Segmenting ….. Blending….. What is that?  Aren’t these things the same?  Early literacy skills are so important for academic success, but many times parents just expect their child to read or write a word.  They often times forget that there is a lot of groundwork that needs to be laid before a child can pick...Read More

Are you looking for some Valentine’s Day activities to do at home?  Check out some simple activities you can do at home as well as a free math printable for your child to complete! Write Notes of Kindness Valentine’s Day is about being kind to one another and spending time with the people you love. ...Read More

Decodables… you may ask… what are those?  Decodable books are short and simple books that focus on a particular phonetic pattern or word family.   Each book uses these sounds with different words to give students practice with a new sound.  For example, a beginner decodable book may focus on long A words that are...Read More

You’ve found success with your child… he/she knows their letters, sounds, and how to blend CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words together.  This is definitely an accomplishment because this can be a tricky concept for young learners.  But now you find your child is struggling with two and three letter blends.  These sounds can be hard for children...Read More

Growing up as a kid, one of my fondest memories was sitting down with my mom or dad and reading a good book.  This was a time for us to connect and step into a different world.  What made it even better was the funny voices my dad would make for different characters.  That really...Read More

There are many components that are addressed under the umbrella of reading.  Phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension are usually the main components that are rigorously addressed in school.  There is one area, fluency, that usually gets overlooked.  Many times, teachers and parents are so focused on word recognition and comprehension, that fluency is not...Read More

Every parent wonders when they should introduce letter names to their child.  Should children learn their letters in pre-school when learning the traditional ABC song or should it be during phonics instruction?  Timing of letter introduction is important, but figuring out *when* that time is, can be tricky.  This timing is based more on the...Read More

One challenge of the English language is spelling out words with alternate spellings.  Sure, there are many words that can be phonetically spelled out.  However, some of the 44 English sounds have as many as 12 different ways to spell them!  Let’s take a look at how you can help your child spell words that...Read More

Your child knows the ABCs.  He is starting to understand that each letter makes a special sound.  He may even start to understand that when you put a few sounds together, it makes a word.  What a great feeling!  As a parent, I’ve felt this success.  You may think to yourself, “Ok, this is going...Read More

Strong Foundational Skills If you have ever seen a child struggle when sounding out a word, chances are there are gaps in their phonological awareness skills. The great news is that getting a head start on building this foundational skill is easy to do and is most impactful if done early. I often think about...Read More