Give Attendance to Reading

One of the most important things you can teach your children is how to read so that they can continue to learn things on their own. When teaching children to read, it is important to teach phonics and not the “look-see” method or "see and say" method. While they do need to memorize a few “sight words,” don’t have them just memorize hundreds of words as if they were Chinese characters or something.

Take the time to teach them the phonics rules, and be patient enough to sit there and listen as they struggle to sound out words. My mom taught me to read before I ever started school, which gave me a great head start on a life-long journey of learning. Teaching your children to read well is one of the greatest gifts you can give them.

The A Beka curriculum is one example of a phonics-based curriculum in case you aren’t already familiar with phonics. You can also teach a child to read from the books of your choice if you have a firm grasp of phonics rules. Children love books with pictures, but picture books tend to be predictable, so be sure to also have your child read from plain, black and white books.

The Bible is the best textbook for reading since it starts out at a relatively easy reading level in Genesis. As you work your way through the Old Testament, the genealogies will force you to sound out unfamiliar names. This is especially beneficial if you have a tendency to guess at words based on context clues. Reading the genealogies out loud will help improve phonics skills in both children and adults.

The very best way to study academic subjects is not from a video, or an audio recording, but from a book. After all, God chose to give us the Bible in the form of a book. Highly intelligent men of the past learned at home from the Bible and other written works. E-books, audiobooks, videos, and educational phone apps are all useful tools, but be sure to also read from real, paper and ink books - especially the Bible.

“The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.” 2 Timothy 4:13

Studies show that people connect emotionally more and comprehend more when reading print as opposed to e-books. It’s great to utilize technology for learning on the go, but be sure to include reading from real, paper and ink books as part of your daily routine.

Reading and studying isn’t just for students, either. Learning doesn’t end when you graduate but should be a life-long pursuit. When your children see you reading regularly, they will likely become avid readers as well.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:13

Here is a sermon on How to Learn.