Childhood Speech Disorders Part 1: Understanding the Basics Speech-language impairment has been called the “most common and least diagnosed disability of childhood,” affecting approximately one in every 12 children. 46 percent of children enrolled in early intervention programs have communication impairments, while 26 percent have developmental delays in multiple areas, usually including language skills (NIH). […]
The Effects of Reading to Infants Reading and the Link Between Language Development We’ve all heard the saying, “start them young.” These days, the starting point for formal education is getting younger and younger. People are buying computer coding books for babies and sending three-year-olds to prestigious preschools for $43,600 a year. But don’t worry. […]
If there’s one question a homeschooled kid can’t easily answer, it’s what grade they’re in. Sure, your six-year-old is reading at a third-grade level and can identify every species of dinosaur known to man, but a math lesson designed for one day takes them two or three days to complete. The biggest advantage to homeschool […]
Did you know the way you teach a child to read could incite people to label you as an ideological extremist? It may sound too ridiculous to be true, but there is a politically driven and very real “reading war” among educators that has lasted over half a century. The two sides: phonics-based and meaning-based […]
Teaching ESL students Advice for parents and educators Teaching is hard, period. You know this whether you’re a public school teacher or a homeschooling parent. You take on an enormous workload, pull long hours with little or no compensation, and always need to present yourself with a fresh face, whether you’re truly happy or not. […]
Reaching out to struggling students Options for parents and educators Homeschooling’s not easy. In some ways it’s the hardest thing in the world. Having sole responsibility, not just for a person’s upbringing, but for their education as well—it’s pretty daunting. And yet you can ameliorate most problems in homeschooling with a little help from the […]
Developing a Work-life Balance in Homeschooling Practical Solutions for a Persistent Problem If you read a lot of homeschooling blogs (and I do!), you’ll notice one thread of complaint come up again and again: homeschooling parents consistently have a hard time separating the work of education from their lives outside of teaching. Either they’re letting […]
Integrating New Students: A Guide for Educators Giving Confidence to Children in Homeschool Co-ops and Traditional Classrooms Any teacher can tell you how hard it can be to introduce a new kid to the classroom mid-year. And any parents who have been through it will talk at length about the anxieties it stirred up in […]
Cutting Through Overcomplicated Classrooms Advice for Teachers In Public Schools At YesPhonics, we typically write about issues around homeschooling and parenting. We’re not narrowminded, though, and today I thought I would write about something a little further afield: problems facing teachers in the public school system. As you’re probably aware, public education has a lot […]
Allaying Fears About Friendships in Homeschooling Advice for Undecided Parents Homeschooling is ipso facto appealing to a lot of parents. The opportunity to get out of the conventional school system, the chance to spend more time with your kids, and the creative fulfillment of coming up with a curriculum of your own design can all […]