Your first grader proudly reads aloud: “The cat sat on the mat.” But when you ask what happened in the story, they stare blankly. Sound familiar? This is the classic challenge of early reading comprehension. Children can decode words but struggle to understand their meaning. Understanding what reading comprehension looks like in first grade helps […]
Remember the magic moment when your child first realized that “The Three Little Pigs” wasn’t just a fun story, but actually followed a pattern? That’s the power of understanding text structure and the secret framework that helps young readers make sense of stories and information. When children recognize these patterns in their favorite picture books, […]
Picture a beautifully braided rope, each strand essential to its strength and purpose. Now, imagine that rope represents everything your child needs to become a skilled reader. This powerful visual, created by Dr. Hollis Scarborough in the early 1990s, has become one of the most influential tools for understanding reading development. But how does this […]
Here’s a beautiful truth: when teachers and parents work as a team, magic happens for young readers. Let’s explore how to make parent-teacher conferences productive, supportive, and focused on helping every child succeed. Why Reading Conversations Matter So Much Reading forms the foundation for all academic learning, making it one of the most important topics […]
For decades, American classrooms have been shaped by different philosophies about how children learn to read. Several prominent approaches have contributed to the conversation. Two of those are Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study (often called balanced literacy) and the Science of Reading. Understanding these approaches can help teachers make informed decisions about supporting their readers. […]
For many children, learning to read flows naturally from exposure to books, letters, and sounds. But for others, the path to literacy is filled with unexpected challenges and frustrations. If you’re a parent watching your child struggle despite their intelligence and effort, you know how heartbreaking this journey can be. The good news? Learning disabilities […]
Imagine watching your child open a book and read confidently, without stumbling over every other word. That magical moment when reading transforms from a laborious process to a flowing, enjoyable activity is often built on a foundation of high frequency words. These seemingly ordinary little words—think “the,” “and,” “is,” “of”—are actually reading superheroes in disguise! […]
A modern American classroom is one where students from various backgrounds are learning to read in English—some as their first language, others as their second or third. The colorful alphabet charts on the walls and decodable books on shelves represent not just letters and sounds, but gateways to new worlds and opportunities. For parents and […]
Remember the first time you encountered words like “pneumonia,” “rhythm,” or “colonel”? If you felt like you needed a magic spell just to spell them correctly, you’re not alone! English spelling can be downright puzzling, with letters that stay silent, sounds that change, and rules that seem to have more exceptions than examples. For parents […]
The third year of life marks an exciting language explosion for most children. That quiet baby who once communicated through cries and gestures is now transforming into a little conversationalist! Between the ages of 3 and 4, children make remarkable strides in their communication abilities, moving from simple phrases to complex sentences and stories. Understanding […]
