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If you have a child struggling with “phonological awareness”, you may be wondering what that means. “Phonological awareness” is a complicated phrase and can be difficult to understand. You can look up a definition but in all reality, the best way to understand this phrase is by breaking it down,…

Phonemic awareness is the ability to understand that language is made up of individual sounds, known as phonemes.  Phonemes are the smallest unit of spoken language. For example, phonemic awareness allows you to hear four individual sounds /f/ /r/ /ŏ/ /g/ and know that the word is fish. A person…

What is an inference? Making inferences. We do it all the time. But, what exactly is an inference in reading? It simply means we make a guess about something based on the information we have at hand. All the information may not be available. Every little detail may not be…

What is guided reading? We’ve all heard the phrase, but what is guided reading anyway? Guided reading is a reading program that involves a teacher – or other adult – working with a small group of children who are reading at or around the same level. This is not just…

What is Close reading? Close reading is a relatively new concept that’s been introduced in K-12 classrooms. It sounds like the simple practice of closely reading a text for understanding, but close reading techniques students learn in the classroom are slightly more complex, and much more enriching. Read on for:…

What is an IEP? Whether you are familiar with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may depend on a variety of factors.  Does your child struggle in school and has potentially been evaluated for special education services?  Have you heard your child mention that another student in class has an IEP? …

What is a central idea? A central idea (also called the main idea or main point) is the unifying component in a piece of literature. Central ideas are what we look for in paragraphs, chapters, or entire stories to uncover the point of the text. All writing should have a…

It’s elementary, my dear Watson! So, what are the elements of a story? Think about a story you loved. It can be a short piece of fiction or a whole novel. What comes to mind first? Probably the characters or what happened to them. Think a little longer. Other parts…

What are informational texts? Informational texts make up a category of nonfiction resources. They  focus on one specific topic. Informational texts are informative and composed of facts. The title will tell you exactly what that informational text is about. The purpose is to inform the reader to better comprehend the…

How often do you hear people use phrases that don’t really make sense? For example, when someone is about to perform, someone might say: “Break a leg!” Or when it’s raining a lot, people say: “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Or if you’re having a bad day, you might say…