Kick-start your child’s reading with speech sound knowledge (phonological awareness)
To learn to read properly, phonological awareness is: one of the Big Five skills kids need to know; and one of the three so-called ‘cognitive foundations’…
Breaking the vicious cycle for older kids with reading problems: how to help
Older kids with reading problems get trapped in a vicious cycle: because these students don’t read well, they generally don’t read much. They miss out…
The forgotten reading skill: fluency, and why it matters
Without Google or Wikipedia, can you name all the members of the Jackson 5? Everyone knows Michael. Most of us over the age of 35…
Teaching the alphabet to your child? Here’s what you need to know
1. Letter names are not the same as speech sounds In English: writing takes the form of a sound-based, alphabetic code. The letters we use…
Is your child struggling to read? Here’s what works
On reflection, I’m incredibly lucky. Both my parents were teachers. Growing up, my house was full of chatter, stories and books. My early state school…