I mentioned in this post that I finish formal reading education with All About Reading level 2, which ended up being in between kindergarten and 1st grade for my kids. After this, we continued reading using McGuffey’s Eclectic readers, beginning with level 3. We always do 3 days of oral reading a week, and then the kids always do a bunch more independent reading on their own.
I continued through the McGuffey readers until level 6, but neither my oldest nor I enjoyed level 6 very much, I admit. As anyone who homeschools knows, that poor first child can be a bit of a guinea pig. At some point during 6th or 7th grade, we decided to switch the oral reading to a fictional book/poem/play that coincided with the time period we are at in history. This was much more enjoyable. My second now joins us in oral reading, and we three take turns reading out loud from the passage. The other two are still using the McGuffey levels 3 and 5.
I haven’t decided how much longer I will have my oldest continue with oral reading (he is currently in 8th grade). I may have him bow out next year as I look at other options involving speech, debate, or practicing speaking with his dad. I will say that my kids have really benefited from oral reading. I model for them inflection, speed, pronunciation, etc. I take the time to remind them to sound out words, to pause appropriately at punctuation, and even to teach them how to breathe properly when reading orally. I have seen great improvement in them. It’s been fun as well to read plays together. We just had a lot of fun reading The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Right now, we’re reading Sherlock Holmes.
Besides this, I have a list of books, again corresponding to the time period we are studying in history, that my older two (6th and 8th) can pick through and read. They can pick anything on the list, and they must read at least a chapter a day before they can read their other books. This is something new I started this year, and I think it’s really helped to broaden my kids’ reading. I think I’ll do the same for my upcoming 5th grader this year.
I already mentioned that I have my kids complete All About Spelling all the way through the final level, level 7. This last level introduces Greek and Latin roots and paves the way for vocabulary. Once they have completed spelling (usually about halfway through 6th grade for us), I have them begin Vocabulary from Classical Roots 4 (which starts out pretty easy). I have only ever used the student book, although there is a test booklet and an answer key available, I believe. For the most part, I’m usually able to easily grade their answers without the key. The nice thing about vocabulary is that I have the kids work independently. The first day they make flash cards, and the next couple of days they fill in the exercises. We keep it pretty simple.
We are big readers in our home. Both my husband and I love to read. We’ve been reading to our kids since they were babies. We talk a lot about books. The kids all love to read, and they enjoy writing their own stories as well. It’s so much fun to hear them use the words they read about or even interrupt us when we read aloud to ask what words mean. One of my favorite things is when I see and hear my kids use what we’re reading (especially our whole-family read-alouds) as fuel for their imaginative play as well. Words are a gift, and so is the ability to read them, write them, and use them well. I’m so thankful I’ve had great resources to be able to teach this to my kids!
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