From my experiences as an elementary teacher, reading tutor, and parent, I've found that there are three general reading categories into which kids fit; and different types of readers need different kinds of learning opportunities. As a parent, how do you find out what kind of reader your child is? Can they improve? How can you best assist you...

The variety of words and terms in the English language are what make it such a rich and wonderful language. Written descriptions can be so vivid that they paint realistic pictures in our minds. Recognizing and understanding words and their meanings help to augment comprehension and broaden speaking vocabularies. Games that promote practice and repe...

"If the English Language made any sense, lackadaisical would have something to do with a shortage of flowers."   - Doug Larson, Author The English language seems to have more exceptions than rules, multitudes of letter combinations that produce the same sounds, masses of words that have more than one meaning, verbs that possess different ...

Your child has learned the letters of the alphabet, the sounds the letters make, and has mastered several sight words. He is ready to put it all together. He is ready to read! You eagerly choose a book for him and he tries his best. He reads some of the words and you're really proud of him. But he becomes frustrated when he frequently runs into wor...

Daily routines, or habits, are comforting. Adults and children flourish with set routines because we know what to expect and what is expected of us. In addition to already established household and school routines, a daily reading routine can have a great impact upon your child's level of reading success. With recurrent time dedicated to reading, y...

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must lay it down and commence living on its hint … what I began reading I must finish by acting." – Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), American author, poet, philosopher, and historian Although comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, extending themselves beyond the story is what will prop...

The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension. When children understand what they're reading, they will truly enjoy the activity so that learning happens naturally. Reading becomes the means to an end for a lifelong learner. Lifelong learners are curious and continuously seek out information to expand their knowledge base. They take that informatio...

"This is so stupid." "I'll never get this." "I hate reading!" "I give up!" I have heard these statements and countless others throughout my years of teaching. There is a large segment of the student population to whom reading just does not come easily. I call these children  challenged readers because learning to read is so challenging for the...

For years, we have been aware of the importance of building up and strengthening the self-esteem of our children. With a healthy respect for themselves, children can better handle the ups and downs life will undoubtedly show them. Those who have a high self-esteem can more easily handle conflicts and persevere to find solutions to problems. Childre...

Every teacher struggles to accommodate learners at various levels of readiness. As you teach a lesson to your entire class, you try to adapt the learning experience so that all can grasp it and be properly challenged at the same time. All educators are well aware that in every class there are children whose learning appetites are insatiable ( class...

As a teacher and tutor, I cannot tell you how often I've heard a child say, "I can't read," "I'll never read," or "Reading is too hard." These children have already made up their minds that they are not a member of the "exclusive" club of readers. They believe the task is somehow out of their reach. So, I'll often ask them if they play a sport, ins...

A CLASSIC READER™ is one to whom the reading process comes easily and who naturally finds reading to be a pleasurable activity. Some children struggle with the acquisition of reading skills while the classic reader learns rather quickly and without much assistance. I believe classic readers are made from the experience of being read to consistently...