Comprehension Weakness – Five Signs
Students with decoding issues, including dyslexia, can be easy to spot. They often miscall words (e.g. breakfast as “basket”); their oral reading is slow and “choppy;” and spelling is tough to master. It is important to identify these students who struggle, so they can get the help they need. Unfortunately, there are many students…
Everyday Tips for Better Comprehension
When a child has an identified comprehension weakness, it makes sense to pursue extra help for academics. Students can get help from tutors, learning specialists, or may have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) in place at school. Unfortunately, language comprehension troubles can affect family life, too. This is especially difficult when weak thinking skills are…
Picture Better Reading Comprehension
Most reading experts agree on one thing: In order to comprehend what they read, students must have strong decoding skills and adequate oral vocabulary. In other words, a child must be able to accurately decode every word on the page, and know what each of the words mean. Unfortunately, many students who can decode…
A New Indoor Activity: Family Story Time
As the outdoor temperature drops and the weather changes, it’s time for the indoor fun. Faced with hours in the house, parents are often on the hunt for activities that provide entertainment and some educational value. Arts and crafts, baking, and board games are great choices in this regard. But if you haven’t already tried…
What You Can Do When Your Student Doesn’t “Get It”
Teachers know there is a long list of reasons to make reading a lifelong habit: the cognitive workout we get when we read and the exposure to new ideas are arguably top reasons to be a regular reader. So, when a student (who otherwise has adequate decoding skills) is unenthusiastic about books, regardless of the…
Imagery-Language Connection for Writing Tips
Book reports, essays, and even short responses, can cause frustration, panic, and, sometimes, even tears for many school age students. And it’s no wonder. Writing is a complex task that requires a lot: good thinking skills, organisation, spelling, grammar and punctuation, as well as ease with a pencil, or keyboard. Writing can be particularly…
The Imagery-Language Connection for Sports—Tips for Coaching Youth Sports
Did you recently volunteer for a coaching position? Have you coached before? Are you tired of yelling at your team but don’t know how to get them to follow directions? Do you want this year to be a more positive experience for you and your players? If you answered yes to any of these questions,…
Report Card ABCs
For some students, the phrase “report card” comes with a sense of dread. As a parent, it can be hard to gauge how things are really going at school if your student is tight-lipped about his day and his report card feels like a jumble of letters or percentages. After getting straight A’s last…
Tips for Your Young Learner: Ready or Not, School is Coming!
A generation ago, kindergarten days were filled with activities like finger painting, “Hide-and-Go-Seek”, making friends and learning to be peaceful at nap time. And, while reading and spelling may have been introduced in grade 1, there was nothing like today’s pressure for students to be performing according to grade-level standards. Sure, there is still…
How and Why to Make the Most of Bedtime Reading
Bedtime reading can take children to a safe and enchanted world for a few minutes each night; and when kids are cosy and comfortable, reading aloud to them can help them “de-compress” from any worries from the day. Reading to your child is also a special time to be close to your child and bond…
