Interest-Based Learning Through Real-Life Experiences

Giulietta’s learning is shaped by her interests, turning everyday experiences—like trips to the grocery store or mall, time at the library, listening to music, exploring food, and reading books—into engaging, meaningful, and personalized opportunities.

Interest-Based Learning Through Real-Life Experiences

Giulietta learns best when activities connect to things she already enjoys, so we build her literacy routines around real-life experiences that feel familiar and meaningful to her. These everyday environments give her a chance to practice skills in a way that feels natural, keeping her motivated, engaged, and curious as she learns.

One of Giulietta’s favourite activities is doing an alphabet scavenger hunt. She loves walking around and spotting letters on signs at the mall, or on labels of foods she knows well, like pickle jars or bags of spinach. Sometimes she even finds letters on her own clothing, like the “N” on her shoe. By taking what she learns at home and bringing it into real-world environments, she starts to see that letters are everywhere and actually useful. These outings help her build observation skills, apply letter knowledge in different contexts, and practice forming simple sentences on her iPad to describe what she finds.

When we visit the library, Giulietta always gravitates toward her favourite books, especially Sandra Boynton or Pete the Cat. While we read together, we pause to point out letters in the words and ask her to identify them on the page. This keeps her engaged and helps her connect the printed letters she sees to the sounds they make. It also encourages her love of reading by building confidence in a space she already enjoys.

Music is another tool we use often, since it’s something Giulietta genuinely loves. We’ll listen to her favourite songs together and pause the lyrics at different moments. Before the music continues, she spells the next word. It turns listening into an interactive game and helps her connect spelling, sounds, and reading through something that feels fun rather than traditional instruction. This approach strengthens her awareness of sounds in words and reinforces spelling in a way that feels natural to her.

Giulietta loves going to the library and to Indigo, and both places have become easy opportunities for real-life learning. She feels comfortable browsing the shelves, choosing books, and exploring different sections. Because she’s already motivated in these environments, practicing skills like finding familiar books, navigating categories, or recognizing letters on book covers, happens organically. These visits keep her interested and give her a chance to apply what she’s learning in a setting she genuinely enjoys.