I’m a San Diego reading tutor. I'm so grateful for what I do. I never imagined I would be a reading tutor. Unexpectedly, I met the most inspiring professor of my life…. John …
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Moms of Struggling Readers Hear A Lot of Nonsense…
Moms of struggling readers have to wade through many voices. Everyone has an opinion on why a child can’t read. Explanations pour in from well-meaning friends, family members, teachers and the …
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Phonics & The Educational Neuroscience
Many researchers have compared whole language and phonics. One of the most striking experiments was done by Bruce McCandliss, a professor of Education at Stanford University. McCandliss is part of an …
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Systematic Phonics & The Brain Science
Expert readers decode and make meaning so effortlessly they may be fooled to believe reading is natural. Research in both education and neuroscience show unequivocally that reading is not natural, …
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Best Read Aloud Children’s Book – Edward the Emu
EDWARD THE EMU BY SHEENA KNOWLES If you’re having a bad day, it might lift your spirits to think,” At least I’m not an emu.” These strange-looking creatures are flightless birds that reside in …
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Mom of a Struggling Reader – Jackie’s Story
Jackie never predicted she'd be a mom of a struggling reader. She remembers the day she waved goodbye to her sociable, friendly five-year old son, Ashton. It was his first day of Kindergarten. He was …
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Best Read Aloud Children’s Book – Can I Keep Him?
“There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we believe we left without having lived them, those we spent with a favorite book.” –Marcel Proust Children’s books transport …
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What is Fluency? How to Improve Fluency?
Fluency is reading speed, the number of words a child reads correctly per minute. A fluent reader can read quickly, automatically and with expression. WHY IS FLUENCY IMPORTANT? Fluency effects …
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Best Read Aloud Children’s Books – The Relatives Came
(When we read aloud to children, we expose them to sophisticated language. Every (other) week, I highlight a brilliantly written children’s book that develops children’s vocabulary, a book in which …
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What Are Early Literacy Skills?
Developing early literacy skills does not mean teaching an under five year old to read. Early literacy skills involve reading and talking to your child and (possibly) teaching letter sounds. SPEAKING …