DON’T FORGET! FOLLOW the YELLOW BRICK READING ROAD

Follow Success step by step…

Best Practice

If you’re just starting down that reading road, remember that no matter which methods or materials you choose, you want them to be in line with best practice. Not many years ago, we didn’t have a clue as to what “best practice” for teaching reading to our children was; now, thanks to years of research and teaching by internationally respected organizations, we know.

What’s That?

What do you mean, best practice? In a modified nutshell, it means engaging and teaching our children based on knowledge of how they learn best, what they learn most easily, and when to introduce different teaching components.

Here’s a Quick Review: Pick and Choose

Over the past few months, I’ve written 12 Success Step blogs leading you from point zero to reading success. (With a 13th Success blog on how to expand all that awesome work you’ve started.) It’s good to do a quick refresher in case you missed a step, so here are the links to each article:

Step 1: You decide “pedal to the metal” is the only way to go. and you’re determined to invest 5 minutes twice a day.

Step 2: You know what to do with those 5 minutes, : personal books, fast flash, and “sandwich style” teaching.

Step 3: You add lotto games into the mix for fast learning and confidence building.

Step 4: You teach letter sounds before letter names.

Step 5: You’re now knowledgeable on why sight words come before phonics in teaching children with Down syndrome, and can defend your position if necessary!

Step 6: You’re led step-by-step in creating a personal book.

Step 7: You establish the HABIT of 5 minutes 2x a day by making room for this new HABIT in your daily schedule of HABITS. (What, I repeated myself?)

Step 8: You know how to check on the materials used in the classroom and ask for 3 little changes, if needed.

Step 9: This step is about adding “real books” into the mix so you don’t have to make so many books yourself.

Step 10: A humorous quiz to help get you back on track with your teaching. (Everyone falls off the wagon; it’s called “life.”)

Step 11: This is all about the effects of praise. It’s strong medicine for the struggling learner.

Step 12: Phonics is our added target now, with suggested resources.

Always Here for You

These articles are always here any time you need them, with dozens more on different teaching tips for reading, so come back often! And use the “Search the Blog” box to your right to search for other reading topics.

Thumbs up for success…yours and your child’s!