Christian Homeschool Subjects - Read-Alouds
What is a Read-Aloud?
Read-Alouds are part of the Literature in your History / Bible / Literature package.
Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook suggests a "classic" is "a work of highest class and acknowledged excellence." We like that definition. That's why we include so many award-winning books in our Sonlight reading list selection of Read-Aloud books for kids.
Read-Aloud stories are quality literary works that you read to your children. Read-aloud books for children have several functions within Sonlight®. Among them:
- To introduce your children to great literature that is beyond their personal reading capacity.
- To develop within your children a life-long love of reading. (Even though they may not be able to read a good book on their own, when you read great literature to them, it creates a thirst to read. They begin to think, "I love books! One day I'm going to read books like this!")
- To expand your children's vocabulary.
- To build listening skills--including the ability to visualize the meaning of spoken words.
- To develop an "ear" for good oral reading.
- To develop oral reading skills. (Having heard quality oral reading done by you, your children will imitate you. And,
- To give you and your children a context for sharing mutually significant times together.
Sonlight® Read-Alouds follow the same patterns as our Readers and are included in your History / Bible / Literature program.
Choose your Read-Alouds
Note: These are already included in your History / Bible / Literature or All-Subjects Package.
In History / Bible / Literature A through C, there is virtually no correlation between the books you read aloud and the subject matter of the History program.
Beginning with History / Bible / Lit D, however, History, Readers and Read-Alouds are tightly interwoven in each History / Bible / Literature program.
We have classified most of our Read-Alouds as Read-Alouds (rather than as Readers), because they require greater reading skill than typical students at such grade levels have normally acquired.
But there are other reasons for classifying a homeschool reading book as a Read-Aloud.
Some Read-Aloud stories require deeper understanding of "the way things are"--in life in general or in a specific area. Others are emotionally charged enough that we figure you ought to be "right there" to help debrief your children.
And then there is that group of books we've classified as Read-Alouds simply because they are too good to let your children enjoy by themselves. We know you'd feel cheated if you weren't in on the adventure.
Many moms have told us these reading books are so good, their husbands have gotten involved in the educational process.
The powerful stories found in our Read-Alouds are certain to create discussion, engage young minds, and cultivate learning for the whole family. Please take a moment to discover the Read-Alouds you will experience in your History / Bible / Literature program, or request a catalog to review at home.
Ready to learn more? History, Readers, and Read-Alouds are all included in your homeschool curriculum History / Bible / Lit program.
