Reading aloud is one of the most important things that we can do for our child's education! But why don't we hear about it much in the Charlotte Mason world?
“There are few stronger family bonds than this habit of devoting an occasional hour to reading aloud, on winter evenings, at any rate. The practice is pleasant at the time, and pleasant in the retrospect, it gives occasion for much bright talk, merry and wise, and quickens family affection by means of intellectual sympathy. Indeed, the wonder is that any family should neglect such a simple means of pure enjoyment, and of moral, as well as intellectual culture” Formation of Character (pg 220)
(1:40) Why don't people talk a whole lot about reading aloud in Charlotte Mason circles?
(5:50) "Away with books and reading to-" Home Education
(6:02) "The endless succession of storybooks" was my son. You can go too far in how much you read to young children. He would be so content to have story after story after story. I do see that things were a little out of proportion. His gross motor skills were maybe a touch behind his peers. The books were taking away from outdoor play, creative play, imaginative play.
(8:45) It's contrary to a child's nature to have too many books presented to them when they're young. If children are just flipping through book after book, then they aren't connecting with the story or with the person reading to them.
(9:35) Let's talk about some of the benefits of reading aloud. Vocabulary is the most obvious benefit, but here's a whole slew of Charlotte Mason relevant benefits!
(11:15) It helps their reading comprehension improve.
(11:56) Charlotte Mason kids are able to comprehend well beyond what the world expects a young child to understand.
(13:18) 17% of children ages 9-11 said that there parents read to them regularly.
(18:38) "Let it be a canon that no story, nor part of a story, is ever to be explained. You have sown the seed: leave it to germinate." Formation of Character
(20:16) Some things make a book more worthy to read aloud than others. What is your favorite Read Aloud?
(24:50) Should we ever reread a book again? Or, is this an out-of-context Charlotte Mason idea? "Guard the nursery; let nothing in that has not a true literary flavour; let the children grow up on a few books read over and over, and let them have none, the reading of which does not cost an appreciable mental effort. This is no hardship. Activity, whether of body or mind, is, joyous to a child." Formation of Character
(29:15) How do we fit read aloud time into our days?
Show notes
Home Education (available to read online from Ambleside Online)
Formation of Character
The Enchanted Hour
The Read Aloud Family
