Learn to Read, Reading Intervention & Literacy Support

Assessment
It all starts with assessment. My first session with your child is centered around assessment and getting to know him or her. I complete phonics and reading assessments that complement my systematic, sequential instruction. My assessments help me formulate a starting point:

Step 1) Alphabet Instruction: Sound to Symbol Recognition
In order to build a foundation for a successful reading, students need to match sounds to their grapheme or graphemes (letter formations) developing sound to symbol recognition. When I first introduce a sound, I have students pay attention to how the sound is formed in their mouth and throat. Then we look at the letter formation that can match that sound. Then, finally we name the grapheme. The instruction is systematic and explicit, each session will have a predicable sequence of activities for the student to rely on while learning a new objective. The sounds are taught in smaller chunks so as to not overwhelm the learner.
We experience the sounds and letters through auditory, visual, kinesthetic and tactile experiences including:
- matching body motion for each letter sound
- sound jars to explore items that share the same beginning sound
- sound and keyword flashcards
- sound hunts
- feeling, making, tracing, and writing letter formations
- handwriting practice
- Alphabet games
- decoding words using learned sounds

2) Phonics Instruction - Beginning to Read and Spell
The Science of Reading says that reading comprehension is the product of decoding and linguistic comprehension. If either decoding skills or linguistic comprehension are weak, then the reading comprehension abilities are lessened. Giving students explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction in Phonics I set up children to be the best readers they can be. I make sure to address decoding skills as well as linguistic skills.

The format of each lesson is predictable with a new learning objective or objectives introduced each session and time build in for review as well. Here is one example of a lesson flow:

-Warm up and Review (review previous concept(s))
-Phonemic Awareness Activity (listen for the ____ sound, rhyme activity, etc.)
-High-Frequency Words (Phoneme Grapheme mapping)
-New Skill (sound/grapheme/spelling rule)
-Build and Decode / Encoding (spelling)
-Decoding text (reading)
-Dictation (writing what you hear)
-Practice Time / Review Game

Here is the Scope and Sequence of my Curriculum (Unit order can vary):
- Alphabet Review
- Closed Syllables
- Digraphs
- Open Syllables
- Syllable Division with Open and Closed Syllables
- Long Vowel Teams
- R-Controlled Vowels
- Diphthongs and Other Vowel Teams
- The Schwa

Step 3) Morphology and Beyond
If you child is already a strong reader we can continue their learning journey with morphology rules, word origins, and a deeper dive into literature.