Author Archives: Elena Girling

Syntax: Building Strong Sentences

When our students start intervention, many of them are only comfortable reading simple texts or are not comfortable reading at all. This means they do not have as much familiarity with the structure of written language as their peers. Most of our students read sentences or decodable stories at the end of each lesson. This gives us the perfect opportunity to talk about sentence structure.

What is Structured Literacy?

Literacy support for students with dyslexia has been under development for over 100 years. Back in the 1920s, a pathologist named Samuel Orton tried to figure out why some children with average and above average intelligence experienced language difficulties similar to his adult patients with brain damage. Since he thought that their left and rightContinue reading “What is Structured Literacy?”

Reading Aloud

Though most of my time is spent teaching students how to read, it is also important to teach students to want to read. Children without positive reading experiences tend to avoid reading as much as possible, so they need adults to encourage them by modeling and providing enjoyable reading experiences. Reading aloud to kids is an excellent way to nurture a positive mindset toward reading.

Deliberate Practice: Creating Word Experts

Consistent, deliberate practice…the daily challenge of working towards long-term gains. We still experience difficulty as adults trying to stick with a new routine like a diet or workout plan. Do you remember how hard it was as a kid when you had even less understanding of how your daily habits would impact you in the long run?

Reading and the Science of Learning

The science of reading has become hot-button issue in recent years, leading to arguments over who gets to claim they are following science and who is making too many compromises to make that claim. In the midst of this discussion, I think it can be easy to forget about the other important science involved — the science of learning.