Posts in Learning Strategies

Primary teachers spend most of their day teaching literacy, and for good reason. Research shows that children’s early experiences with print are critical in developing their language and literacy skills. Surprisingly, there is little discussion about what it means to teach reading or how to teach early reading skills.  Some people think that learning to […]

  One of the cornerstones in early education is teaching children to connect sounds with letters and letter combinations. Students need to know that sounds can change depending on how they are used. The knowledge of letters and the sounds they make will guide students through the reading process. Reading starts with sounding out words […]

  Have you ever wondered how children learn to read? Or have you ever wondered why your child can’t “sound it out?” Learning how kids learn to read will make you a better teacher and give you scientific insights that can aid your child’s reading ability. The Science of Reading resulted from one of the […]

In today’s society, risk is something that we all have to manage on a daily basis. Risk can often manifest as fear of failure or embarrassment over mistakes in the classroom. A risk-free learning environment provides early learners with a safe place to learn and make mistakes without any risk of punishment or embarrassment.  A […]

Handwriting is one of the most important components of early literacy, and developing a handwriting routine is the simplest way to get started.  Since learning to write is a skill that many students resist, ensuring that you are actively teaching this skill is essential to imprinting it into muscle memory.   Why are Handwriting Routines Important? […]

Developing strong early handwriting skills is a critical component of developing great readers and writers.  Tied directly to future educational outcomes, early handwriting skills contribute to the foundation of primary literacy. Early handwriting skills are sometimes underestimated by parents and educators, but extensive research has been conducted in this area. The results demonstrate a clear […]

Teaching language to students is always enjoyable and rewarding, but do you have a fun and effective method of teaching Minimal Pairs? We use Minimal Pairs to improve the pronunciation of distinct sounds (phonemes) in a particular language. Through practice, Minimal Pairs assists with the correct pronunciation, enabling us to distinguish the different sounds in […]

Close your eyes. Picture a room filled with twenty 1st graders. Do you see twenty little people sitting still and completely focused on their teacher? Or an overwhelmed teacher who looks like she needs her third coffee of the morning?   If you chose the second option, it may be time to integrate kinesthetic movement in […]

  Phonics in Motion is a unique learning program that incorporates kinesthetic techniques in addition to auditory and visual sensory information.  Children do not have a “one size fits all” learning style, therefore educational experiences tailored to a child’s learning styles will have a beneficial result in their ability to acquire, retain, and master information.  […]

We are a diverse society with an equally diverse learning population. Students arrive at school with varying degrees of knowledge and capabilities. Providing a safe learning environment is the first step in laying a solid educational foundation. As any kindergarten teacher can tell you, some students walk in on the first day with the ability […]