Many young readers are puzzled by the rules and exceptions of spelling. Research shows that learning to spell and learning to read rely on much of the same underlying knowledge. Learn more about the relationships between letters and sounds and how a proper understanding of spelling mechanics can lead to improved reading.
Why can’t everyone think with numbers? Why do some children learn math readily, handle money and time concepts with ease, retain information from year to year, and think with numbers effortlessly? What cognitive processes do some have that others do not?
Some children can master decoding and still be poor comprehenders. Learn what interventions have been found to help these children read narrative and expository texts more strategically.
Many students assume there’s a “normal” way to learn and study. They don’t know that people use various approaches to gain understanding and demonstrate what they have learned. Helping students understand their individual learning processes is one of the most important steps we can take as teachers.
Having the opportunity to be appropriately educated in a regular classroom gives your child, for perhaps the first time, the chance to feel “like other kids.” The trip to the special education room often has a stigma attached to it.
Suggestions for fostering independent reading include: (a) Give children books that are not too difficult. (b) Help them find books they will enjoy. (c) Encourage them to try many kinds of material. Although independent reading cannot substitute for teaching decoding, it improves reading comprehension and the habit of reading.
Susan Lafond is a long-time educator and parent of a child with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). She’s been on both sides of the parent-teacher table and shares her experiences on how teachers, administrators, and support staff can better understand how to support children with learning differences in the classroom.
