Although it is completely accurate to state that depression and anxiety increased during the Pandemic, studies show that from 2016-2019 depression and anxiety increased among adolescents and children by 24-27 percent. Students experience anxiety at a higher percentage than depression. The students I work with deal with learning differences which cause them varying degrees of anxiety in the classroom every day. Some may only experience occasional minor instances, while others experience extreme anxiety. How can we help them? First and foremost, it is important to identify signs of anxiety. Everyone… Read more Reality of Anxiety Among Students →
Originally posted on Reading Within Reach:
There are many misconceptions regarding Dyslexia, so it is important as parents and teachers to understand what Dyslexia is. Dyslexics share common characteristics, but no two are exactly alike. It is difficult as a parent when you know your child is very intelligent, yet they struggle with spelling and reading. We see their strengths in sports, music, art, science, and math. We may read to them every night, saturate them with the written word, and see that they have high vocabularies. Yet, they still…
Sight words can be very difficult for individuals with Dyslexia. Sight words are words that do not follow spelling rules or that are borrowed from foreign languages. This is why sight words are so difficult. They require memorization. Therefore, it is very important to provide students with a multisensory approach to study sight words. This can include visual, auditory, verbal and kinesthetic. These can be combined to keep it simple. Write the word on an index card with the challenging part of the word in red. Allow the student to… Read more Sight Words →
Reading fluency is how a skilled reader reads aloud. A fluent reader reads rapidly, with good pronunciation, and good understanding. At least four correct readings are necessary for automatic recognition of a word. Fluency is crucial for bridging the gap between decoding and good comprehension. The National Assessment of Educational Progress found that 44% of fourth graders are not fluent readers. This is an alarming statistic, especially since fluency is expected by the end of second grade. What can we do to effectively teach reading fluency? The National Reading Panel… Read more Reading Fluency →
Originally posted on Reading Within Reach:
The school year is almost half way over and you are watching your child continue to struggle with reading. Teachers tell you that he/she will catch up eventually. Everyone tells you to read aloud to your child and they will learn to love to read. You are doing everything you are told to do, but you know the struggle is real and you see no improvement. You see the tears, frustration, and damage to self-esteem and realize that you need to take further steps.…
We are experiencing a lot of chaos right now in our world. Don’t think for a minute that your children aren’t attuned to everything going on. Two weeks ago in my community, a tornado destroyed homes and schools and left more than 20 people dead. Now we are dealing with a virus that has shut down schools and businesses. It’s amazing the ways anxiety can wreak havoc on our lives. Some of you may be worried about your jobs, your health, and your future. This level of anxiety can be… Read more How to Help Children Cope with Anxiety →
We all know that eating healthy is important. Today I want to address how nutrition influences learning. Studies show that eating a nutritious breakfast increases concentration, overall academic performance, and improves classroom behavior. While most children eat breakfast, they may not be eating a nutritious one. Better nutrition has a positive impact on students’ academic performance and behavior by increasing brain function, reducing absences, and improving behavior. Good nutrition improves learning by increasing brain function, cognitive ability, and intelligence levels. Good nutrition involves a variety of nutrients that include protein,… Read more Nutrition and Learning →
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