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Reading

Best Phonics App for Early Literacy Skills

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Does your child just not want to read? That’s how Gauge, almost seven, was until just a few weeks ago. He was happy to be read to, happy to flip through books on his own. He had no interested in sounding out words. And not for lack of early literacy skills.

HOMER for Homeschool Early Literacy Skills

HOMER Reading for Homeschool Early Literacy Skills

I received digital access to this product as well as reimbursement for the time spent writing this review in exchange for my honest thoughts. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

Until he decided that he knew how to read at the library one day. Just like that. He picked up a level reading book, sat down next to me and shocked me when he read it.

Why was I not freaking out about my almost seven year old not reading yet? Because I knew he wasn’t ready and I was doing my job in giving him the tools to get ready. What tools was I giving him?

HOMER for Homeschool Early Literacy Skills

I gave him HOMER Reading. HOMER Reading is a learn to read, fun and interactive app to spark your child’s interest in reading. It helps your child build critical skills with a personalized learn-to-read plan! Start a FREE trial to help your child fall in love with learning.

We use the app, but the program is available on as desktop as well as Android and Apple devices. My kids all have their own tablets for learning, and this was the best way to give him a chance to use it, to explore the app, and, apparently learn to read. HOMER Reading is ad-free, safe, and easy to use.

You can feel good about letting your child use this app on their own. Check it out for yourself before you let your child explore.

Gauge was able to use HOMER Reading which is age appropriate and includes many different topics for learning to read on his own. Your child will be able to use this app independently, depending on their age of course. This can give you a few free minutes to work with your other children, or to drink your coffee.

Literacy Skills Progress Tracking

Are you wondering how you child is doing? I mean beside seeing what they are doing, but maybe you are wondering if the app is working for you. You can track your child’s progress.

HOMER for Homeschool Early Literacy Skills- track progress

It’s More than Just A Early Literacy App

HOMER Reading, in my opinion, makes a stand alone reading curriculum for early elementary student.

HOMER Reading is more than just an app. It is a great overall addition to your homeschool. Not everyone knows what books are great beginner reader books, I didn’t when I had my first child. But HOMER Reading gives you some really great reading suggestions.

And beyond the the fun interactive app and reading suggestions, they have the Write & Draw area of their site. You can find it on the Track Progress page. They have some fun activities, including one on Exploring Egypt that we will be using a little later in our lessons, they also have some fun printables for back to school.

Families can try HOMER Reading free for 30 days and receive our exclusive back-to-school offer of just $45 for the year (over 60% off).

The Best Phonics App for Early Literacy Skills

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Filed Under: Homeschool, Homeschool Helps Tagged With: apps, Reading

Secular Reading Curriculum

by Ashley Mullen 1 Comment

We do not use a separate secular reading curriculum from our secular language arts curriculum. Our language arts curriculum have always been great literature curricula.

Secular Reading Curriculum (2)

This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.

What is Secular Curriculum?

Secular curriculum only discusses religious beliefs from an anthropological perspective. It is not faith-neutral (this becomes important especially when discussing science and history curricula). It does not posit biblical/religious beliefs as historical fact.

What is Secular Reading Curriculum?

It is a reading curriculum that does not mention religious beliefs.

My children are avid readers, I once came across a book I thought my oldest would enjoy, only to learn, from her, that it had a big Christian spin to it. This is not a secular book.

If you find you are unable to find a curriculum that isn’t meeting your needs, think about what it is you are looking for. Are you looking for great books about history that you can learn from? Can you find the book you want and then create lesson plans around it? Homeschool moms are resourceful, think outside the box Momma and make it happen for your family.

Reading & Language Arts Curriculum - boy reading at table

Secular Reading Curriculum for You

Barton Reading and Spelling System
A great tutoring system for children, teenagers, or adults who struggle with spelling, reading, and writing due to dyslexia or a learning disabilities.

Explode the Code
Phonics workbooks for direct phonics instruction.

Hooked on Phonics
Learn to Read is an award-winning program that has helped over 5 million kids become confident readers.

Progressive Phonics
Free reading program for primary grades.

Reading Curriculum & Language Arts

Most language arts curriculum include a reading component to it. There are some really great literature based curriculum too, such as Build Your Library.

Grammar Galaxy - Secular Language Arts Curriculum

Secular Language Arts Curriculum

All About Learning Press
Offers courses in reading and spelling for preschool through grade 7.

Blossom and Root
Currently K-3 with 4th grade coming in 2020. A secular, nature based program that includes language arts, nature study, and art.

Essentials in Writing
Writing, literature, and online classes for ages 6 through high school. Shopping for Canadian homeschoolers.

Grammar Galaxy
A workbook based program where students solve problems through space “missions.” Note: you will see a dedication to God in these books, but the rest of the material and educational content is secular. You can read a review of this curriculum here.

JacKris Publishing
Soaring with Spelling, Winning with Writing, Growing with Grammar, and Digging into Diagramming. Grammar, spelling, and writing curriculum for grades 1-8. For Canadian homeschoolers.

Logic of English
Offers reading, phonics, spelling, and handwriting instruction for ages 4-7 with a second package for struggling readers ages 8 and up.

WriteShop Primary and Junior
Kindergarten through 6th grade writing curriculum. *Note: Per the website “WriteShop Primary and WriteShop Junior are free of religious references. WriteShop I and II contain occasional religious references.”

Recommended Products for Your Homeschool

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Filed Under: Curriculum, Homeschool Tagged With: language arts, Reading

Why AudioBooks Totally Count for Reading

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Sometimes you just don’t want to read one more book out loud to your children. Yes, you love them and want them to hear amazing books but you just don’t want to read out loud. Or maybe you’re sick and you have the sorest throat going. Audiobooks are the best thing in a homeschool. Have you tried them yet?

Why AudioBooks Totally Count for Reading

Why AudioBooks Totally Count for Reading

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

Like I said, sometimes you just don’t want to read out loud anymore. I can only read so many novels out loud to my kids, day after day, month after month.

Audiobooks for Homeschooling on the Go

Audiobooks are the best think for getting your reading in while on the go, no one is walking away, or playing with something instead of sitting down and listening. 

When you combine a book with an audiobook, your child can read along independently, which will improve your child’s decoding skills, which is a great reading strategy when reading a book without audio assistance.

What exactly is decoding skills? Decoding skills are the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound relationship and letter patterns to pronounce words.

Audiobooks Benefits

It saves time! Lunchtime is an excellent time for listening to a book. We are all sitting around the table together eating and listening to one of our favorite books.

You know what else audiobooks save? Space! Books have taken over my house to the point of needing more bookshelves in a house that already has six bookshelves.

Books including audiobooks can also improve critical listening skills. Not everyone is a visual learner too, something I have trouble with because I am a visual learner.

Audiobooks can help the child who might be discouraged by the length or genre of a book.

Audiobooks can come in handy when you have multiple children in different levels. Moms can only read so much to her children before running out of time, and energy for language arts. It saves also helps save your voice and eyes in the long run, you can only read so much before you get tired dry eyes.

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4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Summer weather in Saskatchewan tends to be hot and dry. It means we can count on getting outside everyday to have fun and keep learning at the same time. We like to go outside as much as possible after being stuck in the house all winter, so we enjoy everything from reading to taking our history lessons outside in the warm weather.

4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer

4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information. *

1. Get Outside

We like to make lessons a little more fun and messy when we’re outside because I’m not as worried about clean up or spills. History this year was one of those subjects this year made me wish we didn’t live in the freezing cold. Otherwise, we could have gone outside for the messier hands-on projects that my kids love. This summer we have plans to dig site in a section of our garden. Don’t forget just how much you can learn from gardening with your kids during the summer, too.

2. Museum Trips

If you are going on a family vacation this summer check out the museums in the area. We’re heading to the East Coast of Canada and will be going to fishery museums and cannot wait! You don’t have to go anywhere new to check out museums though, just head to your local one.

No matter how many times we go, they always come away with something new. Besides new exhibits being held each new season, the children seem to take a special interested in a different display each time. But even if we do spend most of our time at their favorite human body display.

Check to see if your museums have educational materials on their website. Before you head out, you can print off scavenger hunts or other learning guides to extend the experience. This tip is especially useful for going back to a locale you’ve visited several times before. Having a goal in mind for your visit can bring renewed interest.

4 Ways to Keep Learning All Summer-science center

3. Catch Up Time

Did you run out of time during the school year on some topics? Catch up on them now. Head to the library and pick out some engaging titles your kids would like. Choose topics that you skipped during the year or topics that you know your child is crazy about.

Lay great books around the house at reading level for your child, books that might grab their attention. While they are browsing the books, they are working on their reading skills.

There are things that I left out of our homeschool lessons that we will be doing during the summer For example our Book of World History has a number of hands-on crafts that we are going to continue to learn through, similar to our hieroglyphs.

Did you do every science activity from your Science kit? Redo them. Let your kids create their own science experiments, explore and learn.

4. Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to keep your child learning this summer. Don’t try to force them to read, but have books out for them. Last summer we got our BookShark curriculum early in the summer and my oldest had read a couple of the read aloud chapter books from the History curriculum, I had simply put them on our bookshelf and didn’t limit her reading choices. That meant she started the school year a bit ahead!

The BookShark schedule is not case in stone. Letting my daughter get a bit ahead on one subject means that she’ll have time to explore her own interests more, or she can listen in when I am reading to her siblings. There is no rule that you can only read a book once.

A summer reading challenge  might also be something to try this summer. We take part in a summer reading program at our library for all school aged children. The kids are challenged to read as many books as they can during the summer and to report back each week. At the end of the summer those that have read the most get a little something special, usually a book. If you are interested in doing one on your home, I have one you may want to look at.

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Filed Under: Homeschool, Natural Homeschooling Tagged With: catch up on homeschooling, homeschool summer, keep learning, Math, Museum Trips, Reading, science, summer learning

Benefits of Gardening with Kids

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Have you tried gardening with your kids? While my kids don’t love the hard work that comes with getting a garden planted, they sure enjoy the fruits, or vegetables, of the labor. Some of the biggest benefits of gardening with kids for us is that there aren’t many vegetables that they won’t eat and they are always willing to try something new now.

Benefits of Gardening with Kids

Benefits of Gardening with Kids

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

Watching a plant grow from the seed you planted is quite the experience. And if you can start some seeds in a clear container you can teach your kids all about root systems and sun light, all those science things.

Reading

Your children can be reading to find which vegetables are the best for your growing zone and what type variety fits best for your area. Then there is the reading about how to plant them: germination, planting and spacing, harvesting, etc. Let them do some research on the plants they want to grow.


Math

There are a lot of teachable math moments when gardening with kids: how deep to plant a seed, how far apart to plant seedlings, how tall plants get, and how to arrange them in a garden to provide for maximum growth.

Science

Gardening provides a fantastic introduction into the world of natural science. From planting a seed to watching seedlings grow and mature, flower formation, fruit formation, insect and plant life cycles, and the importance of sunlight and water; these are all the beginnings of botany, biology and chemistry!


Health

One of the many benefits of gardening with kids is that they begin to appreciate the hard work it takes to grow and harvest food. They learn patience, confidence, and that it can be great to get messy! If you don’t have space for a garden, then try container gardening with kids. You’ll get the same benefits but you need less space!

Do you do any gardening together as a family?

 

Benefits of Gardening with Kids

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A Little About Me

I'm Ashley, a Canadian secular homeschool mom of 3, living in Nova Scotia.

I share our adventures in homeschooling and parenting.

You can usually find us at the library surrounded by books.
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