Choosing a homeschool reading curriculum can definitely feel overwhelming. There are a zillion options with loyal fans in every homeschool group and blog on the web, it seems. After spending the past two years homeschooling, I’m starting to gain some insights into what works and doesn’t work for our homeschooling family.
I know that I really wanted to have a clear idea of what I was expecting our five-year-old, super wiggly guy to accomplish this year. The most important thing I did was sit down and put those ideas on paper, and I’m talking about in the simplest of terms. I wanted to keep it simple because he’s five and I try to live within the scope of reality. The reality of him getting bored and fidgety in three minutes, and the fallout in my brain of how I’m failing as a homeschooler mother (somebody cue up the Beverly Goldberg gifs).
Five is young, and learning through play is so important at this age that I don’t wont to overload him with loads of traditional seatwork. For my kindergarten kiddo, my list of goals looked something like this:
- Read.
- Count.
- Read some more.
- Keep reading.
- Play.
- And play.
- Did I mention play?
And that’s all I wrote!
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Why is Reading So Important?
I’m not going to bore you to tears with the research and statistics about how important it is to read to your kids: if you’re reading this post, odds are you are already aware. Let’s just go ahead and say it’s of the utmost importance. Kids who draw the short straw in the parent-department start out behind in language and pre-reading skills. Right out of the gate when they haven’t been read to on a regular basis, some kids end up behind. Picture books and read alouds are a fun way to spend time with your children. Bonding over books is one easy way to accomplish a lot!
And, ummmm, hello? Have you guys tried audiobooks in the car? Game-changer! Check with your local library to find out if they have access to free audiobooks! Our library does, and it’s one more tool in my toolbox for exposing my kids to literature. It also helps coax my kids into the minivan when we have to leave the house.
Our Homeschool Goal for Kindergarten
As you may have noticed, my main goal for the year is to teach my kindergartener to read. I then read countless reviews and explored various curriculum websites, and I finally landed on All About Reading. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, AAR is a reading program that focuses on phonics. Instead of spending a great deal of time learning a zillion site words right away, All About Reading focuses on letter sounds (phonograms). It uses the Orton Gillingham approach, which among other things means a multisensory, individualized approach to reading instruction. After reviewing their website, I knew All About Reading was going to be a success for us!
What is Orton-Gillingham?
How do we like our homeschool reading curriculum so far?
I purchased their level one reading program, and so far our kindergartener is loving it. We spend about 20 minutes on homeschool reading instruction each day. Then we spend another 20 minutes of me reading books to him. The lessons are scripted, so I feel confident every day when I open my teacher’s manual that I am doing just the right thing. Twenty minutes zoom right by, and my kiddo is not overwhelmed or frustrated in that time. This is so helpful for me, as it can really zap the fun out of homeschool when a child is constantly frustrated. Am I right?
If you’re looking for an open-and-go homeschool reading program for your child, I would encourage you to consider All About Reading. You can click on over and take a peek here at the program saving my sanity when it comes to teaching reading!
