Reading isn't everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I love to read, but I don't watch TV because I just can't get interested. I suppose it's the other way around for some people.
Why do certain kids hate reading?
- Thread starter mrjoe94
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It's fair enough. I like books, films, games...but I don't care for plays or musicals. Why don't the kids like plays and musicals?
In my opinion, films are the go-to entertainment because they're great. I'll take a film over a book everytime, I just think it's better.
In my opinion, films are the go-to entertainment because they're great. I'll take a film over a book everytime, I just think it's better.
I'm just too busy, honestly. Every week, I already have to read +200 pages of POSTMODERN BULLSHIT JESUS CHRIST THEY WROTE THIS TERRIBLY ON PURPOSE! Seriously, these people won awards for how bad they wrote. I just-
*ahem*
Honestly, I think the act of reading a physical book is put on a bit too much of a pedestal. Why not let kids have an audiobook if they don't like reading? Sometimes the voice actor just makes a book for me.
I think part of the problem is that by being so sacred, it makes it more intimidating or even just more boring. Books aren't exactly advertised as something to go keeping on your person unless you're the stereotyped egghead.
ANd I don't think that is a matter of "Oh, I don't want to be an egghead!" I feel that its more of, "I am not that person. I don't have the social expectation to be the sort of smart guy who reads books, so I'm not going to bother."
The "reading is for smart people" idea is just stupid. Reading is for everyone.
*ahem*
Honestly, I think the act of reading a physical book is put on a bit too much of a pedestal. Why not let kids have an audiobook if they don't like reading? Sometimes the voice actor just makes a book for me.
I think part of the problem is that by being so sacred, it makes it more intimidating or even just more boring. Books aren't exactly advertised as something to go keeping on your person unless you're the stereotyped egghead.
ANd I don't think that is a matter of "Oh, I don't want to be an egghead!" I feel that its more of, "I am not that person. I don't have the social expectation to be the sort of smart guy who reads books, so I'm not going to bother."
The "reading is for smart people" idea is just stupid. Reading is for everyone.
Some kids find it hard to read. Other find the prospect of picking up a book daunting because its too long (most fantasy books are like 400 pages). Some cant get into books.
Mostly, its because they havent found the right genera. They dont care about main stream books that you see on TV or that are in the "charts" or "bestsellers" and there are no easy ways to find out about a new genre, its always guna be time consuming with the risk you might not like it and many genres used to though less and less come with a certain social stigmas attached.
Mostly, its because they havent found the right genera. They dont care about main stream books that you see on TV or that are in the "charts" or "bestsellers" and there are no easy ways to find out about a new genre, its always guna be time consuming with the risk you might not like it and many genres used to though less and less come with a certain social stigmas attached.
I'm 22 and have always hated reading books. It has nothing to do with school though. The problem lies with my short attention span.
Ooh, shiny...
Ooh, shiny...
i stopped reading because of teachers telling me not to read the books i liked and i continue not to read because of an eye problem. me left eye sees a copy of whatever image im looking at slightly below and to the right of the image which makes readying text really difficult
i think if teachers and parents fostered their childs exploration within reading and make it come off as exciting it would make kids learn to love reading again but as of right now teachers try and force kids to read "high brow" books with deep meanings (which the kids are usually to young to realize) and parents would rather watch tv
i think if teachers and parents fostered their childs exploration within reading and make it come off as exciting it would make kids learn to love reading again but as of right now teachers try and force kids to read "high brow" books with deep meanings (which the kids are usually to young to realize) and parents would rather watch tv
I remember I used to enjoy reading. Took down three books a week in the school library, six a week in the summer thanks to a hard-working library being within walking distance of my house. And then, things started slowing down. I can and will blame a good part of it on my school faculty's refusal to share lesson plans with each other, causing me to re-read the Outsiders every year for seven years. I hadn't thought about how I stopped reading until one of my classmates in college showed off some of his published works. I felt embarassed for the guy having his name attached to what I thought were shoddy books at best, but then it hit me: I haven't touched a book for myself since junior year in high school. How can I properly judge?
So I've been chipping away at a massive cardboard box I've liberated from one of my uncles (his bookshelves were literally buckling under the mass of his collection) and assorted stuff I picked out of Borders. Y'know, back when those guys existed and everything.
As for why kids these days aren't reading more, I think we can chalk it up to the way reading is generally treated in schools. When you're asked to interpret books for the majority of your education, it's treated more as a test of comprehension than interpretation. While this process works well enough for the early years, it gets ridiculous when applied to your teenage coursework. What you're supposed to feel after reading Chapter 7 or Act II is supposed to be an objective fact, and if you can't put it into one of the bubbles on your multiple choice test then you must be wrong. That kind of thinking eventually instills a fear that you're not reading something the "right" way, and not even Cliff Notes will give you any idea of what the proper solution should be. So tell me this: After being told implicitly for years that books are a pass/fail form of entertainment, would you be more interested spending a week reading a book only to feel like you've screwed something up at the end if it doesn't blow your mind like the blurb on the back says should occur? Or would you rather dick around on your Xbox and be told you're winning every 10-15 minutes on average?
/end ramble
So I've been chipping away at a massive cardboard box I've liberated from one of my uncles (his bookshelves were literally buckling under the mass of his collection) and assorted stuff I picked out of Borders. Y'know, back when those guys existed and everything.
As for why kids these days aren't reading more, I think we can chalk it up to the way reading is generally treated in schools. When you're asked to interpret books for the majority of your education, it's treated more as a test of comprehension than interpretation. While this process works well enough for the early years, it gets ridiculous when applied to your teenage coursework. What you're supposed to feel after reading Chapter 7 or Act II is supposed to be an objective fact, and if you can't put it into one of the bubbles on your multiple choice test then you must be wrong. That kind of thinking eventually instills a fear that you're not reading something the "right" way, and not even Cliff Notes will give you any idea of what the proper solution should be. So tell me this: After being told implicitly for years that books are a pass/fail form of entertainment, would you be more interested spending a week reading a book only to feel like you've screwed something up at the end if it doesn't blow your mind like the blurb on the back says should occur? Or would you rather dick around on your Xbox and be told you're winning every 10-15 minutes on average?
/end ramble
Depends. I think part of it is the "level" system, where it seems like kids get shamed out of reading books that are actually interesting. Worse still is the idea of finding books that are "relevant" to kids, especially boys. This, of course, means that they like to find books about kids and teenagers who are going through pretty much the same things that they are. I think I speak for most people when I say that I don't want to read books about my life, I want to read books that are awesome.
However, part of it is that some people just don't like reading. My younger brother has zero interest in written fiction. He appreciates story and characterization and all other such things in movies, TV and games, but just doesn't like books. It's not a matter of topics or lack of access or lack of encouragement: he just doesn't like them. It might be because of pacing or lack of visualization or a number of other things, but there are some people who just aren't huge fans of reading, no matter what the environment is, and now that it's a lot easier to find other entertainment people dismiss the mediums they don't care for.
However, part of it is that some people just don't like reading. My younger brother has zero interest in written fiction. He appreciates story and characterization and all other such things in movies, TV and games, but just doesn't like books. It's not a matter of topics or lack of access or lack of encouragement: he just doesn't like them. It might be because of pacing or lack of visualization or a number of other things, but there are some people who just aren't huge fans of reading, no matter what the environment is, and now that it's a lot easier to find other entertainment people dismiss the mediums they don't care for.
And here I thought I was the only one on this forum with such a dream.SckizoBoy said:
While I love the idea of opening kids to genres that would make them read more, I don't think schools should give up classics to teach about modern books. However cheesy, the romance of Romeo and Juliet can beat Twilights any day.mrjoe94 said:If I knew about this series earlier those book reports may have been more bearable. I think that kids (by kids i mean like ages 12-18 xD)should give reading a chance. Have a look at your taste in films or video games and look for books that match those tastes.
My guess they're forced to read rather than encouraged. Kids who read are usually smart and smart kids get bullied. Because of that kids are unlikely to recommend books to their friends so the influenced that make kids read are parents and teachers who either want them to read something relevant to school or parents who usually aren't too pushy.
Also the entertainment industry is huge. We had 2 TV channels when I was young so TV wasn't really an option. Hopefully it will turn.
Also the entertainment industry is huge. We had 2 TV channels when I was young so TV wasn't really an option. Hopefully it will turn.
Maybe its because not all people like reading, and insisting they do something they genuinely do not like over and over and over and over is only going to push them further and further and further and further away from it.
(18th Century 'comedic' plays aren't fucking interesting!)
This too. Plus, some of the shit they have you read in school... I'm doing English Lit at A-Level, and will be doing it at Uni, but most of the stuff we will read in class would send anyone in their right mind to sleep.Erana said:
(18th Century 'comedic' plays aren't fucking interesting!)
There's a book called skulduggery pleasant, which was a dark comedy/fantasy with a skeleton playing the title character that I read when I was about 10. I cannot believe it's not as popular as other young adult novels, it had witty characters, believable dialogue, and an interesting premise. I get annoyed when my fellow high schoolers just dismiss reading as some boring, trivial activity getting in the way of their usual activities i.e. getting high and/or retarded.mrjoe94 said:
Opinion much? I am 16 and I love reading! It really is about finding the right book. Not forcing them to read things they aren't interested in. In my opinion, schools should only force kids to read books like 'To Kill a Mockingbird' or 'Night'. Things about horrible events or racism seem to draw kids in. Then you can get them to read other things.the rye said:
"Why should I sit down and read a book? I get plenty of reading playing MW3! See, I am reading the names of guns and perks right now!"Redlin5 said:
*sigh*
I know why my little brother doesn't read: the books that he starts reading or tries to read, don't hold his attention. I've tried getting him into Harry Potter and many other series that I love to death. But he always says the same thing, "I got bored". How?! I know some books have boring parts like Wheel of Time and how it describes what everyone is wearing to what kind of fabric their underclothes are, but that immersion damnit! Even when I got him some books about dragons (he likes dragons like a fat kid likes cake) he said the same thing, "I got bored".
I think that because he didn't read that much when he was younger (or at least as much as I read), that he just hasn't gotten a tolerance to uninteresting parts. For me, I read through the "uninteresting bits" to get to the good bits. And even the uninteresting bits are interesting in their own way.
This same argument applies to games as well. It is maddeningly frustrating to see my brother play Borderlands more than I did, yet when I buy him a 3DS and give him my OoT 3D to play on it, he gets completely lost.
If kids do not start small when they are younger, they won't have anything to build on when they are older. So you get kids that don't like reading at all when they are older.
Also, I'd love to make several novels. I have so many damned ideas, but my writing isn't as good as I want it to be =/
The problem is not that it's put on a pedestal, it's that the pedestal is not nearly high enough. Oh the perspective, satisfaction and education that the world would have if everyone read a couple of books every now and then.Erana said:
I'm sixteen, and I'm not sure why a lot of people don't read. It makes me sad. I love reading! Sometimes, when I find a good story (Fallout: Equestria anyone?) I'll pick that over video games, TV, movies, and even hanging with my friends!
It think it's mostly a strange combination of what's already been said here. But I don't get it. Sure the bullcrap schools make you read (To Kill a Mocking Bird, any shi- bad stuff by Shakesphere) isn't any good but that doesn't mean EVERYTHING is bad.
It think it's mostly a strange combination of what's already been said here. But I don't get it. Sure the bullcrap schools make you read (To Kill a Mocking Bird, any shi- bad stuff by Shakesphere) isn't any good but that doesn't mean EVERYTHING is bad.
If the only time you ever touch a book is when being forced to read at school, then yeah, you won't like it.
For me, it was the hobbit that really got me into reading, I received it as a gift from my grandparents. It's an exceptional book. The books I read currently are technical programming books, the haruhi suzumiya light novels and the discworld novels(if you haven't heard of discworld than abandon whatever you're doing and run, yes run, to your nearest library or bookstore).
I think if reading is always their for kids as a source of entertainment they'll like it. It it's something they have to do twice a year for school then of cause they'll hate it. Imagine if you only saw one movie a year for your whole life, and it was always a random one the school picked. You wouldn't associate movies with fun. It's the same things with books.
The other problem is that if they don't read often, then they will struggle to get through a decent sized book. it's obvious that not enough people read and write, you can see it in the halfbrained posts on forums, far to many are written as though the poster only had seconds to write the post and click submit(protip: you have all the time in the world to edit your post before sending it).
It's a shame too, since books and games have the best value for money as far as entertainment is concerned.
For me, it was the hobbit that really got me into reading, I received it as a gift from my grandparents. It's an exceptional book. The books I read currently are technical programming books, the haruhi suzumiya light novels and the discworld novels(if you haven't heard of discworld than abandon whatever you're doing and run, yes run, to your nearest library or bookstore).
I think if reading is always their for kids as a source of entertainment they'll like it. It it's something they have to do twice a year for school then of cause they'll hate it. Imagine if you only saw one movie a year for your whole life, and it was always a random one the school picked. You wouldn't associate movies with fun. It's the same things with books.
The other problem is that if they don't read often, then they will struggle to get through a decent sized book. it's obvious that not enough people read and write, you can see it in the halfbrained posts on forums, far to many are written as though the poster only had seconds to write the post and click submit(protip: you have all the time in the world to edit your post before sending it).
It's a shame too, since books and games have the best value for money as far as entertainment is concerned.
Maybe some people just don't have the imagination required in reading? Not a bad thing, don't forget there are 2 main catagories of thinkers, those with artistic imaginative minds, and those with mathimatical science minds. Although we all use both parts to a certain degree, everyone uses one side more.
Maybe thats why some people like fiction, and others like real life stuff... I don't know. Personally I have a mind that is imaginative, and I could continue to speculate a lot on most questions, and I like fantasy novels, or thrillers that make you think. I really don't get on with biographies (which judging by Waterstones in the UK, are very popular now.) I also don't quite like non fiction stuff, even things about stuff I like in real life!
I don't know, maybe a lot of people try reading what other people read, and don't like it because it is not the books for them. Maybe if you don't like Lord of the Rings, even though you love the films, that isn't a bad thing, try reading something of a different tact...?
Maybe thats why some people like fiction, and others like real life stuff... I don't know. Personally I have a mind that is imaginative, and I could continue to speculate a lot on most questions, and I like fantasy novels, or thrillers that make you think. I really don't get on with biographies (which judging by Waterstones in the UK, are very popular now.) I also don't quite like non fiction stuff, even things about stuff I like in real life!
I don't know, maybe a lot of people try reading what other people read, and don't like it because it is not the books for them. Maybe if you don't like Lord of the Rings, even though you love the films, that isn't a bad thing, try reading something of a different tact...?