“How much time should I spend teaching reading?” It’s a common question with a somewhat surprising answer.

Here’s Rachel to explain …

Did you know that rhyming is one of the best predictors of how easily a child will learn to read? That’s because good rhymers are better equipped to notice that rhyming words often have shared letter sequences, such as –all in tall, ball, and small, which in turn gives them a considerable head start in learning to read.

Vocabulary plays an important part in learning to read. For example, when a beginning reader sees the word dog in a book, he begins to sound it out. When he realizes that he is very familiar with the word dog, he reads it with confidence.

You may think that a “good memory” is something that your child either has or does not have. If that were the case, there would be little you could do to help your child become a better learner. But fortunately, this isn’t the case! You CAN help your child with her memory if you begin with an understanding of something I call the funnel concept.

What’s your favorite subject?

If your child is like most, spelling might not be at the top of his list. But what if you could create an environment that would increase the likelihood of changing that around? What if you could make spelling a subject your child looks forward to?

One of our most frequently asked questions is “Do I need both All About Reading and All About Spelling or can I choose just one of these programs to teach both subjects?”

That’s a great question!

Black history is filled with stories of courage, strength, and determination. The picture books below provide the perfect way to explore these important stories with your children.

What Is Letter Knowledge?

Letter knowledge–one of the first stepping stones on the path to reading–develops as a child is exposed to letters through play and through planned activities. A child who has achieved letter knowledge recognizes all the letters of the alphabet, in both capital letter and lowercase form, and knows the names and sounds of each.

Children have such a diversity of needs—especially when it comes to spelling. If you are wondering when is the best time to start teaching spelling to your child, this post is for you! And since there are no “one size fits all” answers to this question, we’ll explore a wide variety of situations. Let’s dig in!

What Makes a “Good” Teacher?

Let’s consider this question from a child’s perspective. If you asked your child to tell you what she wants in a teacher, what would she say? Go ahead and ask … we’ll wait!

Do you remember having fairy tales read to you when you were a child? I have some fun fairy tales to share with you this month, but these are not your typical fairy tales. These are fairy tales with a twist, otherwise known as “fractured” fairy tales.

As a homeschooling mom of two kids, I am well aware that my stress level is directly related to how organized (or how disorganized) my life is. Children’s author A.A. Milne once said,

Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.