You may think of phonemic and phonological awareness as something for the primary grades, for early readers or non-readers. If you teach older … [Read More...]

Metacognition and Comprehension Strategies : Critical for Struggling Readers
As teachers and tutors, you know that we must go beyond helping our students learn to decode and read fluently. Comprehension is the end goal for all of the instruction and practice that we provide. BUT how do you know WHAT and HOW to teach in order to help our students improve in this […]

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide: 12 Great Learning Games Your Kids Will Love
It is hard to believe that the holiday season is here! Many families have rediscovered the fun of family game night. From board games to card games to jigsaw puzzles, the joy of off-line fun has helped to bring families together. Not only are games fun, but they can also be educational. If you are […]

Checking for Mastery In Orton-Gillingham Lessons
Teaching to mastery is one of the most important considerations when teaching your students with dyslexia. Striving readers and writers very often find the class and instruction moving forward before they have had a chance to master new concepts. This results in learning gaps. When I encountered this in pupils at school, I would describe […]

The Top 5 Reasons You Should Use Decodable Text With Your Students
One thing that I find myself frequently explaining to parents, students, and other teachers is the rationale for using decodable texts. Students are accustomed to using leveled texts in their classrooms and in many school-based interventions that follow and balanced literacy model of instruction. While engaging, there are important reasons why decodable text can be […]

Five Ways To Spread Dyslexia Awareness Virtually
In our new reality of virtual school and virtual work. It might feel hard for you to keep track of what month it is, let alone what Awareness Month it is! However, October is Dyslexia Awareness month. For the sake of our students with dyslexia, it is important to continue to spread awareness, not just […]

Curious About RAN or Rapid Automatized Naming?
Educators and families have lots of questions about RAN or Rapid Automatized Naming. This is also referred to as Naming Speed. I am so happy to have Dr. Melissa Orkin sharing her knowledge with all of us about RAN or Naming Speed. Dr. Orkin has worked with Dr. Maryanne Wolf at Tufts’ University Center for […]

How to Teach Schwa Vowels Part 2: Tips for Teaching Other Schwa Vowels
In Part 1 of Teaching Schwa Vowels, we talked about strategies for learning schwa a. Schwa a is a great place to introduce the schwa vowel because it is predictable in its location and spelling. In addition, this post offers a lot of suggestions about teaching children about accent and stress which is a necessary […]

Ways To Support Children with Dyslexia During Distance Learning
During these strange times we live in, many of us are wearing multiple hats. Parent, employee, teacher, student, educational guide. If your child is doing hybrid or remote schooling, then it is highly likely that some adult in your household is overseeing your child’s learning. For children with dyslexia and accompanying challenges, this style of […]