
Kids These Days [Book Review]
Hey, Mom and Dad! We’re doing the best we can! Being myself one of those dreaded “millennials” who has been the subject of a seemingly endless popular discourse, I was […]
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Becoming Good Through Reading Well
Karen Swallow Prior has been teaching literature at the collegiate level for nearly three decades. During that time, she says she’s noticed that Many readers have been conditioned to jump […]
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Parental Engagement and Writing
Kids ARE Writing… Most of us want our kids to have basic writing skills, yet we often place too much emphasis on what medium our kids should be proficient in. […]
Read MoreWhen Spelling You See asks students to write on a line, it shows two solid lines instead of two solid lines with a dashed line in between them. If my student is struggling to write on the two solid lines in the Student Workbook, can I print out a blank sheet with three lines instead?
Using handwriting paper printed with three lines is not recommended because a third line creates “visual noise” for the student and…
Read MoreThe description of Modern Milestones mentions “base words.” What is a base word, and how is it different from a root word?
A base word is a part of a word that has meaning by itself. The meaning can be changed or expanded by adding letters to the beginning (prefix) or end (suffix) of […]
Read MoreWe didn’t have time to do spelling every day this week. Is it important to finish every worksheet?
While it is important to work on spelling consistently, it should not be a burden to you or your student. Feel free to start a new lesson each week even […]
Read MoreIn lessons where chunks overlap, which one should my student mark?
Some words will have overlapping chunks or letter patterns. In general, we suggest marking vowel chunks before Bossy r chunks, but Bossy r chunks before consonant chunks. We also suggest […]
Read MoreMy student does fine in her spelling book and when she’s copying word for word, but if she writes something on her own, her spelling is horrible. Why?
Copying and creating are two very different activities for the brain. Copywork and dictation help the student develop a visual memory, as the brain is focusing on the way the […]
Read MoreThere are no spelling tests. How can I tell if my student is making progress?
Please do not treat the dictation exercises as tests. Instead, look for increased accuracy and the ability to complete a page in 10 minutes or less. You should also see […]
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