Teaching Tips

How to Choose the Best Dyslexia Options

How to Choose the Best Dyslexia Options

There are so many good resources for teaching kids with dyslexia it can be hard to know what the best dyslexia options are. We're well into the school year now. The honeymoon period with its excitement over new curricula, courses, and co-ops has ended and we are faced...

When to Take a Break From Reading Instruction

When to Take a Break From Reading Instruction

Does your child shut down when it comes to reading? Do they cry or berate themselves or refuse to do their reading lessons? It may be time to take a break from reading instruction. The scenario is not uncommon. For a variety of reasons, children can come to resist...

Four Ways to Troubleshoot Learning Struggles

Four Ways to Troubleshoot Learning Struggles

Using weekly review planning sheets helps me to troubleshoot my kids' learning struggles with confidence. Many of us have spent a lot of time over the summer planning and preparing for the current school year. Maybe you joined one of my coaching groups or you went to...

Adaptive Typing With Dyslexia and Dysgraphia

Adaptive Typing With Dyslexia and Dysgraphia

One of the most common accommodations offered to students with dyslexia and dysgraphia is learning to type. Adaptive typing is a specific method of typing that works well. Because people with language-based learning difficulties have a hard time with the written word,...

A Day in the Life: Homeschooling With Dyslexia

A Day in the Life: Homeschooling With Dyslexia

It has been a while since I shared what a day in the life of our homeschool with dyslexia looks like. For years I have shared these kinds of posts to show how we juggled the needs of a houseful of dyslexic kids. Today, our dynamic looks a lot different. Who We're...

Kids Homeschool Assessment

Kids Homeschool Assessment

You know the old saying "Ain't Mom happy, ain't no one happy"? In my 30 years of parenting, I have come to understand that "Ain't the kids happy, ain't no one happy" is also true. Do this quick Kids Homeschool Assessment to find out how your kids really feel about...

5 Powerful Habits to Improve Learning

5 Powerful Habits to Improve Learning

Cultivating these 5 powerful habits will improve learning for your kids with dyslexia. I’m writing this post during that nebulous time between Christmas and New Years when you’re not sure what day it is or what you’re supposed to be doing. If you’re in this season and...

Do Colored Overlays Help With Dyslexia?

Do Colored Overlays Help With Dyslexia?

Have you wondered if colored lenses or overlays could help your child with dyslexia? The quick answer is no. But keep reading to see if colored overlays might still help your struggling reader. Dyslexia and Vision Problems Research on dyslexia has shown that dyslexia...

8 Things I do Each Day With my Dyslexic Reader

8 Things I do Each Day With my Dyslexic Reader

These are the daily habits that help my dyslexic reader to be more successful. I have been homeschooling kids with dyslexia for over 20 years!  Where did the time go? I am mainly focused these days on my 9 and 12-year-old sons.  One of these guys is moderately...

How to Find Your Unique Homeschool Rhythm

How to Find Your Unique Homeschool Rhythm

Finding a simple, daily homeschool rhythm makes school days go smoothly. I stepped out of my bedroom on Monday morning with what seemed like a thousand things on my mind. Oh yeah, and don't forget to homeschool the kids! And then we got started with our routine and...

7 Mindsets for New Homeschool Families

7 Mindsets for New Homeschool Families

If you're one of the thousands of new homeschool families, here are 7 powerful mindset shifts that will help your new life of teaching at home more peaceful and productive. There is a steep learning curve to go from the formality of doing school at home to a...

How to Learn From a Textbook: The SQ3R Method

How to Learn From a Textbook: The SQ3R Method

The SQ3R Method is an excellent way to help kids learn from a textbook. This post will show you what the SQ3R Method is and how to teach it to your kids. As a long-time, homeschooling parent of 7 kids with dyslexia, I don't usually recommend a traditional textbook...

When Life Gives You a Pandemic, Learn!

When Life Gives You a Pandemic, Learn!

There's nothing like a pandemic to teach you what's really important in life. We're wrapping up our second week of quarantine. I was thinking today about the many challenges our family has homeschooled through over the past 20+ years. I've homeschooled through...

How to Teach Reading at Home

How to Teach Reading at Home

You don't need to be a trained dyslexia tutor to teach reading at home. Do you remember learning to read? I don't. I don't remember learning phonics, I don't remember learning spelling rules, and I never even knew that there were intelligent people who struggled with...

Informal Reading Assessments

Informal Reading Assessments

Have you ever wondered at what grade level your child is reading? Have you wanted a way to measure your child's reading progress? Informal reading assessments can be a valuable way to see how your child is progressing. Assessments can also show you areas where you...