Groans. That is what I heard from my sons when it was time to write anything.
At first I thought I just wasn’t using the best approach to writing for them. Every year when I attended a homeschool convention, I would look for something I thought would get them excited about writing. But the results were the same: whining and procrastination.
Then I decided that my sons’ writing reluctance was a result of immaturity. Writing is an advanced skill. Maybe they just weren’t ready for it?
The Surprising Reason My Kids Hated to Write
I found that I was right on both counts. My kids love funny writing prompts, especially when we read our writing out loud for one another. I was also right that they just weren’t ready for it. Once my sons were in high school, their writing improved dramatically and the complaints stopped.
But as I continued homeschooling the rest of my children, I noticed something else. I am surprised I didn’t see it as the root of my children’s writing reluctance a long time ago.
When a child has slow handwriting speed, he will be a reluctant writer.
My children were able to finish their handwriting pages without much fuss. Both Handwriting Without Tearsand Happy Handwriting didn’t require a lot of writing per lesson. The kids were able to form their letters correctly. But they couldn’t write quickly. Their slow handwriting speed made any writing, creative or practical, an agonizing process for them.
My daughter, not surprisingly, did not have the same issue. Her better fine motor skills lent themselves to faster handwriting and an early love of writing. I shared more about the real differences in homeschooling boys on The Homeschool Sanity Show podcast.
How to Increase Your Child’s Handwriting Speed
Get your child’s buy-in. If your child thinks their only goal is to learn to form letters correctly, they will likely experience dislike for writing. Explain that if they learn to write faster, they will be able to finish all of their work faster, including math. If you or your child thinks that handwriting speed is unimportant in this digital age, consider how often you have to complete forms on paper. We have not yet made the transition to keyboarding for every task. Some college professors do not allow their students to take notes on a laptop, for example. Adequate handwriting speed will allow your child to feel confident in any learning setting.
Make sure your child knows how to form the letters. It’s no use trying to increase your child’s handwriting speed if he doesn’t remember how to make the letter K. Don’t allow your child to mindlessly complete handwriting pages. Instead, help your child memorize the way to make each letter. A great way to do this is to use a dry erase board with your child. Use verbal cues for making the letter you’re working on. Have your child repeat them after you as she forms the letter with you. This PDF gives you verbal cues to use if your curriculum doesn’t use them. Keep practicing until your child can form each letter from memory.
Work to increase speed. Handwriting workbooks are focused on the quality of letter formation. To increase speed, your child needs to be encouraged to write quickly and legibly. As long as you can determine the letters he’s written, your child is doing the right thing by increasing speed. First, you’ll need to get a baseline of your child’s handwriting speed. Having your child write as many letters as possible in a minute is a great way to check speed. That baseline will help your child determine his improvement in speed.
Handwriting speed is a lesson in Grammar Galaxy, a language arts curriculum for beginning readers that I created especially for reluctant readers and writers. To get a free copy of the handwriting speed forms, click the button below.
I love this guest post by Amy Michaels. Amy offers a whole course on teaching reading as well as choosing curriculum, teaching gifted kids, and much more as part of her THRIVE Homeschooling Academy. If you are a new homeschooler or need help creating a homeschool that works for your family, I highly recommend it.
When teaching your child to read, do you know that one of the most important components of reading is often overlooked?
Yes, phonics are important.
Decoding unknown words is absolutely a valuable set of skills.
Reading fluently can boost someone’s confidence.
However, there is something that is even more important when teaching your child to read.
Know what it is?
It is simply this: discussing what you think and learn from a book can make all the difference between a mediocre reader and a reading enthusiast.
Why Conversational Reading is So Important
When we take the time to talk about what we read with our children, powerful thinking and learning happens.
As adults, we know this. We start conversations with, “I am reading the BEST book!” and we share what great insights have inspired us. We have book clubs to expand our knowledge and discussion our “ah-HA!” moments with our friends. We highlight our favorite passages, dog-ear pages, and swap books with friends who share our interests.
Why?
When we share our thinking about what we read, we engage the brain to exchange information with others.
As homeschoolers, the most important part of teaching your child to read is sharing the meaning of what is being read!
You instinctively knew this even when your child was a baby. You didn’t start by teaching your child to sound out each letter in a word when your child was 9 months old. Instead, you pointed to the pictures and named what you saw. If you saw a dog, you would say, “See the doggie? Dogs say, “Woof, woof.” You helped your child make connections from the books to what they could understand.
Conversations are the best and most simple way to do this!
How to Engage Kids in Conversation While Reading
My kids and I just started reading Grammar Galaxy, and it is a terrific example of how important it is to have conversations after reading. After we read a chapter, we make predictions about what we think is going to happen next. We talk about new vocabulary words that we learned, and we think about how we can use those words to something in our lives now. We make connections about how what the characters are doing reminds us of something we did (or wouldn’t do).
All of these discussions ensure that the kids are actively engaged in thinking about what they are reading. This makes reading a valued experience for a child. By investing our time and attention in our child’s thoughts about reading, we give them an opportunity to share part of their learning experience with us. What they share sometimes surprises me (like how my daughter was pronouncing “Penelope” as “pineapple,” which made us both giggle). Sometimes, what they share is profound (like the time my child decided that she wasn’t letting a friend’s criticism bother her b/c she was reminded of ourconversation after reading in a book that she has a choice about whether to believe others’ words).
Having conversations about books your child reads or that you read to them is the single BEST thing that you can do to help your child be a successful reading enthusiast.
This isn’t a list of specific skills to check off. You won’t find this in a curriculum. It is just about you taking just a few minutes to ask your child their thoughts about what they reading. Their responses are powerful and priceless, and it can make a world of difference in your child’s reading success.
Amy Michaels is a former classroom teacher and Gifted Educational Specialist turned homeschooler. She is the founder of ThriveHomeschooling.com and Thrive Homeschooling Academy. She works as an Educational Consultant to homeschooling parents by sharing systems to simplify and customize their homeschooling to see their kids THRIVE.
The first Friday in May is National Space Day. Actually, it’s an international celebration. I thought I’d join the fun by sharing six spectacular resources for making the most of this day in your homeschool.
#1 Grammar Galaxy
Grammar Galaxy: Nebula is a complete language arts curriculum for beginning readers that is perfect for National Space Day.
Read the first lesson for free to your kids to get them motivated to read. The first fun mission that follows the lesson has young guardians of the galaxy heading to the library–a perfect time to pick up other space-related books and videos. While you’re checking out Grammar Galaxy, be sure to download your free space-themed Reading for Treasure map by clicking on it.
Even though these ideas are designed for a space-themed birthday party, what a delightful surprise they would make for your kids this first Friday in May. I’m most crazy about the moon rock craft and the snack ideas!
#6 Space-Themed Movies for Kids
What would National Space Day be without a good movie? This list of 12 space-themed movies for kids doesn’t include Star Wars. There are so many good options that you can turn National Space Day into National Space month!
I was given access to this course for free and was compensated for my time. I was not required to give a positive review.
After training our children in the faith and teaching them to love learning, preparing our children to do well on the ACT is a top priority for me and my husband. We have six children to put through college and a high ACT score opens the door to significant scholarship money. (For more on preparing your child for college scholarships, be sure to listen to my interview with Lee Binz on The Homeschool Sanity Show).
Our third son will be taking the ACT for the first time this summer, so I was delighted to have the opportunity to enroll him in the six-week ACT Math Boot Camp from Mr. D Math.
Math makes up a significant portion of the ACT score. Mr. D. of Mr. D Math claims that he can raise your child’s ACT Math score 5 points. That’s significant! That’s taking the math score from average to above average, for example.
I honestly wasn’t sure what I would think of this online interactive course. My first two sons had only prepared for the test using ACT prep books. I am also very picky about teaching style.
What the Mr. D Math ACT Boot Camp Includes
The boot camp is an online course taught live by Mr. D. himself. It is scheduled for Monday evenings in our time zone, which is challenging for my son because he has drum lessons at that time. Attending live allows students to ask and answer questions. However, replays are available, allowing viewers to hear Mr. D’s responses to questions. The interactive course includes teaching of test-taking strategies, help converting word problems to equations, and review of math formulas needed for the ACT. Students look over problems prior to class that Mr. D. then solves with students in class. Students work to solve the same problems on their own between classes, promoting mastery.
The online course is not the only part of the boot camp, however. The course fee also includes the Test Prep Portal. Inside the portal are numerous videos teaching skills such as how to use your calculator during the exam. There are also ACT practice questions for math, links to math games, and even practice questions for the other subjects comprising the ACT. My son characterizes it as “a ton of stuff.”
What We Think of the Mr. D Math ACT Boot Camp
I wasn’t sure if my son would like the boot camp. He is very picky, too! But he was quite complimentary of Mr. D’s teaching style. “He makes things very easy to understand,” he said.
My son is strong in math, but even he can benefit from this boot camp. I think students who are weaker in math would absolutely love this, as would students who learn best through audio and hands-on teaching.
My son hasn’t yet taken the ACT, but I do believe Mr. D.’s claim that he can raise my child’s math score by 5 points. Since 5 points can be the difference between a scholarship and no scholarship, the cost for this boot camp ($197) is a real bargain in my opinion. It’s like having a top-notch math tutor in your home.
How to Get Started With the MrD Math ACT Boot Camp
If you’d like to enroll your child in the boot camp to prepare him or her for the June ACT, go to the Mr. D Math site today. The session just started this week, so your child can still fully participate in this boot camp. Click the same link to enroll in future boot camps. You should also follow Mr. D Math on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, especially if your child isn’t quite ready for the ACT. Then you won’t forgot this amazing resource for ACT preparation!
Last week I shared my new language arts curriculum, Grammar Galaxy. It is for beginning readers. This guest post by my friend, Ashley White, will help you get your child ready for it! Be sure to subscribe to Mommy’s Little Learners.
How many times, as a homeschooling parent, have you asked your young reader to “just sound it out!”? We’ve all done it more times than we can count on our own two hands! And that’s ok. I’ll give you some grace on that only because reading research has come a LONG way in the last years.
Times they are a changing, so let me fill you in on 7 Reading Strategies to go beyond “Sound it OUT!”
Keep in mind that these strategies build upon each other. Start by teaching Strategy #1, then work your way slowly down the strategy list. Introduce a new strategy only if your reader has become proficient in the others.
This is a simple strategy that can create a strong reader! If your child gets stuck on a word, ask them to simply “Look at the picture.” Doing this will help them predict words based on the clues gained from the pictures.
**Side note** Make sure that young readers have books with good picture support! This is key when teaching young ones to read successfully. Joy Cowley is one of our favorites. Here’s a great link list of her publications. Joy Cowley books
Strategy #2 – Does it Make Sense?
Simply say it when your reader gets stuck…“You said this ____. Did that make sense?” As adult readers, we do this naturally. By using this phrase, you are setting your reader up for a way for them to self-monitor and check that what they said actually makes sense in context. This is a key-question strategy that will play a huge role in your child’s reading ability once all these have been taught and mastered.
Strategy #3 – Get Your Mouth Ready
Sometimes picture clues and trying to make sense of the word simply doesn’t provide enough information for young readers. So asking them to “get their mouth ready” based off the word’s beginning/initial sound helps them to predict what would make sense. I hope that now you can see how each strategy builds upon each other.
If your reader is taught the first 2 Reading Strategies, then they can apply it when trying to incorporate the third one into their reading. And before you know it, it will come together naturally and beautifully.
Strategy #4 – Does It Look Right?
This is another key-question strategy. When readers look through the word from beginning to end, this allows them to check their prediction that they made while reading. After they have studied that word, they will either confirm or reject their word choice based off of the letter-sound relationship. If your reader can’t make sense of the letter-sound relationship, this is when the other strategies above can be used. Offer your reader the chance to “look at the picture” to check if their word choice matches and “makes sense.”.
Strategy #5 – Reread
When your reader comes to a word they don’t know, ask for a prediction (a “smart prediction”) based off the beginning sound. Go back and try that suggestion in the sentence, asking your reader… “Does that word make sense?” and “Does that word look right in the sentence you just read?” Keep in mind, when readers get stuck on a word, they often forget what they read. To check their comprehension, it’s important for them go back and reread.
Strategy #6 – Does it Sound Right?
This is your final key-question strategy! If your reader reads something that just doesn’t sound right at all, then try reading it back to them. “You read it like this…does that sound right?” This is a helpful strategy for auditory learners. There’s something magical when they hear their mistake read back to them.
Good Readers will continually use and reflect on the 3 key-question strategies: Does it Look Right? Does It Sound Right? Does It Make Sense?Once they have mastered this, you’ll be amazed!
Strategy #7 – Look for Chunks
This is one of my favorite strategies to use with young readers. However, keep in mind that all of the above should be introduced and practiced first. If your reader gets stuck on a word, ask them to use some of the above strategies first before they try this one. Have your reader look for “small words inside the big word.”
For example, the word “flat” has the small word -at inside it. I would cover up the beginning blend to show them the small word -at, then see if they can add the /fl/ blend. Once your young readers has discovered the word is “flat”, then ask them to reread the sentence, just to make sure that it “sounds right” and “makes sense.”
Lots of information, right? Keep in mind that when you implement each strategy slowly and allow your reader time to practice it daily, all this information will begin to feel comfortable, for both you and your reader.
I know many moms that have printed multiple copies of this printable and placed them ANYWHERE their child might be reading…bathrooms, cars, bedside tables, just to name a few.
Enjoy and happy reading with your little ones!
Ashley N. White is a former teacher turned homeschooling mother of 3 boys. Before becoming a mother, she taught in the classroom and was later appointed the title of Reading Coach for the 8th largest school district in the country. When she isn’t teaching her own, Ashley is offering workshops to teach parents adaptable educational ideas that they can apply at home. She blogs and shares her journey at mommyslittlelearners.blogspot.com.
Here are some more games to make math fun, including board games, printable games, and DIY games.
Multiplication Practice Paperfolding by Kids Activities Blog – By simply folding some paper into cootie catchers, you can actually create an informative math game for students focusing on anything from addition to fractions.
Math Wall Stickers (Reusable!) – Play with math on the walls! This set of reuseable wall decals are a great way to turn math into an interactive experience. Play Simon Says with math on the wall! “Simon says show one half.” Love it!!
3D Lego Multiplication Graph via Frugal Fun for Boys – We love Lego, but did you know because of their shape they are great tools for multiplication? This graph will help kids visualize multiplication in three dimensions.
Numbers & Counting Quiet Cubes Game– This game designed for ages 4-7 uses dice rolls to help teach ABCs, counting and basic addition. The best part is the foam dice are designed to be super duper quiet for a truly peaceful learning experience!
Math Explosion Volcano Game – With this fascinating game, players are able to customize math facts with a math fact creator so that players of all ages can play for many years to come. Be the first player to explode the volcano by getting your math facts correct!
Connect Four Bingo Game – Everyone loves Bingo, and when you can take a game that’s already fun and turn it into something educational everyone wins. Children will be paying close attention so they can be the first to exclaim BINGO!
Aliens on Vacation multiplication game by Deceptively Educational – This printable board game requires a little setup, but it provides children with a chance to put their math skills to the test to get their alien home from vacation.
Factors and Multiples Games – Play Monster Mash! A game that helps students understand greatest common factors and lowest common multiples.
Crazy Daisy Multiplication via Deceptively Educational- Looking for something a little more cute? The Crazy Daisy Multiplication printable math game will help kids visualize solutions as they color in a crazy daisy.
Whack It! Place Value Math Game – It’s no secret that kids love any game where they can get a little bit physical and give things a good whack, so why not teach math at the same time? This game helps with place values, but can be adjusted for other lessons.
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
