Reading while listening to music?

My son does homework with music, I have read that sometimes it is the quiet that can be distracting. I don’t know, but I read novels with mtv going it doesn’t distract me, it sort of keeps me company.

I think you’re right. I would share your concern that forcing him to read for 50 silent minutes every day will one day insure that he never reads again. I’d let him keep the headphones on. I read and listen to music at the same time. Can’t you have a conversation while there’s music playing? Can’ t you sit and think thoughts - just like reading - with music on?

But I also have another idea. Since he already reads 30 minutes a day silently in class, what about listening to books on tape for his 20 minutes at night? Listening Library and www.recordedbooksontape.com and several other sources including your local library will inexpensively rent tapes of books.

And I’d suggest this. If he hasn’t read the book Holes by Sacchar, more of my students like that book than any other. I find it a bit grim myself but that single book has turned some of my “I hate to read” students into “are there any more books like that one?”

Good luck.

Thanks Amy and Sara,

And we will try Holes— I’ve never heard of it. We thought that with the Harry Potter craze that might be the one book that would hook my son as it seems to have been for so many kids, but after my husband struggled through a quarter of the book with my son moaning and groaning every other page, they both gave up.

Sara, the books on tape are a great idea. We actually have one named “Hatchet” he can begin with. For some reason I just didn’t think about letting him to that in lieu of actually reading.

Thanks, again.
Adrienne

AC, my family just got done reading the book Holes we read it together as a family. The children so enjoyed it we are on our next book The Giver. The nice thing is we get to spend quiet time together as a family and the children are showing more of an interest in reading. We started out just reading for a very short period of 15 minutes—by the 3rd day of the book they wanted me to finish the whole thing! When the children read on their own they listen to their favorite music which is Mozart they even do their homework to it. I have noticed since we have allowed them to do that they are more focussed why doing it and get done a lot faster!

Hi Adrienne,

My dd was also a reluctant reader for a variety of reasons but the books written by Gary Paulsen really piqued her interest. You might also have him try a collection of short stories or novellas. These stories are usually high interest but not overwhelming in their length. What types of movies does he enjoy viewing? If you haven’t already done so, try selecting books in that genre.

Blessings, momo

Another thought, my youngest son who is PDD likes to “read” the videos as he watches them. we have a DVD player and you can have them closed captioned if you want. He likes to leave the words on the movie so he can read them as he sees them acted out. This has really helped with his reading ability.

Some children and adults with ADHD can listen to music and concentrate at the same time vs others who find that a quiet environment (no background music) allows them to concentrate better.

What works best for one person may not always be the best approach for the next person.

Why during golf matches do monitors hold up signs like “Quiet Please” and in U.S. Courts there is no background music playing? Do the golf courses and the U.S. Court system know something about the value of quiet backgrounds?

Thanks all for your ideas. We will relax about him listening to music (if you want to call rap music…).

Funny Gary Paulsen and Hatchet came up- that is the book he is reading right now. Unfortunately, my 12 year old is rather immature- his idea of a good story is something along the lines of an Adam Sandler movie or a Mad TV show. If there is no potty humor and at least one or two rude bodily noises involved, it is “boring”. I’ve just about given up on ever getting him interested in Mark Twain, Dickens, etc.

Watching the video with the captioning is a great idea! I know he would enjoy that.

Thanks so much, everyone!

Holes is a great book. You might want to warn him it’s a bit dry in the beginning, but it’s worth getting through it because after that, it just gets better and better. It seems to be all over the place for the first few chapters but it all ties together at the end in ways that are so ingenious, I just was amazed.

I believe the book “Driven to Distraction” deals with the issue of music (related to math homework, as I recall) and the author (a tutor for ADHD kids) indicated that she hadn’t found any negative impact on getting homework done when music was played in the background. Or maybe it was “Right Brained Child in a Left-Brained World.” Sorry. Now I’ve forgotten which it was.

I am an SLP and an adult with ADHD. And I studied all the way through graduate school with loud booming music. To this day it helps me focus. As said above, research has shown that some ADHD kids prefer quiet and some do not. The reason music helps is that it activates the part of the brain that stimulant medications such as Ritalin activate (in a different way). ADHD is the result (or many believe it is) of underactivity in the brain, not overactivty as it would appear. The hyperactive movement is caused by the body trying its best to keep the brain awake and alert. Music can do the same thing.

Greetings Cheryl,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with studying to loud, booming music. That’s how my 14yo dd likes to study but it drives me nuts (I prefer no music). Now that I understand WHY, I won’t let it bug me!

Blessings, momo