Helping Your Gifted Reader

Some children seem like they are born to read. They devour books and seem to understand them with ease. They may even be able to read texts that are well above grade level. While parents and teachers may be inclined to “not worry” about these children because they are well above where they should be [...]

Boys and Reading: Strategies for Success

Over the last several years an alarming trend has developed regarding our children’s reading abilities. Nationally there is a significant discrepancy between our nation’s boys and girls reading scores. Boys routinely perform at much lower levels than girls on standardized reading assessments.

Why Read 20 Minutes a Day?

Let’s face it…parents (and kids) are busy! It is difficult to “fit in” all that needs to be done in a day. We are often faced with having to make choices about what stays and what goes in our schedules. So, why is it so critical to include 20 minutes of reading in your child’s [...]

How Do I Know a Good Early Reading Program When I See One?

The following article, published by the Department of Education, provides some good basic criteria for evaluating a particular school reading program:

Reading at Home: 10 Simple Strategies for Parents

Reading with children is a proven way to promote early literacy. As most parents know however, it’s not always easy to carve out time each day for reading. Luckily, by putting a few simple strategies into action a parent can make a significant contribution

The Five Essential Components of Reading

Reading is an astoundingly complex cognitive process. While we often think of reading as one singular act, our brains are actually engaging in a number of tasks simultaneously each time we sit down with a book. There are five aspects to the process of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency.