#040 - How to encourage reluctant readers

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💡 THOUGHT

"How do I encourage a love of reading if my kids hate books?"

We’ve heard from our OpenEd teachers that the number of kids who say they “hate reading” has increased in the past few years.

If this sounds like your child, don’t lose hope.

As a kid, I hated reading. Now I'm surrounded by books and can't stop reading! I was into sports, LEGO, and fighter planes. But when I turned 16, something changed, and I started reading books and never stopped. You might be surprised how quickly your child changes.

Does that mean you need to just wait around for that change to happen? Not necessarily.

Try reading aloud, or playing audiobooks in the background while they're doing other things. Do reading yourself in their presence. Have lots of books around the house.

If your kid loves a certain YouTube channel, try turning on the captions and letting them watch with or without sound (admittedly, Mark Rober’s science experiments are way less cool without sound).

If your kids love movies, try printing out screenplays.

Find something that grabs their attention and use that to spark their interest in reading.

– Isaac

📊 TREND

Prodigies and Possibilities for Early College Success

Imagine earning a doctoral degree before you're old enough to vote. Dorothy Jean Tillman II was homeschooled in her early years, entered college at age 10, and by 15, was accepted into Arizona State University's Doctorate of Behavioral Health Management program. Last Spring, she earned her doctoral degree at just 17 years old.

Tillman's journey isn't just about exceptional achievement. She added that she hopes young people will take away from her story that "it's OK to continually figure out what you want to do in life."

While Tillman's story is extraordinary, you don't have to be a prodigy to get a head start on your college education. It's never been easier for high school students to begin earning college credits. Our Early College Program*, for example, offers high school students the chance to earn real college credits online through Southern New Hampshire University, study at their own pace, and even complete entire degrees before graduating high school.

Learn more about our Early College Program

*Teens in OpenEd in Utah can access the program at no cost, filling Periods 2-6 in the student’s schedule.

🛠️ TOOL

Best Reading Apps for Young Learners 📱

Last week, we explored math programs for 1st graders. This week, a parent on Reddit asked about the best reading apps for 4-year-old twins, while one of our OpenEd parents sought recommendations for fun, educational apps for a kindergartener. Let's compare Reddit’s suggestions with our OpenEd families' choices.

Top Reading Apps (Based on Reddit Responses):

• Reading Eggs - "Amazing" according to many users (Tip: Purchase from the website for better pricing)

• Teach Your Monster to Read - Free and highly recommended (May cause temporary British accents)

• Starfall - Free, fun, and effective

• ABC Mouse - One parent reported their 4-year-old taught herself to read with this

• Hooked on Phonics - Mixed reviews for this classic, but recently updated

Our community echoed many of these suggestions but had a few more to share:

• OSMO - Great for iPad users

• Endless Reading/Endless Letters

• Nessy - Loved by many families

• Tiggly apps (Addventure, Tiggly Chef, Story Maker)

• Pet Bingo

• Power Homeschool

• Zearn.org (not games, but enjoyable for kids)

And finally, based on data from OpenEd families’ schedules over the years, here are the all-time most popular reading programs:

📚 OpenEd Families' Top 10 Reading/Language Arts Choices

(WORD) OF THE DAY

Kerfuffle

Kerfuffle (ker-FUH-fuhl) - noun - A commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views.

Example: "The annual bake sale turned into a real kerfuffle when two grandmothers claimed to have the best apple pie recipe in town."

Origin: This delightful word comes from the Scottish Gaelic "car" (to twist) + "fuffle" (to dishevel). It entered English in the early 19th century.

While "kerfuffle" sounds like it could be the name of a fluffy pancake or a cozy slipper, it actually captures those minor, often humorous, disturbances in our daily lives. Next time you're caught in a little disagreement or chaos, remember: you're not in trouble – you're just experiencing a kerfuffle!

That’s all for today!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)