When my kids were young, I tried narration in my homeschool.

But instead of working how it was supposed to, it made my oldest daughter freeze with panic. She actually started hating books she had previously loved. Read-aloud time became fraught. And the quality of her education suffered for it.

In today’s episode, I’m diving deep into the Charlotte Mason (CM) idea of narration, and offering an idea for what to do if narration simply isn’t a good fit for your family. 

In this episode, you’ll hear: 

• What’s the goal of narration anyway?
• What my family does instead of narration (and we like it so! much! better!)
• A reminder of what we’re going for (spoiler alert: narration isn’t the only way to get it)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/192/.

If you have a child with ADHD or dyslexia and want him/her to love reading, this episode is for you. 

I’m sharing tips and tricks to help kids with ADHD enjoy reading and read-alouds in this episode of The Read-Aloud Revival.

You’ll hear…

• audiobooks: help or hindrance?
• what worked for one of Sarah’s dyslexic kids
• Sarah’s go-to resource for all things related to homeschooling a child with ADHD

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/191/

Looking for my favorite stories about Christian saints and heroes? You’re in the right place!

That’s what I’m talking about in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. (Heads up, I’m Catholic, so a lot of these titles will be of special interest to Catholic listeners. 🥰)

There are lots of wonderful stories of Christian heroes, but these are some of my favorite short picks, perfect for mixed-age groups.

You’ll hear…

• my favorite non-gory picks (because some of these stories can get… well, gruesome)
• recommendations for a wide age-range
• Bible hero ideas (including a favorite on audio)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/190/.

Many of us worry about how screen time impacts our kids’ reading life. So how do we manage screens in a way that still makes it likely our kids will love to read?

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• the case for helping kids engage with screens in a healthy way
• two times a day we go screen-free at our house
• how to set goals to help kids want to read more

https://readaloudrevival.com/189/.

If you take your kids to the library and they consistently choose books you aren’t excited about them reading… what can you do? 

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• Sarah’s favorite places to check book reviews
• an alternate way to get library books
• dealing with silly books 🙃 vs ones those our kids really aren’t ready for 😬

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/188/.

How can we find books that engage both an 8- and a 4-year-old? 

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• why we shouldn’t leave picture books behind
• a tip for keeping kids engaged with longer books
• a few book suggestions! (naturally 😉)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/187/.

Should my kids’ reading correlate with their history studies?

Many of make it a point to make sure our reading lines up with the time period we’re learning about in history. Is that a good idea? That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• what I wish I worried about less when it comes to teaching history
• a tip for helping kids track reading by time period
• the value of re-reading the same books over again

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/186/.

Should I use Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons?

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• Yes, if it works for you. No, if it doesn’t.
• My own experience and my favorite alternatives 
• A reminder: look for the easiest way to teach that also nurtures your relationship with your kids 💗

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/185/.

What should you do if your developing reader skips words when reading?

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• Actually, we all do skip words when reading, but…
• Sarah shares a simple tip (🐢 🐢🐢)
• An idea if your child does this too (🎧 + 📚)

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/184/.

Should we avoid abridged or adapted versions of classics?

That’s the question I’m answering in today’s short episode of the Read-Aloud Revival. 

You’ll hear…

• what abridged or adapted versions of the classics can offer
• what happened when Sarah’s daughter read an abridged version of Heidi
• how adapted books can lead to better, richer reading

Find the rest of the show notes at https://readaloudrevival.com/183/.