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Homeschool Colorful Reading Journal to Motivate Kids

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

A reading journal should go far beyond listing books. When my children were little, I made a reading journal to help them track the books they read.

However, it was so much more than just a tracker.

They answered comprehension questions, put their thoughts down on paper, and tracked their reading. I’m so tickled to finally have prepared a reading journal for you.

I plan on adding more forms to it so you can build it much like you do my Free 7 Step Homeschool Planner.This free homeschool colorful reading journal is a great start to motivate your kids to read.

reading journal

One of the best features is that the log pages on each reading journal are created to track reading time in 15 minute increments.

Life is busy and like me, you probably have some avid readers and some that are not so much.

Reading Journal

By tracking 15 minute increments instead of tracking chapters or complete books, it breaks the reading process down into bites.

Before I get into explaining more about my newest forms that I’m so giddy to share with you, I want to remind you about the smokin’ hot reading logs I have right now.

I created very detailed and specific reading logs that track by chapter and genre of the book. We really need specific forms as we plan.

Find them on STEP 5A Choose Unique Forms Just for YOU – 7 Step Homeschool Planner (Option 7 on that page).

When I created the detailed reading logs my mindset was to have them for planning purposes.

reading journal

Homeschool Reading Journal to Motivate Kids

I’ve used them for years as I’ve planned and tracked. I have 7 options which match the weekly planning pages on that step. I have to have color options and I know you like them too.

Here is what I have on STEP 5A Choose Unique Forms Just for YOU – 7 Step Homeschool Planner which explains my process in how I created them.

Purpose of Form: To List and Track Reading of Each Child.

A short personal story here: When I started homeschooling I pored over a book written by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. It was about how to teach reading and it listed books by genre. As wonderful as it was in helping me to see I needed a balanced reading program, I learned that I didn’t need to know how to teach reading to 30 children only my 3.{quit stressing} So I put the book aside, but remembered the wonderful key they used to classify books by and have used it since I started homeschooling. I have incorporated that key, which is a code to the types of genre, in this form.

Even though the key is intended to be used up through 6th grade, I believe it has merit all the way through school. Do you know how to classify genre?

The bottom line is when reading we need many different types of forms to use in a child’s reading journal.

reading journal

Create a Unique Reading Journal for YOUR Kid

Today, I have 4 more options on this newest reading log which serve a very different purpose.Look at these tips about how I created this reading journal.

  • I created the pages with no goofy looking clip art. That’s right. Even you can use this as a way to track your reading time if you’re trying to increase it.
  • I have three colorful color pages to choose from. Nothing baby-ish looking. Oh yes, you can use it for younger kids too because what is inside is what counts. Add coloring pages for younger readers. Too, I wanted a journal that could be used for older reluctant readers.
  • As I mentioned, I love the pages so much because they track reading times by 15 minute increments.
  • I have 3 colorful cover choices and 4 reading logs as choices to build your reading journal.
20 Best Tips for Teaching Reading and Spelling
reading journal

Reading Planner for Your Child

The beauty of creating your own reading journal for your kids is that you can create one for the year, for a semester, or just print a page for week.

Look at some of my tips on how to create one for your kids.

  • Choose one of the covers I created OR have your child design his own cover if he wants to be artsy.
  • Choose one or more of the reading logs. I have 3 colorful reading logs and one that is black and white if you don’t want to use too much ink.
  • Print it for the year and be sure you print front and back to save paper; you don’t want a thick journal. If you print front and back, then you’ll have 26 pages as a starter journal. (26 weeks x 2 = 52 weeks)
  • Print one in color to act as a divider for the beginning of the month and then print three in black and white if you need to conserve ink. I’m naughty and love color; our journal will be all in color.
  • Coil bind it so it lays flat.
  • Remind your students that each circle represents an hour and is divided into quarters. One quarter represents 15 minutes of reading time. I feel this is more encouraging to track reading time instead of pages and whole chapters.
  • In addition, there is a box for each week if your child wants to jot down pages of words he likes or write s word or jot down a question. This is his guide, so allow him to use it in the way he likes. Yes, this means he should be able to doodle on it too.
  • Mix the specific and detailed pages and the ones I have today which track by minutes to create a planner.
  • Add plain notebook page or pastel color paper.

Reading and Writing Resources for Older Children

Furthermore, look at this post Put Together a Homeschooled High School Writer’s Notebook & Free Resources to add some other useful and handy pages for this reading journal.

A lot of reference pages used for a writing notebook are the same ones that are useful for a reading journal.

All About Reading

How to Download These Awesome Reading Journals

These Reading Journals are a subscriber freebie.

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Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

You’ll also love these other tips:

Homeschool Colorful Reading Journal to Motivate Kids

Hugs and love ya,

Faith-Neutral Homeschool Grammar and Writing Program

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have a faith-neutral homeschool grammar and writing program.

Although I had an engaging English teacher in eighth grade, my loathing for grammar and writing was already ingrained.

It wasn’t because I didn’t like language arts, but grammar and writing seemed like a mist. Nothing was clear to me, or taught to me in a logical order.

I seemed to take a self-guided writing tour in my elementary years.

I was looking for a homeschool grammar and writing program which taught the process in steps, and took the struggle out of learning grammar and writing.

So I was tickled to find Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing by JacKris Publishing.

Before you read on, I want to be sure you get a heads up for the awesome giveaway below!

I was given these products for free and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off or that a company will receive a glowing review. ALL opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

Writers – Born or Made?

This was not my first introduction to Growing with Grammar; however, it was my first look at Winning with Writing.

We used Level 8 in both the grammar and the writing program. At this time, Level 8 is the highest level available and levels equate to grade levels.

Whether your kids are middle school or high school level, mastery of language arts is the foundation for all other subjects. 

Teaching the rules of grammar, and teaching an inexperienced writer how to articulate ideas through written words requires repetitive work.

Small and simple changes are best, but again it takes time. Kids and even some adult authors get impatient with the process. Short and straight forward explanations with examples have always worked best for us.

You’ll love this faith-neutral homeschool language arts, Levels 1-8, if you’re looking for a grammar and writing program which teaches the process in steps and takes the struggle out of learning grammar and writing. Click here!

As I mentioned, I returned to Growing with Grammar. There are several reasons:

An Overview of Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing

  • lessons are only 3 times a week,
  • it includes diagramming and I like that because I have kids that are visual learners,
  • it’s based on a 36-week school year which is a standard school year,
  • it reminds us that grammar is achievable because there are not really a lot of rules,
  • it is a worktext (more on this in a minute), and
  • examples and explanations are used as models when applying grammar to the writing process.

Grammar is the rules of a language and I feel it’s best learned while writing; however, a separate short study of the rules of grammar helps any struggling writer to cement the rules in his mind.

Teaching grammar only 3 times a week aligns with my experience in how grammar is best learned.

Learning rules separately from writing or oral speaking has limited value. Application of rules makes the most sense while learning to write or while speaking in public. Grammar is valued then as a practical life skill.

Although writing is a progressive skill, it doesn’t have be tedious. Look here at how the writing process is laid out in Winning with Writing:

  • lessons are daily meaning it follows a 5 day week,
  • lessons are short,
  • it’s based on a 36-week school year,
  • it’s a worktext which means it teaches by example, models, and illustrations,
  • it takes a two part approach which are the outlining process and the drafting process,
  • it has incremental review which writers need, and
  • once you learn the the straightforward process it works for a single paragraph or book.
Faith-Neutral Homeschool Grammar and Writing Program

Too, I know you want to know what the writing program contains because that is the hardest part for me in judging whether this level or another level will work for your struggling writer.

I hope you find this look at the table of contents helpful.

Level 8 Winning with Writing First Semester Topics

Lesson 1 Main Topic, Details, and Staying on Topic
Lesson 2 The Writing Process
Lesson 3 Sequence of Events and Time Order Words
Lesson 4 Personal Narrative
Lesson 5 Personal Narrative
Lesson 6 Review of Lessons 1-5
Lesson 7 Spatial Organization, Comparing Objects, and Comparing Characters
Lesson 8 Similes, Metaphors, Analogies, Personification, and Sarcasm
Lesson 9 Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Oxymoron, and Pun
Lesson 10 Descriptive Writing
Lesson 11 Descriptive Writing
Lesson 12 Review of Lessons 7-11
Lesson 13 Parts of a Creative Story
Lesson 14 Quotations, Dialogue, Point of View and Voice
Lesson 15 Creative Writing
Lesson 16 Creative Writing
Lesson 17 Creative Writing
Lesson 18 Review of Lessons 13-17

Level 8 Winning with Writing Second Semester Topics

Lesson 19 Facts and Opinions, Emotional Appeals, and Advertising
Lesson 20 Thesis Statement and Transitional Sentences
Lesson 21 Compare and Contrast Essay
Lesson 22 Persuasive Writing
Lesson 23 Persuasive Writing
Lesson 24 Review of Lessons 19-23
Lesson 25 Documenting Sources
Lesson 26 Biographical Essay (Part 1)
Lesson 27 Biographical Essay (Part 2)
Lesson 28 Explanatory Essay Cause and Effect (Part 1)
Lesson 29 Explanatory Essay Cause and Effect (Part 2)
Lesson 30 Review of Lessons 25-29
Lesson 31 Bias, Reliable Sources, and Taking Notes
Lesson 32 Informative Essay Problem and Solution (Part 1)
Lesson 33 Informative Essay Problem and Solution (Part 2)
Lesson 34 Informative Essay Research Report (Part 1)
Lesson 35 Informative Essay Research Report (Part 2)
Lesson 36 Review of Lessons 31-35

Do you see any writing topics that your middle school kid struggles with?

Faith-Neutral Homeschool Grammar and Writing Program

Writing at the higher grades tend to focus solely on the essay.

While that is a normal progression, all writers benefit at looking at the basic process from sentence writing to paragraph to essay. This takes time to teach without making it monotonous.

Again, Winning with Writing aligns with my experience in that it takes 5 days of short lessons.

My Reasons for Returning to Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing

Earlier I mentioned about the worktext.

You may or may not know the differences between workbooks and worktext, but I appreciate the subtle differences the longer I’ve homeschooled.

A worktext not only has a place for your student to record his work, but gives explanations, samples, and even background information right in the book. It’s like writing in a textbook. I have one kid that really likes that concept.

Promoting independence at the middle and high school levels is smoother when a student has everything to learn a new concept within one book.

You will notice that Answer Keys are provided, so a comprehensive teacher’s manual is not needed. All of the explanations, plus a space to record your student’s answers are kept together.

Although this was a far-fetched idea to me, I learned that Tiny is not as motivated to learn a new concept while using a teacher’s manual as he is when it’s in the student text.

It’s a learning practice he set up for himself; he is motivated when material is laid out. For me, it was a huge revelation and significant as I wanted to foster independence in my writer.

Besides material being presented in a way beneficial to my flourishing, but novice writer, mastery of concepts was equally important.

Remembering I felt alone while learning the elements of writing in my elementary years, I’m delighted that Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing break concepts down into cycles — 3 day cycles and 5 day cycles respectively.

You noticed on the table of contents that review was added incrementally.

This makes a full circle back to what is fundamentally important for any level of writer — repetition and review.

Additionally, JacKris Publishers is faith-neutral whether you want to add your Bible content or keep it secular. That is an important feature when you want more control over when and how to teach your worldview.

Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing may be a good fit for your family:

  • If you want a straightforward no-thrills and frills approach
  • If you want short lessons
  • If you want planned short days
  • If your writer craves independence
  • If your writer needs review and repetition
  • If your writer needs clear and concise directions
  • If your writer prefers to keep all of his work in one place
  • If your writer needs to learn the outline and draft processes
  • If your writer is not organized

While my son is certainly at the level where he can write independently, the worktexts are easy enough for you to use to guide a struggling writer.

The whole array of language arts products by JacKris Publishing are thorough, easy to use, and student friendly.

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing
►Website: JacKris Publishing
►What they want you to know: Although they love all of their products, their Starting Line Stories are new and they’re excited for you to use it. From the site: Each Starting Line Stories book contains 70 story starters and 30 writing prompts.  Unlike a formal writing program, these activities are designed simply for students to express themselves through creative writing. 
►Grade Levels: Levels 1 – 8; Levels equate to grade level.
►Type of product: These is a physical product and you can click on the product to see a SAMPLE lesson.
►Prices: Vary by product.

Also, you’ll love these other tips:

YIPPEE! HAPPY DANCE! !

GIVEAWAY

Terms: Over 18. U.S. residents only

Please don’t think you’ll not win! I have to give this sweet giveaway to somebody! Go ahead and enter below.

May the Force Be With You! ha 
3 Winners to Choose ONE product (any level) from JacKris Publishing

You’ll love this faith-neutral homeschool language arts, Levels 1-8, if you’re looking for a grammar and writing program which teaches the process in steps and takes the struggle out of learning grammar and writing. Click here!

How to Teach Cursive and Composition With A Fresh Perspective

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When pioneers were going west, ruts served as a guide in following others. Ruts are not necessarily a bad thing. However, when you need to veer off the beaten path when teaching cursive and composition because your well-worn path is not working, then you need a fresh perspective.

The first shift in my mindset that I had to overcome when teaching cursive and composition is to realize that they are two very different skills. As teachers we can forget that they’re related, but different.

Cursive is a fine motor skill and requires physical dexterity while composition is a mental process.

When both work together, it is an out of body experience as my son told me one time. Okay, okay, it is a total body experience.

Bottom line is that it can be flat out hard. Telling your child to pick his pencil up and start writing can be the demise of him.

For example, a child may be mastering fine motor skill, but needs help with ideas on what to write.

On the flip side, a child may be excited to write creatively, but his fine motor skills are holding him back.

Both skills are needed for a child to be an effective writer.

How to Teach Cursive and Composition With A Fresh Perspective. When you need to veer off the beaten path when teaching cursive and composition because your well-worn path is not working, then you need a fresh perspective. Click here to read these valuable tips!

Honing both skills need to be done simultaneously as well as individually for both to emerge strong.Let me get one more idea out of the way too. Cursive is both hard to teach and to learn, but print can be harder.

As the parent, you are the only one to know if the problems you’re having with your child are because of attitude or aptitude.

Some children do better when typing, but before you give in to teaching only typing, read on about my experience.

Cursive takes patience, consistency, and fortitude to teach.

Devices today are suppose to speed up the time we have, but they don’t. They can make both children and adults overly anxious.

They also teach us to instantly master whatever it is that we’re learning.

Teaching and learning cursive rubs opposite of the educational grain being thrown at us today. It’s a slow process and not instant gratification. Parents are left wondering if their child has a special need when in fact they may be developing fine.

How to Rock Teaching Cursive

Look at these tips for teaching cursive from a fresh perspective.

1.) Don’t teach cursive later. Big mistake. I hear it all the time: “I’ll wait until my child is in 3rd grade or 5th grade.” 

The best time to teach cursive is soon after he gains control of his fine motor skills. The rule of thumb is about half way through first grade.

One side note is that your child is still malleable and willing to learn cursive the younger he is.

By the time, he is in third grade or later, he may be too embarrassed or not patient enough to learn.

I started each child halfway through first grade and had plenty of time to teach it. Later is not better in this instance. Of course, this means if your child has no developmental issues.

By 3rd grade, my kids had a good handle on cursive and of course I expected them to use it all the way through to high school. And yes, they learned to type along the way.

How to Teach Cursive and Composition With A Fresh Perspective. When you need to veer off the beaten path when teaching cursive and composition because your well-worn path is not working, then you need a fresh perspective. Click here to read these valuable tips!

2.) Don’t teach cursive and composition at the same time.

Direct teaching is very different from practice.

For example, in the beginning while your child is learning cursive don’t make him agonize in how to spell or how to be creative. Just give him the answers and move on while he focuses on the physical part of writing.

3.) Don’t teach composition or cursive back to back in the day.

Whatever you do, don’t do two back to back heavy assignments.

If your child is struggling with both of these skills then space them out in the day.

Do cursive practice work first thing in your day.

Then, switch gears and do other subjects. Add in composition later after your child’s hand has had time to recover.

4.) Strengthening fine motor skills goes beyond practicing cursive.

  • Coloring is a great way to naturally strengthen skills. And coloring something worthwhile like science pages or history pages will make learning time productive. Check out the 10 Westward Expansion History Fun Coloring Pages and 20 Ancient Civilization History Coloring Pages.
  • Copywork is timeless for teaching beautiful penmanship and again worthy of your child’s learning time. Poems, scriptures, history, or science are straight and clear prose which are practical for copywork. Look at my article, Free History Copywork – A Roundup of History Resources.
  • Drawing and writing. Be sure to not criticize, judge, or grade these fun activities. But make sure they do BOTH writing and drawing. My sons wanted to draw a picture first and then the words swelled up from the inside as they viewed their magnificent drawings.

Teaching composition is equally teacher intensive. There are no short cuts. Learning how to express ideas clearly doesn’t just happen. It is modeled by the teacher.

It reminds me of summers I spent with my granny when she was alive. I watched a southerner master cook whip out the most delicious recipes I fondly remember to this day. As I stood beside her, I wrote down her ideas.

I added a few ingredients to her pot under her supervision and then learned to cook delicious meals like her.

Teaching Composition that Goes from Limp to Life

Composition can be the same way. Don’t make it an event where all life goes limp. Make it a time that is memorable for the right reasons. Tears are not a good sign.

Composition starts off as a shared project when your kids are just learning.

You start the “pot”, let them stir it by adding a few key ingredients.

As you model how to write, your kids learn by watching and participating.

Look at these ways to teach composition that are out of the box.

  • Take a week and brainstorm topics instead of writing a composition. In order to have your child’s ideas flow abundantly, you take control of the physical act of writing.
  • Let your child record his ideas on his phone. Then play them back and write them down. This breaks this hard process down into two steps.
  • Have your child use his phone or your phone to take pictures of objects that might interest him. Go on a scavenger hunt. Scrolling back through the pictures is not only fun, but gets your child excited about what to write.
  • Also, I would find a funny picture or some other picture that I thought would evoke a strong emotion and muse with one of my sons about what the title should be. How many titles or ideas can your child come up with?
  • Make writing a group effort. One activity we did was to have each child write part of the story. This is not only fun, but it takes the pressure off of coming up with the whole story.
  • Another thing I did was to write story starters on a strip of paper and have each child draw a topic from a jar. Some kids like the element of surprise and challenge.
  • For one son, he loved it when I wrote as he dictated to me. He had beautiful prose, but his handwriting held him back. So I would write as he focused on his thoughts. When I finished the draft, he would copy it. Eventually, his physical dexterity caught up with his creative mind.
WriteShop

Also, there are many writing programs that I have used through the years, but one of my favorite writing programs that not only taught writing well, but gave me support is WriteShop.

WriteShop has a unique way of helping the homeschool parent because it was written by homeschooling moms.

Not only does it have a fun way of helping the littlest budding writer, but it gives you practical tips in how to teach.

WriteShop Primary

A lot of writing programs can assume that you have a professional background as a teacher. I do not.

From the time you open the curriculum and read about setting a realistic schedule and see a visual of one to how to grade upper grade compositions, WriteShop guides you in every step.

Ruts can be valuable to a routine, but they can also hem you in.

How to Teach Cursive and Composition With A Fresh Perspective. When you need to veer off the beaten path when teaching cursive and composition because your well-worn path is not working, then you need a fresh perspective. Click here to read these valuable tips!

Fresh ideas in how to teach cursive and composition need to be nurtured. Try one or two of these ideas above and let me know how it works for you.

What do you do when you need a fresh perspective?

Also, I know you’ll find these other posts super helpful!

Hugs and love ya,

3 Beginner’s Tips: Homeschool High School Literature

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have easy beginner’s tips for teaching homeschool high school literature. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool High School.

As if entering the high school years wasn’t daunting enough, you’re expected to be instantly informed about how to teach high school literature.

I began gathering teaching tips and resources for my first high school son.

However, all I could think of was my own high school years, and that was a long time ago.

Gradually, my basic plan for a starting point has changed as each son entered high school because my own high school experience was not much help.

3 Beginners Tips for Homeschool High School Literature. Look at this quick and easy overview to give you a heads up about what to expect. Click here to scoot by and read the AWESOME tips! #homeschool

Today, I want to clear away some of the mystery surrounding how to teach literature because I want to give you a beginning point.

Also, teaching high school literature is a very comprehensive topic.

Instead of taking you to the glazed-over-eyes point I want to stick to a basic foundation, which I think is more helpful.

Try to remember as I share the three beginner’s tips that you can build on them each year.

Try not to sock it all to your teen like I did in the beginning.

Look at my 9th Grade Homeschool High School – Avoid the Sock It to Them Attitude.

ONE/ Hone your definition of what is high school literature.

Literature is any written material.

That doesn’t help much so you need to help your teen understand what is the importance of studying literature.

Battle for the Mind

Try this.

Literature is any written material, but it normally means works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama which having artistic value and makes one think.

In addition, classic literature is written work that transcends time or has outlasted current thinking.

Too, great literature or masterpieces are written works that gives shades of meaning to their topics. Opinions, feelings and emotions will vary.

Whether it’s a short story with limited characters or poetry that reflects the author’s world, they all share identifying marks which are to move you and make you hate or delight in the undertone meaning.

And like one of my boys said, they just keep talking to you today.

Whether the material is about showing a stylistic technique or it’s an unusual genre, it’s a battle for the mind.

TWO/ Introduce literature through American, British, and World authors.

Something else I did wrong was to be all over the place when selecting curriculum.

No matter how organized my first high school teen was, I frustrated him because I didn’t have a method to my planning.

Dividing up grades or semesters by reading and analyzing poems, novels, and short stories from different parts of the world and different time periods gives your teen a well-balanced view.

3 Beginners Tips: Homeschool High School Literature. Look at this easy starting point!

For example, a study of World literature would obviously include authors from all over the world, but it should coincide with the different time periods of history.

This way you’re covering some of the greatest material from different ages.

Don’t forget the timeless tip of using one history book for analyzing literature while reading about history.

For example, when I read the novel by Dickens of A Tale of Two Cities with my boys, it gives a good view of the Victorian period and the French Revolution.

You’ll want to add to it by having your teen research a bit about the French Revolution unless he has already studied it.

Understanding the world the author has created or is writing about places your teen right in the middle of the conflicts.

The conflict of two distinct classes, the rich and the poor, along with the way Dickens explains sad times gives your teen a preview of not only literary topics, but history.

THREE/ Literary devices or terms need to be your framework.

I never required my boys to do a book report when they were younger, but I did require critical thinking skills and a broad understanding of literary devices in high school.

I would hear moans of how boring it was and I tried not to make it boring.

But, this is high school literature and the skills taught at these grades should equip your teen at the least to think like an adult.

Whether you’re preparing your teen for a college prep course or not, he still needs to learn how to think beyond black and white.

This is the time when your teen forms values, opinions, and beliefs and you need to look beyond the idea that you’re mutilating a good read.

How to Reflect on American, British, and World Literature

Making the connection to our belief system during our study time as we discussed it together was an unexpected benefit.

What I mean is that this is not just the time to read about boring literary devices, but the time to understand the message that the author is illustrating through literary devices.

Sometimes, it’s necessary to memorize definitions like rhyme, meter, or sonnet, but it’s more engaging when you and your teen understand why poetry was written in that style.

Digging into why ancient poets wrote how they did gives your student a richer understanding of the world around him.

You want your homeschooled teen to clearly state a verbal or written response to the topics of today’s world. It begins by analyzing a great book.

I hope this simple beginning and quick glance will give you a good foundation to begin your planning. In my upcoming posts, I will be sharing resources to help guide you and your teen.

Do you think you would like that?

Look at these too, you may like to grab the tips there.

More Homeschool High School Literature Tips

How to Transition a Child From Reading to Literature

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When I was in 8th grade I had an English teacher who loved words and literary analysis. I picked up her love of words and reading, but not so much her affection for literary analysis. Later in life, my fondness for literary analysis and literature was ignited but my earlier aversion affected how I started teaching reading.

When I was in 8th grade I had an English teacher who loved words and literary analysis. I picked up her love of words and reading, but not so much her affection for literary analysis. Later in life, my fondness for literary analysis and literature was ignited but my earlier aversion affected how I started teaching reading. Click here to get tips on understanding the difference between teaching reading and literature.

Determined that my boys would not be aliterate, I did some things right and some not so right when I first began to teach reading.

What I should’ve done with my first son was to introduce elements of literature earlier than I did. I’m grateful I didn’t totally mess up my kid because his love for excellent literature is apparent today.

From Reading to Literature

Let me back up first because understanding what is literature and what is reading can be confusing to the non-professional. It was to me.

And because there are so many facets about comprehending what is literature, it can seem almost over the top to grasp.

I’m going to speak in broad terms here because it’s important to see the big picture before you know how to transition a child from reading to literature. Teaching a child to read has these elements:

  • from the time he can sat on your lap, you begin reading aloud;
  • you teach him to associate symbols, which he later understands are letters with sounds;
  • you teach him that grouping together more than one letter helps him to blend sounds;
  • you begin to engage in formal and direction instruction which is phonics;
  • you continue with assisting him in learning phonics to about the fourth grade if necessary;
  • while you’re teaching him letter sounds, he cements those sounds by reading them in books, which gives him a purpose for reading;
  • you progress from early readers to chapter books; and
  • all throughout the years, you should be very picky about the quality of literature so that you hook an emerging reader on to lifelong reading.

Not focusing just on how to read but fostering a love of it in the early years is the key. That’s a tough enough job.

Here is one of my favorite programs to teach reading!
All About Reading

Switching gears to teaching literature is a gradual process as I’ve learned. It’s my opinion that whether or not you take a literature course in college, you’re not really prepared to know when to introduce all the features of literature to a young child. Of course, if you’re an English teacher that is different.

Before I go further, it’s important to also look at the elements of teaching literature which gives you a starting point in how to teach it. Here are some easy to understand features:

  • it’s about using good books that inspire readers;
  • it can effect the lives of people;
  • it may be praised for its literary value;
  • it may be famous for its historical value;
  • it’s about learning genres along with the elements of fiction;
  • it’s about exposure to a higher level vocabulary;
  • it’s learning how to extract meaning beyond what the author is stating;
  • it’s appreciating why literature can move us;
  • it’s about choosing a method, whether it’s an oral discussion only or part worksheet or part oral discussion to find one that suits your child’s learning style; and
  • it’s about moving from soft or fun literature to sophisticated literature which may not always be so fun.

As you can see, literature is an immense area to study. Knowing when to transition to teaching literature and not teaching reading is not an exact science.

Taming it doesn’t have to be a struggle if you know what to focus on at which ages or levels.

Now that you have an overview of the difference, here are a few strategies that won’t overwhelm you.

One/ Introduce genre in a natural way and not like I did with a workbook.

Even though I messed up with one child, I still had time to for a do over.

Instead of pulling out a worksheet to match genre types for books which your kids may not have read, simply explain the type of book it is.

As we read together from about third grade on, I saw the need to start explaining the genre and setting.

Now that two of my sons are young adults, I get different opinions from them.

One son critiqued me and wished I was more formal at the time when explaining the type of literature we were going to discuss and to include more worksheets. The second son critiqued me and said he wished there were no worksheets at all.

Teaching literature should take your child’s learning style into consideration but I also remember that I’m doing the teaching. And just because something is forced, it doesn’t mean it’s not good for my sons.

A balance between discussion and workbooks I feel gives a well-rounded approach and I ended up adapting to both learning styles

Two/ Book reports are not always required but you’ll want to determine a standard in how to analyze a reading.

What you would expect from a middle school student is not the same that you would expect from a high school teen.

Instead of doing book reports, take time to discuss the book with them. This means they read and come back to tell what they learned. I know it takes time, but literature is about taking time to let it move you.

In the beginning, they will just want to tell you what the book is about. Believe me after hearing the retelling of To Kill a Mockingbird numerous times, I thought I would lose patience. But seeing expressions on each of my son’s faced as they read it, made each time feel new. Each kid will identify with the protagonist, Scout, whether they agree with her or not. And understanding a six-year-old with a great wit is what drew my sons into learning about the story.

Three/ Analyzing  and teaching literature is a gradual unfolding.

I did this part wrong too. When Mr. Senior 2013 started middle school, I thought that instantly he was going to understand things like a figure of speech, the elements of fiction, author’s point of view, and etc.

I needed to slow down and realize that from about middle to high school, analyzing literature is a gradual process. Just like higher level math requires a more mature thinking, so does literature.

Don’t be locked into grades, but evaluate each child’s reading level and comprehension.

If a child can’t read well yet or is still struggling to comprehend, it’s hard to delve into a deeper meaning of a novel.

Let him lounge in the learning to read stage a while longer.

If You Can Read, You Can Teach Literature

Although I didn’t completely turn my son off to excellent literature, I almost made the mistake by several educators which is to make learning about it too mechanical.

With my next sons, I added in hands-on learning in the elementary grades and middle school.

For example, while discussing the setting of a book, my sons drew what they thought a time period looked like.

When we read Winnie-the-Pooh they drew a forest for the Hundred Acre Wood. A simple map brings the setting of the book to life.

More Language Arts Resources

I didn’t know using puppets would be such a great hit with understanding If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Those are just a few tips in such a broad topic but I wanted to dive into sharing with you what worked and what didn’t work for me.

I’m going to continue on this topic by sharing some upcoming posts with tips about teaching your kids to high school.

Would you like to get some more tips? Tell me what kind of help you need the most.

Hugs and love ya,