Inspire Your Students to Love Reading

As homeschoolers we want nothing more than to create lifelong reading lovers. We want our students captivated by the many adventures and journeys in literature. We want to inspire their own creativity and engage in new possibilities and dreams.

That's why many of us choose curriculum based upon books, classics, and (you guessed it) reading! But, when it comes to reading, our approach as homeschoolers is often formulaic or based upon OUR favorite curriculum rather than what appeals to our child.

This can take the fun out of learning and create a dread for reading. That’s exactly what you don’t want when you’re homeschooling and have the freedom to tailor your child’s education to their interests and needs (not to mention learning style).

So, how do you make reading fun? The first step in this process is to find out your child’s learning style and to understand why learning styles are so important. Check out this blog series on learning styles and their impact on your child’s school experience and success.

Already know your child’s learning style? Let’s get to the goods of how to incorporate the fun into learning styles and reading!

Here are our best tips and tools for making learning style and fun collide in every homeschool reading lesson.

Reading for Visual Learners

Children who prefer to learn visually are often detail oriented, and will prefer written directions in lessons. Reading can be especially challenging for visual learners if pictures are not included!

• Allow drawing while reading. Visual learners who draw out what they’ve learned are more likely to remember it!
• Incorporate maps, graphs or charts in all social studies lessons. You can even check out the Kids National Geographic to add to your social studies and even some science lessons! This will make reading even more exciting.
• Use cartoons or have your student create their own to illustrate what they’ve learned.
• Get colorful notecards to make flashcards for spelling or memorization. Make it fun by allowing your child to draw or find an image for each card.
• Bring reading and writing to life with graphic organizers. Teach paragraph writing using the hamburger or spider method and spelling using word clouds!
• Watch movies and videos on the books you’re reading. Of course you’ll want to do this after you’ve read the book!

Related: 11 Learning Tips and Study Strategies for Visual Learners

Reading for Auditory Learners

Children who prefer auditory lessons need to both hear and repeat when absorbing information. Auditory learners will have loved being read to as young children.

• Read aloud whenever possible. Allow your child to record himself/herself reading.
• Listen to audiobooks.
• Visit the library for story time. Older students can hold story time for siblings or neighbors.
• Talk it out! Incorporate debate and discussion into your reading lessons and language arts.
• Keep back and forth conversation flowing by asking leading or inductive questions before a lesson. Have your students write down what they think they know and then go back and review it once they’ve completed the lesson to see what they’ve learned!
• Act it out. Auditory learners will love putting on plays based upon the book or poems they’ve read. Hold reader’s theater at the end of each book or reading unit.

Related: 15 Learning Tips and Study Strategies for Auditory Learners

Reading for Tactile Learners

Also known as kinesthetic learners, these children may always seem to be moving, but keep in mind that movement actually helps them learn best, even when reading.

• Give your tactile learner something to squeeze while reading. Think stress ball, thinking putty, or a tennis ball.
• Take frequent breaks from reading and don’t require reading until after a fun, physical exercise.
• Allow your learner to listen to audiobooks while swinging, riding a stationary bike, or walking on a treadmill. Incorporating physical activity will keep your mover and shaker engaged in reading.
• Focus on project-based assessments. Instead of writing paragraphs about chapters, themes, or book reports, create dioramas, posters, or models!
• Throw a tennis ball back and forth or against the wall when memorizing spelling words from a reading selection, or discussing characters, themes, or parts of a story.
• Act it out! Tactile learners will love reader’s theater as much as your auditory learners. Be sure to give your mover and shaker lots of blocking and movement within the play!

Share the love: Save these reading tips to Pinterest!

Make reading fun for every learning style by incorporating these ideas into your reading lessons and time. If you want more, download these additional resources for Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learners. Your reader will be much happier and more engaged, and you’ll see their stamina, understanding, and even fluency increase with each book.

How do you incorporate your child’s learning style into reading? Tell us in a comment below or on Facebook!