Free shipping on USA orders over $129!
Handling questions during a reading
- This topic has 6 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 2 months ago by
.
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
- Posts
How do you moms of little ones handle a child who begins to pepper you with questions and interrupts your readings? My 7 yo son has recently begun asking me “What does that mean?” about several words per reading, maybe from a history reading or another reading with vocabulary that stretches him. Here are some examples from today’s This Country of Ours reading, in Chapter 10:
“What does ‘To arms!’ mean?” (I feel like we’ve asked and answered this question before!)
“The French and Indians pursued them and hemmed them in so that not one man escaped.” – “What does that mean?”
“…in one day all three forts were made level with the ground.” – “What does that mean?”
I know I need to do a little better about pre-reading and anticipating a few terms that might be challenging for him, so I resolve to do that more consistently. But the things he asked about today weren’t new names or difficult terms I would have thought to explain ahead of time. Other than being better about setting up the reading and introducing a few new names or words, how else would you handle the questions mid-reading without frustrating your student? I feel like saying, “Don’t ask any questions while I’m reading,” but he knows that he needs to summarize what he has heard and so I think he feels nervous when he doesn’t understand all the words. Do you just remind your children that they won’t know what all the words mean individually but that hopefully they can get the big picture when they put together the all the words they do understand?
Thanks ahead of time for sharing your thoughts!
I tend to just hold up a finger or a hand, to indicate “Shhh”, and keep reading. We have an upfront rule – questions are for when the reading is done. Sometimes if he’s really peppering me, I’ll remind him, “We ask our questions at the end”, and we go over any new words at the end. If you can, jot down the words he’s wondering about while you’re reading, or perhaps underline the word in pencil in the book, so you don’t forget it, and then review it when done.
I go over words or terms beforehand as much as is reasonable. I will answer questions in the midst of a reading if I deem it necessary, but usually I do so before it is asked. I’m always skimming ahead and if I see a term they may not know that we haven’t previewed (i.e.. to arms) I try to explain as I read as if the definition were inside commas after the term. Most often this will head off questions and let them wait til the end.
My daughter is 7 and I generally give her gentle reminders to wait until the end because more oft than not, her question will be answered if she listens to the whole reading (she is always thinking 10 steps ahead). The exceptions are when she does not understand a word or what exactly is going on etc. (though, as mentioned above, I try to go over words she may not know before the reading). Sometimes we get into a discussion about something mid-reading. I used to get a little flustered because I just wanted to finish reading. But, then I reminded myself that it shows that she is in fact paying attention and verbally engaging is what makes it stick for her. Sometimes, if we engaged off and on through a reading, I just skip narration because I already know she was listening and she understands.
I hold up a finger and say, “Let’s find out!” because the question is usually answered in the next few sentences/paragraphs. When we get to the end of the page or reading I’ll ask him if he knows what X means now. If he didn’t figure it out I define the word/explain what the X meant, but usually he gets it from further context.
I’ve taught my younger kids to put up their thumb if they hear a word or phrase they don’t understand, and they can ask what it means when I pause between paragraphs. This way, they don’t have to try to remember their question and listen to the story at the same time. They do sometimes forget the word, but we just go back, find it, define it, reread the sentence or paragraph, and move on.
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
- The topic ‘Handling questions during a reading’ is closed to new replies.