Reading

Learning to read is a critical step in a child’s development. Yet 4 out of 10 children will experience problems. The articles below elaborate on the skills needed to become a fluent reader.

Basic Reading Concepts

Phonemic Awareness

Phonics and Word Recognition

Fluency

Vocabulary

Comprehesion


  • Phonological vs. Phonemic Awareness

    These phrases are often incorrectly used interchangeably (it is no wonder – they are confusing). Phonological awareness is a broader term that encompasses a general awareness of our spoken language; it is the ability to orally recognize word features (e.g. rhymes, syllables). Whereas, phonemic awareness is more refined and refers to the ability to recognize…

  • Concepts of Print

    Print concepts refer to the components of our written language. It refers to the fundamental principles about reading a book, ranging from the basics of how to hold a book to the concept that we combined words into sentences to communicate a message. At a rudimentary level, a child needs to know how to hold…

  • What is the Alphabetic Principle?

    The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters represent sounds which form words; it is the knowledge of predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Unlike the Chinese who use characters to represent whole ideas or the Egyptians who used pictures to represent words, English is an alphabetic system – letters and letter patterns…

  • 17 Spectacular Nursery Rhymes

    It is important that children have a strong understanding of spoken language prior to learning written language. If you are looking for playful and engaging activities to expose a child to the sounds of language, look no farther! Nursery Rhymes The ability to recognize rhyming patterns in language is an essential skill for emergent readers….

  • Pre-reading Skills

    Children need to read, not only for academic reasons but because reading is an important skill to develop. Many of life’s normal activities (e.g. filling out an employment application) involve reading. By laying a solid foundation of pre-reading skills, a child is better prepared to master the essential skills when learning to read. Never underestimate…

  • Learn Your ABCs at the Dinner Table

    This post was my daughter’s idea so she deserves all the credit. Last night while my family was eating our dinner, she told us that we should write a post about Ore-Ida ABC Fun Shapes. She proceeded to tell us that children could use the tater tots to learn their ABCs or even practice spelling…