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3 modules about the SOR - For Teachers and Parents

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Connecting School and Home to Support New Readers | Let's Learn

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Connecting School and Home to Support New Readers | Let's Learn

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Connecting School and Home to Support New Readers | Let's Learn | PBS LearningMedia

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Learning happens everywhere, all the time, for children ages three to seven. This video focuses on early literacy pedagogy anchored in reading science. It features Katie Pace Miles, Ph.D., an associate professor at Brooklyn College, CUNY, and a noted early literacy curriculum developer, author, and speaker.

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Tips to support your child's reading at home

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Tips to support your child's reading at home

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Do you remember your favourite books as a child - you know, the ones you read time and time again and knew practically every word of? Maybe you were lucky enough to regularly read stories with your family and had someone to read you a bedtime story before you drifted off to sleep? You won't have known at the time, but those experiences were building vital building blocks for your future.

Reading, being read to, and sharing books in the home helps to build a child's vocabulary and understanding of the world. Research shows children who start school with good vocabulary and communication skills make friends more easily, have fewer behavioural issues and are more likely to do well academically. A strong, early foundation in language has even been linked to better mental health as children get older.

Reading with your child, or encouraging your child to read independently for just ten minutes each day can make all the difference. Here are some tips to help children of all ages to enjoy reading and to get reading more often.

Your child doesn't have to read an entire book in one go! Any time spent sharing or talking about a book is beneficial, even if it's just a couple of minutes at a time. If they have to close the book early because it's time for tea, or they're just losing interest, that's okay. Reading can take a lot of mental energy and taking breaks gives children a chance to slowly build the mental stamina they need, so that soon they will be able to read for longer stretches of time.

National Literacy Trust research has found that, when used appropriately and with an adult, technology can provide an important route into reading for many children, including those in the early years, and boys. Feel free, at times, to use your mobile phones, tablets, computers, laptops and other devices to engage your child in reading and activities that can help them build their vocabulary. This can include a multitude of activities, such as:

* Telling a story using pictures on your phone

* Video calling friends and relatives to engage children in conversation

* Using YouTube to find the lyrics to nursery rhymes

* Using apps to read e-books or listen to audiobooks (many organisations are providing them for free during school closures)

These activities, or similar ones, can be used with children of all ages. Young children will learn best when doing these activities alongside you, and you can help your older child by showing them how to use the technology appropriately. All children benefit from seeing and hearing their parents and carers do things. This helps them understand how to do it themselves. Technology is also most effective when it is linked to other things your child is learning, and when it is balanced with other learning activities.

Research shows that children who engage regularly in conversational turn-taking with an adult learn faster when they're older. Taking every opportunity to chat with your child will help them build the language and vocabulary skills they need for school. Let your child pick the topic they want to talk about, listen to them, ask questions and share your ideas. You can use daily activities to spark conversation with your child, such as getting dressed or making a meal. You'll learn a lot about your child's interests!

Pictures are a great support for young and struggling readers. They are enjoyable to look at, capture children's attention and help them make sense of what they are reading. If your child is unsure about reading all the words in the book, they can start by telling a story using the pictures. Ask your child to describe the pictures they see, ask questions about what the characters are doing and why they might be doing it, and see if they can guess what might happen next. By the end of the book, you may find they have created a whole new and exciting tale!

Tara Parker is Senior Programme Manager for Early Years at the National Literacy Trust, where she supports families to engage in their young child's communication and language development.

For further information check out the rest of Starting Primary School which has lots of ways to help prepare children for different aspects of school life - both practically and emotionally.

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Top tips to support your child's reading at home

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Language development expert, Tara Parker, suggests some top tips to help you make the most of your child's reading time.

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Enhance phonics and decoding skills with our free phoneme-grapheme correspondence chart, perfect for daily warm-ups and targeted intervention in K–2 classrooms.

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The Readers Garden: Phonics Songs: Growing Library

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The Readers Garden: Phonics Songs: Growing Library

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The Readers Garden: Phonics Songs: Growing Library - Listed on TpT - Do Not Delete

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How Families Can Partner With Schools on Literacy Development

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How Families Can Partner With Schools on Literacy Development

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How Families Can Partner With Schools on Literacy Development

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You and the school share responsibility for your child’s language and literacy development. Here’s how families and schools can partner.

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National Institute for Literacy ... A Child Becomes a Reader 

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National Institute for Literacy ... A Child Becomes a Reader 

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If you want to learn more about how children learn to read and write, then explore this report.

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Articulation of the sounds letters represent along with movements

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Articulation of the sounds letters represent along with movements

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Letters and sounds with movements in abc order

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Home Connections for UFLI Foundations Lessons 

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Home Connections for UFLI Foundations Lessons 

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This is a wonderful explanation of what is taught in each of the UFLI lessons especially created for parents by Erin Sharon. The goal is to help build literacy skills at home in a way that directly connects to what students are learning at school.

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 Tumble Book Library - FREE Access for NY Residents With a NY Public Library Card.

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 Tumble Book Library - FREE Access for NY Residents With a NY Public Library Card.

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Tumble Books: Free access to a very large collection of animated picture books through the use of a NY Public Library card. For NY residents only.

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What a treasure. This site is extremely useful for non readers of all ages. My children just love it. I have shared this site with many of our special needs teachers across our county. Thanks so much for providing such a fun, affordable, and worthwhile product.
Renee
Special Education Teacher, MI
We love TumbleBooks!!! I should add the kids do, too!! TumbleBooks has allowed us to introduce a vast collection of books to students and they W A N T to read. It gives them choice, gives them some control over their own learning, all while at an appropriate reading level. What could be better?
Kathy
Reading Consultant Seth Haley School, CT
I love this site! The fact that the levels of books available are so far-reaching makes this a wonderful site for classrooms---virtually any child can utilize the features on this site. The book report feature is great as well--right along with many of the standards we are teaching in our classrooms, and a great tool for guiding students. The quizzes offer students feedback, and also encouragement as they continue to read. This promotes a feeling of success among students, and furthers their love for literature and reading.
Tammy
Curriculum Coach, SC
This is the best interactive read aloud website I have found. My students and I love it. We can always locate a book easy that connects to what we have been studying. The students love to watch the pictures, and as they progress with their decoding skills they pick out words that they know. When we watch one of these books, I have to pause it after every page so they can find all their sight words that are on the page. The website makes it like have a celebrity reader in our room daily. Thank you so much for your wonderful reading website.
Brandi
Kindergarten, AL

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TumbleBookLibrary is a curated database of children's e-books, available by subscription to Elementary Schools and Public Libraries around the world. TumbleBookLibrary Premium has over 1100 titles for grades K-6, and includes our unique animated, talking picture books, read-along chapter books, non fiction books and videos, curated playlists, as well as books in Spanish and French.

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Fun learning games in reading, spelling, phonics, math, and more.

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Designed for the elementary school classroom, these fun online language arts games help kids master literacy skills including letter recognition, reading, spelling, learning the alphabet, and writing.

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Language Arts Games | Spelling & Reading Comprehension | Toy Theater

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Designed with the elementary school classroom in mind, these fun language arts activities are trusted by teachers to help kids learn the alphabet, spelling, reading, & writing. Activities include word finds, word searches, doodles, word scrambles, original & classic stories & more! Free to play, priceless for learning.

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ATTENTION PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Fill up the form below to unlock:

​

✅ Visual Learning Support

✅ Comprehensive Phonemic Awareness

✅ Fluent Reading Mastery

✅ Versatile Teaching Aid

✅ Incremental Learning Approach

Lisa Gelberman

BEd, OCT, Reading Specialist, Special Education Specialist, Orton Gillingham Certified

Lisa Gelberman is a distinguished educator and literacy expert, renowned for her dedication to enhancing literacy skills and supporting struggling readers.

​

As a Reading Specialist and Special Education Specialist, Lisa has dedicated her career to unlocking the potential of every learner.

Her passion for literacy improvement led her to attain certification in Orton Gillingham, a highly effective approach to teaching reading, writing, and spelling to individuals with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

Through her innovative teaching strategies and profound understanding of literacy development, Lisa continues to make a significant impact, enabling individuals to overcome reading challenges and thrive in their educational journeys.

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Discover an invaluable resource meticulously crafted by Lisa Gelberman, providing educators and students with a comprehensive set of Phoneme Cards. These cards serve as a transformative aid, simplifying the complexities of phonics and enhancing phonemic awareness in an engaging manner.

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Excellent Resources for Families of Struggling Readers & Children with Dyslexia

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Excellent Resources for Families of Struggling Readers & Children with Dyslexia

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Colorín Colorado - Excellent resources for learners of English as a second language.

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Colorín Colorado - Excellent resources for learners of English as a second language.

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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners

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*Note that the sound for the letter r is /rrr/ not /er/ as demonstrated in the video.

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Cerebral Palsy Treatment - What Are The Treatment Options?

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Cerebral palsy treatment can vary based on your child’s specific symptoms. Treatment can include therapy, medication, surgery, and more.

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Preschool to grade 1 - videos on all 5 pillars of literacy

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Between the Lions Early Reading | PBS LearningMedia

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Here are segments selected from Between the Lions, the series that helps kids “Get Wild About Reading!” This special collection provides a set of early Reading/Language Arts resources, organized by early elementary and preschool literacy skills.

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English and Spanish Captions

About Let's Learn

Let's Learn helps children ages 3-8 with at-home learning. One-hour programs feature instruction by educators and virtual field trips. Please visit the Let's Learn page on PBS LearningMedia for related resources. Check your local public TV stations for broadcast dates and times.

©2022 WNET. All Rights Reserved. 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10019

WNET is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 26-2810489

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English and Spanish Captions About Let's Learn Let's Learn helps children ages 3-8 with at-home learning. One-hour programs feature instruction by educators and virtual field trips. Please visit the Let's Learn page on PBS LearningMedia for related resources. Check your local public TV stations for broadcast dates and times. ©2022 WNET.

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Guide to Children's Eye Health | MyVision.org

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Children's eyes and vision develop gradually and should be screened over the course of their lives. As your child ages, you may notice warning signs of common conditions for their age group. These conditions must be diagnosed and treated to allow your child's vision to develop normally.

There are also many things you can do to help your child develop better eyesight or preserve their eye health. Taking your child for regular eye exams and getting them to wear their glasses or contact lenses as prescribed are two of the most important.

Children's Eye Health at Every Age

Newborns (0 to 2 Months)

Newborns are still developing full vision when they are born. They cannot see at a distance and mainly focus their vision on objects that are very close to them. After 6 weeks of age, they should be able to follow an interesting object (such as a caregiver's face or a colorful toy) with their eyes for brief periods of time.

Many newborns develop chronic discharge from their eyes. This discharge is usually yellowish and sticky. It may build up so much overnight that your newborn wakes up unable to open their eyes. If this happens, you can gently clean away the build-up with a clean, soft cloth and some lukewarm water.

Newborns are very vulnerable to eye infections (also known as conjunctivitis or pinkeye). Many hospitals apply a coat of erythromycin ointment to newborns' eyes to combat this problem. Look out for signs of conjunctivitis in your newborn (such as redness or inflammation in the eyes) and seek treatment if you spot them.

Babies (2 to 24 Months)

Once they are a few months old, babies should be able to:

When your baby is around 6 months old, they should have their first eye screening.

Maintain eye contact with caregivers during interactions.

Track a moving object, like a ball in a sports game.

When babies are older than 4 months, their eyes should not frequently look crossed or misaligned. If they do, your child should be examined for amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (walleye).

When your baby is around 6 months old, they should have their first eye screening. During this exam, their eye doctor will test their eyesight and eye muscle coordination. This is a limited assessment that will not catch all eye problems, but it is helpful for catching severe vision issues at an early age.

Toddlers (2 to 5 Years)

When children reach the toddler stage, they begin to develop better vision, particularly in terms of hand-eye coordination. They should be able to do things like draw or color and use building blocks, both of which develop the visual skills they will need when learning to read and write.

At this age, conditions like strabismus and amblyopia often become apparent. Toddlers with misaligned or drifting eyes should see an optometrist for diagnosis. These conditions may be treated with eye exercises, glasses, or an eye patch depending on your child's needs.

This is also the age at which some children first begin to show signs of refractive errors, such as myopia or astigmatism. While many refractive errors will only develop a little later in a child's life, any that are apparent at this age should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

School Age (6 to 12 Years)

When your child reaches school age, they begin to face much higher visual demands in their daily life. They are expected to perform many visual tasks during each school day. At this stage, they should be able to:

See things clearly both up close and in the distance, and switch between them without losing focus.

Recognize images on a page as letters and words, and understand and remember the ideas they read.

Use both eyes together to judge distance, depth, and speed.

Maintain good hand-eye coordination during common tasks like writing or catching a ball.

If they cannot do these things, they may have a vision issue that requires treatment. Refractive errors like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism are commonly identified in this age range and can cause problems with all these tasks. These conditions are easily treated using glasses or contact lenses.

Sometimes a child's struggles with vision impairment are less obvious. Some common symptoms of eye problems in this age group include:

Frequent blinking and eye rubbing.

Frequent headaches, eye pain, and other eye-related discomfort.

Double vision.

Tilting their head to one side.

Holding reading materials very close to their face.

Conjunctivitis is also extremely common in school-aged children. This is because it is usually caused by viruses or bacteria which can be easily spread from child to child. If your child develops red, itchy eyes, take them to their doctor for an exam. They may be prescribed antibiotics to help the infection clear up.

Teenagers (13 to 17 Years)

By the time children reach their teenage years, most early eye problems will have been detected and treated.

Eye infections are also common among teens.

Occasionally, a teen will be diagnosed with refractive errors that were missed during their earlier years or developed later in life. These conditions can be treated with eyeglasses or contacts.

Many teens suffer from a scratched cornea at some point during these years. This usually happens when the eye comes into contact with foreign objects, such as dirt, sand, wood chips, or even contact lenses. These injuries are painful, but most heal in a few days without treatment. However, it is best to have an eye doctor examine the injury anyway to be certain that there are no foreign particles still stuck in the eye.

Eye infections are also common among teens. This happens due to common mistakes like sharing eye makeup or not cleaning contact lenses properly before wearing them. If your child develops red or itchy eyes, have them see their doctor for a diagnosis and a prescription for antibiotics.

Young Adults (18 years and up)

By the time a person reaches young adulthood, their vision has fully developed and almost all pre-existing eye health problems have been identified. Most of the eye health problems that occur in this age range are due to environmental factors.

Eye strain is a common problem in this age group due to the heavy visual demands of post-secondary studies and white-collar work. If your child works with or studies using computers, remind them to take frequent breaks and employ the 20-20-20 rule whenever possible.

Many young adults spend significant amounts of time outdoors without protection from the sun's UV radiation. With enough exposure, this radiation can damage their eyes. To prevent this, ask your child to wear sunglasses with UV protection while outdoors.

Eye injuries are also common among young adults. Have your child continue to wear protective eyewear when doing anything that poses a risk of eye injuries, such as contact sports or mowing the lawn.

How to Help my Child Develop Good Eyesight

To help your child's vision development:

Hang a colorful mobile over your child's crib. This gives them something interesting to look at while lying down and trains their eyes to focus better on distant objects.

Allow your child plenty of time to explore their environment. The more they see and do, the more opportunities they will have to develop different aspects of their eyesight.

Give your child lots of toys and activities that are stimulating to the eyes. Some examples include puzzles, art supplies, jewelry making supplies, and wooden or plastic blocks.

Spend time with your child outdoors on a regular basis. While researchers are not sure why this happens, children who are exposed to outdoor environments more often are less likely to develop myopia (nearsightedness).

How Often Do They Need Eye Exams? (By Age)

Family doctors or pediatricians can screen children without diagnosed eye issues for vision problems. This should be done:

First at around 6 months of age

Then once a year from ages age 3 to 5

And then once every one to two years afterwards until age 16

Children may need more frequent and more comprehensive eye exams if they have:

A diagnosed refractive error, eye disease or another optical condition

Signs of nearsightedness, misaligned eyes or lazy eye

A family history of genetic eye disease

Red, swollen or cloudy eyes

Glasses and Contact Lenses for Children

Children might wear glasses to:

Correct vision impairments like refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism)

Strengthen eyes with misalignment issues (such as strabismus or amblyopia)

If an optometrist prescribed glasses for your child, they should wear them as prescribed. If they do not, their vision may not develop correctly.

Older children or teens can wear contact lenses. Do not offer contact lenses to your child unless you are certain that they will wear them as prescribed and follow proper hygiene practices to avoid infection.

Children may resist wearing their glasses at first. To help them adjust:

Choose frames that fit your child's face now. This will make them more comfortable to wear. By the time your child grows into oversized frames, their vision may have changed.

Look for frames with soft, flexible materials on the ends. This will make the glasses fit more comfortably around your child's ears.

Add an elastic strap or ear grips to your child's frames to help them keep their glasses in place.

If your child is still not wearing their glasses consistently after 2 weeks or is complaining that they cannot see properly through their glasses, consult your eye doctor. Your child may have an underlying eye issue that has not been identified yet.

How to Protect Children's Eyes

Eye injuries are a common problem among children of all ages. To prevent them, your child should:

Wear safety or sport glasses with shatterproof lenses when participating in sports with a high likelihood of eye injuries, including baseball, basketball, field hockey, and more. If your child plays hockey or lacrosse, they should wear a full helmet with a face mask.

Wear eye protection when doing or observing chores like mowing the lawn, using power tools, or cleaning with hazardous chemicals. If you are with your child while you are doing these things, be sure to wear eye protection yourself as well.

Wear eye protection that meets military ballistic standards when using firearms at a shooting range or participating in paintball games.

Wear sunglasses with UV protection when spending significant amounts of time outdoors.

Tips to Keep Your Children's Eyes Healthy

You can help keep your child's eyes healthy for life by:

Feeding your child a balanced diet. Ensure that they get plenty of vitamin A, C, and E, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and lutein. Some good sources of these nutrients include leafy greens, fish, eggs, oranges, and berries.

Limiting your child's screen time. Too much time spent looking at screens can increase your child's risk of developing eye strain or myopia. If they must spend a long time in front of a screen (for example, during distance learning), have them practice the 20-20-20 rule: look up from the screen every 20 minutes at something that is at least 20 feet away, and hold that gaze for at least 20 seconds.

Choosing polycarbonate lenses (if your child wears glasses). These lenses are shatterproof and will not crack or break during active play, keeping your child's eyes safe from glass shards.

Watching out for warning signs of vision problems. Symptoms such as squinting, eye rubbing, and sensitivity to lights can indicate a developing vision issue. If you notice any of these behaviors, make a screening appointment with your child's doctor.

References

1. School-Aged Vision: 6 to 18 Years of Age. (2021). American Optometric Association.

2. Preschool Vision: 2 to 5 Years of Age. (2021). American Optometric Association.

3. Infant Vision: Birth to 24 Months of Age. (2021). American Optometric Association.

4. Adult Vision: 19 to 40 Years of Age. (2021). American Optometric Association.

5. Taking Care of Your Vision. (June 2014). Nemours KidsHealth.

6. Eye and Vision Tests for Children and Teens. (August 2020). University of Michigan Health.

7. 20 Things to Know About Children's Eyes and Vision. (December 2019). American Academy of Ophthalmology.

8. Warning Signs of Vision Problems in Infants & Children . (July 2016). American Academy of Pediatrics.

9. Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) in Newborns. (January 2019). Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

10. Glasses for Children. (March 2020). American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus.

11. 6 Ways to Be Proactive About Your Child's Eye Health. (2021). Johns Hopkins Medicine.

12. Children's eye health. (September 2019). College of Optometrists.

13. Preventing Eye Injuries. (September 2021). Nemours KidsHealth.

Last Updated February 22, 2022

Note: This page should not serve as a substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor or specialist. Please review our about page for more information.

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Guide to Children's Eye Health | MyVision.org

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Children's eyes and vision develop gradually and should be screened over the course of their lives. As your child ages, you may notice warning signs of common conditions for their age group. These conditions must be diagnosed and treated to allow your child's vision to develop normally.

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You can use this Phonics Primer developed by The National Right to Read
Foundation to begin teaching a child or adult to read.

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Birth Injury Justice Center is dedicated to supporting children and their families who have been affected by disabilities caused at birth

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What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect the brain's control over muscles and the nervous system. It develops due to brain damage shortly before or during birth.

The condition affects different parts of the body, so its symptoms and severity can vary. Additionally, cerebral palsy does not improve or worsen as a child grows, but complications stemming from the condition can cause additional health issues.

Cerebral palsy has no cure, but therapy, medication, and surgery can help improve your child's quality of life. Depending on how severe their condition is, patients may be able to live independently or they may require lifelong care. Fortunately, there are various support and financial resources available to help families affected by cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy Causes

Damage to an infant's brain during pregnancy, labor, or delivery is the primary cause of cerebral palsy. This damage may impact different parts of the brain (motor cortex, basal ganglia, and/or cerebellum), which each control different motor movements.

Damage to the motor cortex causes spastic cerebral palsy. Your child may experience increased muscle tone, making their muscles very stiff.

Damage to the basal ganglia causes dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Your child's muscle tone can alternate from too loose to too tight, which may cause them to struggle to control their arms and legs.

Damage to the cerebellum causes ataxic cerebral palsy. Your child may struggle with their balance and coordination.

Damage to any part of the brain can be caused by a number of different risk factors, the most prevalent being head injury or trauma. Premature birth or low birth weight can also lead to brain damage and other complications.

Another risk factor that may lead to cerebral palsy-related brain damage is complications shortly before or during delivery that cause bleeding or lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxia). Additionally, if the mother suffers from an infection while pregnant, the virus can attack the fetus and cause severe issues.

With proper medical care, your child is less likely to suffer brain damage. This may help prevent the condition.

Cerebral Palsy and Medical Negligence

Cerebral palsy is sometimes a result of medical negligence, which occurs when medical staff do not meet the standard level of care expected of them, putting your child in danger before and during childbirth.
Some forms of medical negligence that can result in cerebral palsy include:

Failure to monitor the baby's heartbeat and vital signs

Failure to perform an emergency C-section in a timely manner

Misuse of forceps and vacuum extractors

Forcing, pulling, or twisting babies out of the birth canal during delivery

Your health care team may be held responsible for failing to take the necessary precautions to prevent your child's birth injury. If your health care team did not provide you with proper medical treatment and support, they could be at fault for your child's cerebral palsy. In this case, you may be able to file a lawsuit to help pay for your child's treatment and other costs.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

There are four main cerebral palsy types, with each type affecting different areas of the brain and presenting different symptoms.

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form of the condition, comprising up to 80% of patients. Spastic cerebral palsy is caused by trauma or injury to the motor cortex portion of the brain before, during, or after childbirth.

Those who suffer from spastic cerebral palsy experience chronically tense muscles, or hypertonia. Hypertonia may impact other parts of the body as well, resulting in loss of control over the affected limbs.

There are 3 subtypes of spastic cerebral palsy.

Spastic Hemiplegia

This subtype of cerebral palsy impacts only the left or right side of the body. Common signs of spastic hemiplegia are one constantly clenched first, or limbs consistently tucked into one side of the body.

Spastic Diplegia

This particular subtype impacts only the lower half of the body. Infants and toddlers may have difficulty learning to walk, but most children eventually walk using their toes instead of the whole foot. It is also called "Little's Disease."

Spastic Quadriplegia

Spastic quadriplegia impacts all four limbs and the entire body, making it the most severe form of spastic cerebral palsy. The effects of spastic quadriplegia become apparent early in life, and parents will notice this when their child fails to meet anticipated baby milestones, such as controlling their head and crawling within one year.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Ataxic cerebral palsy is the rarest type of cerebral palsy, accounting for about 5-10% of patients.

This type occurs when the cerebellum of the brain is permanently damaged. The cerebellum does not control physical movement but sends signals to the body for muscles to move. These signals may occur too slowly or do not occur at all, resulting in unsteady movement, reduced muscle tone, and lack of coordination (ataxia).

Ataxia typically affects all or most of the body at once, but may impact any part of the body, including arms, legs, fingers, eyes, and throat.

A mix of early intervention, therapy, and medication can help people with ataxic cerebral palsy thrive in their daily lives.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

Athetoid cerebral palsy, also known as dyskinetic cerebral palsy, is found in 20% of patients.

Athetoid cerebral palsy is caused by injury to the basal ganglia, an area of the brain responsible for automatic movement, fine voluntary movements, and posture. The particular type of athetoid cerebral palsy experienced depends on which part of the basal ganglia is damaged.
There are two subtypes of athetoid cerebral palsy:

Choreoathetoid dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Characterized by two different types of movements: athetosis and chorea. Patients experience fluctuations in muscle tone that can affect their posture and movements.

Dystonic dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Causes muscle contractions when a patient tries to move, leading to awkward postures, repetitive movements, and slow twisting.

Mixed Type Cerebral Palsy

Since cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that impair the functions of the brain and nervous systems, mixed cerebral palsy is a combination of different cerebral palsy types. Mixed type cerebral palsy can impair your child's movement, cognition, sight, and hearing.

Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

Cerebral palsy symptoms may affect muscle control, coordination, balance, and cognitive development. The type and severity of a patient's condition influence the symptoms they show. In most cases, symptoms take months or years to become apparent.

Physical symptoms include:

Stiff muscle tone

Floppy muscle tone

Variations in muscle tone

Involuntary movements or tremors

Lack of coordination

Difficulty walking or toe-walking

Favoring one side of the body

Difficulty sucking, eating, or swallowing

Excessive drooling

Lack of fine motor skills

Neurological symptoms include:

Delays in developmental skills

Learning disabilities

Abnormal pain or touch perception

Seizures

Speech-related symptoms include:

Abnormal speech rhythms

Hoarse voice

Monotone voice

Nasally voice

Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis

To make a cerebral palsy diagnosis, your child's doctor will review their medical history and perform assessment tests to determine the specific type your cerebral palsy baby has - or if they have a different diagnosis altogether.

Did You Know? Most children who have cerebral palsy are diagnosed within the first 3 years of life.

Your child's doctor may also order more advanced tests, such as an ultrasound, MRI, or EEG, to confirm the diagnosis. These tests allow doctors to study the brain to pinpoint the location and extent of the damage, helping them make a more accurate diagnosis.

To perform a complete assessment, the doctor may conduct hearing, vision, speech, and intellectual tests to take note of any developmental delays and observe your child's muscles and motor skills. If you are still not sure whether your child has cerebral palsy, you can seek a second opinion.

Cerebral Palsy Life Expectancy

When a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, they will also receive a prognosis, which is a doctor's estimate on the short- and long-term outcomes for your child's diagnosis.

According to the Life Expectancy Project, a research group at the University of California, the main factors considered for life expectancy in cerebral palsy are gross motor skills and feeding. A child that is able to fully move and self-feed has a life expectancy that is no different than that of a person without the condition.

Can feed self

Minimal motor skill impairment

Chance of living to 20 years old: 99%

Uses feeding tube

Wheelchair bound

Chance of living to 20 years old: 40%

Unlike many other serious health conditions, cerebral palsy does not worsen over time since the brain injury occurred in one isolated instance. Other co-mitigating factors and separate conditions not caused by the initial brain injury may impact health and life expectancy over time.

Those with a longer cerebral palsy prognosis usually have more mobility, proper medical care, adaptive equipment, and greater autonomy and independence.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, there are many methods to treat it. Cerebral palsy treatment typically consists of measures to reverse the effects of the condition, as well as methods for your child to manage and overcome their symptoms. Common forms of treatment include medication, surgery, and therapy.

Different treatment plans may be recommended depending on the severity of your child's condition. Children with severe epilepsy may be prescribed medication to prevent seizures, while children with milder cases of cerebral palsy may only require ongoing physical therapy. Surgery is usually considered a last resort.

Ultimately, all forms of cerebral palsy treatment can be used to improve the quality of life for children with the condition and help them live more independently.

Therapy is one of the best options to treat and manage your child's cerebral palsy. Therapists use different methods to decrease cerebral palsy symptoms.
Different cerebral palsy therapies:

Physical therapy: Uses specific exercises to help improve flexibility, balance, movement, motor skills, and strengthen muscles.

Speech therapy: Helps children who have difficulty with the movement of their mouth, affecting their speech and communication skills.

Occupational therapy: Focuses on helping children become more independent in school, work, and home environments.

Aquatic therapy: Helps children move muscles more freely while immersed in water. Trained therapists hold large therapy sessions in pools with water-focused adaptive exercise equipment.

There are several different types of cerebral palsy medications that can help treat symptoms such as seizures and spasticity. Since each child is different, the use of medications can vary depending on a child's prevalent symptoms.

Surgery may be necessary if symptoms do not respond well to other forms of treatment or cause complications that cannot be eased by therapy. Certain cerebral palsy surgeries help to reduce symptoms such as muscle spasticity or contractures.

Cerebral Palsy Financial Assistance

Cerebral palsy treatment costs can take a financial toll on your family - and if your child's birth injury was preventable, you should not be solely responsible for medical bills. Fortunately, there are many resources your family can take advantage of to get the financial assistance you deserve.

Founded to alleviate financial stressors on families affected by cerebral palsy, financial support organizations offer grants and assistance to pay for therapy, medications, surgeries, and education.

Filing a cerebral palsy lawsuit may also give families the opportunity to receive the financial compensation needed to pay for their child's treatment.

The amount of compensation received from a cerebral case can vary based on the severity of your child's condition. Some families have been awarded millions to provide care and reparations for pain and suffering. Your cerebral palsy lawyer can analyze the facts of your case and try to secure the highest amount of compensation possible.

If your child developed cerebral palsy stemming from medical malpractice or negligence, you can help protect your child's future by pursuing the justice you may deserve.

Cerebral Palsy FAQ

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What Is Cerebral Palsy? - Causes, Symptoms & Types

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Cerebral palsy impairs a person's control over their own body. Improper health care during childbirth can cause your baby to develop cerebral palsy.

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In-depth workshops at how children become readers.

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THE PARENT SESSIONS
Season 1

The Parent Sessions are being led by a powerful, educated and influential group of women who were involved in the Reading First initiative in the state of California, after the National Reading Panel. In these sessions, parents will be given information they need to know in order to help educate their own children via the science of reading. If you are a parent, and even if you are an educator who would like to learn more, this will be an amazing opportunity to dive into the science of reading instruction.

Questions on the content?

At The Dyslexia Initiative we are here to serve our community. Attached is a survey form to help us know if you have specific

questions that we can answer in our sessions, or directly with you. If you have questions, here is the place to submit them.

https://forms.gle/woEEJc6j3X6bMKNU9

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Note on the below links :

All links below are plug ins from our YouTube channel. If you experience any glitches please launch YouTube, link below in the footer of the page, and watch the videos there. Additionally, you can double click the link to open directly in YouTube.

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Helpful Tools

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Attached is a PDF entitled General American English Phonemes and Spellings. This is a printable document that lists Consonant* Continuous Sounds & Spellings, Vowel Sounds & Spellings and Consonant Stop Sounds & Spellings. This is an incredible reference which we hope you will find helpful.

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Concepts of Print Bookmark

Colorful

Concepts of Print Bookmark

Blue & White

Can be printed on black and white printer

Attached are printable bookmarks on the concepts of print. Please feel free to print them off and use them in your favorite books.

General American English Phonemes and Spellings

For the 1st session, below are the suggested links:

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Alphabet Song

with Clapping Pauses

Letter Naming Dialog

with Capital Letters

Letter Naming Dialog

with Lower Case Letters

PDF Includes the following:

How to Hold A Pencil

Pre-Writing Strokes and Shapes

Develop Fine Motor Skills

For the 7th session, below are the suggested links:

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Slide Deck For Session 10

Phonemic Awareness Skills Chart

Slide Deck For Session 11

For the 11th session, below are the suggested links:

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Slide Deck For Session 12

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The Parent Sessions - Season 1 | The Dyslexia Initiative

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THE PARENT SESSIONS Season 1 The Parent Sessions are being led by a powerful, educated and influential group of women who were involved in the Reading First initiative in the state of California, after the National Reading Panel.

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FREE Guide to Phonics Terms & Rules for K-2

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FREE Guide to Phonics Terms & Rules for K-2

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FREE Guide to Phonics Terms & Rules for K-2

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Use this FREE resource to find more than 25 phonics terms and rules with clear definitions for kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade teachers.

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Wonderful videos, pictures, fun facts, games and articles about a wide array of interesting topics.

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* * * This is a FREE preview to my Word Builders Packet! The packet contains 800+ pages of material for CVC, CVCe, Blends, and Digraph activities! VIEW THE PACKET HERE* * *

Thanks so much for downloading my CVC Word Builder Mat! This free preview gives students an opportunity read, build, write, and illustrate CVC words.

What is included?

*** If you love this activity, THIS BUNDLE contains additional activities for CVC, CVCe, Blends, and Digraph activities! ***
Questions?
Please email me at littlemindsatworkllc@gmail.com
Would you like to receive notifications for my newly released packets and upcoming sale? Be sure to FOLLOW ME here on TPT! **Join my private Facebook Group to join fellow Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade teachers that use my curriculum! Collaborate, chat and share ideas with like-minded teachers! Join the private Facebook group H E R E! Visit my blog Little Minds at Work Follow me on Facebook

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CVC Word Builder Mat | FREEBIE DOWNLOAD |

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* This is a FREE preview to my Word Builders Packet! The packet contains 800+ pages of material for CVC, CVCe, Blends, and Digraph activities! VIEW THE PACKET HERE* * *Thanks so much for downloading my CVC Word Builder Mat! This free preview gives students an opportunity read, build, write, and ...

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Elkonin Boxes "Sound Boxes" and how to use them

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Elkonin Boxes "Sound Boxes" and how to use them

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Includes printable templates

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Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest units of sounds (phonemes) in words. Many students with learning differences like dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness. Because phonemic awareness is a foundational literacy skill, students who have trouble with this skill often have difficulty with reading.

Elkonin sound boxes can help students develop phonemic awareness by focusing on segmenting and blending the sounds in words. Segmenting is breaking a word apart into its individual sounds. Blending is putting the individual sounds together to say the word. Read on to learn how to use Elkonin sound boxes to teach these important skills.

Scroll down for tips on adapting this strategy for distance learning.

K (Common Core ELA Literacy RF.K.2: Understand spoken words, syllables, and sounds)

1 (Common Core ELA Literacy RF.1.2: Understand spoken words, syllables, and sounds)

Gather materials. Give each student an Elkonin sound boxes printable and five counters, coins, tiles, or other small objects. For students who struggle with fine motor skills, consider using larger objects that are easier to handle.

Words with two sounds and two letters: it, no

Words with three sounds and three letters or with three sounds and four letters ending in a 'silent e': hop, cat, game

Words with three sounds and one or more digraphs (two letters that make one sound): fish, tooth, chime

Words with four phonemes and blends (two or more letters that blend together but that have separate sounds): crab, skip, trade

Words with five phonemes and blends: street, crust, blend

2. Model. Point to the set of boxes that has two squares. Explain that students will move one counter into one square for each sound they hear. Model how you'll do that by lining up two counters above the squares. Say the word it. Pull down one tile into the first square as you say /ĭ/ and the second tile as you say /t/. Then run your finger along the arrow underneath the box to blend the sounds back together: it.

3. Practice and give feedback. Invite students to practice another word with you. Depending on your students' needs, you might use the sound box with three squares and the word hit. Support students as they pull down one tile for /h/, one for /ĭ/, and another for /t/. Then blend the sounds back together to make hit.

Repeat the activity with several words that have two, three, four, or five sounds (as appropriate for your students). Provide feedback as students segment and blend the sounds.

For English language learners (ELLs): Hold up a picture of the word you are asking students to segment. Say the word and have students repeat it. (If the word is a cognate, say the word both in English and in the student's home language.) After students say the word in English, segment the sounds and then blend them together. By doing so, you'll help students build vocabulary by connecting the word with its meaning.

All students - and particularly students who learn and think differently - benefit from explicit instruction in literacy. The visual element of the sound boxes helps students to segment each sound separately. Similarly, moving the tiles and dragging their finger along the word helps to engage students in multisensory learning .

Elkonin sounds boxes are especially useful for ELLs. Learning English can be difficult for some students because there are sounds in English that may not exist in their home language. For instance, English has many more vowel sounds than Spanish. Elkonin sound boxes give students repeated practice with hearing unfamiliar sounds.

Share this resource with families to help them understand the importance of phonemic awareness and other phonological skills.

Partner with your students' families. Find out what resources they have available and what they might need to support learning at home.

Guide an individual student or a small group of students through the steps (including how to draw the sound boxes) in a synchronous online lesson. Use UDL as you're planning the lesson.

Make sure your modeling is easy for students to see. Position your camera to show how you move the counters into the sound boxes. Or create slides that show the sound boxes and use animation to fade in the counters.

Give ideas for manipulatives that students might be able to find at home, like crayons, small game pieces, cotton balls, or coins.

About the Author

About the Author

Kim Greene, MA is the managing editor at Understood. A former elementary teacher and a certified reading specialist, she has a passion for developing resources for educators.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Margie B. Gillis, EdD is the founder and president of Literacy How, which provides professional development for teachers on research-based reading practices in the classroom.

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Elkonin sound boxes: An evidence-based literacy strategy

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Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest units of sounds (phonemes) in words. Many students with learning differences like dyslexia struggle with phonemic awareness. Because phonemic awareness is a foundational literacy skill, students who have trouble with this skill often have difficulty with reading.

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Applying for NY Public Library card by email. 

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Applying for NY Public Library card by email. 

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Apply for a free NY Public Library card by mail to access Tumble Books for free as well as many other resources. Apply for a NY Public Library card via email. https://www.nypl.org/library-card
Tumble Books Library accessible (via use of the 14 digit NYPL card number)

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Welcome! Get a free library card from The New York Public Library.

New York residents ages 13 and older can get a digital library card through our online card application and gain access to an array of digital resources. You may also request physical items with your digital account; however you will need to check out your items with a physical card.

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To borrow physical and digital materials, please visit one of our locations with proof of ID and address to complete the application for a physical card. Apply for a library card at a New York Public Library location near you. Find a location near you.

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Welcome! Get a free library card from The New York Public Library. New York residents ages 13 and older can get a digital library card through our online card application and gain access to an array of digital resources.

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Print using a good printer and laminate. Use for physical phonics activities.

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Phonics instruction

Phonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. It teaches children to use these relationships to read and write words. Teachers of reading and publishers of programs of beginning reading instruction sometimes use different labels to describe these relationships, including the following:

Regardless of the label, the goal of phonics instruction is to help children learn and use the alphabetic principle--the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Knowing these relationships will help children recognize familiar words accurately and automatically, and "decode" new words. In short, knowledge of the alphabetic principle contributes greatly to children's ability to read words both in isolation and in connected text.

Critics of phonics instruction argue that English spellings are too irregular for phonics instruction to really help children learn to read words. The point is, however, that phonics instruction teaches children a system for remembering how to read words. Once children learn, for example, that phone is spelled this way rather than foan, their memory helps them to read, spell, and recognize the word instantly and more accurately than they could read foan. The same process is true for all irregularly spelled words. Most of these words contain some regular letter-sound relationships that can help children remember how to read them. In summary, the alphabetic system is a mnemonic device that supports our memory for specific words.

What does scientifically-based research tell us about

Key findings from the scientific research on phonics instruction include the following conclusions of particular interest and value to classroom teachers:

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is more effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction makes a bigger contribution to children's growth in reading than instruction that provides non-systematic or no phonics instruction.

How do systematic programs of phonics instruction differ from non-systematic programs? The hallmark of programs of systematic phonics instruction is the direct teaching of a set of letter-sound relationships in a clearly defined sequence. The set includes the major sound/spelling relationships of both consonants and vowels.

The programs also provide materials that give children substantial practice in applying know-ledge of these relationships as they read and write. These materials include books or stories that contain a large number of words that children can decode by using the letter-sound relationships they have learned and are learning. The programs also might provide children with opportunities to spell words and to write their own stories with the letter-sound relationships they are learning.

Approaches to phonics instruction
Most teachers are acquainted with several approaches to phonics instruction, including those listed below. The distinctions between approaches are not absolute, and some programs of instruction combine approaches.
Synthetic phonics Children learn how to convert letters or letter combinations into sounds, and then how to blend the sounds together to form recognizable words.

Analytic phonics Children learn to analyze letter-sound relationships in previously learned words. They do not pronounce sounds in isolation.

Analogy-based phonics Children learn to use parts of word families they know to identify words they don't know that have similar parts.

Phonics through spelling Children learn to segment words into phonemes and to make words by writing letters for phonemes.

Embedded phonics Children are taught letter-sound relationships during the reading of connected text. (Since children encounter different letter-sound relationships as they read, this approach is not systematic or explicit.)

Onset-rime phonics instruction Children learn to identify the sound of the letter or letters before the first vowel (the onset) in a one-syllable word and the sound of the remaining part of the word (the rime).

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction significantly improves kindergarten and first-grade children's word recognition and spelling.

Systematic phonics instruction produces the greatest impact on children's reading achievement when it begins in kindergarten or first grade.

Both kindergarten and first-grade children who receive systematic phonics instruction are better at reading and spelling words than kindergarten and first-grade children who do not receive systematic instruction.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction significantly improves children's reading comprehension.

Systematic phonics instruction results in better growth in children's ability to comprehend what they read than non-systematic or no phonics instruction. This is not surprising because the ability to read the words in a text accurately and quickly is highly related to successful reading comprehension.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is effective for children from various social and economic levels.

Systematic phonics instruction is beneficial to children regardless of their socioeconomic status. It helps children from various backgrounds make greater gains in reading than non-systematic instruction or no phonics instruction.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is particularly beneficial for children who are having difficulty learning to read and who are at risk for developing future reading problems.

Systematic phonics instruction is significantly more effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction in helping to prevent reading difficulties among at risk students and in helping children overcome reading difficulties.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is most effective when introduced early.

Phonics instruction is most effective when it begins in kindergarten or first grade. To be effective with young learners, systematic instruction must be designed appropriately and taught carefully. It should include teaching letter shapes and names, phonemic awareness, and all major letter-sound relationships. It should ensure that all children learn these skills. As instruction proceeds, children should be taught to use this knowledge to read and write words.

Phonics instruction is not an entire reading program for beginning readers.

Along with phonics instruction, young children should be solidifying their knowledge of the alphabet, engaging in phonemic awareness activities, and listening to stories and informational texts read aloud to them. They also should be reading texts (both out loud and silently), and writing letters, words, messages, and stories.

Programs of systematic and explicit phonics instruction

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction provides practice with letter-sound relationships in a predetermined sequence. Children learn to use these relationships to decode words that contain them.

Questions you may have about

Do we know enough about the effectiveness of systematic and explicit phonics instruction for me to implement it in my classroom?

Yes. Many teachers are teaching phonics systematically and explicitly and have been doing so for years. Their results, along with the findings of three decades of research, confirm the importance and effectiveness of systematic phonics instruction, particularly in kindergarten and first- and second-grade classrooms.

How can I tell if a phonics program is systematic and explicit?

A program of systematic phonics instruction clearly identifies a carefully selected and useful set of letter-sound relationships and then organizes the introduction of these relationships into a logical instructional sequence. The instructional sequence may include the relationships between the sounds associated with single letters (for example, the sound /m/ with the letter m), as well as with larger units of written language (for example, letter combinations such as th or ing or spelling patterns such as ea or ie). Furthermore, a systematic program of instruction provides children with ample opportunities to practice the relationships they are learning.

What do non-systematic programs of phonics instruction look like?

Programs of phonics instruction that are not systematic do not teach consonant and vowel letter-sound relationships in a prescribed sequence. Rather, they encourage informal phonics instruction based on the teacher's perceptions of what students need to learn and when they need to learn it.

General guidelines

Evaluating programs of phonics instruction

Effective programs offer phonics instruction that:

helps teachers explicitly and systematically instruct students in how to relate letters and sounds, how to break spoken words into sounds, and how to blend sounds to form words;

helps students understand why they are learning the relationships between letters and sounds;

helps students apply their knowledge of phonics as they read words, sentences, and text;

helps students apply what they learn about sounds and letters to their own writing;

can be adapted to the needs of individual students, based on assessment;

includes alphabetic knowledge, phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, and the reading of text, as well as systematic phonics instruction.

Non-systematic instruction often neglects vowels, even though knowing vowel letter-sound relationships is a crucial part of knowing the alphabetic system. Non-systematic programs of phonics instruction do not provide practice materials that offer children the opportunity to apply what they are learning about letter-sound relationships. The reading materials these programs do provide for children are selected according to other criteria, such as their interest to children or their literary value.

What else should I look for in programs of phonics instruction?

Programs should acknowledge that systematic phonics instruction is a means to an end. Some phonics programs focus primarily on teaching children a large number of letter-sound relationships. These programs often do not allot enough instructional time to help children learn how to put this knowledge to use in reading actual words, sentences, and texts. Although children need to be taught the major consonant and vowel letter-sound relationships, they also need ample reading and writing activities that allow them to practice using this knowledge.

What kinds of reading practice materials should I look for?

Usually, practice materials are in the form of short books or stories that contain words that provide children with practice in using the specific letter-sound relationships they are learning. Most programs of systematic phonics instruction also include materials for use in practicing writing. For example, children might have activity sheets on which they write the letters and letter combinations they are learning, and then combine these into words, sentences, messages, and their own stories.

Is phonics instruction more effective when students are taught individually, in small groups, or in whole classes?

You can teach phonics effectively to the whole class, to small groups, or to individual students.The needs of the students in your class and the number of adults working with them determine how you deliver instruction.

Non-systematic programs

Non-systematic programs of phonics instruction
Some programs of instruction do not teach phonics explicitly and systematically.

Literature-based programs that emphasize reading and writing activities. Phonics instruction is embedded in these activities, but letter-sound relationships are taught incidentally, usually based on key letters that appear in student reading materials.

Basal reading programs that focus on whole-word or meaning-based activities. These programs pay only limited attention to letter-sound relationships and provide little or no instruction in how to blend letters to pronounce words.

Sight-word programs that begin by teaching children a sight-word reading vocabulary of from 50 to 100 words. Only after they learn to read these words do children receive instruction in the alphabetic principle.

Further, adding phonics workbooks or phonics activities to these programs of instruction has not been effective. Such "add-ons" confuse rather than help children to read.
Doesn't phonics instruction get in the way of reading comprehension?

Quite the opposite is true. Because systematic phonics instruction helps children learn to identify words, it increases their ability to comprehend what they read. Reading words accurately and automatically enables children to focus on the meaning of text. The research is quite convincing in showing that phonics instruction contributes to comprehension skills rather than inhibiting them.

Does phonics instruction slow down the progress of some children?

Again, the opposite is true. Phonics instruction contributes to growth in the reading of most children.It is important, however, to acknowledge that children vary greatly in the knowledge of reading that they bring to school. For phonics instruction to support the reading progress of all of your students, it is important to work in flexible instructional groups and to pace instruction to maximize student progress.

How does systematic and explicit phonics instruction affect spelling?

Systematic programs of phonics instruction produce more growth in spelling among kindergarten and first-grade students than non-systematic or no phonics programs. However, systematic phonics instruction for normally developing and poor readers above first grade does not produce gains in spelling. The reason may be that as students move up in the grades, spelling is less a matter of applying letter-sound relationships and more a matter of combining word parts.

How does systematic and explicit phonics instruction affect the reading and spelling of older students?

Systematic phonics instruction by itself may not be enough to significantly improve the overall reading and spelling performance of readers beyond first grade. The effects of phonics instruction on students in second through sixth grades are limited to improving their word reading and oral text reading skills. The effects do not extend to spelling and reading comprehension. For these students, it is important to emphasize reading fluency and comprehension. In addition, these students also require explicit spelling instruction to improve their spelling.

How long should phonics be taught?

Approximately two years of phonics instruction is sufficient for most students. If phonics instruction begins early in kindergarten, it should be completed by the end of first grade. If phonics instruction begins early in first grade, it should be completed by the end of second grade.

Summing up

Phonics instruction

helps children learn the relationships between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.

Phonics instruction is important because

it leads to an understanding of the alphabetic principle--the systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds.

Programs of phonics instruction are effective when they are

systematic--the plan of instruction includes a carefully selected set of letter-sound relationships that are organized into a logical sequence.

explicit--the programs provide teachers with precise directions for the teaching of these relationships.

Effective phonics programs provide

ample opportunities for children to apply what they are learning about letters and sounds to the reading of words, sentences, and stories.

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction

significantly improves children's word recognition, spelling, and reading comprehension.

is most effective when it begins in kindergarten or first grade.

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Phonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. It teaches children to use these relationships to read and write words.

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How to Read with Your Child | Reading Lessons

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How to Read with Your Child | Reading Lessons

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How to Read with Your Child | Reading Lessons

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Beautiful Sesame Street learning videos, games, and more. 

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Beautiful Sesame Street learning videos, games, and more. 

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Sesame Street | Preschool Games, Videos, & Coloring Pages to Help Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger & Kinder

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Growing Readers: Written especially for parents, Growing Readers provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers.

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Growing Readers: Written especially for parents, Growing Readers provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers.

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Written especially for parents, Growing Readers provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers. Schools and PTAs can add these preformatted briefs to their parent newsletters. Growing Readers is also a great resource for libraries and community literacy organizations.

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Written especially for parents, Growing Readers provides monthly tips for raising strong readers and writers. Schools and PTAs can add these preformatted briefs to their parent newsletters. Growing Readers is also a great resource for libraries and community literacy organizations.

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Reading Rockets: Adventure Packs for Families

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Reading Rockets: Adventure Packs for Families

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Comprehensive Resource for Families for children K-3.

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Reading adventure packs contain a paired set of theme-based fiction and nonfiction books with related interactive activities that kids can bring home from school to share with their family. Find out how to encourage hands-on, fun learning at home with Reading Rockets' Family Literacy Bags!

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Reading Partners | Literacy Engagement Handouts for Families

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Reading Partners | Literacy Engagement Handouts for Families

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Resource library - Reading Partners | Reading Partners

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Take reading with you worksheets Emerging reader worksheets (grades K-1) (English pdf, Español pdf) Beginning reader worksheets (grades 1-2) (English pdf, Español pdf) Advancing reader worksheets (grades 2-5) (English pdf, Español pdf) Literacy engagement resources and tips Back to school reading tips (English pdf) Before, during, after reading reminders (English pdf, Español pdf) Being a [...]

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Includes videos

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Milestones: Watch kids demonstrate skills. | GreatSchools

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Milestones two-minute videos let you watch as kids demonstrate skills.

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ElKonin Boxes - Templates for PA and Phonics

# data[].attributes.subject
ElKonin Boxes - Templates for PA and Phonics

# data[].attributes.body
Printable templates to use for dictation and practice of segmenting and blending.