TED Talks for Homeschool Reading Inspiration

TED Talks have become a gold standard for inspiration, presenting new ideas, education, and empowerment. They are excellent learning videos, wonderful ways to encourage parents at home, and a great way to introduce children to new ideas. There are even TED Talks made specifically for children. Homeschoolers can find a wealth of information in TED Talks, and many middle and high school students use them for research. You will even find homeschoolers as featured speakers.

📚 What Montessori says about reading, literacy, and a love of books: Maria Montessori believed that reading is not merely a skill to be taught but a gateway to the full development of the human mind. She designed her language curriculum to cultivate a deep, intrinsic love of reading long before formal instruction begins, through storytelling, read-alouds, rich vocabulary exposure, and beautiful books in the prepared environment. Research on reading motivation (Guthrie and Wigfield, 2000, Reading Research Quarterly) confirms that intrinsic motivation to read is the single strongest predictor of reading achievement, more powerful than socioeconomic status or instructional method. A 2019 meta-analysis in Educational Psychology Review found that children who were regularly exposed to inspiring models of reading, including parents, teachers, and media, showed significantly higher reading frequency and comprehension than those who were not. TED Talks that celebrate books and reading serve exactly this purpose.

Today we bring you a curated list of TED Talks focused on reading. We hope they will inspire parent and student alike. Teens will enjoy many of these videos, and parents can gain new insights into reading skills and ways to present reading to their children.

🎥 "Why We Should All Be Reading Aloud to Children"

By Rebecca Bellingham. In today's busy and digital era, many families do not take the time to read aloud. Study after study has shown how reading aloud to children improves their reading skills, reading comprehension, and even social skills. Bellingham also touches our hearts and reminds us of some of our favorite childhood memories by recounting several classic children's books.

🎥 "How Your Working Memory Makes Sense of the World"

By educational psychologist Peter Doolittle. This humorous and highly educational video benefits all areas of homeschooling, not just reading. Our working memory relates to our ability to process current experiences, recall information, store memories and directions, and more. Doolittle shares techniques for building working memory that have been proven to provide lifelong benefits for children.

🎥 "For These Women, Reading Is a Daring Act"

By Laura Boushnak. This talk will be especially appealing to teen girls. Boushnak shares her experiences with women in cultures where education is not readily available or prioritized for women, and how the fundamental ability to read and write has transformed their lives.

🎥 "What We Learned from 5 Million Books"

By Jean-Baptiste Michel and Erez Lieberman Aiden. Using books digitized by Google, over 500 billion words from 5 million books are analyzed. The researchers share fascinating insights into human culture, history, and perception. Older children and teens will find this video especially interesting.

🎥 "Why a Good Book Is a Secret Door"

By Mac Barnett. This humorous talk by a children's author recounts his life experiences and reminds us how a good book can transport our children, and ourselves, to another time and place. An inspiring talk that will make you want to snuggle up and read a favorite to your child.

🎥 "How Books Can Open Your Mind"

By Lisa Bu. Bu describes how losing out on her childhood dreams led her to books. She says: "Books have given me a magic portal to connect with people of the past and the present. I know I shall never feel lonely or powerless again." An inspiring reminder to educators and students alike about the power and benefits of books.