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My REALLY BRIGHT CHILD is STRUGGLING to Learn to READ and WRITE!

10/14/2018

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Many REALLY BRIGHT kids STRUGGLE UNEXPECTEDLY to learn to READ and WRITE. 

Often, this is due to undiagnosed memory, retrieval, processing, and/or directionality issues. 

Because these kids are so smart, however, many teachers and parents often think that their kids are just "not trying hard enough" or that they are "being lazy".  Many often think it's just a "developmental issue" and that they will get it with "more time" and "more practice".


But "more time" and "more practice" only works if the right foundation has been laid.  No amount of extra time or practice will help a dyslexic child learn to read and write well if the base skills are still missing and not being filled in adequately.

And while these skills are missing and not being filled in, undiagnosed dyslexics who aren't getting the help they need often SUFFER emotionally from constant:

FRUSTRATION-- Seeing other kids quickly grasp how to read and write while they just can't seem to make sense of it all

DIFFICULTIES-- Struggling no matter how hard they work or try

NERVES-- Feeling anxious and scared every time a new skill is introduced or a test is given because they have no idea if it will be something that will end up being extremely hard or easy for them

DISCOURAGEMENT-- Feeling like they'll never get it, never be as smart as their peers

FEAR-- Afraid someone will find out how "stupid" they really are, afraid that their weaknesses will be exposed in front of their friends and classmates, afraid that they'll fail and/or be retained, afraid that they will disappoint their teachers and loved ones, afraid that people working with them will get mad at them when they don't know the answer...AGAIN

SELF-DOUBT-- Doubting  that they'll ever really "get it" or measure up

WORRY-- Worried that they'll get in trouble for not knowing something they once knew or that was just explained, worried that they won't be able to do what they are being asked to do, worried that they will FAIL (expecially publicly)

CHALLENGES-- Constantly facing new challenges and having to work harder than their peers just to keep up

DESPAIR-- Feeling hopeless and frustrated because no matter how hard they try, it just doesn't get any easier

BAD HABITS-- Guessing words, writing the least amount possible, giving up, throwing tantrums, lashing out, not paying attention

DISTRACTIONS-- Getting distracted by noises around them, movement, etc.

FAILURE-- Constantly not meeting other peoples' expectations, no matter how hard they try; receiving failing grades for tests and quizzes that they studied really hard for but just couldn't remember the information for

LIMITS-- Being told that they "can't check out THAT book" or be in THAT reading group

ANXIETY-- Nervousness over what's to come.  More failure???  Embarrassment???  Difficulties???  Confusion??? 

RESISTANCE-- Wanting to avoid school and schoolwork because it's hard

OBSTACLES-- Having to work around memory, retrieval, processing, and directionality issues

STRUGGLES-- Having to learn to persevere despite constant struggles...

Dyslexia doesn't go away when a child learns to read and write, but learning to read and write certainly helps.  If your child is struggling to learn to read and write, don't give up! 

Find a program that will work for your child. 

If you haven't found one yet, stay tuned! 

BLACK BELT READING is coming!  It is backed up by science and, better yet, it is backed up by RESULTS! 
We are helping kids BUST THROUGH DYSLEXIA, one reader at a time!

Contact me privately if you can't wait for the official launch, and I will consider you for our beta program! Email me at [email protected] with the Subject Title: Blackbelt Reading -- Please help me teach my child to read!

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11 Lessons I've Learned From Working With My Dyslexic Students

7/29/2018

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1.  Never give up. You can not progress if you give up. Struggle isn’t a sign to stop but to keep going. Get help if you need it.  Find someone who can teach in a way that makes sense to you, and let them help guide you through the struggle.  Those who continue to persevere through difficulties are the ones who succeed.

2.  Difficult does not mean impossible. Just because something is a challenge for you to learn doesn’t mean that you can’t learn it.  If you break it down and practice it for long enough, you can learn anything!  Sometimes you end up being even better at it than the people who were born with more natural skills for it because you worked harder at it than they did and became even better in the process!

3.  There's more than one kind of "smart".  You can be extremely smart and still struggle to learn certain things, particularly those that require rote memorization. You might be a great thinker, inventor, mathematician, actor, psychologist, etc.  You don't have to be "smart" in everything to be smart!  Most kids who struggle with dyslexia are extremely intelligent!

4.  Being "just like everyone else" is overrated.  Differences come with gifts.  You might struggle in school but rock in art, music, sports, creative writing, or personal relationships.  Everyone has a different but important path to walk.  Find your strengths and capitalize on them!

5.  Attitude is everything! If you think you can and keep trying until you actually can, you will; if you think you can’t and continue to give up when the going gets tough, you probably won’t.  Those who keep a positive attitude, listen carefully, and put in the work tend to progress the quickest and be happiest while doing so!  Those with poor coping skills and bad attitudes make learning frustrating and end up taking so much longer to succeed than is necessary.

6.  What you do when people aren’t looking makes the biggest difference!  It’s not about simply performing when asked; it’s committing yourself and your private time to practicing new, improved skills until you have mastered them, regardless of how long that takes.  Those who review, practice, and utilize their new skills when people aren’t around are the ones who move the fastest forward. 

7.  There is no replacing/getting around practice.  You might “know” something in your head, but only dedicated and consistent practice forms the muscle memory you need to be truly successful with it.  Practice, practice, practice...even when you don't feel like it or want to!

8.  Every struggle exists for a reason and comes with a gift. You might not understand your struggles when you are in the midst of them, but they help mold and shape you into the person you were meant to be.  My struggles enable me to understand others who struggle.  They have given me great reasoning/decoding skills which have allowed me to not only teach dyslexics to read but to create a program that others can use to teach dyslexics to read.  I might not be able to memorize easily or remember much of what I have learned, but I can teach anything I know, and I can create things no one else has ever thought of!  Your struggles are meant to make you weaker; they are meant to make you more powerful!

9.  There is always someone who can help you with your struggles.  You don't have to tackle life alone when it is challenging.  Find someone who can help.  There is always someone who has not only faced your struggle and gotten through it, but who can help as well.  Keep looking until you find him or her. Not every teacher or tutor knows how to help struggling readers and writers, but the right ones will.  Look for teachers who understand and specialize in helping dyslexics.  They should not just “teach phonics” but truly understand the code behind our language.

10.  Perseverance pays off.  Growth takes time, especially when you are learning a whole new way of doing something. You might want a fix NOW, but new skills take time to build, especially when you’ve been reinforcing bad or incorrect habits for a long time.  The greatest results come from being willing to listen and to continue trying even when it seems like the frustration will never end.  Perseverance is the will to continue even when you are tired of the struggle.  It’s what allows you to finally succeed. 

11.  Behind every successful (but once struggling) dyslexic is a parent or family member who insisted on getting help.  Don’t wait for your child to “grow out of it”. “More practice” only helps if you are doing the right kind of practice.  Get help as soon as you notice a problem.  Backwards letters, trouble learning and/or remembering sight words, struggling to learn common spelling patterns, difficulty learning how to tie shoes, problems telling time, and trouble learning math facts are all signs of dyslexia.  The best time to intervene is as soon as you notice a problem; the next best time (if you haven’t done anything about it yet) is now. 
 
Wishing you all the best and much success,
Katy Huller

www.KidsCanReadandWrite.com

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Please Stop Teaching Sight Words to Struggling Readers!

1/25/2018

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An open letter to teachers of students struggling to learn to read.  *Names have been taken out to protect those involved!
 
Dear Teacher,
 
(My student’s) mother asked me to write to you to explain why I don’t want you to do the sight word intervention with (her child).  Hope this email helps to clear things up.  If you have further questions, however, feel free to contact me.
 
To make a long story short, I work with kids who tend to have speech, memory, processing, directionality, and/or retrieval issues.  Although many of these kids are never officially diagnosed, they often have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities.  When they come to me, most are in the habit of miscalling words, saying such things as “the” for “this”, “a” for “I”, “we” for “he”, “have” for “has”, “can” for “and”, etc.  Because of their visual processing issues and poor memories, they just can’t keep similar-looking words straight.  As they get older, they continue to make these switches and many others…until they are taught to read from left to right, looking for “tricks” (digraphs, diphthongs, etc) as they go.  Unfortunately, even after they have worked very hard to correct the problem, kids like these who were encouraged to learn sight words before they were actually taught how to read words often struggle with inadvertent word switches like these forever, frequently calling out similar-looking words instead of the correct ones whenever they stop paying very close attention to the letter order.  As you can probably imagine, this tends to affect their comprehension and enjoyment of reading.  We are trying to prevent this from happening to (my student).
 
When (my student) first came to me, he did not know most of his letters and sounds.  He didn’t attempt to read any words.  He had severe speech issues as well.  I had to teach him how to make the sounds the letters made as well as help him to remember each one.  Then I worked on teaching him to blend sounds together.  He has been progressing very nicely ever since…except when he tries to just “magically” know the word without sounding it out.  Then he starts getting the words all mixed up.  When I see this happening with my students, I always caution parents to stop working on sight words with their kids because I don’t want them to mistrain their brains and create a habit that is nearly impossible to break completely.
 
I can always tell when someone is working on sight words with my students (or encouraging to “figure out words through context”) because my students go from sounding everything out to “guess reading,” where they just try to “know” words instead of figuring them out.  Every time (my student) starts to do this, his reading goes downhill.  For example, one day, instead of reading, “He has a rash on his leg.”, (my student) read, “We have a rash on him leg.”  He switched “in” and “on” in another sentence.  I had to remind him to go back to reading not “guessing”.  Once I got him sounding out the words again, he began to read the words correctly again. 
 
In short, kids who show that they struggle to keep the sight words straight should not be taught to read through “sight word practice”.  Being asked to look at words and say them quickly upon seeing them miswires their brains and causes long-lasting damage to their fragile reading skills.  I have seen it happen time and time again over my last two decades of teaching.  I’d hate for it to happen to (my student) as well.  I’m sure that you would, too.
 
I can assure you that we will be working on the words on your lists as they fit in with whatever “trick” I am teaching (my student).  That way he can continue to build the good habit of looking at words from left to right to read them rather than very quickly looking “at” them, which often causes him to confuse similar-looking words.  As we go over more and more “tricks”, you should find that (my student) will be able to read more and more.  Eventually, he should be able to read well above his expected level.  His speech should improve as well.
 
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  This is a cause near and dear to my heart.  Together we can help students like (my student) learn to read and write successfully.  That’s what it’s all about.
 
All my best,
Katy Huller
 
www.KidsCanReadandWrite.com
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Wondering If Your Child Might Have Dyslexia???

2/14/2016

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Have a really smart kid struggling to learn to read and write?  It could be due to dyslexia. (Scroll to the bottom for free checklist.)

Dyslexia is generally characterized as an inability to read and write at grade level despite average to above-average intelligence and a decent upbringing/education.  Spelling, writing, listening, speaking, and memory skills may also be impacted.  Directionality is another common weakness, often leading to seeing and/or writing letters backwards, having trouble with mirror imaging, experiencing difficulty with left/right distinction, and encountering perpetual challenges finding one's way around new buildings, places, etc, particularly when multiple turns and/or nondescript hallways are involved.

Dyslexia is often accompanied by ADD/ADHD, and is thought to be genetic.  Unfortunately, true dyslexia is not something that will go away.  It is a persistent, lifelong problem with memory, retrieval, processing, and/or directionality issues that ranges from mild to severe.  Because every dyslexic is different, your child might only have one area of weakness or many.  There is no "one size fits all" diagnosis.  One dyslexic might have a terrific memory and quick retrieval but be riddled with processing and directionality issues, while another might have both a horrible memory and  persistent retrieval issues, but few processing and/or directionality issues. Others might have difficulty in ALL areas.  Furthermore, some kids might just have slight issues in certain areas, while others have much more severe ones.

Early warning signs of dyslexia frequently include such things as trouble learning the alphabet, writing letters backwards, struggling to recognize "sight words," having trouble learning to tie shoes, misspeaking one word for another (tornado-->tomato, dishwasher-->washing machine), and experiencing difficulty pronouncing multi-syllable words (spaghetti-->psghetti, animal-->aminal).  Many dyslexic kids also tend to have trouble hearing rhymes, finding their way around, writing neatly, and coming up with certain words they know but can't quite get hold of in the minute.  You might hear them say things like, "You know...that THING..."  Generally, they can see whatever it is they are trying to say in their minds; they just can't quite retrieve the word in that particular moment. 

Another frustrating thing that many dyslexics have to deal with is forgetting what they have "learned."  Despite knowing something really well one moment or day, they might seem completely oblivious to it the next.  "But you KNOW this," you might hear yourself saying.  But they don't.  At least not in that moment.  It might come back later.  Or it might really be gone.  Oftentimes, dyslexics' minds are like sand sifters, allowing whatever gets placed within to slowly sift back out. In this case, the dyslexic must relearn the information to know it again, or at least be reminded of the information so that his or her memory can be jogged.  Many dyslexics resort to constant note taking and/or list making to make up for this in later years.

The good news?  Kids with dyslexia CAN learn to read and write.  They simply must be taught in a way that their brains understand.  This requires that they understand WHY words say what they say so they can use their main strength (dynamic reasoning skills) to figure out what their brains can't remember and/or see accurately upon first sight.  Systematic, explicit, sequential, high-quality instruction in phonics, accompanied by consistent, meaningful, real-world practice can help dyslexic kids make tremendous gains, often enabling them to catch back up with their peers and read on or even above grade level. 

Keep in mind that dyslexia has nothing to do with actual intelligence.  Dyslexic kids can be super-smart, even GIFTED.  Dyslexia is a processing/memory issue that impacts the WAY a person learns and/or processes information, not WHAT they can learn and/or process.  The thinking part of the brain is unaffected.  In fact, dyslexics are often superior when it comes to dynamic reasoning, seeing the "big picture," interpersonal skills, narrative reasoning, solving puzzles/problems, artistic endeavors, three-dimensional thinking, and leadership skills.  While certain tasks may be more difficult for dyslexics to master quickly, particularly school tasks which often require rote memorization and quick retrieval, others will come much easier for dyslexics and allow for them to shine.

If your child is struggling to learn to read and/or write, look for a quality tutoring program and get help ASAP.  If your child needs certain accommodations to perform well in school, get the testing required done to enable this.  For best results, look for a certified dyslexia testing specialist in your area.  Early intervention and a proper diagnosis can help your child not only succeed, but thrive.

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, More Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!


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3 Heartbreaking Words No Parent Ever Wants to Hear -- "I'm So STUPID!"...and Why Kids Often Say Them

9/14/2015

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“I’m so STUPID!” -- three heartbreaking words you never want to hear your kids say.  Yet, if your kids struggle in school, you are likely to hear these horrific words come out on more than one occasion as they mentally (and often physically) chastise themselves for forgetting something that they feel as if they should already know.

The truth is that many of these struggling kids are anything but stupid.  In fact, many are actually GIFTED.  They are just dyslexic. 

Often, these are kids with incredible acting skills…storytelling skills…survival skills…intrapersonal skills…athletic skills…math skills…musical skills…art skills…building skills...mechanical skills...and so much more.  These are kids who absolutely SHINE in so many other areas…who are bright, capable, fun, inquisitive, hard-working, talented, and personable…but who are also suffering from memory, retrieval, and directional issues, among others. 

Because of their dyslexic tendencies, many of these kids have a really difficult time learning to read, remembering irregular (and even regular) spelling patterns, writing letters correctly, and memorizing just about any random facts or figures (especially math facts).  They can also have trouble quickly retrieving what they do know, making timed tests a virtual nightmare.  To make matters worse, what they finally manage to “master” one day is often quickly forgotten by the next.  As a result, they soon discover that they must continuously practice/review any random facts, methods, or processes they wish to retain.  Otherwise, their “neat-freak memory banks” will deem it "useless information" and quickly release it once more. 

To get an idea of what it's like to be dyslexic and have retention and/or retrieval issues, imagine having everything you ever put on your computer, tablet, or phone quickly relegated to the recycle bin and then erased permanently if you didn't bother to look at it for a couple of days.  All of your pictures.  Emails.  Texts.  Calendar events.  Notes.  Games.  Addresses.  Everything.  This is what it’s like for many dyslexics.  Every new process is a bit slower because they have to go through an additional step (the recycle bin) to get to it.  And what they don’t continue to use (or attach to a special memory), they lose, often within days of successfully acquiring it.  They know this.  And they know that most of their peers and loved ones don't have to deal with this.  And so they make the horrific and life-altering conclusion that loving parents and caring teachers cringe violently in response to – “I’m so STUPID.”

“You are certainly NOT stupid,” I quickly responded to the last child I heard mutter this.  (He was frustrated over continuing to misspell the same three letter word over and over again as he worked on writing a story.)  “You know how to fix things, build forts, hunt for food, take care of farm animals, play baseball, tell funny stories, read, make friends, etc.  You can do SO MANY things!  Writing, particularly spelling, may not come easily to you, but that does not make you stupid.  EVERYONE has stuff they have to work harder at than others.  This is just your thing to work at.”

He smiled at this news and went back to working on his story.

But I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't break for him.  With at least 9 more years of school ahead of him, he will have many struggles still to come.  He will be constantly asked to do all of the things that are most difficult for him -- write complete sentences and essays to prove he has mastered the information taught, memorize random facts in multiple subjects, spit back information quickly and accurately with time constraints in place, etc.  As he does so, he will have to continuously battle the voice in his head that has already started whispering and nagging (when it's not screaming)..."I'm so STUPID!"

If you are working with a dyslexic child, let him or her know that he or she is NOT stupid.  Remember to praise his or her strengths as well as to acknowledge and help him or her with his or her weaknesses.  Don’t let difficulty with school, particularly with memorization, ruin him or her.  Teach him or her how to work hard for what he or she wants and to come up with ways to compensate for his or her particular weaknesses.  Let him or her know that he or she is not alone and that you will do everything you can to help him or her on his or her journey.  Pledge to be supportive and patient, loving and kind, and, most of all, unrelenting in your belief in him or her and your expectations for him or her.  Show up to school meetings, insist upon the accommodations your child needs, and refuse to let your child fall through the cracks.

Dyslexics can be extremely high achievers despite the difficulties that they face.  Just look at Henry Winkler, Jennifer Aniston, William Hewlett, Charles Schwab, Leonardo da Vinci, John Lennon, Henry Ford, Agatha Christie, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison. No one would dare to call them “stupid”…at least not anymore!

Wishing you all the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, More Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!





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Wondering if You Should Retain Your Child this Year?

8/18/2015

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As the new school year begins, many parents of struggling students begin to wonder if their child is really ready to move on...or if he or she would be better off repeating his or her last grade.

The mere thought of retention brings up a myriad of questions.  Will it help?  Will it hurt?  Could it be the answer to the tears...the tantrums...the conflict...the dropping grades...the developing low self-esteem issues?  Desperate parents want to know.  They are...well... DESPERATE...to know.

Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer.  While research generally shows retention to be a stressful life event with little to no true, long-lasting, positive returns, there ARE certain kids who could benefit from the extra time, generally those smaller, younger, less mature kids who are already struggling in pre-k, kindergarten, or first grade.  To decide whether or not the extra time would benefit your child, think about the following:

1.  Would your child mind being held back? 

If your child would be upset about being retained, it's probably not the best idea.  Better to stick with getting your child the additional support he or she needs through private tutoring and/or special school programs.  While this might entail lots of extra work and a stressful year (or two), your child is likely to catch up as long as he or she doesn't have a severe learning disability holding him or her back.  In fact, whether you decide to retain your child or not, targeted tutoring from a skilled expert in your child's field of need is always a recommended solution. 

On the other hand, if your child is on the young, immature side and wouldn't mind being held back, the extra year could give him or her the time he or she needs to learn to read, write, gain a better number sense, etc. without the added stress of being held accountable for tons of new concepts piled on top of the ones he or she is already struggling to learn.  An immature pre-k or kindergarten student might actually ENJOY being held back rather than thrown into a higher grade full of more challenging work assignments and increased expectations, especially if he or she already has friends about to enter the grade he or she would rejoin...and doesn't have any younger siblings in the grade below.  Still, keep in mind that if you decide to retain your child, the key will be getting your child targeted help by someone truly skilled in teaching whatever areas your child is currently struggling to grasp.  Don't fool yourself into thinking the extra year itself will make the difference.  Most likely, your child is in need of more direct, explicit instruction to catch up.  Don't waste the extra time merely hoping another year will do the trick.

2.  Does your child have a learning disability? 

If your child has a significant learning disability, he or she will probably always struggle to learn new material.  This isn't likely to change.  While an extra year might give you and your child a little breathing time to catch up with missed concepts and skills, you will most likely be back in the "lion's den" as soon as new material is once again being introduced.  And if your child suffers from memory issues, which is often the case for struggling students, he or she is likely to keep forgetting the material he or she ends up "mastering" during this extra year and needing constant reteaching anyway.  Because of this, an additional year is not likely to change your situation much.  It will only give you a bit of a rest.  So, again, the question would be more about maturity level, age, "the basics," and how tired you both are.  If your child is immature, young for his or her grade, still missing the very basics, and/or extremely stressed out over homework and school, an extra year might be a welcomed relief.  It might give your child the time he or she needs to gain some necessary reading, writing, and computation skills.  But the real solution will still require intensive, systematic, direct instruction strategies, otherwise known as targeted tutoring, from a skilled expert.  And you will need to be realistic about your gains.  They will probably be lost within 1-3 years.  Still, an extra year to gain necessary reading, writing, and "number sense" skills can sometimes be extremely useful in the earliest school years, particularly in pre-k and kindergarten. 

If your child doesn't have a severe learning disability and is merely behind for some reason or another (missed school days, an ineffective teacher, poor focus, new to the country/area, etc.), targeted tutoring by a master teacher should help your child learn whatever skills he or she is currently missing, enabling him or her to catch up during the next school year.  If this is the case, retention is rarely a good idea.  The only reason you might consider it would be if your child is EXTREMELY far behind, young, and/or emotionally immature, and you think the extra year is needed for time, language, and/or maturity purposes.

3.  What are you hoping to gain?

This is really an important question to ask.  What are you hoping to gain? 

If you are simply hoping to gain TIME and LESS STRESS, retention might be the solution.  At least temporarily.  Just keep in mind that time and less stress are not "cure-alls" -- except sometimes in the case of immaturity, chronic absenteeism, English as a Second Language issues, and other largely non-academic areas of concern.  Once again, any real academic improvement will most likely require effective educational interventions.  Period.  Developmentally-appropriate, intensive, systematic, and direct instruction from a MASTER TEACHER is vital to helping struggling students in their time of need.  Sometimes you and/or school personnel can fill this need; other times, you must seek outside help.    If you think extra time will help you do this, retention can be a plausible solution.  You'll have fewer new concepts to deal with and will probably have less "extra" homework as well.  Plus, your child will probably feel more comfortable with the material, and will thus have a little less anxiety to deal with. All of this can lead to more time to focus on whatever your child really needs to learn, often basic reading, writing, and computational skills.

If retention is not an option you would like to pursue, however, a gifted teacher and/or tutor can often help your child make the necessary gains (particularly with reading, writing, and general computation) if you are both able and willing to put in the extra hours necessary to help your child master the new information and skills...on top of all of his or her other requirements.  You just need to be prepared for a double dose of stress and homework for a while.  If this sounds like a better plan to you, forced promotion might be a better route.  It will most likely mean a really challenging year to struggle through, but it will allow your child to avoid the long-term stigma that often accompanies the notion of "being held back."

In the end, you will need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of either retaining your child or forcing the promotion.  Once a child has fallen behind, there is no simple solution.  Do some research.  Talk to your child's teachers.  Ask your child what he or she thinks.  Then weigh all of your options.  Just remember that targeted help in any difficult subject areas is a MUST, whether or not you decide to hold your child back.  And while a little extra time can sometimes help get a child back on track, if your child has a learning disability, he or she will probably always struggle to master new, challenging material.  If you fear this is the case, formal testing and a long-term educational plan will almost certainly be a better option, especially after the k/1 years.

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller

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Do Your Kids FREAK OUT When They Get to Long Words?

3/2/2015

4 Comments

 
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Some kids take one look at a somewhat lengthy word and decide that there is NO WAY they'll ever be able to read it.  While many of these kids FREAK OUT and give up on the passage, story, or book altogether, others end up either guessing what the word says, skipping over it as if it never existed, or mumbling through it, hoping you won't notice and call their attention back to it.  But you need to.  Guessing words, skipping words, and/or mumbling through them is no way to really read.  And giving up, well, that's certainly no solution.

To help prevent future freak outs and ease your kids' anxieties over long words (as well as to improve your kids' reading and comprehension skills), teach your kids to tackle these literary giants with grace and ease.  Begin by telling them that reading long words is one of your favorite things to do and that you can't wait to show them how to do it!  Then tell them that big words are simply made up of smaller words/parts, and that you will teach them how to read the big words one smaller word/part at a time.  Let them know that in no time, they will be MASTERS at reading those currently-intimidating storybook monsters...and that you will be super patient (and will help them as much as necessary) until that time comes. Be excited as you prep them for this new adventure, and make sure you follow through on your promises to be patient! 

Breaking Up Long Words -- the Easy Way!

Once your kids are emotionally ready to tackle this new quest, it's time to actually show them what to do!  First, tell your kids to find the vowels (a, e, i, o, and u...and sometimes y).  Have them start at the beginning of the word when they do so.  You can have them underline the vowels that they find, if you want.  After they have found all of the vowels, have them start at the first vowel and go one letter past it before drawing a line to break up the word.  Make sure your kids don't break up vowel pairs or other "tricks" or blends as they do so.  Tell your kids to continue to go through the word in this manner until they get to the end of the word (or until only one letter would be left).  The point is to break the word into smaller parts (not into single letters), so have them avoid breaking the word up at the very end if only one letter would remain in the final chunk. Likewise, there is no need to put a line at the very end of a word.  When they are done, each segmented chunk should have at least one vowel with it, even if that vowel is a y!  As they get more proficient at spotting the vowels and breaking up words, encourage them to create the chunks in their minds as they read the word (as opposed to stopping to underline the vowels and actually draw the lines).  This will make reading long words a faster process.  But, if actually breaking up the word helps them to read better, by all means, let them underline and segment!

Examples:
 
     insisted --> in/sis/ted
     operate--> op/er/ate
     treatment--> treat/ment
     underneath --> un/der/neath
     illustrate --> il/lus/trate
     lemonade --> lem/on/ade
     supported --> sup/por/ted
     continent --> con/tin/ent
     understand --> un/der/stand
     deliver --> del/iv/er
     thermometer --> ther/mom/et/er
     hesitantly --> hes/it/ant/ly
     suspended --> sus/pen/ded

Sounding the Word Out

After your kids have broken up the word in question successfully, it's time to have them sound it out!  Tell them to sound out one chunk/segment at a time, putting each part together before moving on to the next one.  Make sure you praise and/or help your kids as they work through each segment.  Point to the letters they should be sounding out as they do so.  This will help them keep their eyes focused.  It should also reinforce that the letters will tell them what the word says, if only they will stick to them and read all the way until the end.

Once your kids have sounded out all of the segments in a given word, it's time to put the segments together!  Point back to the first segment, and slowly move through the rest, having your kids say the completed segments as you point to them.  Be careful not to let big pauses separate them.  Ideally, you want to go from one segment to the next, without any long or hesitant pauses.  If necessary, stop and let your kids resound out any forgotten or botched segments.  Continue to repeat this process until your kids can say each segment correctly when you point to it.  They may need to go through the word a few times before they can do this quickly enough to "hear" the word being said.  They may also need to play with which syllable gets the emphasis.  That's normal for beginning readers.  Be patient and help your kids blend the segments together as you go back through them, putting less and less of a pause between each one as you do so.  "Hearing" the word being said is easier and more natural for some kids than for others.  If your kids are having trouble "hearing" the word being said, tell them to continue sounding out the word until they can hear it.  Remind them to emphasize different syllables, if needed.  Help them slowly blend the syllables together if they just can't get the word on their own.

Dealing With Processing Issues

If your kids struggle to keep the segments straight and begin switching sounds around, creating new words, you'll need to go even slower through this process.  Re-emphasize each segment, making sure your kids have the individual parts back in their brains properly.  Then help your kids put the first two segments together.  Add one more segment at a time, until the whole word has been fully reassembled. 

Kids with processing issues often spontaneously rearrange random sounds and/or chunks when putting multi-syllable words together.  They can't help it, and will likely need extra help (and a lot more patience) when learning how to read 3 or 4 syllable words.  Be patient and supportive, and keep going through the current word slowly until all of the parts get reconnected properly.  If you are sounding the words out correctly, this process should get easier and easier over time, but with processing issues, there is no guarantee. 

In any case, try to ease any anxiety your kids might have, and just keep going through whatever troublesome word is getting mixed up good-naturedly until it is discovered, once and for all.  As you do so, make sure your kids' eyes are staying focused on the letters and not lifting up to look at you.  Make sure any struggling kids are not fidgeting as well; oftentimes, a twirling finger or roaming hand can be just enough to distract the brain from being successful.  Review troublesome words often to help your kids get more comfortable with them.

Making Sure the Foundation is in Place

Of course, for this method of segmenting big words to work, your kids will need to understand how to read small words/blend sounds together.  They'll also have to be familiar with the many phonetic "tricks" that will pop up along the way.  Oftentimes, kids who have trouble reading long words are also unfamiliar with the many "tricks" that are found within them.  They may also need help with basic blending and/or letter sounds.  Work on these as needed. 

If you need help teaching your kids the many "tricks," you can order our Trick Practice Cards -- Set 1 and our Tricks Practice Cards -- Set 2.  These cover almost all of the "tricks" your kids need to know.  You can also use our Free Word Card Program.  This will help your kids practice each "trick" as they learn them.  If you don't feel comfortable teaching your kids the "tricks" and/or how to read, consider looking for a good tutor in your area.  Dyslexic students and other struggling readers often do very well once taught phonics through an explicit, systematic approach. 

Wishing You Luck...and MUCH Success!

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!  When practicing long words in isolation, don't forget to have your kids tell you what each one means and/or use it in a sentence!  When reading long words in books that you can't write in, simply have your kids use their fingers to locate the vowels and/or break them up!  You can check to see if they know what the word means after they have read it and/or have finished the sentence it was contained in.

Remember -- reading should be FUN!  Help your kids learn to enjoy it by teaching them what they REALLY need to know to figure out those long, unknown words.  Before you know it, they will be FREAKING OUT over how good the book they are reading is rather than how long the words are within it!

Wishing you all the best and much success,
Katy Huller

4 Comments

Get Your Kids Writing in 7 Easy Steps!

11/13/2014

3 Comments

 
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Having trouble getting your kids writing?  Wondering how to get your older kids to stop replacing what they really want to say with bland, easy-to-spell words and sentences?  Worried your kids will never be able to write full pages of readable text?  You are not alone.  So many of the parents and teachers who bring their kids to me for tutoring and/or who ask me for advice are worried about the same things. 

Let's get one thing straight.  When I say "writing," I am NOT talking about copying someone else's written words onto a paper. I am also not talking about letter formation and/or how neat the handwriting is or isn't. Nor am I talking about writing perfect sentences with a few key memorized words.  (I'll post about improving handwriting and the danger of teaching kids to write by using memorized words and/or wall words another time.)  Rather, I am talking about the ability to write any word, thought, or sentence that comes to mind freely and effortlessly.    Real writing.  The kind you are expected to be able to do for the rest of your life.  The kind some people get paid to do.  The kind all kids WANT to do before they are turned off to writing because it seems "too hard," "too confusing," or "too boring." 

Trust me, writing doesn't have to be a chore for your kids.  It can be fun and rewarding.  It can be EASY!  But first your kids will have to understand how to take the thoughts in their heads and translate them into the symbols that go on the paper.  That's the key.  Teach them this, and they will be free to write whatever they can think up, not just what they have managed to memorize.  Once they have this part down, you can help them clean up their spelling, penmanship, etc. 

Follow the steps below and help make the mystery of writing become clear to your kids!

Step 1:  Make sure your kids know their letters and sounds (both capitals and lowercase).  Knowing letters and sounds is a MUST!  All words are made up of them!  If your kids don't know their letters and sounds yet, they are not ready to write.  To teach them their letters and sounds, come up with age-appropriate activities.  You might read alphabet books with your kids, play with refrigerator magnets, utilize bathtub letters, do alphabet puzzles, bake alphabet cookies, listen to alphabet songs, play with alphabet apps, watch alphabet videos, etc.  If your kids are older and behind on learning letters and sounds, you might just write the letters (capital and small) on a paper and go over 5 or more of them at a time until your kids have learned them all.     The more you surround your kids with letters and sounds, the faster they should pick them up!  And the more they understand letters and sounds, the easier it will be to teach your kids to write!


Step 2:  Show your kids how letters and sounds work together to make words.  Once your kids are comfortable with letters and sounds, it is time to show them how letters and sounds work together to make words.  There are two parts to this.  First, they need to see how letter sounds can be blended together to make words. Ex.) /c/-/a/-/t/ --> cat.  Second, they need to see how spoken words can be segmented back down into their individual letter parts.  Ex.) cat --> /c/-/a/-/t/.  Generally, this is the most challenging step of teaching your kids to read and/or write!  If you have no idea how to do this step, check out the first book in my new Kids Can READ and WRITE! series -- Kids Can! READ and WRITE! 2 and 3 Letter Words!  It will guide you through the process, step by step.  It is extremely easy to follow (whether you are a parent or a teacher), and it has everything you need to get your kids blending and segmenting their first words!  In any case, once your kids have the general idea of how letters and sounds work together, help them use this knowledge to begin labeling their pictures.  Start with simple words like sun, tree, grass, etc.  Help your kids sound out each word they want to write.   For instance, when helping your kids spell the word sun, you might say, "/ssss/ /uuuuu/ /n/ -- sun.  What sound do you hear first?... /ssss/ /uuuu/n/."  Once they can tell you "s" and write it down, move on to the next sound, reiterating what you've already done.  You might say something like, "Okay!  We got the first sound!  Let's see what's next!  /ssss/ /uuuuuuuuu/ /n/.  What do you hear right after the s?  (Point to the s and begin sounding out the word again, emphasizing the next needed sound.)  /ssss/ /uuuuuuuuu/ /n/?  (Point to the empty space after the s as you wait for a response.)   Then continue through the word once more, this time emphasizing the /n/ sound.  Once you have finished writing the word, go back and help your child sound it out.  Point to each letter as you do so.  Continue through other words in the same manner.  Once your kids seem to get what you are doing, see if they can do it on their own.  Help as necessary.  Then give them some time on their own to experiment with their new knowledge.  Don't worry about every word being spelled perfectly.  Just check to see if most sounds have been represented.  You can work to correct errors once your kids are more comfortable and confident sounding out words.  Right now, just help them understand the process!  You can help them sound out words if they are missing a lot of sounds, but don't worry about silent letters, etc.  That's for later!  


Step 3:  Teach your kids the "tricks" as they come up.   A lot of people assume that once their kids know letters, sounds, and blending/segmenting techniques, they are all set to read and/or write just about anything.  Then they wonder why their kids are having so much trouble reading and writing new words and/or sentences.  Or why they are leaving out so many letters.  Or why they are putting letters in weird places.  Unfortunately, knowing letters, sounds, and a good blending/segmenting technique will only get you started.  To read and write most words, your kids will need to know the "tricks" as well! To put it simply, "tricks" are letters and/or letter combinations that create new sounds when they appear together or in a certain position in words.  Sh, ch, th, er, or, ar,  oo, ook, tion, and y endings are just a few of these "tricks."  There are at least 32 more!  If you need help learning and/or teaching these, my Tricks Practice Cards can help!  Just make sure you teach them.  Otherwise, your kids will have to memorize pretty much everything they'll ever want to write.  And if they're not great at memorizing, they'll probably either leave a bunch of letters out, start writing the letters in the wrong order, and/or avoid writing new words altogether.  Don't let this happen to your kids!  Instead, teach your kids the "tricks" as they pop up.  Let's say your kids run into the /sh/ sound.  Simply state, "Oh!  That's a "trick!"  When you hear the /sh/ sound, as in /sh/i/p/, you need to put an s and an h.  S and h say, /sh/ when they are together.  That's because they love to tell each other secrets!  You can always hear s and h saying, '/shhhhh/' when they are together!"  Then move on to the next sound!  Remind your kids of this "trick" (and any others) as often as needed until they have internalized it.  If you are working with older kids who are expected to be reading and writing already but who don't know these important "tricks," utilize my FREE Word Card Program to methodically teach them to your kids.  Your kids MUST know the "tricks" to read and/or write new and/or unknown words effectively!


Step 4:  Move your kids into writing sentences with capitals, periods, etc.  Since sentences are just words put together to form a complete thought, as soon as your kids are comfortable sounding out words, move them into writing sentences!  You can start with simple ones and work your way up to more difficult ones.  The best way to do this is to have your kids tell you something they want to write, then help them sound it out, one word at a time.  Before you start, tell your kids that words don't like to get squished together.  Tell them they are much happier when there is at least a finger space between each one!  Then, when you start to write their first sentence with them, let them know that the first word gets to be the "line leader," and show them how to capitalize it.  Let them know that the final word in the sentence gets to be the "caboose" and carry a special ending mark.  Go over the main types of ending marks (., !, and ?) and explain them to your kids.  Then proceed to help your kids write an entire sentence, going back over these "rules," as you get to them.   After helping them through a few sentences, let them practice on their own.  Help as needed.  If you leave to work with other kids, come back as frequently as you can to check on their progress.  If you find they have forgotten their capitals and periods, you can go back  through their stories with them, helping them put their capitals and periods in place as you read each sentence aloud and talk through the process.  If the spaces are missing, don't worry about it.  Just help them write a few new sentences, and go through the process like before.  The more you practice with them, the better they'll get at doing it on their own.


Step 5:  Help your kids learn to spell those crazy "outlaw" words!  As we all know, some words are just weird.  They don't follow any set patterns.  They don't make any logical sense.  And they certainly don't sound the way they are spelled!  When your kids begin writing sentences, a lot of "outlaw" words (words that aren't spelled the way they sound) are bound to pop up. Some of the most common ones include was, where, could, would, should, have, saw, they, were, because, and very. Obviously, you'll need to help your kids learn to spell these.  Some will only need minor adjustments, while others will need larger chunks to be committed to memory.  Don't overwhelm your kids by making them correct every misspelled "outlaw" word.  Simply help them correct a few at a time.  You don't want to discourage them or make them think that writing is too hard.  To help your kids learn how to spell these weird words, help them hear how the word you want them to learn is spelled.  Don't just tell them a long string of letters to remember.  You can say something like, "Oh -- 'was' is an outlaw word!  It sounds like /wuz/, but it's really spelled /was/ (say word like it's spelled with the /a/ sound in the middle).  When you want to write it, remember /was/ (say it like it looks like it should sound, with the short a) -- w, a, s!"  Remind your kids about these words as necessary, repeating what you said before.  Don't hassle them when they misspell the word the next day, just remind them as if it were the first time.  Some kids have better memories than others. 


Step 6:  Give your kids TONS of practice writing!  For your kids to internalize all they have learned about letters, sounds, blending/segmenting, "tricks," and "outlaw" words, they must get a lot of real world practice putting all they know to use!  And they must get it DAILY!  Because of this, it's important to get your kids writing as much as you can throughout the day.  This will give them the time they need to become more fluent when writing, and YOU the time you need to see how they are doing so you can help correct any issues they are still having.  Just remember not to get too nit-picky with your kids' work.  Remember to praise more than you correct.  And when you must make a correction, try saying something like, "Oh!  I haven't taught you this yet -- it's an advanced skill!" or "Oh!  Let me teach you how to spell this tricky word!"  Even if you've taught it before, gently teach it again.  Kids don't make mistakes on purpose.  They make mistakes because their brain glitches or they don't know something fully yet.  Also, remember to make writing time fun!  Let your kids write creative stories, plays, notes, jokes, etc.  Supply them with all sorts of paper, pencils, crayons, etc.  And make sure you speak enthusiastically about writing.  Your attitude about writing will likely have a huge impact on theirs!  One last note of caution -- don't use writing as a punishment!!!  Instead, use it as a reward. Let your kids stay up a little later to write a story or a personal note to someone.  Or let them write you a note to persuade you to do something.  Whatever, just make sure you are creating positive feelings toward writing, not negative ones!


Step 7:  Praise, praise, praise your kids' efforts as they write!  Many kids CAN write, but they don't WANT to write!  Make sure this doesn't happen to your kids.  Make writing a JOYFUL occasion!  Be excited about writing when you talk to your kids about it.  Praise, praise, praise your kids' efforts as they go through the process of learning how to put their thoughts in print!  It's a complicated process (like reading), and it takes time.  Be patient, be kind, and remember to show your enthusiasm for whatever they produce.  The more excited you are about their work, the more likely they are to produce more of it for you!  So praise and help, praise and help.  You will be amazed at the results that come!


Once your kids are writing, it's important to keep them writing!  After all, what we don't use, we lose!  Get your kids writing, praise their efforts, hang up their work, and continue to encourage them to KEEP writing.  The more they do so, the better they should get at it.  And who knows, maybe one day I'll be reading something that they have written to help or to entertain others!  As the saying goes, "Every professional was once an amateur!"

Happy Writing!

Wishing you all the best and much success,
Katy Huller

Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, More Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!

3 Comments

Are Your Kids Driving You CRAZY During Homework Time???

1/23/2014

25 Comments

 
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Are your kids driving you CRAZY during homework time?  Are they staring out the window... hopping out of their chairs... complaining... crying... fighting... singing... dancing... talking... or entertaining themselves with whatever they can get their hands on???  Do you find yourself exasperated... STRESSED OUT... and struggling to keep control???  If so, it's time to step in and end the afternoon drama once and for all.  Below are some tips to help you...and your kids!

1. Find a quiet place for your kids to work.  Some kids simply can't focus when there are other noises around.  This can include noises nearby, in the next room, or even outside.  Set up camp in the quietest room you can find, and eliminate any extra noise during homework time.  Make your kids' homework time "quiet time" for the whole family, if necessary.  Let any neighborhood kids know not to come around during that time as well!

2.  Clear off
the work table and empty room of distractions.  Kids who are easily distracted need to be seated at a table free from clutter and temptations.  Ideally, you don't want anything to be within reach (or view) of your kids except for the materials needed to complete their current assignments.  The room and/or rooms you choose should be as neat, orderly, and temptation-free as possible.   Remove toys, close blinds, have your kids face a boring wall,  etc.  The only thing you want to catch your kids' eyes during homework time is the assignment at hand!

2. Add purpose!  Explain the importance of the work at hand so your kids understand why they are doing it and what it will do for them. You want your kids to see the work as beneficial rather than a punishment of sorts.  Get your kids excited about learning something new and/or getting even better at something they already know but have been asked to practice.  Talk about learning and homework EXCITEDLY, as if they are GOOD things!

3. Take away fear!  Reassure your kids that you will help as needed...and follow through on this promise.  Make sure you don't belittle your kids by saying things like, “You KNOW this!” or “I can’t believe you forgot this!”  Even if your kids did know it, just go back over it until they remember it again.  Many kids have memory and/or retrieval issues which cause them to forget things easily.  By taking time to calmly reexplain whatever they have forgotten, you will be adding trust and building up your relationship. You will also be making future assignments a little less scary!  If you find you can't calmly help for whatever reason, think about hiring a tutor or asking another adult to step in.

4. Break up long assignments.  Some kids FREAK OUT over a page full of sentences to read, math problems to solve, etc.!  If your kids get easily overwhelmed, break up long assignments into more manageable parts.  Cover up all but the section your kids are working on, and offer quick mini-breaks as each section is completed. You might let your kids play a quick game of tic-tac-toe, run around the yard, shoot 3 baskets, etc.

5. Set behavior goals BEFORE you begin!  Discuss what you expect from your kids BEFORE they have a chance to misbehave!  Have them help you come up with a list of rules, rewards, and consequences, and STICK TO THEM!  Use a behavior chart to help keep track of good/bad behaviors, and make sure you FOLLOW THROUGH with the appropriate rewards and/or consequences...EVERY TIME!   If your kids know they can delay homework time, get it reduced, get you to do it for them, etc, they will be sure to hassle you until you give in and do what they desire!  Take control of the situation and remember that YOU are the parent!  Set the rules, stay calm, and remain firm but pleasant when it comes to enforcing them.  Let your kids know that they are the ones deciding their fate.  They can comply with the rules and earn rewards...or challenge the rules and earn consequences.  Their choice.  You are just there to enforce what you have already agreed to!

6. Play “Beat the Timer!”  If your kids just can't seem to stop talking, playing, complaining, etc., grab a timer and see if your kids can get their work done before it goes off!  Praise whoever gets the most done and consider offering a reward!  This technique can really help competitive kids who have trouble staying focused get busy!

7. Find the best work time for YOUR child!  Some kids work best first thing in the morning or immediately after school.  Others work best after having a snack or completing a physical activity of some sort.  Get to know when your kids do their best work and plan accordingly!

Life is too short to spend your child rearing years being CRAZY!  Follow the steps above UNTIL THEY WORK!  Be PATIENT -- change doesn't always happen overnight.  The more CONSISTENT you are, the sooner your sanity should be restored.  And remember -- your kids may not retain everything they learn during these homework sessions, but they are SURE TO REMEMBER how you made them FEEL during them!

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller


Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!

25 Comments

Worried About How Many Words Per Minute Your Child Can Read?  Don't Be!

1/18/2014

14 Comments

 
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Worried about how many words per minute your child can read?  Don't be.  That's really not the most important thing when deciding how good of a reader your child is (or isn't).  While a basic level of fluency is important, reading a "zillion words per minute" is not.  Just as some kids will run faster than others, eat faster than others, and make friends faster than others, some kids will READ faster than others.  It's really not that big of a deal.  What IS a big deal is whether or not your child can read ACCURATELY as well as whether or not your child can UNDERSTAND what he or she is reading.  If your child is having trouble in either of these two areas, you need to jump in and help him or her right away!

Tips for Improving Accuracy:

1.  Make sure your child is looking all the way through words, from the very first letter to the very last one.  A lot of kids who misread words tend to look at the words as a whole rather than at their individual parts, from left to right.  Oftentimes, this will lead to their calling out a similar-looking word rather than the right one.  You might hear your child say, "very" instead of "every," "handed" instead of "handled," or "commented" instead of "complimented."  If your child is making mistakes like these, slow him or her down and have have him or her carefully sound out any miscalled words.  If needed, cover up all but one part at a time until your child gets through the whole word.  If the problem doesn't resolve itself with your help, you might consider getting your child's eyes checked for convergence issues as well.

2.  Make sure your child knows how to sound out words effectively.  Just because your child can read a bunch of words doesn't mean your child understands how to read.  Unfortunately, many kids who have been asked to learn one "sight word" list after another have simply acquired a bunch of "sight words" over the years.  These kids can read what they can read, but often struggle with anything beyond what they have managed to memorize.  If your child falls into this category, you will have to teach him or her how to look at a word, break it up into smaller parts, and figure out what it says.  Otherwise, asking him or her to sound out a word will be fruitless.

3.  Make sure your child knows the "tricks."  Even if your child understands how to break up a word, sound it out one part at a time, and blend it back together efficiently, he or she can STILL struggle to do so if he or she isn't aware of the many "tricks" in the English language.  What are "tricks?"  Tricks are letters and/or letter combinations that create new sounds when they appear together or in certain positions in words -- sh, ch, th, ar, er, oo, ook, ou, ow, a endings, ed endings, and tion are just a few examples.  For a much more comprehensive list of "tricks" (as well as practice words that contain them), click HERE!  It's crucial that your child become aware of each "trick" on the list if he or she isn't already.

4.  Make sure your child is reading for understanding.  If your child is reading for understanding, he or she should be able to catch many of his or her own errors.  After all, when you miscall a word, it usually doesn't make much sense!  Urge your child to pay close attention to what he or she is reading.  Tell him or her to reread any sentences that don't seem right.   

5.  Make sure your child gets enough PRACTICE reading books of ALL SORTS out loud TO YOU!  For your child to become good at reading all sorts of new words accurately and confidently, he or she will need to
get a lot of practice doing so!  Make sure you sit with your child and have him or her read aloud to you as often as possible.  Look at the words as your child reads to make sure he or she is reading the words correctly.  Gently redirect your child when a mistake is made.  This will help keep him or her from incorrectly memorizing that word as something else!  Also, while there is nothing wrong with rereading favorite books on occasion, it's important that you make sure your child is reading lots of new, unfamiliar books during this time as well.  Otherwise, your child will only become familiar with certain words and certain topics.  For best results, vary what your child reads and expose him or her to as many types of literature as possible.  Increase the difficulty as you do so!


Tips for Improving Understanding:

1.  Ask your child to make a "mental movie" of what he or she is reading! 
Children who can read the words accurately but who aren't understanding what they are reading often struggle because they are "reading but not thinking."  By asking them to make a "mental movie" out of what they are reading, you can often get their attention on the words and help them to plug into the meaning more effectively.

2. 
Make sure your child is starting with the title!  Many of the kids who have come to me for reading help initially skip right over the title when asked to read a story or passage.  If your child is doing this, remind him or her to start with the title and think about it for a second.  It can give your child a "heads up" about what to expect.

3.  Make sure your child is STOPPING at periods, PAUSING at commas, and PAYING ATTENTION to all of the other little symbols that come up!  Flying through punctuation marks can have extremely detrimental affects on one's ability to comprehend what is being read.  Make sure your child understands what each mark means and
uses it to correctly read the sentence at hand.

4. If your child is flying through the text, tell him or her to S-L-O-W down!
  Although some kids can fly through text and still understand every word of it, others need to read it much more slowly and methodically to fully digest what it says.  If this seems to be the case with your child, slow him or her down and remind him or her that it's more important to understand what he or she is reading than to read it at super-fast speeds!

5.  Make sure your child has the background knowledge and/or vocabulary necessary to understand the story and/or passage at hand. 
If your child is reading a story and/or passage about the Civil War, but has no idea what the Civil War was, what "north" and "south" are referring to, and/or what life was like during that time period, he or she is likely to struggle to understand what he or she is really reading about.  To help with this, talk to your child as much as possible about EVERYTHING you can.  Make sure you discuss topics you see coming home from school as well.  The more your child knows about history and the world around him or her, the better he or she is likely to do when it comes to comprehending texts of all sorts.  I really can't emphasize this enough -- TALK, TALK, TALK to your kids about EVERYTHING you know about and/or run into!!!  Make sure your kids are acquiring lots of new vocabulary and background knowledge each and every day!

When your child is able to read through a passage and understand it, your child is a "good reader."  Don't be fooled by numbers, grades, or anything else!  Speed will come with practice.
  At least for most kids.  If it doesn't with your child, don't worry.  Just make sure he or she can read the text, understand the text, and, hopefully, ENJOY the text.  That's what's really important!  

All the best and much success,
Katy Huller


Author of Kinders Can! READ and WRITE!, Get Your Kids READING and WRITING! 2 and 3 Letter Words!, Tricks Practice Cards, and Alphabasics!


To read more literacy posts by Katy Huller, click HERE!
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    Katy Huller is a former elementary school teacher
    dedicated to improving reading and writing education in the United States.  Currently working as a literacy tutor, writer, and education consultant, she works with k-6 students on a daily basis, creating new materials and conducting workshops in her "spare" time.

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