A DTK Book Review: Phonics and Word Identification Skills — Strategies for Teachers and Parents, by Andy Johnson, PhD Phonics is Not the Same as Reading Dr. Johnson serves as Professor of Literacy and Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Minnesota State University, Mankato. His work currently focuses on research-based teaching strategies for students with reading difficulties. […]
Reading Wars are Pointless After thirty-five years of teaching reading, I can absolutely say we need to quit fighting over which method is “the science of reading” or “research-based.” Information on reading outcomes for every imaginable method is available if you care to read it. I have. I actually enjoy reading dissertations and meta-studies. Weird, […]
You Keep Saying That Word… I hear “science of reading” everywhere in education lately. It’s used to stop conversations about outcomes: “I’m using the science of reading in my classroom, so if they don’t learn to read it’s not my fault.” I see it in papers and professional development materials: “Buy and use only this […]
Made by Dyslexia Kate Griggs, herself dyslexic, makes waves in the U.K and beyond by claiming — and demonstrating — that dyslexic thinking is precisely what the world needs to solve the challenges of the future. She explains, “dyslexic minds process information differently,” making them experts at problem-solving, empathy, and communication. She gave a TED […]
Judge this book by its cover, not by its fonts Opening How Tony Learned to Read: Growing Up Dyslexic, by Tony and Judy Fishel, was a bit of a shock. I was confronted with some paragraphs in large print Comic Sans. It was stunning since I expected another sober case study by a dyslexia researcher. […]
Because it’s teaching to the weakness, not to the strength Rote memory comes hard for those with dyslexia. However, I’ve known many students who put in phenomenal effort to memorize all the letter sounds, blends, syllables, and rules of the English language. Unfortunately, the payoff was NOT carefree easy reading! Automatic word recognition just didn’t […]
Music Training Matters Music training means learning to play an instrument or sing, employing as many senses as possible — fingering the instrument, hearing pitches, seeing the score, feeling the rhythm, moving to the beat. Recent research shows that music education pays off for reading instruction as well! Music in Dyslexia Education Research Around 2003, […]
Language Delay Hampers Classroom Success A language delay can seriously impact success in the classroom. This negatively affects the student’s self-esteem and desire to participate. The causes of language delay vary; dyslexia/dyspraxia, autism, second language, premature birth, language deficient home environment, speech problem, hearing problem, and others. Whatever the cause, teachers and parents hold the […]
Oral Reading Should NEVER be Required! Forcing a student into oral reading, especially in front of peers, attaches a huge load of negative emotion to reading. As a tutor, I spend as much time overcoming “reading PTSD” as I do teaching the skills. How Izzy Overcame her Reading Block Izzy is dyslexic and she stutters. […]
Powerhouse Vocabulary Builder In 25 years as a reading tutor, one vocabulary-building tool stands out above all the others: Rummy Roots. It’s not fancy — just six decks of cards. The first three come together as Rummy Roots and the second three are sold as More Roots. The package comes with instructions for several games, […]