English is an important part of any school curriculum. Many children struggle with reading and writing, however, and it can be difficult to keep them engaged if they aren’t interested. Here are a few ways to make English more fun for your homeschool child.
Figure Out What Your Child Likes
School can’t be all fun and games (we wish, right?) but you certainly can take opportunities to make it more exciting for your child. Maybe they get bored to tears reading chapter books but love to read fanfiction online. If the goal is to improve their reading skills, why not let them do it in a way they look enjoy? Be open to new ideas outside of traditional learning resources.
Utilize Technology
Technology is a great way to keep your child engaged and interested in your lessons. Try incorporating electronics into your teaching strategy. Instead of lecturing from a textbook, use YouTube videos or educational television shows (Schoolhouse Rock Is a great standby) to create an interactive lesson. You can even ask your child to help you use technology to teach a lesson in a fun way.
Give Them Freedom When Writing
Many children struggle with creative writing, but it’s a great concept to teach kids. Creative writing allows them to express their emotions and be vulnerable while improving their vocabulary and comprehension skills. But creativity relies heavily on freedom, so keep your writing topics and prompts very broad. Allow your child to go off-topic when they want to. As long as they are reaching the end goal of the homeschool lesson, the specific way they get there doesn’t really matter.
Incorporate Your Child’s Interests into Lessons
Whether you’re teaching vocabulary, grammar, or spelling, use your child’s interests to lead the lesson. If they love superheroes, add words like “Batman” or “flying” to their spelling tests. Moves like this will show them that you care about their hobbies and keep them engaged in lessons.