Making Literacy Feel Natural in Your Everyday Life

Описание: Curious if OT could help your child's struggles?  Download Why Choose OT to find out! 

Download The Companion Guide For Why Reading Is Hard And What To Do About It

If you’ve ever wondered why reading feels so different from day to day in your homeschool—why one lesson is smooth and the next is an uphill climb—this episode is for you.

Today, we’re looking at the five pillars of literacy from a more connected, practical lens. Instead of treating phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension as isolated skills, I’ll show you how each one is woven into a child’s sensory world, routines, and relationships and why that makes all the difference in homeschooling. We’ll talk about environments that invite learning, habits that build confidence, and the subtle reasons a child’s body and brain might resist or lean into reading.

This approach matters because homeschool parents see the full picture academic progress and daily life blend together. Recognizing the signs beneath reading struggles lets you reframe tough moments, offer the right support, and help literacy grow in ways that feel meaningful and sustainable for your family.

In this episode you'll hear about:

The Five Pillars of Literacy
Overview of each pillar
Charlotte Mason’s Educational Philosophy
Connection between Mason's philosophy and the five literacy pillars
Description of a learning-rich home environment
Education as Discipline
Education as Life
Importance of connecting reading to passions and curiosity
Integrating Occupational Therapy (OT) Perspective
Understanding the "Person" (Child)
Understanding the "Environment"
Understanding the "Occupation" (Task of Reading)
Applying OT and Mason’s Approach to Each Literacy Pillar
Phonemic Awareness
Why movement helps learning sounds
Phonics
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension
Addressing Broader Reading Challenges
Distinguishing skill deficits from motivation or intelligence
Encouragement for parents: challenges often relate to supportable systems

Links and Resources From Today's Show

Download The Companion Guide For Why Reading Is Hard And What To Do About It
Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy?
Connect with Sarah Collins on IG
The Homeschool OT Teachers Pay Teachers
Where To Get OT
Check Out These Montessori Letters
Check Out The Scooter Board
Stomp Stilts Mentioned In The Episode
Know And Tell: The Art Of Narration
Check Out Our Blog
Episode 2: Decoding Behavior In Homeschooling- Sensory Overwhelm, Emotional Control, Perseverance
Episode 5: Beyond 20/20 vision: understanding crucial aspects of visual assessment in children
Episode 13: Beyond the Five Senses: Understanding Your Child's Interoceptive World with Cara Kosinski
Episode 25: Understanding Hippotherapy: Therapeutic Equestrian Activities for Children's Development
Episode 37: Reading, Writing, and Growing: The Bigger Picture of Developing Fine Motor Skills in Children
Episode 58: Practical Tips for handwriting- how to know and what to do if the issue is motor planning
Episode 64: Understanding Auditory Processing Disorder: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Support for Families
Episode 66: Building Connection Through Language
Episode 71: When the Diagnosis Isn’t the Destination: Encouragement for Parents Navigating Neurodiversity

Thank you to our title sponsor for this episode, CTC Math. You can check out their products and resources here.