How analytical spelling defeats dyslexia

Dyslexia is poor word-level reading characterized by difficulties in fluency, spelling, writing, and pronunciation caused by a phonological core deficiency. This phonological core deficiency (or PCD) refers to the student's inability to recognize, analyze, or decode the oral sound structure that determines how words are spelled, written, and read in specific letter-sound sequences.

Dyslexia occurs when the brain has difficulty processing speech and print as phonemic sounds. To remedy this situation, we need to train the student's brain to segment spoken words by listening for the individual speech sounds that form all spoken words in our language. We need to train or rewire the student's brain to make stronger, lasting connections between sight and sound so that visual letters can be "heard" as spoken sounds.

Simply put, we need to train the student to hear phonemes in spoken words and to see and "hear" phonemes in printed words. Phoneme awareness is the same process that all students must learn to read effectively: all students must understand that spoken words consist of sounds and that the letters in our alphabet stand for sounds. Students with dyslexia do not need a different process for turning speech into the printed word and the printed word back into speech; they need a more intensive, relentless approach to understanding and applying the alphabetic principle of letter-sound correspondence.

The most effective interventions will focus on teaching children phonemic awareness/analysis. Intensive auditory intervention means showing children how to focus on phonemic sounds so that they can analyze phonemes in spoken words and translate printed words back into phonemes.

Analytical spelling is structured oral spelling from dictation--not from memorization. Students listen and respond to spoken words by converting sounds and structures into letters and combinations of letters. Analytical spelling requires students to take words apart and combine them by focusing on sounds, meanings, and grammatical structures. As such, analytical spelling™ is a scientifically and historically proven way to help all students (with or without dyslexia) learn how to read and write because it focuses students on sounds instead of sight.

Teaching students how to spell from sound and write the words down is a highly effective way to help them overcome dyslexia because spelling and writing require intensive focus on sounds and matching sounds to their corresponding letters or letter combinations. Spelling sounds and writing them down trains students to become phonemically aware and to use phonemic analysis in listening and reading.

Six reasons for using multisensory learning

What do scientists, pediatricians, and teachers say is the most effective way to teach children diagnosed with dyslexia, autism, and ADHD?

Most scientists, doctors, and teachers agree that multisensory learning is the best way to teach all children, especially those diagnosed with dyslexia, autism, and ADHD. Multisensory learning is also called five-senses learning.

What is multisensory (or five-senses) learning?

Multisensory learning combines visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic strategies, allowing children to use movement, listening, touch, and visual cues to understand and retain information more effectively. Because the brain receives several types of sensory inputs, the brain can process material more effectively and help children analyze and understand that material in a positive and even exciting way. This is different from learning styles that became popular several years ago. Learning styles meant a child's preference for how they thought they learned best. That has been debunked. But what's true now and has always been true, and which will always be accurate, is that the brain learns best when it receives input from several sources. Kids who use their ears, eyes, and hands learn and remember more than their peers. This is true for any learner, whether a disorder or disability challenges that child. But what is extraordinarily accurate is that children who are struggling with diagnosed learning difficulties perform much better when they can use their whole body in the learning process. So multisensory learning can also be called sensory or whole-body learning. In effect, learning becomes a treat when kids are on their feet.

Why does multisensory learning bring the most significant success rate for children struggling with learning challenges?

Here are six reasons why multisensory learning, whole body learning is so beneficial to all kids:

1. The human brain loves to store and process information when that information is presented through several sensory inputs. The eyes, ears, nose, hands, and feet work together so kids can learn and remember.

2. Multisensory, whole-body learning excites kids to do tasks they would usually be bored with in school. When kids get bored, learning becomes tedious, and their brains resist the information they hear. Since most classrooms are traditionally geared for only two inputs, reading and listening, the brain tends to fall asleep, and learning does not go very deep. However, when the brain is stimulated by the excitement of colors, magnets, color-coded vocabulary cards, the ability to rearrange words and make sentences on a magnetic board, and other multisensory tactics, the brain equates excitement with learning. This gives kids a reason to want to learn. And anything kids want to do, they will do better than if they're being forced to do it.

3. Multisensory learning works by creating a neurological association between excitement and learning. If kids become excited when learning math or reading, they tend to associate the excitement they gained through that process with the reading and math skills themselves. So, in other words, math and reading skills, which are typically complex, tedious, and monotonous for children, become associated with excitement because of the manner or the multisensory ways in which the material was presented to them.

4. Multisensory learning creates strong synaptic pathways in the brain. When kids repeat an activity, the brain creates a learning pathway that is reinforced when that activity is constantly repeated. So, for example, if kids had to memorize their multiplication tables, they could go home and create a series of cards in the darkness of their room and try to memorize it for the next day. However, suppose kids are taught how to use sensory or multisensory tools to help them memorize their tables. In that case, they equate that process of memorization with enthusiasm and excitement and look forward to repeating it. Once they repeat the learning process, the brain reinforces that by creating more robust neurological pathways.

5. Science has proven that exercise stimulates and prepares the brain for learning. Physical exercise produces or stimulates the growth of BDNF protein linked to brain growth and plasticity. Exercise also stimulates a host of hormonal responses, which all prepare the brain to learn. Exercise is caffeine for the brain. We all know what it feels like after we've exercised or jogged in the morning, and we try to resolve an idea. Ideas come more easily to our minds when our bodies feel invigorated. This is also true for children. The brain learns best when it is not stressed.

6. Blending athletics with academics helps children to feel confident. As they learn one skill, whether athletic or academic, their confidence increases, and they think that they can crush the intimidating fears that have come from failing in either math or reading. Success breeds success. Any skill set kids can master while associating that skill set with learning produces confidence related to other skill sets. So, if a child learns to box well and then is taught to chant his mathematical tables to the repetition or rhythm of the athletic drill, the brain will bind those two elements together. Whenever he moves to the box, the brain will recall the material he chanted during that drill. When associated with learning, movement creates an extraordinary combination that is effective, exciting, and unforgettable.    

Why is analytical spelling so critical?

What is analytical spelling?

Analytical spelling is structured spelling from dictation--not from memorization. Students listen and respond to spoken words by converting sounds and structures into letters and combinations of letters. Analytical spelling requires students to take words apart and put them back together by focusing on sounds, meanings, and grammatical structures. Analytical spelling requires students to ask the most critical questions: Why is the word pronounced this way? And how do the word's definition, origins, grammatical structures, and usage determine its spelling?

The English writing system is a representation of its spelling system. Written words are simply printed spellings of those words. To read words, students must understand how the words are pronounced and what the words mean. English orthography (or its writing and spelling system) combines sounds and meanings. To spell well, students must understand how sounds (phonemes) are represented by letters or combinations of letters and how meanings (morphemes) are embedded in spelling. Students must study how sounds and meanings determine how words are spelled, pronounced, and used in sentences. When students focus on the sounds and meanings of words, they develop outstanding reading skills because reading is the art of decoding how words sound, what they mean, and how they are used in sentences.  

Why is analytical spelling so necessary? Analytical spelling helps children to develop the following skills:

Children learn to focus and listen intently because the words are being pronounced. So analytical spelling enhances focus and listening skills. Intensive auditory training is essential to help children overcome reading difficulties and disorders such as dyslexia. Kids diagnosed with dyslexia should learn to spell well so that they can read well.

Analytical spelling enhances pronunciation. It teaches children how to pronounce words syllabically. All English words are pronounced according to syllable patterns. When students hear and analyze words, they learn how those words are pronounced and how they are accented syllabically.

Analytical spelling enhances phonemic awareness because it requires students to focus on the sound structures of words. Students learn to listen to phonemic sounds to represent those sounds as letters.

Analytical spelling also improves morphemic awareness. Morphemes are the irreducible parts of words that contain their meanings. English is a sound and meaning system. English words consist of phonemes for spelling and morphemes for spelling and meaning. In other words, English is a phonemic-morphemic system. English spelling consists of sounds and meanings. Sometimes the way a word sounds in English is different from the way the word is spelled because English spellings also contain the morphemes or meaningful elements of the words.

Analytical spelling also requires students to think about the etymology or the origins of words. To decode the spelling of a word, it is often helpful to know its language of origin. Latin, Greek, French, and Anglo-Saxon are the most important languages in forming English. When students know a word's origin, they can then use that language's spelling rules or patterns to spell and define the word correctly. Latin, Greek, and French word parts are essential to understanding how to decode and spell hundreds of thousands of complex English words. Simple English words are often derived from Anglo-Saxon. But compound and more complex words consisting of word parts such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes find their origins in Latin, French, and Greek. Knowledge of those word patterns is essential for understanding, spelling, and pronouncing complex words.

To summarize, structured analytical spelling (or spelling from dictation) requires students to focus on English's underlying sound and meaning structures. Analytical spelling requires students to think deeply about the origins of words and their phonemic and morphemic structures. Analytical spelling enhances auditory, listening, and focusing skills since word analysis requires intent listening and thinking at the same time. Analytical spelling requires deep knowledge and deep thinking about the word structures of English. It requires an understanding of sounds, vocabulary, and grammar. English orthography is based on how words sound, what words mean, and how words are used in sentences. This is why champion spellers ask questions about the origin of the word, the meaning of the word, and how the words are used contextually or in sentences.

Analytical spelling enhances reading skills because it teaches students to think about the structures of the writing system. Students that spell well must focus on phonemes (sounds), graphemes (letter symbols), morphemes (meaningful parts), and syllable structures (vowel-centered rhythmic sections of words.) Students who understand these structures will always be able to read exceptionally well because reading requires the translation of phonemes, syllables, and morphemes into coherent sounds and meanings. When kids learn analytical spelling early, they become adept at reading complex texts and defining difficult words. These advanced reading skills help them gain more knowledge about words and the world, which enables them to read with comprehension and write with clarity. In short, analytical spelling skills teach reading and writing skills. Kids who spell well, read well.

A brief history of reading instruction in the United States

In colonial times, reading instruction was simple and straightforward: teach children the code and then let them read. At that time, reading material was not specially written for children but consisted primarily of the Bible and some patriotic essays.

One of the earliest and most influential sources of reading instruction was **The New England Primer**, published in the late 1680s. This book was based on a simple and straightforward approach: teach children the code (the relationship between letters and sounds) and then let them read. The book used a syllabic phonics method, which taught children to read words by breaking them into syllables. The book also contained religious texts, such as the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, as well as patriotic essays and moral lessons.

In the early 1800s, two other popular books for reading instruction were **Noah Webster's Blue-Backed Speller** and **the McGuffey Readers**. Both books sold over 100 million copies and were widely used in schools and homes. Webster's book focused on teaching spelling and pronunciation, while McGuffey's books offered graded readers with engaging stories and poems. McGuffey also gave teachers the option to use different methods for teaching reading: the word method (top-down), which taught children to recognize words as wholes; the phonic method (bottom-up), which taught children to blend sounds into words; or a combination of the two methods.

Not until the mid-19th century did this approach change significantly.

Educators, in particular Horace Mann, began to advocate changes in reading instructional methods. He observed that children were bored and "death-like" at school, and that instruction needed to engage children's interest in the reading material by teaching them to read whole words. Reading instruction in American schools underwent significant changes in the 1800s, as different methods and materials were introduced and debated.

In the mid-1800s, some educators began to advocate for changes in reading instruction, arguing that children needed more meaningful and interesting texts to read. One of these educators was **Horace Mann**, who observed that children were bored and "death-like" at school. He suggested that teachers should use more sight words (words that are recognized by sight rather than by sounding out) and more engaging readers, such as **the McGuffey Readers**.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, reading instruction became more focused on comprehension and meaning, rather than on decoding and sounding out. Some of the influences that shaped this shift were **the progressive education movement**, which emphasized child-centered learning and holistic development; **the psychological research of Edward Thorndike**, who argued that reading was a complex mental process that involved association, inference, and prediction; and **the development of new types of readers**, such as **the Elson Readers** and **the Dick and Jane series**, which used simple language, repetition, pictures, and stories to teach children to read whole words by sight.

Beginning in the 1930s and 1940s, reading programs became very focused on comprehension and taught children to read whole words by sight. Phonics was not to be taught except sparingly and as a tool to be used as a last resort. In the 1950s Rudolf Flesch wrote a book called Why Johnny Can't Read, a passionate argument in favor of teaching children to read using phonics. He also criticized publishers and experts for promoting ineffective methods based on profit or ideology. The book sparked a public debate and polarized the reading community among supporters of phonics (bottom-up) and whole word (top-down) methods.

In the 1970s an instructional philosophy called whole language (which explicitly de-emphasizes teaching phonics) was introduced, and it became the primary method of reading instruction in the 1980s and 1990s. Whole language advocates that children learn to read naturally by being exposed to authentic texts and meaningful contexts. They argue that phonics instruction is unnecessary and even harmful, as it interferes with children's natural ability to construct meaning from texts. However, critics of whole language point out that many children struggle to read without explicit instruction on how the alphabetic system works, and that whole language ignores the scientific evidence on how reading works in the brain.

In 2000, the National Reading Panel published a report that reviewed the existing research on effective reading instruction. The report concluded that systematic phonics instruction is beneficial for all students, especially those at risk of reading failure. The report also recommended other components of reading instruction, such as fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies. The report influenced federal policies and funding for reading programs, such as the Reading First initiative.

Another development is the emergence of balanced literacy, which is an attempt to combine elements of both phonics and whole language approaches. Balanced literacy advocates that teachers use a variety of methods and materials to meet the diverse needs of their students. However, balanced literacy is not well defined or implemented consistently across schools and districts. Some critics argue that balanced literacy is just a disguise for whole language, and that it does not provide enough explicit and systematic phonics instruction for struggling readers.

Recently, the science of reading has been making significant inroads in reading instruction within American schools.

The science of reading is a term that refers to the **converging evidence** from multiple fields of study on how children learn to read and what are the most effective ways to teach them . It is not a specific program or product, but an **approach** based on decades of research and evidence .

The science of reading identifies **five key elements** that are critical for reading comprehension: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. These elements are based on the understanding of how the brain processes written language and how reading develops in both typical and atypical readers.

The science of reading has been around for a long time, but it gained more prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when several reports and reviews synthesized the findings from thousands of studies and highlighted the importance of evidence-based instruction for all students . Since then, the science of reading has continued to evolve and inform policy and practice in literacy education.

Does dyslexia run in families?

Does dyslexia run in families?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects how the brain processes written language. People with dyslexia have difficulty with reading, spelling, writing and other language-related skills. Dyslexia is not a sign of low intelligence or poor vision. It is a lifelong condition that can be managed with appropriate support and intervention.

One of the most common questions about dyslexia is whether it runs in families. The answer is yes, dyslexia is highly genetic and tends to run in families. If one parent has dyslexia, there is a 30% to 50% chance that their child will also have dyslexia . If both parents have dyslexia, the chance is even higher. Siblings of people with dyslexia also have a higher risk of having the condition.

Researchers have identified several genes that are linked to dyslexia and affect how the brain develops and functions. These genes may influence how the brain processes sounds, letters and words, as well as how the brain communicates between different regions. Dyslexia is not caused by a single gene, but by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Dyslexia can be diagnosed by a professional who can assess the person's reading and language skills, as well as their medical and family history. There is no cure for dyslexia, but there are effective interventions that can help people with dyslexia improve their reading and writing abilities. These interventions include:

- Individualized instruction that focuses on phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

- Multisensory teaching methods that use sight, sound, touch and movement to reinforce learning.

- Assistive technology that provides text-to-speech, speech-to-text or other tools to aid reading and writing.

- Accommodations that allow extra time, alternative formats or other adjustments for tests and assignments.

People with dyslexia can achieve success in school, work, and life with the right support and guidance. Dyslexia does not limit one's potential or creativity.

Phonemic awareness

As parents and educators, we need to help children become acquainted with the names of the letters in the alphabet, the sounds that those names or those letters represent, and the simple syllable sounds that incorporate the letter names and their phonemic sounds as essential building blocks for every word in our language.

The goal is to make them aware of letters and that each letter spells a spoken sound. It is also important to help kids become aware of simple syllable sounds, which are the most basic--and foundational--combinations of vowel and consonant sounds. Phonemic and syllable sounds are the precursors or foundations for learning to read. When kids think of syllables as sounds, then they can begin considering the various ways to spell those sounds. The key is always to help students think of letters as ways to spell spoken sounds. Next, students should learn to think of spoken words as logically assembled groups of sounds and printed words as logically sequenced ways to spell those sounds with symbols. We want students to develop a mental reference library of strings of familiar sounds that they have already mapped to sequences of letter symbols. This store of familiar sounds and their spellings will help students recognize those letter-sound sequences aurally and visually, enabling them to analyze and decode printed and spoken words quickly and accurately.

To help students decode printed words rapidly and accurately, we must first help them become aware that words are made up of phonemes, which are the most basic unit of sound in our spoken language. Our goal is to help them distinguish each sound in spoken words. This ability to recognize distinct speech sounds is called phonemic awareness. As students develop greater phonemic awareness, they will grow in their ability to distinguish individual sounds among the sequences of sounds that make up the spoken word.

As we teach them to listen for sounds by the way we speak, or by the way we "stretch out" the sounds in syllables, or by the rhymes we sing, or by the poetry and great works of literature that we read to them, we will focus their attention on sounds in exciting ways. We will also introduce them to the alphabet principle, which means that each sound in our spoken language can be matched to a letter or a combination of letters in our alphabet. This is the foundational reading stage, where we equip them to begin reading with outstanding excellence at an early age.

Our language is alphabetical, meaning the printed word is a symbolic code directly representing the spoken word. So, in this group of courses, we will design our students' minds for early and exceptional literacy by acquainting them with spoken sounds and their connection to symbols called letters. This sound-symbol relationship helps them crack the English writing and reading code. Children who need help matching the vocal sound to the printed letter symbols will also have trouble decoding printed words and converting them back into vocal sounds.

This coursework will help students build "sound foundations" in English by using spelling to help them develop keen and essential abilities to recognize and analyze the distinct phonemic and syllabic sounds that make up each spoken word. When students learn to sound, say, and spell phonemes and syllables, they can rapidly recognize and read them as printed words. The most effective way to get students focused on the internal sound structures of English words is to require them to spell and write phonemic and syllabic sounds (and eventually entire words) from systematically structured aural dictation units. Students who spell well will read well.

Above all, we will introduce children to literacy in exciting, unforgettable, and effective ways. Kids will begin their lifelong journey towards knowledge by sounding, saying, singing, and loving language. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give to them.

How does phonics help kids with dyslexia?

How does systematic phonics instruction help kids diagnosed with dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects the ability to read, write, and spell. It is caused by differences in how the brain processes language sounds. Dyslexic children often struggle with decoding words, recognizing common words by sight, and comprehending what they read.

Systematic phonics instruction is a method of teaching reading that focuses on the relationship between letters and sounds. It teaches children how to break words into smaller units of sound (phonemes) and how to blend them together to form words. Systematic phonics instruction also helps children learn spelling rules and patterns.

Systematic phonics instruction can help kids diagnosed with dyslexia in several ways. First, it can improve their word recognition skills by helping them decode unfamiliar words more easily and accurately. Second, it can increase their reading fluency by reducing the amount of effort and time they need to read words. Third, it can enhance their reading comprehension by allowing them to focus more on the meaning of the text rather than on decoding individual words.

Systematic phonics instruction can be delivered in different ways, such as synthetic phonics or multisensory phonics. Synthetic phonics teaches children how to sound out words from left to right using letter-sound correspondences. Multisensory phonics uses visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile cues to reinforce the connection between letters and sounds.

Systematic phonics instruction is not a one-size-fits-all approach for dyslexic children. It should be tailored to their individual needs, strengths, and preferences. It should also be combined with other strategies, such as vocabulary development, grammar instruction, and text comprehension skills. Systematic phonics instruction should be part of a comprehensive and evidence-based intervention program for dyslexic children that involves assessment, instruction, practice, feedback, and monitoring.

How to teach kids diagnosed with dyslexia

What is the most effective way to teach kids diagnosed with dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects the ability to read, write, spell and sometimes speak. It is not a sign of low intelligence or laziness. It is a neurological difference that makes it hard for some people to process written information.

Dyslexia can cause many challenges for children in school and in life. They may struggle with reading comprehension, spelling, writing, math, organization and self-esteem. They may also face social and emotional difficulties, such as frustration, anxiety, isolation and low confidence.

However, dyslexia can also be a source of strength and creativity. Many people with dyslexia have exceptional talents in areas such as art, music, sports, science and entrepreneurship. They often have a unique way of thinking and problem-solving that can lead to innovation and success.

So how can we help children with dyslexia to overcome their challenges and discover their potential? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as every child with dyslexia is different and has different needs and strengths. However, there are some general principles and strategies that can guide us in providing effective instruction and support for these learners.

Here are some of the best practices for teaching kids with dyslexia:

- Early identification and intervention: The sooner dyslexia is diagnosed and addressed, the better the outcomes for the child. Early intervention can prevent or reduce the negative effects of dyslexia on academic performance and self-esteem. It can also help the child develop the skills and strategies they need to cope with their learning differences. Therefore, it is important to screen children for signs of dyslexia as early as possible and provide them with appropriate instruction and accommodations.

- Structured, systematic and multisensory instruction: Children with dyslexia need explicit, direct and sequential instruction in the areas of reading, writing and spelling. They also benefit from multisensory methods that engage all their senses (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic) in learning. For example, they can use letter tiles, sand trays, finger tracing or hand gestures to reinforce the connection between sounds and symbols. They can also use color coding, graphic organizers, pictures or diagrams to aid their memory and understanding.

- Individualized and differentiated instruction: Children with dyslexia have different levels of severity, profiles of strengths and weaknesses, learning styles and preferences. Therefore, they need instruction that is tailored to their specific needs and goals. They also need instruction that is differentiated according to their pace, readiness and interest. For example, they may need more time, repetition or scaffolding to master a skill or concept. They may also need more choice, variety or challenge to keep them motivated and engaged.

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What is dyslexia?

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects the ability to read, spell and write. It is not a problem with intelligence, hearing or vision. Dyslexia is caused by differences in the areas of the brain that process language. People with dyslexia have trouble identifying speech sounds and how they relate to letters and words (decoding). This makes it hard for them to recognize words, comprehend texts and express themselves in writing.

Dyslexia can vary in severity and symptoms. Some common signs of dyslexia are:

- Difficulty learning new words, rhyming or naming letters and numbers

- Reading well below the expected level for age or grade

- Problems understanding what is heard or read

- Difficulty finding the right word or forming answers to questions

- Problems remembering the sequence of things or following instructions

- Inability to sound out or pronounce unfamiliar words

- Difficulty spelling or writing

- Avoiding activities that involve reading or writing

- Mispronouncing names or words, or having trouble retrieving words

Dyslexia can be diagnosed by a combination of tests that assess the child's development, educational issues, medical history, reading skills, neurological functioning, psychological well-being and aptitude level. There is no cure for dyslexia, but early intervention and support can help children with dyslexia succeed in school and life. Some strategies that can help people with dyslexia are:

- Tutoring by using appropriate educational approaches and techniques

- Psychotherapy to identify and prepare teaching methods that suit the child

- Self-care activities such as encouraging to recognize sounds, reading out simple words, using pictures and videos to learn, and working with visuals to express thoughts

- Specialist consultation with neurologists, ophthalmologists and audiologists to rule out any other conditions that may affect reading

- Accommodations such as extra time, oral exams, audio books, assistive technology and alternative formats of materials

Dyslexia is a common condition that affects about 10% of the population. It does not limit one's potential or creativity.

How spelling helps children diagnosed with dyslexia

How does spelling help children diagnosed with dyslexia?

Spelling is one of the most challenging aspects of language learning for many children and adults with dyslexia. Dyslexia is a condition that affects the ease with which a person reads, writes, and spells, typically recognized as a specific learning disorder in children. Dyslexia is not caused by a poor visual memory for the sequences of letters in words, but by underlying language learning weaknesses that make it hard to notice, remember, and recall the sounds and meanings of language.

Spelling can help children diagnosed with dyslexia in several ways. First, spelling can improve their reading skills by strengthening their phonological awareness, which is the ability to analyze and remember the individual sounds (phonemes) in words. Spelling can also help them learn the syllable patterns and meaningful parts (morphemes) of longer words, such as prefixes, suffixes, and roots. These skills can help them decode unfamiliar words and improve their reading comprehension.

Second, spelling can improve their writing skills by helping them express their ideas more clearly and accurately. Spelling can also boost their confidence and motivation to write, as they feel less frustrated and embarrassed by their spelling errors. Spelling can also enhance their vocabulary and grammar knowledge, as they learn the relationships between words and their spellings.

Third, spelling can improve their overall language skills by helping them develop a better understanding of how language works and how it can be used for different purposes. Spelling can also foster their metalinguistic awareness, which is the ability to think about and manipulate language as an object of study. This can help them become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses as language learners and users, and adopt effective strategies to overcome their difficulties.

In conclusion, spelling can help children diagnosed with dyslexia in many ways, as it can improve their reading, writing, and language skills. However, spelling is not an easy task for them, and they need appropriate instruction, support, and accommodations to succeed. Some of the strategies that can help them include using multisensory methods that involve seeing, hearing, saying, and writing words; teaching spelling rules and patterns explicitly and systematically; providing frequent feedback and correction; using assistive technology such as spell checkers and speech-to-text software; and encouraging them to practice spelling in meaningful contexts .

How spelling improves reading and writing skills

Why spelling is important to early literacy

Spelling is not just a matter of memorizing words and rules. It is a skill that has a profound impact on reading, writing, and communication. In this blog post, we will explore some of the reasons why spelling is important to early literacy and how it can be taught effectively.

One of the main reasons why spelling is important to early literacy is that it helps children to understand the relationship between letters and sounds, which is the foundation of reading. Spelling allows children to recognize and produce the sounds of words, as well as to apply their knowledge of letter patterns and word structures. Spelling also helps children to learn new words and expand their vocabulary, as they can use spelling strategies to decode unfamiliar words and infer their meanings from context.

Another reason why spelling is important to early literacy is that it supports writing development. Writing is a complex process that involves planning, organizing, composing, revising, and editing. Spelling is an essential component of writing, as it enables children to express their ideas clearly and accurately. Spelling also frees up cognitive resources for higher-level aspects of writing, such as content, style, and audience awareness. Spelling also boosts children's confidence and motivation to write, as they can write more fluently and creatively without worrying about spelling errors.

A third reason why spelling is important to early literacy is that it enhances communication skills. Spelling is a key element of communication, as it allows children to convey their messages effectively and appropriately in different contexts and purposes. Spelling also helps children to develop their listening and speaking skills, as they can recognize and produce the sounds of words correctly and use appropriate vocabulary and grammar. Spelling also fosters children's social and emotional development, as they can communicate their feelings, thoughts, opinions, and needs with others.

How can spelling be taught effectively?

Spelling is a skill that can be taught effectively through explicit, systematic, and differentiated instruction. Explicit instruction means that teachers explain the rules and patterns of spelling clearly and explicitly, using examples and non-examples. Systematic instruction means that teachers follow a logical sequence of teaching spelling skills, starting from simple to complex concepts and from familiar to unfamiliar words. Differentiated instruction means that teachers tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs and abilities of their students, using various methods and materials.

Some of the effective methods and materials for teaching spelling are:

- Phonics: Phonics is the method of teaching spelling based on the sounds of letters and letter combinations. Phonics helps children to learn how to segment words into sounds and how to blend sounds into words. Phonics also helps children to learn common letter patterns and word families that can be used to spell many words.

- Word study: Word study is the method of teaching spelling based on the meaning and structure of words. Word study helps children to learn how words are formed from roots, prefixes, suffixes, and other word parts. Word study also helps children to learn how words are related by meaning, such as synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homographs, etc.

- Sight words: Sight words are words that are frequently used in texts but do not follow regular spelling rules or patterns. Sight words help children to read and write more fluently and accurately, as they do not need to sound out or spell these words every time they encounter them. Sight words can be taught through repetition, exposure, games, flashcards, etc.

- Spelling lists: Spelling lists are lists of words that are grouped by a common theme, topic, or pattern. Spelling lists help children to practice and review spelling skills in a meaningful context. Spelling lists can be based on curriculum content, student interests, word features, etc.

- Spelling activities: Spelling activities are activities that engage children in practicing and applying their spelling skills in fun and interactive ways. Spelling activities can include dictation, writing sentences or stories, sorting words by categories or features, making word puzzles or crosswords, etc.

Spelling is an important skill that supports early literacy development in many ways. By teaching spelling effectively, teachers can help children to become proficient readers, writers, and communicators.

How physical exercise affects learning

How does physical exercise affect learning in elementary school children?

Physical exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages, but especially for children. Physical activity can benefit children's physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as their academic performance. In this blog post, we will explore how physical exercise affects learning in elementary school children, and how teachers and parents can integrate physical activity into their daily routines.

Physical exercise and learning: What does the research say?

Research has shown that physical exercise can have positive effects on children's cognitive abilities, such as memory, attention, concentration, and problem-solving. Physical exercise can also improve children's mood, motivation, self-esteem, and behavior in the classroom. Some of the benefits of physical exercise for learning include:

- Improving blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, which enhances brain function and neural connections.

- Stimulating the release of neurotransmitters and hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which regulate mood, reward, and stress response.

- Reducing stress and anxiety, which can interfere with learning and performance.

- Enhancing sleep quality and duration, which are crucial for memory consolidation and learning.

- Increasing neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, which are the processes of creating new brain cells and forming new connections between them.

According to a review of 59 studies by Donnelly et al. (2016), classroom-based physical activity interventions can improve academic achievement by about 0.2 standard deviations on average. This means that students who participate in classroom-based physical activity can score about 4 percentage points higher on standardized tests than students who do not. The review also found that classroom-based physical activity can improve students' on-task behavior by about 20%.

How to integrate physical activity into elementary school lessons

There are many ways to incorporate physical activity into elementary school lessons, both inside and outside the classroom. Some examples are:

- Classroom exercise breaks: These are short bouts of physical activity (2-3 minutes) that teachers can use to break up long periods of sitting and stimulate students' brains. Classroom exercise breaks can include activities such as jumping jacks, squats, hand walks, star jumps, or mountain climbers. Teachers can also use music, videos, or games to make the exercise breaks more fun and engaging.

- Physical activity integration: This is when teachers use physical activity as a way to teach academic content or reinforce learning objectives. For example, teachers can use movement to demonstrate math concepts (such as fractions or angles), spelling words (such as hopping on each letter), or science facts (such as acting out the water cycle or the solar system).

- Active recess: This is when teachers encourage students to be physically active during recess time by providing equipment (such as balls, jump ropes, or hula hoops), space (such as playgrounds or fields), and supervision (such as coaches or volunteers). Active recess can help students burn off excess energy, socialize with peers, and develop motor skills and coordination.

- Active transportation: This is when students walk or bike to and from school instead of using cars or buses. Active transportation can help students get more physical activity throughout the day, reduce traffic congestion and pollution around schools, and foster a sense of independence and responsibility.

Conclusion

Physical exercise is not only good for children's health, but also for their learning. By integrating physical activity into elementary school lessons, teachers and parents can help children improve their cognitive abilities, academic achievement, behavior, and well-being. Physical activity can also make learning more fun and enjoyable for both students and teachers.

Why is movement important for learning?

Why is movement important to learning for children?

Movement is not only essential for children's physical health, but also for their cognitive and emotional development. Research suggests that movement can enhance memory, perception, language, attention, emotion, and even decision making in young children . Movement also stimulates the brain's higher-order centers that are involved in academic learning. In this blog post, we will explore some of the benefits of movement for children's learning and some ways to promote movement in early childhood.

One of the benefits of movement for learning is that it helps children connect concepts to action and learn through trial and error. For example, when children balance, run, jump, catch, throw, or kick, they are developing their locomotor and ball skills that require coordination, timing, and spatial awareness. These skills also help children understand concepts such as speed, distance, force, and direction. When children move their bodies in different ways, they are also expressing their creativity and imagination.

Another benefit of movement for learning is that it helps children regulate their emotions and attention. Movement can help children calm down when they are upset or anxious, or alert them when they are sleepy or bored. Movement can also help children focus on a task and filter out distractions. For example, when children sing, dance, or clap along with a song, they are using movement to reinforce language and memory. Research shows that combining language and movement can increase learning by 90 percent.

How can we promote movement in early childhood? There are many ways to encourage children to move more and enjoy the benefits of movement for learning. Here are some ideas:

- Provide a safe and stimulating environment for children to explore and play. Offer a variety of toys and materials that invite movement, such as balls, blocks, puzzles, musical instruments, etc.

- Incorporate movement into daily routines and activities. For example, you can have children walk or bike to school, help with household chores, or play games that involve movement.

- Model movement and enthusiasm for physical activity. Show children how you enjoy moving your body and invite them to join you. You can also praise their efforts and achievements in movement.

- Expose children to different types of movement and physical activities. You can introduce children to sports, dance, yoga, martial arts, or other forms of movement that suit their interests and abilities.

- Support children's autonomy and choice in movement. Allow children to move at their own pace and follow their own interests. Avoid forcing or pressuring children to move in ways that they do not enjoy or feel comfortable with.

Movement is important for learning because it helps children develop their physical, cognitive, and emotional skills. By promoting movement in early childhood, we can support children's holistic development and well-being.

The history of English

What is the history of the English Language?

English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world today, with about 1.3 billion speakers. But how did it evolve from its ancient roots to its modern form? In this blog post, we will explore the history of the English language and some of the factors that shaped its development.

The origins of English can be traced back to the Indo-European language family, a group of languages that originated in Central Asia and spread across Europe and Asia. Some of the languages that belong to this family are Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Persian, Germanic, Celtic, Slavic and many more. The ancestor of English is a branch of the Germanic languages, which also includes German, Dutch, Swedish and others.

The earliest form of English is called Old English or Anglo-Saxon. It was spoken by the Germanic tribes that invaded Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries AD, after the collapse of the Roman Empire. These tribes were the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, who came from what is now Germany and Denmark. They brought with them their own dialects and vocabulary, which gradually merged into a common language. Old English was influenced by the Celtic languages of the native Britons, as well as by Latin, which was used by the Christian missionaries and scholars.

Old English was a complex and inflected language, with many cases, genders and verb forms. It had a rich and diverse literature, including epic poems like Beowulf, religious texts like The Dream of the Rood and historical chronicles like The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. However, Old English was not a unified language; there were four main dialects: Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon and Kentish.

The next major change in the history of English occurred in 1066, when William the Conqueror invaded England from Normandy and became king. William and his followers spoke a variety of French called Norman French, which became the language of the ruling class and the court. For about 300 years, English was relegated to a lower status and was mainly spoken by the common people. During this period, English borrowed many words from French, especially related to law, government, religion, art and culture. For example: justice, parliament, saint, romance and music.

The language that emerged from this contact between Old English and Norman French is called Middle English. It was simpler and more flexible than Old English, with fewer inflections and more word order. It also had more regional variations and dialects than Old English. The most famous example of Middle English literature is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, which showcases the diversity and richness of the language.

The transition from Middle English to Modern English began in the 15th century with the introduction of printing by William Caxton. Printing helped standardize spelling and grammar and spread literacy among more people. It also exposed English speakers to more foreign languages and cultures through books and translations. The most influential foreign language for Modern English was Latin, which was used for scientific, academic and religious purposes. Many new words were coined or borrowed from Latin during this time.

Another important factor that shaped Modern English was the Great Vowel Shift, a series of changes in pronunciation that occurred between 1400 and 1700. The vowels in many words became shorter and higher in pitch. For example: house changed from /huːs/ to /haʊs/, name changed from /naːm/ to /neɪm/ and bite changed from /biːt/ to /baɪt/. These changes affected spelling as well as pronunciation.

Modern English can be divided into two main periods: Early Modern English (1500-1800) and Late Modern English (1800-present). Early Modern English is the language of Shakespeare, Milton and the King James Bible. It was more formal and poetic than today's English. Late Modern English is the language we use today. It has been influenced by many factors such as industrialization, colonization, globalization, technology and media. It has also become more diverse and dynamic with many varieties such as American English, British English, Australian English etc.

The history of the English language is a fascinating story of change and adaptation. It reflects the history of the people who spoke it and their interactions with other cultures and languages. It also shows how a language can grow and evolve over time to suit different needs and purposes.

Latin, Greek, & French Word Origins

The importance of Latin, Greek and French to English

English is a rich and diverse language that has borrowed words from many other languages throughout its history. One of the most influential sources of English vocabulary is Latin, the language of ancient Rome and the Catholic Church. Another major source is Greek, the language of philosophy, science and literature in ancient and medieval times. A third important source is French, the language of culture, diplomacy and law in Europe for centuries.

But how much of English actually comes from these three languages? What percentage of English words derive from Latin, Greek and French? The answer is not straightforward, as different sources may give different estimates depending on how they count and classify words. However, one way to approach this question is to look at the etymology of words in a large and representative corpus of English texts, such as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

According to the OED, out of the 615,000 words in its latest edition, about 29% have Latin origins, 29% have French origins, and 6% have Greek origins. That means that almost two-thirds of English words can be traced back to these three languages. Of course, this does not mean that all these words are still recognizable as Latin, Greek or French words today. Many of them have changed their spelling, pronunciation and meaning over time due to various linguistic processes such as sound change, semantic shift and borrowing.

For example, the word "candle" comes from Latin candela, which means "a light or torch". The word "logic" comes from Greek logikē, which means "the art of reasoning". The word "beauty" comes from French beauté, which means "the quality of being beautiful". These words have retained their original meanings more or less, but they have also acquired new meanings and uses in modern English. For instance, "candle" can also refer to a unit of luminous intensity, "logic" can also refer to a system of formal rules or a branch of mathematics, and "beauty" can also refer to a person who is very attractive or a feature that is very pleasing.

The influence of Latin, Greek and French on English is not only evident in individual words, but also in word formation patterns, grammatical structures and stylistic choices. For instance, many English words are formed by adding prefixes and suffixes that come from Latin or Greek, such as "anti-", "pre-", "-tion", "-ity", etc. Many English sentences follow the subject-verb-object (SVO) word order that is typical of Latin and French, rather than the subject-object-verb (SOV) word order that is typical of Germanic languages. Many English writers and speakers use Latin or French expressions to convey authority, elegance or sophistication, such as "et cetera", "bon appétit", "coup d'état", etc.

In conclusion, Latin, Greek and French have played a significant role in shaping the English language over time. They have contributed to its vocabulary, morphology, syntax and style in various ways. They have enriched its expressive potential and cultural diversity. They have also posed challenges and opportunities for learners and users of English who need to master its complex and varied linguistic features.

Did you know that Kids become bright when they learn to read by sound instead of sight?

Since students learn best by focusing on sounds, we must ask: what helps students to focus on sounds instead of sight?

Spelling is the solution. However, when we say spelling, we do not mean memorizing long lists of words. "Spelling" refers to oral spelling, which is the skill of learning how to spell from spoken words. Oral spelling requires students to focus on sound structures within words.

When students spell from spoken words, they must listen to each word's sounds and convert those sounds into their corresponding letters, then say (or write) each sound letter by letter. 

We can call this Sound and Say Spelling™ since students must focus on sounds and say each sound's alphabetic name.

Sound and Say Spelling is a structured “spelling for literacy” program that helps students master the phonemic, orthographic, etymological, and morphological structures of English for excellence in reading and writing.

Why did American schools replace spelling with sight word instruction?

From the Greeks to the Romans to the English, spelling was the precursor to reading throughout Western civilization. It was the foundation for all literacy. Colonial Americans continued this classical tradition by teaching their children how to spell well to read well. After the revolutionary war, Americans followed this time-tested methodology by adopting Noah Webster's American Spelling Book. Webster, who is now known as the father of American English, did not create a radical approach to reading but rather standardized spelling instruction so that reading became an inevitable byproduct of spelling, pronunciation, and writing. Webster defined his "spelling book" as "A book for teaching children to spell and read."

From the 1780s through the 1800s, Webster's spelling book was the most effective and prevalent way to teach reading. The results were staggering: literacy rates rose rapidly around the nation. Why? Schools taught children to learn the English writing code through spelling because spelling required children to focus on analyzing, pronouncing, and writing down sounds. First, teachers (or parents) taught children to spell the phonemic sounds represented by letter names. Then they taught them to spell syllabic sounds, which were simple vowel-consonant or consonant-vowel combinations of the phonemic sounds. Teaching and reinforcing phonics through syllables is called "syllabic phonics."

Despite this extraordinary legacy of excellence in literacy through spelling instruction, spelling became a sideshow in America's reading curriculum. Adams writes: "Despite our heritage, the word spelling can hardly be found in the indexes of contemporary reading education textbooks." She continued: "In 1980, Richard Venezky wrote that neither spelling instruction nor spelling reform occupy central roles today in education or in public life. Similarly, the public schools exhibit limited enthusiasm for spelling. Some have no systematic spelling instruction at all while the average class offers perhaps a few minutes for it each week." 

What happened? Why did Americans abandon this time-honored, effective way to teach reading? The answer is simple: as early as the 1830s, parents and teachers became enamored with a new philosophy called whole word reading. Instead of starting with phonemic sounds and seeking to train children to analyze the written alphabetical code by focusing on its phonemic and syllabic sounds, educators and parents scurried towards a system of teaching whole words and sentences so that students could "enjoy" reading. This catastrophic change began slowly and took complete control of the reading curriculum by the 1950s. A perusal of reading scores from that time on is sufficient to show how much educational damage has occurred.

For centuries, throughout western civilization, spelling had been the road to reading. This method produced exceptionally high levels of literacy. And though it wasn't broken, spelling was "fixed" by replacing it with the wholly ineffective "whole word" reading system—the failure of which has caused immeasurable and unspeakable social, economic, and psychological damage to children. It's time to return spelling instruction to a central place in reading instruction. Spelling from spoken words facilitates auditory training, phonemic awareness, phonemic analysis, and exceptional reading skills because students are taught to focus on sound instead of sight. 

Why did Americans use spelling to teach reading for nearly 200 years?

If it's not broken, don't fix it; or stated more colloquially: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. This timeless truth applies to the historical role of spelling instruction as the primary tool in reading instruction. To put it simply: for centuries, and more recently throughout American history, from the colonial period through the 19th century, parents and classroom teachers taught kids to spell well so that they could read well. Reading was an inevitable byproduct of spelling words and writing them down from spoken sounds. Literacy rates rose as generations learned to read by spelling and handed their children this simple but effective method. 

Marilyn Adams confirms this tradition in her classical treatise "Beginning to Read." She states: "Prior to this century—in fact for thousands of years—spelling was the principal means of teaching children how to read…For the method to have prevailed for thousands of years, people must have felt that it worked." It did! 

From the Greeks to the Romans to the English, spelling was the precursor to reading throughout Western civilization. It was the foundation for all literacy. Colonial Americans continued this classical tradition by teaching their children how to spell well to read well. After the revolutionary war, Americans followed this time-tested methodology by adopting Noah Webster's American Spelling Book. Webster, who is now known as the father of American English, did not create a radical approach to reading but rather standardized spelling instruction so that reading became an inevitable byproduct of spelling, pronunciation, and writing. Webster defined his "spelling book" as "A book for teaching children to spell and read." Webster's American spelling book taught Americans the principles of pronunciation. His goal was nothing short of unifying America by giving the nation its version of standard English and a standard way of learning it.

From the 1780s through the 1800s, Webster's spelling book was the most effective and prevalent way to teach reading. The results were staggering: literacy rates rose rapidly around the nation. Why? Schools taught children to learn the English writing code through spelling because spelling required children to focus on analyzing, pronouncing, and writing down sounds. First, teachers (or parents) taught children to spell the phonemic sounds represented by letter names. Then they taught them to spell syllabic sounds, which were simple vowel-consonant or consonant-vowel combinations of the phonemic sounds. Teaching and reinforcing phonics through syllables is called "syllabic phonics."

After learning to spell the alphabetic and syllabic sounds, children learned to spell spoken words by analyzing and labeling those sounds according to the phonograms (letter combinations) and syllables that represented those sounds. Finally, after learning to analyze and name the sounds in spoken words, children were taught to apply their knowledge of letter-sound correspondence to decoding sounds represented in print. Reading, or turning printed sounds back into spoken sounds, was much easier because the students had already learned to turn spoken sounds into their printed symbols through spelling and writing. 

Children learned phonics through the principles of spelling. Why did this work? Spelling worked because it focused students on analyzing the sounds of the spoken word so that they could later translate the letter symbols from print back into sounds. 

Educators knew that the English writing system was an alphabetic code—that letter symbols (or phonograms) represented sounds (or phonemes). Therefore, they taught children how to focus on sounds in spoken words, how to analyze and label those sounds by spelling them, and how to write those sounds down as coded symbols in print. 

Because students had already learned that written letters or combinations of letters could represent spoken words, it was easy for them to reverse the process they had already known by spelling. 

Spelling instruction taught them how to turn spoken words into letter names and say and print those sounds by their letter names. When they began reading, all they had to do was turn printed symbols back into spoken sounds. Reading became "easy-peasy"—as the kids say today— because it was simply a reversal of the process they had been learning through spelling. Spelling had taught them to turn sounds into symbols; reading was a simple matter of turning symbols back into sounds. 

Despite this extraordinary legacy of excellence in literacy through spelling instruction, spelling became a sideshow in America's reading curriculum. Adams writes: "Despite our heritage, the word spelling can hardly be found in the indexes of contemporary reading education textbooks." She continued: "In 1980, Richard Venezky wrote that neither spelling instruction nor spelling reform occupy central roles today in education or in public life. Similarly, the public schools exhibit limited enthusiasm for spelling. Some have no systematic spelling instruction at all while the average class offers perhaps a few minutes for it each week." 

Spelling is the key to literacy.

1. Words consist of sounds.

2. Each letter in our alphabet represents a distinct sound.

3. To spell, students must hear spoken sounds and "see" them as printed letters.

4. To read, students must see printed letters and "hear" them as spoken sounds.

5. Spelling requires students to listen and to think carefully about alphabetic sounds.

6. Spelling is best because it limits the tendency to guess.

7. Spelling makes students bright because it teaches them to read and write by sound instead of sight.

Why sight word instruction Is the worst way to teach reading

Why is sight word or whole word instruction the worst way to teach reading?

1) English has too many words to memorize. There are approximately 1,000,000 words in English. It is impossible to remember so many words.

2) Memorizing one word does not help students to decode another word.

3) Words consist of speech sounds. There are only 44 speech sounds in English. So, though there are about 1,000,000 words in English, it takes only 44 speech sounds to create those words. Those 44 speech sounds are the building blocks of every English word. Therefore, it is far easier and more effective to teach students how to master the building blocks of all English words than to teach them how to memorize English word by word.

4) Science has demonstrated convincingly that students process sounds faster and more effectively than trying to memorize whole words as if they were pictures. Our brains learn to read by turning alphabetic symbols into speech sounds.

5) Reading is a complex skill. And like every difficult skill, such as learning to play the piano, reading should be taught step by step, moving from each part to the whole. 

The solution

Since students learn best by focusing on sounds, we must ask: what helps students to focus on sounds instead of sight?

Spelling is the solution. However, when we say spelling, we do not mean memorizing long lists of words. "Spelling" refers to oral spelling, which is the skill of learning how to spell from spoken words. Oral spelling requires students to focus on sound structures within words.

When students spell from spoken words, they must listen to each word's sounds and convert those sounds into their corresponding letters, then say (or write) each sound letter by letter. 

We can call this Sound and Say Spelling™ since students must focus on sounds and say each sound's alphabetic name.