Background Knowledge & Literacy

Kids and Adults: Time to Chill Out Because Winter Solstice is Upon Us

Each year on December 21, 22, or 23, darkness envelops Earth’s Northern Hemisphere for a bit longer than normal. While what we now know to be the winter solstice has a straightforward astronomical explanation, early myths of why the solstice takes place also share insights into early civilizations’ steps into science. Science ATL Image by […]

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What Do Parents Need to Know About “Summer Slide”–AKA ‘Learning Loss’?

What is “Summer Slide”? Have you ever even heard of this term before?? I just finished a Zoom meeting with a gal who has three adult children and nine grands–I asked her if she had ever heard of the term….guess what, she had not! So you are not alone. According to Scholastic, a whopping 48%

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My Book About How Kids’ Brains Learn to Read and Spell Is About To Be Published! Be One of the First to Get YOUR Copy!!

WHEN? My new book entitled Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen will be published at the end of May, which coincides with the end of the school year. Timing of the publication is perfect for several reasons including: With adult guidance, this book is appropriate for children beginning at age 8. Older students

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Does Your Child(ren) or Student(s) Struggle With Reading? I’m So Passionate About Helping Kids Learn To Read and Spell, I Wrote A Book!

WHY DO I SUGGEST STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE READING/SPELLING/WRITING BRAIN PROCESSES? Let’s talk about this phrase: “Knowledge is POWER.” Don’t you agree? The more students of any age know abour how a task is accomplished, it’s got to have a positive outcome. Children and parents alike are often confused and upset when things aren’t going well

Does Your Child(ren) or Student(s) Struggle With Reading? I’m So Passionate About Helping Kids Learn To Read and Spell, I Wrote A Book! Read More »

Do YOU Worry About (Your) Kids (or Adults!) Who Struggle with Reading and Writing? I Worry Too, So I Called Upon Some Neurons!

My first book Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen will be published this spring! You will be able to find it on Amazon and all your favorite online book retailers too. SO I WROTE THIS BOOK…WHY? Well…. It is my belief that all children have the right to be taught literacy skillls. According to

Do YOU Worry About (Your) Kids (or Adults!) Who Struggle with Reading and Writing? I Worry Too, So I Called Upon Some Neurons! Read More »

‘Tis the Season to be Give and Receive. Do Our Children Know How to Express Gratitude in Writing?? Let Me Show You How and Tell You Why!

Why Write a Thank You Note? A thank you note is simply an effective and simple way to show appreciation for the kindness of others in terms of generosity and support.. One can write a thank you note not only for gifts received (’tis the season), but also for any kind gesture including, but not

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“It’s Just TOO MUCH Work!!”

For some students, even able ones, reading is just “too much” work. A little parable is then offered in support of teaching literacy skills efficiently, effectively, and in accordance with what we now know about how the human brain learns to read–in other words–aligned to The Science of Reading. HERE IS THE STORY — EVERYONE

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What Do Parents Need to Know About Reading Fluency?

A question from a teacher this week prompted this article. The teacher writes:  I tutor a 9 year old student with a diagnosis of dyslexia. This student has been taught ‘the code’ (I take that to mean this student is familiar with most, if not many sound/symbol relationships). This student’s first or ‘cold read’ is

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Happy New Year 2023: Looking Back to Look Forward

Nursery Rhymes, sometimes called Mother Goose Rhymes, have been in existence as early as the 14th century. They were sung and repeated to young children, even before much of the population was literate. And many of the authors of these rhymes are unknown. So what gives? WHAT ABOUT NURSERY RHYMES? Human beings, in many if

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A Recipe for Literacy Success!

Since it is November with the holidays upon us all, a nod to cooking seemed appropriate to me.  What does cooking have to do with literacy development?  What can YOU do to ‘whip up’ successful literacy instruction whether you are a parent or a teacher or a teacher of teachers? Let’s start with this… I

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