What Are Sight Words and Why Are They Important?

What Are Sight Words and Why Are They Important?

by Courtenay M. Language Development
What Are Sight Words?

What Are Sight Words and Why Are They Important? Image courtesy of www.windsor.k12..mo.us

Like many families this week, your children are heading back to the classroom and coming home with a worksheet or two of homework. (Make that dozens of worksheets for your older kids!) The homework that caught my eye this week is the list of “sight words.” What are sight words? Sight words (high-frequency words, core words or even popcorn words) are the words that are used most often in reading and writing. According to Teach Stix:

In classrooms across America, the development of sight word recognition continues to be a top priority when instructing emerging and beginning readers.

They are called “sight” words because the goal is for your child to recognize these words instantly, at first sight.

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Language Development in Children: 3 False Facts

Language Development in Children: 3 False Facts

by Courtenay M. Language Development

As with most things, there are common misconceptions about speech and language development in children, undoubtedly confusing all of us parents! Should we be reading the Wall Street Journal to our babies in utero? Should we feel self-conscious when engaging in baby talk with our 6 month old? Are we doing damage? We are here to help clarify some of the most common False Facts about language development in your child. Of course, it’s important that you are patient. All parents can’t wait until that day when their baby begins to talk!  BUT, each child progresses at a different rate, so be patient, it will come. Your best bet is to understand what is true and what is false about language development in your child.

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Teaching the Sound of Letter G

Teaching the Sound of Letter G

by Courtenay M. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Therapy Techniques
Teaching the Sound of G

Teaching the Sound of G. Image courtesy of www.pronuncian.com

“Dess what Mommy?” “Where is the dod?, “When are we donna be there?” Are these familiar questions around your house? Is your son or daughter making a “d” sound in place of a “g”? Or, leaving the “g” sound out all together? If so, don’t fret. Most children under the age of five have some trouble correctly pronouncing certain sounds and words. While most children will usually mispronounce words at some point in her growth, the majority of children outgrow these mispronunciations and master correct sounds by certain ages. And, to make things even more complicated for your young child, there are two distinct sounds of “g” that he or she must perfect: a hard g and a soft g. Is there a way to help guide your child? YES! Here are some tips and tricks for teaching your child the sound of letter g.

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Easy and Effective Ways to Build Reading Skills

Easy and Effective Ways to Build Reading Skills

by Courtenay M. Language Building Games Language Building Skills
Ways to Build a Better Reader

Easy and Effective Ways to Encourage Reading. Image Courtesy of parents.com

Build Reading Skills. Studies have shown that the most enthusiastic and voracious readers received early introduction to reading at home. Encourage your child to make reading a part of every day life by adding a few simple steps to your daily routine. If you are modeling reading at home, it’s likely your child will follow your footsteps and learn to love to read. Of course, they don’t need to read the Wall Street Journal, but by offering a wide variety of reading material around the house, your child will be encouraged to pick up a book and start making reading a habit.
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5 Ideas to Help Kids Learning to Follow Directions

5 Ideas to Help Kids Learning to Follow Directions

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Parents' Corner
Help Your Kids Follow Directions

Help Your Kids Follow Directions. Image courtesy of http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-and-follow-directions-8/

Please put your toys away. Please put your toys away. Please put your toys away now! Sound like a broken record? Sometimes it does around my house. It can be very frustrating and hard to keep calm when your child does not follow instructions or completely ignores your requests. Often kids view these instructions as commands or even punishments, when they are simply ways to make their lives (and ours) easier. Following directions is a crucial life skill, and if it’s not cultivated properly at home can be a problem once school arrives. What are some ways you can help your child follow your directions? We’ve got a few ideas.

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