Reading is the foundational skill for knowledge and learning. Knowing this, many homeschool parents naturally love reading and want to provide their students with a wealth of engaging reading material. While nothing beats the feeling of holding a book, turning the pages, scribbling notes in the margins, and folding the corners of well-loved passages, homeschool apps have many benefits for keeping students engaged in reading in this digital age.
1. Portability
Do you remember the days of carrying a school backpack weighted down with textbooks and reading materials? Homeschoolers have the luxury of keeping all their educational materials at home. However, homeschoolers tend to be on the go—hence the phrase, “car schooling!” One advantage to using an online homeschool app is portability. Rather than loading a backpack or tote with several books or texts, students can grab their laptop or tablet and have all their reading materials in one easy, lightweight package.
2. Interactive Features
Reading on an online homeschool app makes looking up vocabulary words, answering in-text questions, and clicking over to look up additional information in an encyclopedia a cinch. Furthermore, homeschool apps keep books, assignments, homework plans, educational videos, and assessments all in one place.
3. Opportunities for Parent Engagement
Reading aloud as a family is a favorite aspect of homeschooling. However, there are times when reading can be a solitary pursuit. Often, when homeschoolers come across a phrase or piece of information they are eager to share, their parents may be unavailable or working with other family members. With an online homeschool reading app, students can interact with their parents through a chat feature, allowing them to engage with the material together—even when they are not sitting side by side.
4. Social Features
With parental permission, homeschool reading apps can allow children to engage with other students reading the same books through features such as book clubs, book chat groups, and reading and writing tournaments. Homeschooling apps can allow students to interact with their peers and enjoy their educational journeys together.
5. Data Feedback
With data feedback, homeschool apps can keep parents and students informed about academic progress. Homeschool apps that allow families to set goals and milestones provide students with an incentive to meet those goals. Furthermore, parents can see how much progress their children have made in their reading or writing assignments and step in to help when needed.
We live in a digital world, and homeschool reading apps can be excellent tools for keeping students reading. The portability, interactivity, parental and peer engagement, and data feedback features of homeschool apps can aid parents in preparing their students for the future. LightSail for Homeschoolers is a complete and adaptive online language arts program for students from preschool through high school.
Posted on 10.Oct.21 in Homeschool Tips
