinion of the beloved hero has a positive effect on the reader's interest in the child (reception from Sh. Amonashvili).

— Interesting creative work with a book helps to arouse interest in reading. For example, creating your own cartoon or advertising your favorite book for friends and classmates (book trailers). How to create a video about the book, examples of children's work, mom's review of such work can be found in the section "Reading Companions" - "Screenings" .

— The conversation, the comparison of the book and the cartoon/movie are still relevant. The questions for comparison are simple: how are the images of the characters and some moments of the book embodied, did you imagine the characters in such a way that is not shown in the cartoon, etc. ... Such a discussion will help develop the thinking and speech of the child (on the Barius website you find interactive list of film adaptations : a book has been selected for each film adaptation, which can be leafed through online and immediately compared with the cartoon).

For example, a schoolchild will be interested in reading the adventure works of Kir Bulychev and watching the cartoons "The Secret of the Third Planet", "The Pass", "Alice's Birthday", as well as feature films. They take the child to a fantasy world and provide an opportunity to take a break from school worries. In addition, the girl from the future Alice has been convincing children for several generations of the need to know a lot in order to emerge victorious in the fight against space pirates, Baba Yaga, goblin, etc.

Reading with children is still relevant basic principles and approaches as in the preschool period.
- Make riddles, learn proverbs and sayings in order to develop speech, thinking, imagination, raise a child on the samples of age-old folk wisdom.
- Talk about what you read!

Expert advice: When talking about a book, do not rush to formulate its moral idea in the form of a conclusion, but try to intensify the feelings of reading. Then the spiritual experience of the hero of the story will also become the experience of your child, which edification does not give, because it always involves ready-made conclusions and decisions (bad boy, look, do not act like him), does not encourage reflection and empathy. The works experienced by the child become his spiritual experience, which, on occasion, is useful to remember. Over the years, the desire to analyze your actions with the help of books will become stronger and turn into a precious habit: while reading, think about yourself and people, which is especially important for teenagers, when interest in their personality, in their place in the world, and therefore in books that contribute to self-knowledge and self-improvement (IN Timofeeva).

Expert advice: the conversation is more meaningful and lively if several children participate in it: by sharing their impressions, the brothers, sisters or comrades of the child enrich each other (I.N. Timofeeva).

For more information about talking with a child, see chapter "How to talk with children about books" from IN Timofeeva's book "What and how to read to your child from one to ten".

- Learn by heart. In elementary school, a child must learn poems by heart. If you and him learned something from the program before school, then it remains only to refresh your memory. But in any case, help your child remember the poems, do not scold him if he forgets the lines - most likely, he does not understand their meaning. Before memorizing a poem, you need to discuss it, find out if everything is clear, make sure that the poem is loved.

- Ask your child to retell prose works under some interesting pretext, because this not only trains memory and develops speech, but also educates a thoughtful reader. It is not so easy to retell prose. At the first stages, you need to help the child:
1) what you propose to retell should still be eventful;
2) Difficulties in retelling are caused by works in which descriptions dominate.
But an elementary school student should already be able to describe and retell descriptions. Soon in his training there will be such a type of knowledge control as a presentation (in 9class in the OGE in the Russian language, this type of assignment is key).

Expert advice: Be patient and respectful of children's retelling, because for a child this is creativity, during which he again experiences delight and inspiration, resurrecting in his imagination the heroes of the book and the event; retelling develops speech, sensitivity to the poetic word. Speaking of children's retelling, it must be borne in mind that the child, not being able to single out the main thing and briefly formulate a thought, tells at length, in detail, often without distinguishing between the essential and the insignificant. By carefully listening to the retelling, you have the opportunity to carefully and taking into account the perception of your child specifically, direct his attention to the main thing and together recall some valuable artistic detail (I.N. Timofeeva).
How to teach short retelling? - you will find the answer in the article on our website "Teaching a summary"

- Combine mental and physical activities: reading and drawing, reading and singing, singing and dancing. Physical development is directly related to mental development. Develop your child physically (dance, gymnastics, football ...) and you will see that both mentally and creatively, and in the development of speech, your child will begin to make great strides.

Expert opinion: verbal freedom is inextricably linked with physical freedom. If adults did not try to develop the child's speech, he will compensate for his "tightness" with aggressive physical behavior (Mineralova I.G.).

- Accumulative principle. With younger students, you need to continue reading what you read before, what is included in the school curriculum in literature, and also what is still difficult for a student in grades 1-3. Works "for growth" are introduced in fragments, or as a whole, but with cuts (skip what is still difficult to understand for a 7-12-year-old child).

- A book for a child of this age is connected with the game. Support the child's games, help him learn how to play story games from books. Then he will get carried away and will play himself. Girls love to play school. Encourage such games: let your daughter repeat the material learned in the lessons to the dolls. (We suggest reading Chapter "Book and Game" from the book by I.N. Timofeeva "What and how to read to your child from one to ten.")

- Children still love to draw. Encourage children to draw characters, some magical or simply memorable item from the book. Reading and drawing are also interconnected - they develop artistic taste, create an image.

Expert advice: The value of books for drawing is enormous, because it nourishes the child's mind, fantasy. Young children are not able to write a review of the book, but they can express their impression of reading in drawings and crafts made from plasticine, sticks, patches. How to manage these activities? Firstly, before reading a fairy tale, a story, a child must be warned: we will draw (sculpt) according to this book. Then the child listens more attentively, his reading perception becomes sharper. Secondly, before drawing (sculpting), discuss with the child what and how he is going to depict, and at the same time consider the illustrations in the book: how the artist painted and how you draw. In children's books, illustrations are made taking into account children's perception, so the child sees how to draw. (More: "Book and Drawing" I.N. Timofeeva)

- Pupils in grades 1-3 can be taken by teachers on excursions, to museums, including literary ones, associated with the name of a writer. Parents can both connect to the cultural events of the school and organize their own. Impressions received on an excursion, in a museum or theater often encourage children to get to know the writer's works better (we talk about the role of the theater in the development of the child and understanding the book in the section "Reading Companions" - "Theater" ).

- It is useful to keep a reader's diary , in which you need to reflect the author, the title of the book, its summary and what you liked, and you can also draw a picture of the book. Over the years, the records will become more difficult. Adults should show sincere attention to the reader's diary, help make notes, teach them to write briefly, and talk about books they have already read. Without your interest in this work, the child will quickly give up keeping a diary.

How many words per minute should a fifth grader read?