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Here Comes 1st Grade!
Summer Tutoring Keeps Your Child Ahead of the Game
Spelling and Reading go hand in hand, but it can be frustrating when you have a child that can read but has trouble spelling? I can assure you that you are not alone. But how does that happen? There are several reasons for this, but I will only focus on one for now. Spelling is actually an auditory exercise that uses the skill of being able to isolate sounds and accuratley identify the letter that makes it. There may not even seem like a process to those of us who can spell, but that is because it is automatic. We are at the stage where where we have mastered identifying sounds in a word at a rapid pace. For children who struggle in this area, they may have issues isolating sounds in words. Being able to isolate sounds mean you have the ability to break apart a word orally. Phonics devoted to this particular skill can definitely help a child grow in this area. Take a tour of the rest of my site and see how you can receive a free assessment to find out why your child is not growing in this area.
Reading Aloud/Echoing
Many parents, understandably, are skeptical of the effectiveness of online tutoring. Will my child be able to maintain their focus? If online schooling during the pandemic hindered their progress, how will it work now? I believe some parents, including myself, do not give their child enough credit. Children as young as 5 have acclimated to engaging socially and academically online. It has become second nature. Also, there is an abundance of fun, educational online resources that, not only keep students engaged, but help them learn. There are even virtual classrooms like Orton-Gillingham, a phonics program, that provide all the components of an in-class experience. Another factor to consider is an online classroom with 15-25 students, has a totally different dynamic from an on individual or small group online session. With the latter, students are able to receive much more attention which increases their attentiveness, you are able to learn more about each other creating a bond, and lessons can be individualized to fit the child's specific needs. On a practical level, no matter the weather or if your a hundred miles away, the opportunity to learn is always there. Online tutoring sometimes gets a bad wrap, but it is slowly becoming a hidden gem in the educational work. Before you shoot it down, take into considerations the wonderful possibilities that can come from it.
Emotional needs vs. Academic needs
It doesn't take much to acknowledge when someone does something right or put their best effort. Just as adults love to be complimented, so do children. Have you ever heard the term "glows and grows?" When you see your child learn a new phonic sound, read that sentence with little to no errors, spell a word correctly that had been giving them trouble-give them a "glow", tell them how awesome they are, how impressed you are, and how they are growing as reader or writer. Giving them that "glow" will have them glowing. They will remember how they felt when they received that positive reinforcement. Another way to give a glow is ask them to do it again. If they read a sentence with no errors, show how excited you are by wanting them to repeat it. If it is a writing assignment, have them read it aloud, almost like a performance. Then you can show them their grows, weak areas, and let them know how excited you are when it turns into a glow. As long as they know you are proud and they are improving, they will continue to progress and gain more confidence every step of the way.