Articles
How to Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
Originally published in Parent Guide Magazine
Reading basic words. Forming letters and numbers. Solving math problems. These are all skills that are important parts of Kindergarten success. As students progress towards Kindergarten, they begin to develop the fundamentals of learning that will help them excel as they move through school. There are several strategies you can do at home to help your child establish these academic foundations and ease his or her transition into Kindergarten. The exercises outlined below are fun, engaging, and, of course, educational. So grab some note cards, markers, colored sand, and a cookie sheet – and let’s get to work!
What Does An Orton Gillingham Lesson Look Like?
Does your child struggle to sound out words or spell with accuracy? Do they have a diagnosed learning disability such as dyslexia? If so, they may benefit from systematic, multi-sensory phonics instruction using a method like Orton Gillingham. The Orton Gillingham method is a systematic, multi-sensory approach that helps students with learning disabilities and reading challenges develop stronger decoding and spelling skills.
Child Developmental Milestones by Age (1 Year Old to 5th Grade)
Parents often wonder whether their child is developing appropriate academic and language skills for their age. Each child develops at their own pace, but there are general developmental milestones that children between ages 1 and elementary school should achieve. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates developmental milestones are skills that children should achieve as they develop, which include language, learning, movement, and social milestones.
Test Taking Strategies for Students: How Can My Child Prepare for Exams and Reduce Test Anxiety?
Many students encounter test taking anxiety before an exam. Taking quizzes, unit tests, midterms, finals, and standardized exams can all make children nervous. Students often have challenges learning and retaining information and performing well under the pressure of timed tests. However, there are many evidence-based test taking strategies that can help students improve their study skills, learn and remember information, and feel more confident when taking tests. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has indicated that systematic study strategies can help students improve their organizational skills and retain information, which is helpful when studying for tests. Detailed below are several strategies students can use independently or during executive functioning tutoring sessions to help them study for exams and improve their outcomes.