What scope and sequence are you using? As a parent, you should be asking this of your child's teacher and tutor. If they are not following a particular sequence, then they are not following the science of reading. While the research has clearly indicated students benefit from following a scope and sequence, the research does not indicate what scope and sequence to follow. This means even if teachers are following a scope and sequence, they can be different from one anothe

Reflexive questioning is a skill I learned in an executive functioning course by Tera Sumpter. If you are not already following her on social media, you should! What I have observed so many times in my sessions is a child who guesses at a word because it looks visually similar (e.g., reads "cup" for 'cap'). This student knows the sounds that each of these letters makes when asked and reads many words correctly, so why was an error made on such a simple word? Moreover, why di

Do you have a child who is experiencing difficulty learning at school? There has been a lot of focus recently on phonics in the classrooms. This has helped improve access for many students, but it is only half of the equation. You see, the Simple View of reading shows that the sound level/word recognition is only half of the equation. Oral language is the other half. But my child doesn't have any difficulty talking! Sometimes the difficulties are more challenging to spot. W

Just because your child receives a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disorder doesn’t mean you have all the information you need. Rather, it is an umbrella term for a variety of disorders. A psychological educational assessment can determine if there is a problem or no problem in reading and written output. If there is a problem in reading or written expression, the mechanisms behind that problem should be explored with a speech-language pathologist. If we look at the Simple

You watch your child study for a test, carefully reading, repeating, even understanding—and then the next day, it’s as if the learning has vanished. Or you watch your child painstakingly sound out a word, only not to recognize it a few sentences later. It can feel confusing, even discouraging. But what if the issue isn’t effort or ability, but how memory actually works? Types of Memory Memory isn’t just one system—it’s a set of interconnected processes that handle information

Like many reading interventionists, I was taught to teach children to read multisyllabic words using syllable types. I was taught the acronym C.L.O.V.E.R. C - closed syllables ( rab .bit) L - consonant + le syllables (tur.tl e ) O - open syllables ( ti .ger) V - vowel team syllables (ea.gle) E - silent E syllable (gate) R - r-controlled syllables ( tur .tle) It made sense at first, but in practice it was more challenging. For example, how does the student know when to apply V

Supporting children’s reading and spelling development can feel challenging, especially when they struggle to connect sounds and letters. Word chains offer a straightforward, effective way to build these skills. This simple game helps children gain confidence by focusing on small, manageable changes in words, making reading and spelling less intimidating. What Are Word Chains? Word chains are sequences of words where each new word changes by just one sound from the previous w

This phrase resonated with many conversations I have had with teachers and SLPs about the direction of literacy instruction. I first...

#structuredliteracy #dyslexia #slp #schoolbasedslp Structured literacy is an approach to teaching reading that can be used in the general...

"Sight words" can be a confusing name as people often assume that they are a particular set of words that must be memorized as whole...

In Canada, Dyslexia is not diagnosed as such. Rather, if falls under the broader term of Reading Disability. Some psychologists may...

Parents, are you told by your child's teacher that they are reading at a level J or level M or whatever letter it is they are at? Then...

What scope and sequence are you using? As a parent, you should be asking this of your child's teacher and tutor they are working with. ...

Minimal pairs are a visual way to confront the child with their error. The words differ only by one sound. Have you heard something...