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Portrait of Annette Bening

Sounds and Symbols

Play with letters, words, and sounds.Hosted by Annette Bening, this episode focuses on how children learn the relationship between sounds, letters, and words as an initial step before being able to decode the printed word. Features children’s book author and illustrator Norman Bridwell (Clifford the Big Red Dog).

Photo by Jon Rou

Illustration of magnifying glass on open book

Sources of Reading Research

Enormous amounts of reading and literacy research is available from the U.S. Department of Education, journals, associations, and education databases. This overview offers links to help you find what you need.

Speaking and Listening in Content Area Learning

Speaking and Listening in Content Area Learning

Oral language development facilitates print literacy. Explore ways in which teachers can ensure that students’ speaking and listening skills are developed. You’ll also find a review of effective classroom routines, including some that can be enhanced with technology.

Elementary aged girl looking at laptop with her father

Special Education Basics

Your child may be eligible for special services that will help him or her succeed as a reader. Find out basic information about special education and which children are eligible for receiving special education services.
elementary teacher working with two students on reading assignment

Specific Language Impairment

Studies have indicated that as many as 40-75% of children with specific language impairment will have problems in learning to read. This article offers tips for parents and educators to help learners develop their language skills.
Speech Recognition for Learning

Speech Recognition for Learning

Speech recognition, also referred to as speech-to-text or voice recognition, is technology that recognizes speech, allowing voice to serve as the “main interface between the human and the computer.” This Info Brief discusses how current speech recognition technology facilitates student learning, as well as how the technology can develop to advance learning in the future.

kindergarten teacher helping students make the sounds in words

Speech Sounds: Assessment Tip

Hearing the difference between similar sounding words such as grow and glow is easy for most children, but not for all children. Children who unable to hear these differences will be confused when these words appear in context, and their comprehension skills will suffer dramatically.

kindergarten teacher helping students make the sounds in words

Speech Sounds: Suggested Activities

Children must understand how speech sounds work to be ready for instruction in reading and writing. There are many activities that you can do with your students to help them increase their knowledge of speech sounds and their relationship to letters.

kindergarten teacher helping students make the sounds in words

Speech Sounds: Watch & Learn

These four short video clips give you the chance to watch and learn effective speech sound activities. The video clips are from Reading Rockets’ PBS television series Launching Young Readers.
Elementary boy using tablet in class

Spelling and Dyslexia

Spelling is a challenge for people with dyslexia. The International Dyslexia Association provides a fact sheet explaining why people with dyslexia have trouble spelling, how to find out the reasons a particular child has this difficulty, and how to help children with dyslexia spell better.

Young boy looking at camera with his chalk drawing in the background

Spelling and Students with Learning Disabilities

Spelling difficulties can be enduring in individuals with reading disabilities, sometimes even after reading has been successfully remediated. Addressing spelling difficulties is important, because poor spelling can hamper writing and can convey a negative impression even when the content of the writing is excellent.

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