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
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)
Spell to Write & Read
This teacher's manual, written by a homeschool educator with experience as a professional school teacher and private tutor, shows how to teach reading the "write" way. By phonetically teaching spelling from the start as the backbone for reading, all children can be taught, regardless of learning styles, to read and spell. If your student knows how to read already, this program can improve his or her spelling. Find out more about this product here.
Learning Language Arts Through Literature
Learning Language Arts Through Literature is a fully integrated language arts program that teaches grammar, reading, spelling, vocabulary, writing mechanics, creative writing, thinking skills and more.
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.
Explode The Code
Explode The Code provides a sequential, systematic approach to phonics in which students blend sounds to build vocabulary and read words, phrases, sentences, and stories. Frequent review of previously learned concepts helps increase retention. Each workbook in this series contains exercises that incorporate reading, writing, matching and copying. The consistent format of the books helps facilitate independent work. This series includes primers—Get Ready for The Code, Get Set for The Code, and Go for The Code—which introduce initial consonant sounds. In addition, Beyond The Code provides a comprehension component introducing basic comprehension skills with phonetically controlled stories. You'll find product information here.
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.
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.
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.
Montessori Reading
Montessori Reading is a beginning reading and writing program for elementary aged children. This series of books introduce phonetic letter sounds, phonogram combinations, reading simple sentences, and reading and writing words that name everyday objects, animals, etc. A teaching guide and a child's journal are included.
Reading Made Easy
Reading Made Easy is a phonics-based program, featuring 108 easy lessons, designed to be taught in less than 30 minutes per day. It is fully scripted and has original Christian content and stories. Includes hands-on writing and drawing activities. Reading Made Easy can be purchased here.
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
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.
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.
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.
Featured Resources
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Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education
Author Douglas Wilson makes the argument that education must have a foundation of religion, which informs worldview. Education is the asking and answering of questions, and learning to read and write is simply the process of acquiring the tools needed to do that.
Freedom and Beyond (Innovators in Education)
John Holt looks at the role that schooling in society plays in education.
Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum: A Guide to Catholic Home Education
In this book, Laura Berquist offers a curriculum based on the philosophy of the classical Trivium: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. This valuable tools helps home educators craft a liberal arts curriculum that is good for both the soul and the intellect. The material in the book covers grades K-12 and has detailed and practical advice. There is also a section for a high school curriculum and a list of resources.
100+ New Jersey Drivers Licensing Exam Facts That You Need To Know: Quick Review for the Written Test
Prepare for the New Jersey's Driver's Written Exam. Know the 100+ important facts for the test. Be prepared to ace the exam!
Pass Your New York DMV Test Guaranteed! 50 Real Test Questions! New York DMV Practice Test Questions
This book is written by a former DMV classroom instructor. He shares the 50 most common questions and answers to the New York DMV written test. A great guide to help your teen pass the DMV test on their first try.