Did your child ace their spelling test on Friday, only to misspell the same words in a story the next week? Have you taught your student all the “syllable rules” and “spelling rules,” yet they still can’t seem to use them outside of lessons? Do you think spelling isn’t that important because, after all, we have spell check? If you answered yes to any of these, read on. Why Spelling Still Matters Even in the age of technology, learning to spell is still necessary. After all, w

Suffixes -ance and -ence Quick review - morphemes are the small units of meaning that form words. Today we are looking at the suffixes -ance and -ence. The suffixes -ance and -ence are ultimately derived from Latin -antia and -entia, often through French; they commonly form nouns meaning a state, quality, action, or result. Since -ance and -ence are suffixes, they appear in many English words. Here are a few examples. performance: from perform (“to do; carry out”) + -ance.

Morpheme Monday with -ure. How can we help students improve comprehension and spelling with this morpheme knowledge.

Quick review – morphemes are the smallest units of meaning that form words. Today we are looking at the suffix “-al.” The suffix “-al”...

Teaching kids to read isn’t about memorizing endless rules or guessing from pictures. It’s about showing them that English spelling, for all its quirks, has an underlying order—and that they already hold the key: their own language.

Suffix “-age” Quick review - morphemes are the smallest units of meaning that form words. Today we are looking at the suffix “-age.” The suffix “-age” is derived from Latin and French roots, and it typically relates to a collection, process, or state of being when attached to the root word. Since "age" is a suffix, it is part of MANY English words. Here are a few examples. Courage: The ability to overcome fear, frailty, or adversity. "Cor" from Latin for "heart." Message: A

Morpheme Mondays are here - lets explore the root "caput"

Here is a 3.47 minute video demonstrating how to form letters. Writing the alphabet, with proper formation, daily with your child will...

Most of us are familiar with the term "silent letters." We tell children (or ourselves) "the <e> in "have" is silent. "Pterodactyl" has a...

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For this next post, I'm going to do my best to explain the "Print to Speech" approach to literacy instruction. I will discuss "Speech to...

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A common concern among parents (and, frankly, tutors) is that students don't apply what they have learned about spelling in the real...

Not all students who come to me are suspected to have dyslexia or they do not have a formal diagnosis of dyslexia. The past two years have not helped the situation. For many, it is hard to discern if the child simply needs to fill some gaps and get extra support because of all the lost learning over the pandemic, or if something more significant is at play. Many parents had the opportunity to get really familiar with their child's learning habits and see a clearer picture of

I am so excited to have found a new way to hold meetings with online students! I tested it with my own children over the weekend and with...