Reading is an important part of any homeschool curriculum.
It helps build a strong foundation for learning, encourages critical thinking, and builds vocabulary. As a homeschool parent, it is important to make reading a priority in your homeschool.
In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of reading in a homeschool environment, tips for incorporating it into your curriculum, and ideas for engaging your children in reading. You’ll also find a list of awesome homeschool reading curriculum, a homeschool booklist, and a few of our favorite homeschool reading curriculum for struggling readers!
If you’re ready to make homeschool reading a fun and engaging part of your day…
Let’s dive in!
Reading can be very enjoyable and can be a fun way for kids to spend their time. Yes, really.
In order to make reading a successful part of your homeschool experience, it is important to create a positive environment where reading is encouraged.
Here’s a few benefits of homeschool reading:
- Improved Language SkillsHomeschool reading encourages children to develop their language skills. By reading content that is appropriate for their age, children can build their vocabulary and learn more about sentence structure. This can help them understand more complex written material as they get older.
- Enhanced ConcentrationReading requires focus and concentration, and homeschooling provides the perfect environment for developing these skills. By reading for pleasure, children can learn to focus on a single task and develop a sense of internal motivation.
- Increased CreativityReading encourages children to use their imagination and become more creative. When they are exposed to different types of stories and new ideas, they can develop their own interests and think of new and inventive ideas.
- Improved Analytical ThinkingHomeschool reading teaches children to think critically and analyze information. By reading different types of content, children can learn to look at issues from different angles and understand how to form opinions.
You can see that homeschool reading offers a variety of benefits for students, both academically and emotionally.
Reading helps to expand a child’s vocabulary, develop critical thinking skills, and improve concentration and focus. It also helps to foster creativity, build empathy and understanding, and promote self-confidence.
Homeschool reading can also help to develop a student’s writing skills, as they will be able to use the language they have read as a reference when forming their own opinions and ideas.
Homeschool reading provides a chance to explore new worlds and ideas. Therefore, it is important to set aside time to focus a lot on reading when homeschooling.
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Here are a few tips to help you incorporate homeschool reading into your curriculum.
One of the best ways to incorporate homeschool reading into your curriculum is to make it part of your daily routine.
Aim to set aside a certain amount of time each day for your children to read independently. And yes, a few moments flipping through a book (or books) independently is amazing, even if your student doesn’t even know what reading is! It’s all about exploring and becoming familiar with sitting down with a book! 🥰
Independent reading will give your student the opportunity to explore different genres, authors, and topics that interest them.
Additionally, you can read aloud to them from various sources, such as classic literature, magazines, or even comic books. This will help to broaden their horizons, and can help to spark their own interest in reading.
You can also use reading to introduce new topics and concepts into your homeschool curriculum.
For example, if you are studying history, you can have your children read a historical novel that covers the material in an entertaining way. Or, if you are doing a science unit, you can find books that explain the concepts in an easy-to-understand way.
Homeschool reading is also a great way to introduce new languages and cultures into your homeschool. You can find many books written in other languages, or books written by authors from other cultures.
Finally, use reading as a way to encourage creative writing and storytelling in your homeschool.
After reading a book or story together, have your children write their own version of it. This will help to build their writing skills, while also giving them an opportunity to be creative and express themselves.
Reading is a great way to add a fun, engaging component to your homeschool curriculum.
By making it part of your daily routine, and using it to introduce new topics and concepts, you can create an awesome homeschool reading experience for your children.
Speaking of creating an engaging homeschool reading experience…
Here are a few different ideas you can implement to engage your children in their homeschool reading!
- Let your child pick out their own books and read about topics that interest them.
- Read aloud to them regularly.
- Visit the library and let them explore the different books and sections.
- Incorporate reading into other activities like going for a walk and reading signs, labels, etc.
- Play board games that involve reading and writing.
- Set aside specific times for reading.
- Create a reading corner with comfortable pillows and blankets.
- Make reading a part of your daily routine.
- Have your child read aloud to you or to a stuffed animal.
- Reward them for reading with something they enjoy like extra screen time.
Now that you understand the importance of homeschool reading and are equipped with a few great tips to keep it fun and engaging, let’s go over some awesome homeschool reading curriculum, a homeschool booklist, and chat a little about some of our favorite homeschool reading curriculum for struggling readers!
When selecting a homeschool reading curriculum, it’s important to consider your child’s individual needs, interests, and learning style. (If you need help with this, you might want to grab my affordable online course all about getting started homeschooling! We cover this topic in detail – Click here to access it!)
You’ll want to decide on whether you prefer a literature-based or phonics-based approach with your homeschool reading curriculum.
Literature-based curriculums focus on comprehension and critical thinking, while phonics-based curriculums focus on decoding and sound-letter relationships.
It’s also important to make sure the reading curriculum is aligned with your state’s educational standards. (Which we also cover in detail inside my course!)
In addition, assess the age appropriateness of the materials and the level of complexity of the texts. You may even want to consider supplementing the chosen curriculum with additional materials, such as audiobooks, graphic novels, and online activities.
Don’t forget to consider the amount of time you have available to dedicate to teaching the curriculum.
You may want to look for one that is easy to follow and makes the most of your time. You may also want to consider the cost of the curriculum, as well as any additional materials you may need to purchase.
By doing your research and understanding your child’s individual needs, you can find a homeschool reading curriculum that best meets your child’s learning style and your family’s needs.
Here are some great options for a homeschool reading curriculum:
- All About Reading – This comprehensive program uses multisensory activities to help children learn to read. It is designed for all learning styles and provides a variety of levels for each student.
- Alpha Omega Publications – This publisher offers a full line of homeschooling curriculum for all grade levels. The reading curriculum includes a variety of books, workbooks, games, and activities to help your child become a better reader.
- Sonlight Curriculum – This is a literature-based program that is designed to help children become great readers. It includes a range of books, activities, and materials to help your child explore the world of reading.
- Reading Eggs – This program uses a mix of interactive games, lessons, and activities to help children become better readers. It also includes a variety of levels and difficulty levels so you can find the right fit for your child.
- Read-Aloud Revival – This program is designed to help children become better readers by engaging them in reading aloud. It includes a variety of activities, stories, and ideas to help your child explore the world of reading in a fun and interactive way.
Now that you’re on your way to educating a fantastic student who loves to read, here’s some great homeschool booklist options by reading level!
First, a few tips about building your homeschool library.
You’ll want to start with a few basics. Consider books that are age-appropriate and cover a variety of topics, from science and history to literature and the arts.
If you’re not sure what to get, take a look around your local library or book stores for suggestions. You can also find great reviews online to help you decide.
Next, consider how you will organize your library.
You can create a themed area for each subject, or keep all of your books together in one space. Make sure you have plenty of storage and shelves to keep your books neat and organized. Or utilize a reading bin system where you put similar books into the same bin for easy storage!
Finally, make sure you keep your library up-to-date and fresh.
Visit the public library often and look for new books that you and your children will find interesting. You can also add in some classic favorites that will never go out of style.
There’s no shame in using library books in your homeschool reading library! Just make sure you return them on time 😉
With a bit of effort, you can create a library that is both educational and enjoyable for your children.
Here’s the ultimate homeschool booklist to consider adding to your homeschool reading library!
| Click here to shop all of the books in this list on Amazon!
The Perfect Homeschool Read-Alouds
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
- Matilda by Roald Dahl
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
- The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
- The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Awesome Beginner-Reader Books
- The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
- Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
Captivating Beginner-Level Chapter Books
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
- The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Homeschool Reading Chapter Books for Middle School
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
- The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
- The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Awesome High School Level Reading Books for Homeschool
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
| Related: Grab a few of these simple, yet effective reading resources from the shop!
Now, if you’ve got a struggling reader, let’s talk about a few ways you can help support your student as they continue learning the fundamentals of reading!
First, you need to know that there is not a timeline for reading.
There’s not one job or college application that asks a potential candidate at what age they learned to read. 😉
So don’t put so much stress on yourself (or your student) because you are comparing your homeschool to public school, or your student to another student.
Homeschooling is a great way to provide your child with an education tailored to their needs. But if your child is struggling with reading, it can be difficult to know how to help them.
Use these tips to help encourage and support a struggling reader:
Identify the areas your child is struggling with.
This could be difficulty with decoding unfamiliar words, difficulty understanding and comprehending text, difficulty with fluency, difficulty with vocabulary, or other areas of difficulty.
Once you’ve identified the areas of difficulty, you can better tailor your instruction and intervention to target those specific areas.
One way to support a struggling reader is through instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics.
Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken language. Phonics involves teaching the relationship between sounds and written symbols.
Research has shown that phonemic awareness instruction and phonics instruction are both important components in helping a struggling reader.
Another way to support a struggling reader is through the use of assistive technology.
Assistive technology can provide struggling readers with tools that can help them access text and materials that may otherwise be too challenging for them.
Examples of assistive technology include text-to-speech, speech recognition software, and text enlargement.
It’s so important to create a supportive learning environment for your struggling reader.
This includes providing them with explicit instruction, using differentiated instruction to meet their individual needs, providing them with positive and encouraging feedback, and allowing them to work at their own pace.
Here are a few of our favorite homeschool reading curriculum for struggling readers:
- Read NaturallyThis program uses a multi-sensory approach to teach struggling readers phonics, fluency, and comprehension. It also includes audio recordings of stories and passages to help struggling readers stay engaged.
- Explode The CodeThis program uses a variety of activities, including puzzles, games, and worksheets, to teach phonemic awareness and word recognition.
- Dash Into LearningThis curriculum is beautifully created by a mama who just wanted to teach her babies how to read! It’s engaging and gentle, and can teach your student to read before they even learn the alphabet!
- LetterlandWe were introduced to this program when our oldest was in public school. We purchased it for our homeschool when our oldest son started to read. If you are looking for a catchy, fun, and engaging resource for learning to read – you MUST add Letterland to your homeschool reading curriculum. As a stand-alone program, it’s GREAT! But we use it more for phonics reminders and handwriting, along side our other homeschool reading curricula.
NOTE: With any homeschool curriculum, booklist, resource, etc. you want to make sure you vet it for your family. What works for one, will not work for another. Use the resources in this blog post as a starting point to help you create an engaging homeschool reading experience for your students!
See? You don’t have to have a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to teaching your children how to read. If you can read, you can teach someone else to read. Don’t overthink it ♥️
I would love to hear more about your reading journey! If you’d like to share, or have a question / want to talk about what helped you most inside this blog post about homeschool reading, please leave a comment below!
Happy reading!
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