If your student is in K-2nd Grade, you have hopefully already picked out a good phonics curriculum. (If not, get one ASAP! Check out our blog post from July 2023, “Choosing a Phonics Curriculum.”) Learning to decode words through the study of phonics is an ESSENTIAL reading skill. You must teach this! (CHA does not teach reading so this is the job of the homeschool parent!)
In addition to phonics, learning sight words is a nice supplement to get your child reading quickly, and figuring out those pesky words that break the rules of phonics. Once he or she has learned letter sounds and a few beginning sight words you can start introducing early readers. The first early readers are ones with “cvc” words (consonant-vowel-consonant), which you will find in books such as Pan and the Mad Man and Dan of the Den (check out those titles from Veritas Press Phonics Museum in the CHA library!). Scholastic Sight Word Readers and Bob books are also two popular series.
As your child progresses through the phonics program, you will want to introduce readers that build vocabulary. Non-fiction early readers are an excellent tool for this. (And be sure to take the time to review vocabulary when reading Story of the World to your child for History!)
Some parents also find it helpful to have their child doing word games and word puzzles, vocabulary worksheets, or additional reading comprehension passages in order to increase reading skills. These are pretty easy to come by at the Dollar Store, on Amazon, or on TeachersPayTeachers.com. (Hint: Find reading materials on Health topics and kill two birds with one stone!) Overwhelmed by the myriad choices? Ask for help and recommendations! That is one of the many blessings of the CHA community.
It takes time to teach your child to read. But teaching reading is a great way to put the five love languages into action during your homeschool day. Pull out the special reader you picked out for your child! (Even if it is on loan from the library, it counts as “Giving Gifts”!) Don’t overschedule yourself, or your child. Put your phone away. Give your child your full attention. (Quality time.) Sit close to him or her. (Physical touch.) Speak encouraging words at the end of each page (Words of affirmation) and celebrate a finished book by serving your child a treat or snack (Acts of service.) When it gets frustrating, or if you find yourself starting to yell (hey, it happens), find a bookmark and take a short “brain break.” (NOT a screen break! Provide a musical instrument, give them a chore, or do an exercise.)
You can do this! You can teach your child to read! And what’s more you can teach them to LOVE reading. Stay tuned for next week’s article, “Building fluency in reading.”
This is part of the CHA Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series.
Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered?
Submit inquiries to [email protected].
In addition to phonics, learning sight words is a nice supplement to get your child reading quickly, and figuring out those pesky words that break the rules of phonics. Once he or she has learned letter sounds and a few beginning sight words you can start introducing early readers. The first early readers are ones with “cvc” words (consonant-vowel-consonant), which you will find in books such as Pan and the Mad Man and Dan of the Den (check out those titles from Veritas Press Phonics Museum in the CHA library!). Scholastic Sight Word Readers and Bob books are also two popular series.
As your child progresses through the phonics program, you will want to introduce readers that build vocabulary. Non-fiction early readers are an excellent tool for this. (And be sure to take the time to review vocabulary when reading Story of the World to your child for History!)
Some parents also find it helpful to have their child doing word games and word puzzles, vocabulary worksheets, or additional reading comprehension passages in order to increase reading skills. These are pretty easy to come by at the Dollar Store, on Amazon, or on TeachersPayTeachers.com. (Hint: Find reading materials on Health topics and kill two birds with one stone!) Overwhelmed by the myriad choices? Ask for help and recommendations! That is one of the many blessings of the CHA community.
It takes time to teach your child to read. But teaching reading is a great way to put the five love languages into action during your homeschool day. Pull out the special reader you picked out for your child! (Even if it is on loan from the library, it counts as “Giving Gifts”!) Don’t overschedule yourself, or your child. Put your phone away. Give your child your full attention. (Quality time.) Sit close to him or her. (Physical touch.) Speak encouraging words at the end of each page (Words of affirmation) and celebrate a finished book by serving your child a treat or snack (Acts of service.) When it gets frustrating, or if you find yourself starting to yell (hey, it happens), find a bookmark and take a short “brain break.” (NOT a screen break! Provide a musical instrument, give them a chore, or do an exercise.)
You can do this! You can teach your child to read! And what’s more you can teach them to LOVE reading. Stay tuned for next week’s article, “Building fluency in reading.”
This is part of the CHA Bits: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks series.
Is there a question about CHA or homeschool that you would like answered?
Submit inquiries to [email protected].
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