The alphabetic principle is an important part of the reading process. According to Reading Rockets, “Children’s reading development is dependent on their understanding of the alphabetic principle”. But what do we mean when we talk about the alphabetic principle? And how can we develop it in beginning and struggling readers? What is the alphabetic principle?…
Need to gift a reluctant reader and want to try to encourage your love of reading? There are quite a few ideas for struggling readers of all ages that they will love. Whether you’re looking for a birthday gift or a Christmas gift for kids, you’ll find the right gift that promotes literacy. Here are…
If you’re looking for a good free ABC chart to use with your students the look no further! Learn exactly how to use alphabet charts and download my free printable ABC chart at the bottom of the post. What is an alphabet chart? An alphabet chart, also called ABC chart or alphabet poster, is a…
Have you ever heard of closed syllable exceptions? I had not heard of them until I started my dyslexia training. Closed syllable exceptions are closed syllables where the vowel makes the long sound instead of the short sound, like in the words bold and find. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at…
What do you think of when you hear the word “comprehension”? Many people might think of reading comprehension, which is definitely an important aspect of literacy. But what about language comprehension? This term can encompass a lot – listening comprehension, speaking comprehension, and reading comprehension. In this post, we’ll explore language comprehension and offer some…
Many struggling readers lack automaticity, which prevents them from becoming fluent readers with good comprehension. Automaticity is what allows us to do things without consciously thinking about them. And when it comes to reading and spelling, automaticity means being able to read and spell words quickly and accurately without having to stop and think about each…
While it’s easy to hear the difference between the hard G and soft G sounds, many readers don’t know why G can make two different sounds. It can be tricky to teach students about the different sounds of G. In this blog post, I will share some tips on how to teach your students the difference…
As a teacher, you know that decoding strategies are essential for all readers. But what are the best ways to teach these strategies? And how can you make sure they’re effective? Check out these tips and ideas for decoding strategies for beginning and struggling readers! What is decoding? Decoding is the term for sounding out…
Have you ever heard of glued sounds before? These tricky chunks can be hard for struggling readers but there are some easy and foolproof ways to help your students learn glued sounds. In this post, I explain what glued sounds are and exactly how to teach them. What are glued sounds? Glued sounds are chunks…