Simple Literacy for Parents

Common Parent Literacy Mistakes

Children need to be presented with just the right amount of new information to maximize learning. Over the years I have noticed that finding this balance can be difficult for parents to navigate and rightfully so. Once we know how to read and spell being able to break the concepts down into small manageable learning chunks isn’t easy, especially when we don’t have a solid grasp on phonics. Yep, I said it, if you don’t have a strong phonics foundation because that method of literacy instruction wasn’t used with you, then you might be doing some things wrong. This video shares my top 4 things I notice parents do when trying to help their student that are WRONG. Stay tuned so you can learn easy ways to support your student in a “just right” way.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness is similar to adolescence - it’s a foundation - the foundation for reading and writing. It is essential and critical to build strong readers and spellers but once you become a strong reader and speller it is often forgotten. This doesn’t make it less important, it’s just that once a person is literate phonological awareness becomes part of the past. Just like we need childhood to develop into a mature adult we need phonological awareness to be able to grow into mature readers and spellers. Listen to this podcast to find out how you can help your student with six easy-to-implement no-prep games that will leave your child excited all while building a stronger phonological awareness foundation.

What is Multisensory Instruction?

Imagine trying to learn a dance on TikTok but you can’t hear the music or do the moves only see the video OR you can only hear the music but you can’t see the video or do the moves. Pretty challenging, huh? Well, this is often how students are taught - through one or two senses. Imagine if they used all senses simultaneously. I bet you would learn the TikTok dance much faster if you could hear the music, see the video, and do the moves all at the same time. Essentially this is multisensory instruction. The emotional and academic benefits of multisensory learning are huge for students. The investment in teaching your student why it is important and how to do the routines with fidelity is well worth the time and energy. This podcast will teach you all about this brain-building approach and how it can make learning literacy a smoother, faster process for your child. What are you waiting for? Push play now to reap the benefits of multisensory learning in your home today!

How to Teach Phonics at Home

Learning to read was one of those things I honestly thought I was just born able to do, actually, I thought everyone was born this way. Do you have the same recollection? You were born that way, or were you a person who felt like everyone around you was born that way, and for some reason, you weren’t? Having learned so much about how our brains learn language I am saddened to think about all of the people who have felt as though they were not good enough. The memory of reading and spelling for them is one of confusion, struggles, and pain. Louisa Moats, a literacy expert said “Parents can significantly accelerate their child's reading development by teaching them the sounds of letters in a systematic way. This is the single most important thing parents can do to help their children." WOW...the single most important thing you can do! This podcast will give you EASY action items on how to practice phonics at home ASAP. Together let's make your child's literacy memory a happy one.

The tale of an Orton Gillingham Tutor - Simple Literacy's Beginnings

Have you ever embarked on a new adventure? Do you recall the range of emotions from pure excitement to extreme terror? Well, the tale of this Orton Gillingham tutor's journey is all of that and more. I never planned to be an Orton Gillingham tutor, I didn't even know what Orton Gillingham was until not that long ago. However, once I started my OG journey I was hooked. The OG approach speaks to me because it is a systematic way of teaching. Systems are my love language. Listen to today's podcast to learn about my new adventure and how my change might be the change you've been looking for.