Children who are just beginning to identify and write letters often confuse b, d, p, and q, reversing letters that share similar visual characteristics. Some children may continue to reverse letters into the second grade. Oftentimes, letter reversals subside as children get more reading and writing experience and build their awarenes...
It sounds like your son really enjoys being creative, so try to introduce letter-writing activities that build on his love of drawing and coloring. Invite him to make animals or other fun drawings from basic letter shapes. For example, after he writes an uppercase B, encourage him to add black and yellow stripes and a pair of wings to ...
While your daughter is reading earlier than most children her age, it is difficult to determine whether she is gifted because development unfolds unevenly at this age. In other words, it is not uncommon for a child to be advanced in one area of development (e.g., language), but slower in another area of development (e.g., physical skil...
It’s normal for children to mix up letters when they are first learning about the alphabet. Children are introduced to letters in multiple contexts, and oftentimes, these letters are presented in different styles, shapes and sizes. Although the typeface used in the Letter Factory may be most familiar to your son, he is also seeing lett...
After filling out all the paperwork and finding a specialist to help your child with a challenge, it can be very frustrating when you do not see progress. Keep in mind that there may be small steps, rather than big, noticeable breakthroughs. Speak with your child's speech therapist to express your concerns. Find out what reasonable goa...
One way to encourage your son’s love of reading is to offer him a wide-variety of books that reflect his interests. Because 2-year-olds like to be independent, you might find it helpful to let your son choose what he would like to read. You can even take him to the bookstore or library and let him choose a few books on his own. Allow h...
While your child is reading earlier than most children her age, it is difficult to determine whether your daughter is gifted because development unfolds unevenly at this age. In other words, it is not uncommon for a child to be advanced in one area of development (e.g., language), but slower in another area of development (e.g., physic...
A fun way to create a family story with younger children is to make a family tree. You can add photos or ask your child to draw a picture of each family member. Talk about each family member and share special memories you have shared together. Another fun way to create your family story is to make a scrapbook that highlights some of th...
A good book is a gift that keeps on giving. When buying books for babies or toddlers, here are a few tips from reading teacher and toddler expert Melissa Catalano.
It’s clear that you see the tremendous value in getting your grandson excited about reading and writing! A long line of research shows that children who take to reading early on are more likely to make it a pleasurable habit throughout their lives and experience later success in reading and writing, with a broader vocabulary and deeper...