Writing Interventions: Writing Disability Simulation (Part 2)

For those of us who always excelled in language related tasks, at school or at work, it can be difficult to put yourself in the shoes of a child with a writing disability. This module provides a writing task that allows us to get an idea of what it might be like for  our students who struggle with a writing disability. After experiencing a simulation of the struggle our students experience all day, every day, in school hopefully we can be more sympathetic to that struggle and more effective in our planning and support of those students. Read More

Writing Interventions: What Makes Writing So Challenging for our Students? (Part 1)

Writing requires our students to generate ideas, organize/plan, form the letters, remember spelling rules, and then order syntax and sequence in the appropriate manner. Stephanie reminds us that writing requires fine motor skills, executive functioning to plan, organize and pace as well as language skills for vocabulary and grammar. Stephanie asks us to consider where the break down could be occurring for  our students and figure out how to support them.

Contextualize Language for Learning: Increasing the Language Skills of Children from Low Income Backgrounds (Part 6)

Sometimes the language skills our children from low income backgrounds bring don’t always match the language information load of the classroom. We can increase contextualization in the classroom to support learning through a variety of strategies such as hands on learning, group tasks and reciprocal learning as well as opportunities for individual exploration. Strategies that can be used outside the classroom are also provided. Find the other modules in this series below: Read More

Increasing Literacy in Adolescents: Increasing the Language Skills of Children from Low Income Backgrounds (Part 4)

Students from low income backgrounds are especially vulnerable to falling behind their literacy development as they become adolescents and move into the upper grades. As vocabulary and content increases in complexity, students without adequate foundational skills begin to experience more struggle and frustration with grade level material. It can be particularly difficult to motivate adolescent students, so Stephanie reminds us to be sympathetic to the challenges our students face and provides strategies to motivate and support adolescent readers. Find the rest of the modules from this series below: Read More

Strategies to Support Emergent Literacy: Increasing the Language Skills of Children from Low Income Backgrounds (Part 3)

Children from low income backgrounds can be at risk for difficulty with both print awareness and phonological awareness, the foundations of emergent literacy. Intervention consisting of explicit instruction in phonological awareness just two times a week for half an hour demonstrated effectiveness. Stephanie provides strategies that providers and parents alike can use with children from low income background to support emergent literacy. Find the other modules in this series below: Read More