Reading Skills
Explore our introduction to reading education, including when to begin teaching reading, different methods, and tips and ideas to help make your child love reading.
Resources
Writing Strands & Reading Strands
This program is based on research which shows that there is no useable relationship between the study of grammar as an abstracted skill and the ability to communicate. Writing Strands provides quality reading, writing and speech materials for homeschoolers with children ages 3 through 18. The guided exercises in Writing Strands progress incrementally and allow students to work independently, yet provide the guidance students need to sharpen their ability to inform, persuade and entertain in writing. Helps develop successful writing skills for your child’s lifetime.
Sing, Spell, Read & Write
Sing, Spell, Read & Write is a phonics-based program that uses a 36-step program of carefully sequenced steps to teach reading, writing, and spelling. More product information can be found here.
Create! Press
Create! Press carries creative approaches to teaching creative writing and composition. Their products include the Create-A-Story game, Writing Adventures, Stepping Stones, and more.
Pecci Reading Method: At Last! A Reading Method for Every Child
At Last! A Reading Method for Every Child offers a balanced approach with intensive phonics and literature-based reading instruction. This is a simple method of teaching reading, with lots of supplemental materials. Get product information here.
Alpha-Phonics
Alpha Phonics is a primer for beginning readers. It features 128 self-explanatory lessons, printed in large, clear calligraphy suitable for beginning readers. You'll find product information about Alpha-Phonics here.
Shurley English
Shurley English maintains that effective instruction in English must be founded upon an understanding of how the parts of speech work together in a sentence. A good grammar foundation gives students the skills to improve writing. Grammar is the structure of sentence composition. Through grammar, students learn how to write, improve, and expand sentences. After they have an understanding of sentence structure, students are then able to combine sentences successfully into paragraphs, essays, and reports. For product information on Phonics Pathways, click here or visit their website.
Bob Books
Bob Books are organized into sets that progress in level as your child learns. They have cute stories and darling illustrations. These books are perfect for children ages 4 to 8.
Progeny Press Study Guides for Literature
Progeny Press study guides include vocabulary exercises, comprehension, analysis, and application questions, introduction of literary terms, background information, discussion of related Biblical themes, suggestions for activities related to the reading, a complete answer key, and more. These are some of the titles available (grade range is in parentheses):
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (9-12)
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (6-8)
- Amos Fortune, Free Man (5-7)
- Anne of Green Gables (5-8)
- Bears on Hemlock Mountain (1-3)
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (4-6)
- The Bridge (4-6)
- Bridge to Terabithia (6-8)
- The Bronze Bow (6-8)
- Carry On, Mr. Bowditch (9-12)5-7
- Charlotte's Web (4-6)
- A Christmas Carol (8-12)
- Clipper Ship (1-3)
- The Courage of Sarah Noble (1-3)
- The Cricket in Times Square (4-6)
- Crown and Jewel (4-6)
- A Day No Pigs Would Die (9-12)
- The Door in the Wall (4-6)
- The Drinking Gourd (1-3)
- Farmer Boy (4-6)
- The Fellowship of the Ring (9-12)
- Frankenstein (10-12)
- Frog and Toad Together (K-2)
- The Giver (7-9)
- The Great Gatsby (9-12)
- Hamlet (9-12)
- Heart of Darkness (9-12)
- Henry & Mudge in Puddle Trouble (K-1)
- The Hiding Place (6-8)
- The Hobbit (8-12)
- Holes (5-8)
- The Indian in the Cupboard (5-7)
- In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson (4-6)
- Introduction to Poetry: Forms and Elements (8-12)
- Island of the Blue Dolphins (5-7)
- Jane Eyre (9-12)
- Johnny Termain (6-8)
- The Josefina Story Quilt (1-3)
- Julius Caesar (9-12)
- Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (1-3)
- The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe (4-7)
- Little House in the Big Woods (4-6)
- Little House on the Prairie (4-6)
- The Long Way to a New Land (1-3)
- The Long Way Westward (1-3)
- The Lord of the Flies (11-12)
- Macbeth (9-12)
- The Magician's Nephew (5-7)
- Maniac Magee (6-8)
- The Merchant of Venice (9-12)
- The Minstrel in the Tower (2-4)
- Miss Rumphius (1-3)
- Mr. Popper's Penguins (3-5)
- New Coat for Anna (1-3)
- Number the Stars (5-7)
- The Old Man and the Sea (9-12)
- Oscar Otter (K-1)
- Out of the Dust (7-9)
- Out of the Silent Planet (9-12)
- Ox-Cart Man (1-3)
- Perelandra (9-12)
- Prince Caspian (5-7)
- The Red Badge of Courage (9-12)
- Redwall (5-9)
- The Return of the King (9-12)
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (6-8)
- Romeo and Juliet (9-12)
- Sam the Minuteman (1-3)
- Sarah, Plain and Tall (4-6)
- The Scarlet Letter (9-12)
- The Screwtape Letters (9-12)
- The Secret Garden (6-8)
- Shiloh (5-7)
- The Sign of the Beaver (5-7)
- Stone Fox (3-5)
- The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (8-12)
- The Swiss Family Robinson (7-9)
- A Tale of Two Cities (9-12)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (9-12)
- Tuck Everlasting (6-8)
- The Two Collars (4-6)
- The Two Towers (9-12)
- Wagon Wheels (1-3)
- Where the Red Fern Grows (5-7)
- The Whipping Boy (3-5)
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond (5-7)
- A Wrinkle in Time (5-8)
- The Yearling (9-12)
Noah Webster's Reading Handbook
This is the historic text (originally called the Blue-Backed Speller) that has been updated to teach phonics/beginning reading. The blends and words in this reader are arranged to correlate with the sequence in which the special phonics sounds are taught. This reader is an invaluable teaching tool for children who need extra practice in the application of phonics rules. Find out more here.
Drawn Into the Heart of Reading
Drawn Into the Heart of Reading was developed for use with students of multiple ages at the same time, perfect for the homeschooling family. It is designed for use as an entire reading program or as a supplement to an existing program for students in grades 2-8.
Homeschool Reading Curricula
Time4Learning
The Time4Learning preschool program combines technology, animated characters, original stories and fun music to inspire a love of learning in the littlest e-learners. Ed Mouse and his friends guide children through more than forty topics such as numbers, letters, rhymes, self, time, music and colors.
Sonlight Homeschool Preschool Curriculum
Finding the right homeschool preschool curriculum is important. For many children, this will be their first introduction to organized learning. Giving your child the right introduction to the world of knowledge can help them become life-long learners. To learn how to choose the right homeschool preschool curriculum for your child, consult the resources offered at Sonlight.
Teaching Tips & Ideas
4 My Kids Records
4 My Kids Records is committed to producing quality educational and entertainment products that will ignite a child’s excitement to learn. Every catchy song, dance-floor groove, memorable story, colorful illustration and fun-filled animation is created with a timeless heart.
How I Teach a Large Family in a Relaxed, Classical Way: Language Arts
Tips for teaching language arts (writing, grammar, handwriting) in a large family.
Home School Tips for Teaching Reading
If you have a home school, you will appreciate these tips to help you teach reading, gathered from parents and professionals.
Featured Resources
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English from the Roots Up
English from the Roots Up explores the Latin and Greek roots of words. Many people haven't realized how valuable the Latin and Greek vocabulary is in the formulation of the finely structured English vocabulary of today. Even learning a few Latin and Greek root words gets you hooked and you want to learn more. Why? Because you can move from "what words mean" to "why words mean"&mdashin short, a thinking vocabulary. You'll find product information here.
Montessori International
Montessori International is the magazine for all parents and teachers. Montessori International magazine is a high quality colour education magazine with a Montessori focus and a truly child-centred approach. The magazine is for Montessori parents, nursery owners, teachers, and students with an interest in Montessori education.
Discover Your Child's Learning Style : Children Learn in Unique Ways - Here's the Key to Every Child's Learning Success
When, where, and how does your child learn best? Because children process information in many different ways, what works for one child might not work for another. This book shows you how to assess and nurture your child's learning style based on his or her interests, talents, disposition, environment, and more. The self-awareness tests included will help guide you to a better understanding of your child's unique strengths and weaknesses, leading you to better homeschooling success and more inner...
Diana Waring--History Alive!
Diana Waring--History Alive! produces books, tapes, videos, and history curriculum for the homeschool market.
The Work-at-Home Sourcebook
This indispensable directory contains information not found in any other book on the subject. The Work-at-Home Sourcebook is the only book available which gives specific information for finding, applying for, and getting home work with AT&T, J. C. Penney, and more than 1,000 other companies that routinely hire qualified home workers. Contact information, job descriptions and requirements, and details on pay and benefits are included. Other chapters cover handicrafts, franchises, telecommuting, l...