Tag: Homeschooling Language Arts

Homeschooling language arts includes reading and writing instruction. Below you’ll find all of our posts related to homeschooling reading and writing.

Learning to read can be such an exciting time in your child’s educational journey, but it can also be one of the scariest. 

Learning to walk and speak our native language is a natural learning process for the brain. It happens automatically without much guidance, but learning to read is not a natural learning process. There is actually a science behind how people learn to read, and it’s quite simple.

Our main goal with learning to read is to be able to understand the text and of course love reading. Learning to read is a simple formula:

Decoding Ability x Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension

Notice how reading comprehension is the product of the two, not the sum. This is because you have to be strong in both skills in order to comprehend a text. When you multiply a number by zero, the answer is always zero. Without strong decoding skills and a vast knowledge of language, reading comprehension can be a struggle.

The other component of homeschooling language arts is writing. As your child learns phonics to decode words, they’re also learning how to encode words. Decoding means to read words, and encoding means to spell words.

There are two parts to learning to write:

Mechanics + Original Thought

Mechanics include:

• Spelling
• Grammar
• Organization/ Structure

Original thought is exactly what it states. It’s being able to get your thoughts into written form.

Before your child can learn how to compose a piece of written work, they need to refine their handwriting and learn phonics rules to encode.

Our favorite language arts curriculum:

• Logic of English
• WriteShop