What is Happening in Our Creative Dyslexic's Brain When They Are Learning to Read

As a tutor of dyslexic children, I’m often asked by the parents of my students, “What exactly is dyslexia?”

First, I reply, “Dyslexia is a language processing difference in the brain.” I also like to share Dr. Sally Shaywitz’s definition, “Dyslexia is defined as an unexpected difficulty in learning to read.”

I explain that the “unexpected difficulty in learning to read” is probably how they’re feeling about their child. They know their child is bright, clever, understands things and learns quickly, but for some not understandable reason, reading is very difficult for their child, if not impossible.

They often nod because they do know that feeling.  Their next question usually is, “What is happening in their child’s dyslexic brain when they are trying to read?”

I’ve been studying dyslexia research for almost 4 decades. I feel the real breakthroughs in research in how the brain learns to read began with Stanislas Dehaene’s first book How We Learn published in 2001. Then Sally Shaywitz’s book Overcoming Dyslexia followed in 2003. Her findings were so exciting to me and others. Using fMRI’s, she was able to prove there is a difference in how the dyslexic brain functions from the non-dyslexic brain when trying to read.

There’s still so much we need to learn about our brains, but more and more research is being done every day, and our knowledge of how the dyslexic brain processes information is continually growing. Again, this is so exciting.

Here’s what we do know now and what I share with my parents.

The first step in reading is for the reader to look at and focus on printed letters and words. The eyes send the letters and words off to the brain as energy messages. Messages from the left eye are sent to the right hemisphere of the brain while messages from the right eye are sent to the left hemisphere of the brain.

The visual symbols of individual letters, letter groupings (root words, prefixes, suffixes, blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs/phonograms), and letters forming whole words will be recognized and stored in the “word box area” in the left hemisphere of the brain. Instant recognition of all the letters, letter groupings and whole words is necessary for a person to achieve fluency and automaticity in reading.

The visual messages that are originally sent to the right hemisphere, must be immediately sent through the corpus callosum (a thick bundle of nerves that connects the two hemispheres of the brain) to the “word box area” in the left hemisphere for the brain to quickly and accurately decode the words.

(Please see our previous blog post here on how the brain learns.)

For a dyslexic, these processes don’t always run so smoothly. Often, the transfer of visual messages from the right side to the left side of the brain may not be done efficiently. The dyslexic brain may then attempt to recognize the letters, letter groupings and whole words in the right hemisphere, but that’s not really it’s function and this is best done and more effectively achieved in the “word box area” in the left hemisphere.

The dyslexic brain may also begin sending messages to other locations within the right and/or left hemispheres in search of help in processing the information more quickly. Unfortunately, this leads to further delays in fluency because of the time it takes to send the information and the fact that the other locations are not as efficient at recognizing letters and words as the “word box area”.

Probably you, just as parents of the kiddos I teach, are beginning to picture what is happening in their dyslexic child’s brain.

You may be visualizing how if the “word box area” isn’t able to immediately process the letters and words and isn’t immediately receiving help from the right hemisphere, their brain begins sending messages to other parts of the brain that might be helpful, sort of like rabbits running haphazardly through tunnels in a rabbit warren. 😊

Like my parents, I know you are also feeling just how frustrating this would feel to a bright young learner who understands so many things so easily and yet is completely mystified, and sometimes totally stopped, when trying to read.

Now I know you can probably guess the next question I’m asked – “How will Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® help my child learn to read, write and spell when nothing else has?”

Let’s start at the beginning here. Silent Elephant “e”® is based on research of Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Orton/Gillingham, Lindamood Bell, Louisa Cook Moats, Pleasant T Rowland, International Dyslexic Association and many others.

This research includes my own personal research with my students for thirty-six years teaching in the classroom. I wanted and NEEDED to know how ALL my students were learning, what they were learning and how what I was doing helped them or didn’t help them.

To this end, after I taught a lesson, I asked, “What did I do that helped you learn, what did I do that confused you, what could I do differently to help you even more?” I took careful notes. I repeated the same questions a day later, a week later, and a month later. I took careful notes each time.

I modified my instruction to meet the needs of each of my students. It was always my intent to do better and help EVERY child learn quickly and easily.

When I wrote Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, I reflected on all the knowledge I had gained from my students and all the research on teaching of reading, writing and spelling and dyslexia.

Silent Elephant “e”® is a comprehensive reading program based in the science of reading and all the latest research in and about the dyslexic learner.

Silent Elephant “e”® teaches ALL learners the way they learn to read, write and spell best! For our dyslexic learners, Silent Elephant “e”®, teaches them the only way they CAN learn to read, write and spell easily and quickly.

Silent Elephant “e”® provides total immersion in a precisely organized, multi-sensory phonemic awareness and phonics program using visual stimulation, auditory stimulation, and kinesthetic stimulation—in other words, using “the whole body”—to learn. 

This immersion is THE WAY our dyslexic children activate their “word box area” so that their brain immediately and effectively learns to identify letters and words. This immersion is THE WAY they learn to read fluently and successfully. On top of that, it’s fun!

This total immersion is also THE WAY EVERY child learns best to learn to read, write and spell, and it’s FUN.

All children, including our dyslexics, who learn to read with Silent Elephant “e”® quickly become independent readers achieving automaticity and fluency in reading, writing and spelling. They become so confident and self-assured they don’t question that they’ll be successful.

These are the answers that help the parents of my dyslexic kiddos relax and begin to enjoy their children becoming successful, happy readers.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® is a wonderful win/win/win for everyone, dyslexics, non-dyslexics AND their parents.

Contact us at silentelephante@gmail.com 

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EVERY CHILD Deserves to have FUN learning to READ, WRITE AND SPELL!

Every child deserves to learn to read and to have fun doing it!

When asked for a one word description for Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, the word that popped out was, “FUN!!”

The word after all these years is still FUN!

Learning to read with Silent Elephant “e”® is FUN and is meant to be FUN!

It was written with FUN as its guiding premise.

I wrote Silent Elephant “e”® on the foundation of the research of how our brains learn to read, write and spell and therefore on the best strategies to teach ALL LEARNERS reading, writing and spelling, especially dyslexic learners, or learners with other learning differences.

But, the guiding light behind all of our strategies based on the research is FUN.

When your kids are learning phonemic awareness and all the phonics concepts through active, imaginative activities that activate all parts of their brains, THEY HAVE FUN!

In Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® every phonics concept is introduced through a FUN imaginative activity that connects that phonics concept to all prior learning and will remain with them for the rest of their life.

When they learn through fun, learning is easy and natural. They become eager for the next concept.
They feel confident and sure of themselves.

They are ready to take on any book that comes their way, which is what we all want.

We want them to experience the freedom and joy of reading and writing, and never look back. 😊

Every child deserves to learn to read and to have fun doing it!

You can get ahold of us at silentelephante@gmail. We love supporting you and your children’s success.

Let's Talk About Dyslexia!!

Let's talk about dyslexia!

Dyslexia is NOT a disability that has to cause your child to be dependent on you always reading their schoolwork to them, or on them listening to all their schoolbooks on audio.

Your dyslexic child doesn’t have to be relegated to being dependent on audio books or the constant help from others all their life.

Case in point, the profoundly dyslexic young woman who graduated with a double major in neuroscience and chemistry in 4 years, who at the age of 14 DID NOT KNOW that cat has 3 sounds. Further, she didn’t have to listen to her college science textbooks on audio. She read them! She decoded. She processed them. She KNOWS them.

Dyslexia is NOT a disability that has to stunt a child’s life and make reading, writing and spelling difficult.

At Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, we don’t refer to dyslexia as a disability because it really isn’t. It’s just a difference. We refer to it as a learning difference, but it really isn’t a difference to your dyslexic child.

It’s just another way some brains can process print.

It’s the way their brain does process print.

All dyslexia IS, is their brain’s way of processing printed material (reading, writing and spelling) that necessitates us as their teachers to TEACH THEM TO READ, WRITE AND SPELL THE WAY THEIR BRAIN LEARNS TO READ, WRITE AND SPELL.

It’s just that simple.

Teaching them isn’t hard.

Actually, it’s easy, and much more fun than workbooks and circle the correct word. It’s active and engaging for us and them. It’s them learning and connecting the way their brain can learn and connect reading, writing and spelling.

When we teach them the way their brain learns words and sentences and connects meaning, it all makes sense to them right away. They don’t struggle.

If they have been struggling, with Silent Elephant “e”®’s structured processes they soon begin to relax and celebrate their successes. Watching them relax makes your heart sing.

As one 10-year-old profoundly dyslexic said so softly and with wonder, “I think I’m going to be able to read now!” And, boy, did she fly. She entered college 6 years later.

In Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, every single phonics concept (preschool through high school) is introduced with an activity that engages their whole dyslexic brain and their 5 senses so there is not one reading concept they will not understand or miss.

The dyslexic way of learning is NOT sitting in front of a computer screen, a workbook, or a typical worksheet trying to figure out what’s there and maybe being frustrated because the letters and words won’t stop moving around.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® does have worksheets, but they're specifically designed for the dyslexic student. Their dyslexic brain needs consistency as they are learning new concepts. Every Silent Elephant “e”® worksheet is in the same format and font, with only one concept presented per page. This blog post explains more about our worksheets.

Even children who experience the letters and words shifting around will find the letters and words stabilizing when we teach them the way their brain processes them. Several wonderful success stories are in these blog posts. 😊

What is the dyslexic way of learning?

THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning is active, because their brain can’t learn to read, write and spell unless it’s actively dynamically connecting the concepts with other learning in creative ways through their 5 senses. It can’t.

THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning includes verbalizing and explaining – talking, sharing, teaching. Their brain processes their learning through talking about the concepts and words and explaining how they know a word is that word, how they know it’s spelled the way it is and how they know a sentence, or paragraph means what it means.

THE DYSLEXIC WAY of learning is their brain appreciating time to think, share, and explain what they are learning to read, write and spell. Their brain likes time to make connections to other learning, to understand them and enjoy them.

When we teach our dyslexic children the way their brain learns, they learn quickly and they have fun all along the way, which is also very important.

Watching them find their confidence is heart-warming.

Dyslexia is just a difference.

When we teach our dyslexic children to read, write and spell the way their brain processes print, they learn easily. They don’t struggle, they have fun and they’re set for life.

Through learning the way they learn with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, 14 dyslexic students have been removed from special education because they no longer needed that support. They are free to read, write, learn and explore. 

They’re set for life!

Contact me here!

Becoming a Fluent Reader, Writer and Speller Doesn't Take 6 Years

I promise it won't take 6 years for your kids to become fluent readers, writers AND spellers, even if they're struggling right now.

I know you are probably thinking, “Why not? Isn’t that the way it works? Kindergarten through 5th grade is 6 years.”

Here’s the thing, when you teach your children to read, write and spell the way their brain learns best (active engaging activities), they learn quickly, they transfer that knowledge to prior and future learning easily and they RETAIN their learning.

With Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e® you will be teaching your children the way their brain learns best from the foundation of reading, writing and spelling (phonemic awareness) right through their high school phonics skills. You will be teaching every skill with active engaging activities that activate their whole brain. They WILL learn easily and quickly. They WILL have fun.

Here are some Silent Elephant “e® success stories 😊:
 
       A 3rd grader said to me after just 7 times of tutoring, “I know what you’re trying to teach me. There are single, separate sounds in words! I never knew that. I think I’m going to be able to learn to read now!”

It took that newly confident profoundly dyslexic 3rd grader 3 months to go from not reading at all to a 3rd grade reading level and a total of 8 months to be at a 6th grade level in comprehension and a 7th grade level in word recognition. She went from being way behind her peers to being far ahead!
 
       Just after 5 times of tutoring a struggling 9th grader said, “I never knew what rhyme was! I've never heard individual sounds in words before!”

She is profoundly dyslexic, yet it only took her 4 months to go from a 5th grade reading level to a 9th grade reading level and another 9 months to reach a college reading level while in 10th grade. She is now a college graduate.
 
        A 1st grader’s parent said to me, “I know my daughter doesn’t belong in special education. She’s truly very intelligent. Can you help her learn to read?”

The answer was, “YES, I CAN!

Within 6 months this profoundly dyslexic first grader was at a 1.8 reading level – almost caught up with her peers. Within 11 months, she was decoding words at a 6th grade reading level and within 18 months, she was comprehending at a 4th grade reading level – a grade level above her peers. To put icing on that cake, she was staffed out of special education at that time. She continued with me and within 3½ years was reading at an 11th grade level when she completed 4th grade!

         AND NO, Silent Elephant “e”® isn’t just for kids with dyslexia or other learning differences, it's for ALL YOUR KIDS!

The parents of a bubbly, bright little pre-school girl wanted her to have a solid foundation in reading, writing and spelling so they contacted me. She began tutoring twice a week for only 30 minutes at a time.

Within 7 months, she was at a 1st grade reading level although she was still in kindergarten. She entered first grade reading on a 4th grade level and in 2 years was reading on a 6th grade level

.She is confident and happy and free to read anything that catches her fancy and she is very successful in all her other subjects.

As you see, when you teach your children the way they learn best with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® it won’t take 6 years for them to become a confident, happy, fluent reader, writer and speller, even if they have learning differences.

When you are teaching with Silent Elephant “e”®, you’ll have fun teaching reading, writing and spelling and they will have fun learning to read, write AND spell. 😊

They will feel confident and proud, and you will feel happy.
 
If you have questions and/or want more information about how Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® ensures the success of your children, feel free to contact us at silentelephante@gmail.com or 208-859-4406.

Keep a song in your heart!

Let See What You Get - Fun for You and Your Kids

Today I want to share Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® in depth so that you really KNOW what you are getting when you choose Silent Elephant “e”® as your reading, writing and spelling curriculum . 😊

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®  is your COMPLETE reading, writing AND spelling curriculum pre-school through high school skills.

It’s your WHOLE curriculum, 14 years of reading, writing AND spelling skills – preschool through high school.

(If you prefer, click here to explore Silent Elephant “e”® or zip over and explore each part of Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” here  Afterpay is available. You can also purchase on Amazon here, or search Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”. ) 

With Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®  as your reading, writing and spelling curriculum you’ll have everything all your kids need preschool through high school skills, especially if they have learning differences like dyslexia. That’s all 14 years of curriculum.

With Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®  you can relax and breathe deep knowing you won’t have to think about which reading, writing or spelling curriculum to use ever again.

Let’s explore it.
 

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® Part 1 is Phonemic Awareness which is the foundation of ALL reading, writing and spelling success.

Without a solid base of phonemic awareness, your child will struggle with all three, reading, writing and spelling, for the rest of their life. Silent Elephant “e”®’s phonemic awareness ensures that your child will have a solid understanding of how language works and they will be ready for phonics and to read, write and spell

Phonics concepts begin in Part 3 Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®. Every phonics concept begins with an imaginative creative activity that is the foundation of that concept for the rest of Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, and their life. These activities include puppetry, song, art, acting, drawing, color, symbols, writing, using their 5 senses in their learning and many other activities.

Each of these creative activities activates all parts of their brain which is important for every one of your children as they’re learning to read, write and spell, but especially important for your dyslexics or other learning difference children.
 

Silent Elephant “e”® also has 44 colored educational posters that are an integral part of each phonics concept. The poster activities are one of the ways that Silent Elephant “e”® ensures each phonics concept is processed in all parts of their brain. This is especially important for your dyslexic child, and is a powerful tool for every one of your children. When they have drawn the poster that explains the phonics concept, their brain will pull up that image for them when they come up to an unknown word that has that phonics concept.
 

There are 4 other components that we have created to support you as your children learn to read, write and spell with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®. 

1. Extra added fun is our picture book My Awesome Grandma. It is a book that leaves their imagination wondering. :) It introduces consonant digraphs and goes with Parts 4-14.

2. Just for you, we recorded over 100 Instructional Videos that take you lesson by lesson through all of Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®. If you’re not sure how to teach a lesson, you have the video at your fingertips.

3. Knowing you might want added support, we offer a 9 hour on-line Personal Training - our Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® class for homeschool parents, tutors and teachers is very helpful.  You’ll notice the price goes down depending on how many people attend the class.

4. Our blog silentelephante.com/blog has way over 100 posts to support you as you teach your children.  

Please keep this in mind - one of the most important things for us is for you to know that with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®  you will ALWAYS have OUR support to answer all your questions about Silent Elephant “e”®, about teaching reading, about teaching in general and about teaching dyslexics and other learning differences.

Your children’s success is very importance to us.
You, and your children, having fun as they learn to read, write and spell is also very important to us. 

Email us at silentelephante@gmail.com or nina.silentelephante@gmail.com with your questions.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® is Different

In this video, Crystal, one of our homeschool moms, shares how Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® is different.  She didn't use Silent Elephant “e”® with her older kids and she's definitely noticing the difference in how her younger one is understanding phonics in both reading and spelling. 

Enjoy, and shoot your questions to us at silentelephante@gmail.com.

Linda

Becoming a Silent Elephant "e" Tutor is Easy and Very Rewarding

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® Parts 1-14 and the Educational Posters are on sale for 25% off through May. This is everything you will need for all your children to be successful readers, writers and spellers, AND it is all you need to start you Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® tutoring business. You can buy Part 1-14 individually or your can buy the packages to save money.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® is an EASY, at home, very rewarding way to make money.

In this video I share that I have more requests for tutoring than I have available time slots.

When Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® is your preschool through high school reading, writing, spelling program, you have everything you need to start your own tutoring business.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® is all 14 years of reading, writing and spelling curriculum which means, you have everything you need to start your business and teach ALL your children. (Of course, it won't take 14 years for them to learn all the skills. It usually just takes 2-4 years.🙂)

Plus, you have us to help you get your business rolling and to support you as it grows.

Right now is the perfect time to start your Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” ® journey as 
everything you need, Parts 1-14 and the Educational Posters are on sale through May 31st. 
Check them out here.

Contact us at silentelephante@gmail.com to explore being  a Silent Elephant “e” ® tutor. 

Making a Difference in a Young Person's Life - It's a Wonderful Feeling!

As a Silent Elephant “e”® tutor, we truly make a difference, whether our student is 6 years old, 14, or 30, their lives will be forever different.

Here’s a heart-warming example of one of our tutors and her 10-year-old student.

After just five one-half hour tutoring sessions they had reached Lesson 4D in Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, Part 1 Phonemic Awareness.

The shy young girl looked at her tutor and softly said, “I think I have figured out what you are trying to teach me.”

“What have you figured out?”  her tutor softly asked.

“I have figured out that words have sounds in them,” she hesitatingly began. “I can hear sounds in words now. I see the different colors on the squares, and I have figured out that the different colors mean different sounds. When I touch the squares one at a time, I can hear one sound at a time in my head. I think that is what you are trying to teach me.”

“That is exactly what I have been teaching you! You explained it so clearly. I could not have done any better.”

Her shy smile and twinkling eyes said it all—she was so proud of herself! Doors were opening for her; she was hearing the sounds in words. She was beginning to have phonemic awareness, the foundation of all reading, writing, and spelling.

“I think I am going to be able to learn to read now,” she quietly proclaimed.

Her tutor sat quietly with her and together they felt the power of that moment. She knew she was going to be able to read.  The confusion and struggle she had experienced for years trying to read, trying to make sense of printed letters and not hearing individual sounds, was beginning to slip away behind her.

She was going to be able to read and she felt it.

With Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®, the joy and love of reading and writing is open to her for the rest of her life!

As a Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® tutor, you are a part of their joy and their success. They will never forget you.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® Parts 1-14 and the Educational Posters are now 25% off until May 31st at midnight. The check out code is LKAV6ZT. We have Afterpay available.

Contact us a silentelephante@gmail.com or nina.silentelephante@gmail.com

Exactly What DOES Silent Elephant "e" Teach?

Let's answer this question that came in, “Just exactly what does Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”®  teach?”

I’ve always wanted to say, “The WHOLE enchilada!”, but I always answer, “Everything a preschooler to college age learner needs to know to become a successful, competent, confident reader, writer, and speller.”

I do realize that this doesn’t really tell you anything about how Silent Elephant “e”®  teaches and how your children WILL learn with Silent Elephant “e”® .

I did this video to answer this question for a homeschool group. I think you'll find it very informative.

It's not a short video with tidbits of info. Instead, it’s chocked full of information about Silent Elephant “e”® : phonemic awareness, phonics, how it works, why it works, and why it’s easy for you to teach with and easy for your kids to learn with. :)

When you finish watching this video, you'll have solid knowledge about Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”® , how it's different, how you can teach multiple ages at the same time, and WHY your children will so quickly learn to read, write and spell using Silent Elephant “e”® , and have so much fun doing it.

So here it is, the WHOLE enchilada!I would love to know how helpful this video is for you. Please send your thoughts by return email.

And as always, contact me with questions at silentelephante@gmail.com or Nina at nina.silentelephante@gmail.com.

Silent Elephant “e”®-ing - It's a Thing. :)

 Silent Elephant “e”®-ing  

The more I teach with Silent Elephant “e”®, the more I’m beginning to feel like Silent Elephant “e”® is a verb. 😂

I know that sounds a little crazy, but it’s true, the more I teach with Silent Elephant “e”® the more I feel like I’m Silent Elephant “e” ®-ing. 😂😂

Let me give you a little background to where this happy, but little bit goofy, feeling is coming from.
 
“Learn – to learn” is a verb, an action word.
This means learning is an active process.
To learn, action must be happening.
 

It’s true that part of the activity or action of learning is happening in the brain unseen, but for our brain to engage in the process of learning, our senses must get involved.

Let’s look at this.
Obviously, our senses of sight and hearing are a major part of learning to read, write and spell, but actually our other senses of touch, taste and smell all have a part in our learning process. Furthermore, when ALL our senses and movement get involved, learning happens faster, is deeper and is more easily transferred into other concepts and subjects.

There’s just added power when we involve the whole-child/whole-person, all our senses, in the learning process.

Now, let’s go visit that sweet young man Xander again. (Here's the link to Xander's other email.:)

As you will remember, I shared Xander’s interaction with Silent Elephant “e”®’s Phonemic Awareness Caterpillar/Train Game that uses color and movement to identify sounds in words. There was a moment when Xander had such a firm grasp on identifying individual sounds in spoken words that he transferred his knowledge into a new way of showing his comprehension.

Remember how he jumped up and shot off to bring his toy cars in on the learning. He had mentally processed, comprehended that individual sounds make up our words and that in the game, the sounds could be represented by colored squares, or toy cars, but it didn’t change the individual sounds in the word.

Let’s look at what Xander was doing, how he was active and interacting with his knowledge, and how his senses were involved to activate his brain. Xander was:

• using his sense of hearing as he listened intently to each sound his mom said,

• using his sense of sight as he watched his mom’s mouth move as she said each sound,

• using his sense of hearing as he carefully listened to his own voice saying and identifying each sound he heard,

• using his sense of touch and movement as he slid his colored squares in place to indicate the sounds he heard, and

• using his senses of sight and hearing to decide that his game board was correct, whether his answers were indicated with colored squares or toy cars. 

True, he didn’t use his senses of smell or taste in Silent Elephant “e”®’s Phonemic Awareness Caterpillar/Train Game, but these two senses are integrated throughout Silent Elephant “e”®.

True deep learning that transfers easily and swiftly into other concepts and subjects involves ALL the senses; it involves the whole learner.

Now do you see why I giggle to myself when I find myself thinking that I am Silent Elephant “e”®-ing as I sit down at the computer to meet one of my students?

Every one of the lessons in Silent Elephant “e”® is centered around the whole child in front of me and how he/she learns.

Furthermore, Silent Elephant “e”®-ing is just plain FUN!

Contact us at silentelephante@gmail.com or nina.silentelephante@gmail.com with any questions.  

Have You Ever Had This Experience? I Bet You Have! :)

Have you ever had this experience? I bet you have!

For a couple minutes, think about when you were in school--whether your school was a public school, or you were homeschooled.

Think about a subject, concept or skill you were taught that just did not connect with you. It was something you learned, but it never had any real meaning for you or to you.

You learned it because you were taught it, and so it became an isolated fact for you that sort of floated around in a sea of other isolated facts or factoids. It had no real connection for you. You really didn’t care about it. It just floated around with all the other disconnected facts.

Then later, maybe a long time later, as you lived your life, you suddenly realized this floating subject, skill or concept was beginning to take on meaning for you. It began to “come alive” for you because of something you had or were living through that began to connect it with other subjects, other skills, or other concepts you knew about, understood fully, and had interest in.

Suddenly this isolated floating concept moved out of your sea of nebulous facts and became not just something you learned but knowledge that you could use and wanted to use.

What were some of those floating facts that became important for you?

I ask you to take this goofy little journey with me because we ALL have this sea of floating nebulous concepts and facts. Some of us have larger seas than others of us. 😊 It depends on how we were taught, how we connected what we were learning.

Another reason for our goofy journey is this:

It’s OK for some concepts to become floaters without real harm to our learning. You probably have the dates of wars floating around. 😊

BUT, it’s very detrimental for some concepts to become floaters! In fact, if some concepts become isolated facts with no connection, then other learning is halted!

Some concepts need to be taught to ALL children in ways that activate and integrate the learning immediately. Some concepts can’t wait for months or years to become a part of our children’s working knowledge.

Phonemic awareness and all phonics concepts are such concepts.

Phonics concepts can be vague and yet it is absolutely important that they are learned in a precise sequential order to ensure true learning at the time they are taught. They must be taught so the concept becomes useable knowledge immediately.

That can sound like a BIG job! 😊
It’s not as big a job as it is a process that needs to be well thought out to ensure their success.

It was one of my students who made me think of sharing this with you.  He was having a very difficult time writing words that contained new phonics concepts IF he was asked to write the word in isolation. To this day, words in isolation hold no meaning for him.

Yet, 😊, when he wrote these same words in sentences, the phonics rules he needed totally made sense to him, and he spelled the words correctly and wrote the entire sentence correctly. The words had meaning and made connections to his prior knowledge.

For ALL children, words must be connected to their prior knowledge for the words to have meaning so they can easily learn to read, write and spell.

Think about how important phonics concepts are and how ALL children need them to be taught in a systematic, sequential, progressive, sensory engaging format for them to be easily learned. Phonics concepts need to be connected to all their previous learning—RIGHT NOW, not later. They cannot join the “floating facts seas”. If one joins the sea of floaters, learning to read becomes instantly difficult.

This is why when you explore Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™, you will find a progressive order that totally engages children in learning every concept. We just can’t have any “phonics floaters”.

Contact me to learn more about how I structured Silent Elephant “e” so every child can easily learn to read, write and spell.

She Improved 5 Grade Levels in 9 Months!! Soon she'll be up to 8th grade level and beyond!

Summer rolled to an end way too quickly. It seems like we didn’t get to do as many things as we had planned -- maybe we had too many things planned. 😉

We’ve packed up and are ready to head back to Seattle until next June.

This is always a bittersweet time. I’m not ready to leave Idaho and yet at the same time I’m so eager to hug my grandkids. And my kids. 😊 It seems like a very long time since I’ve wrapped my arms around all of them.

I did get most of my student’s end of summer assessments finished.

Assessing is such a happy time. Sometimes my kiddos don’t even realize how much they’ve learned and how well they’re reading. I love the way their eyes grow huge, and their smiles explode when they stop for a moment to realize their own progress. It’s a special time.

And -- it’s a time for celebrating for them, for me and definitely for their parents!

Last week I received this wonderful note from Mckenna’s mom, and I’d love to share it with you.  
"Dear Linda,

You have no idea how much we appreciate you…

Jeremy, Mckenna's dad, and I had the best discussion about tutoring tonight (he has dyslexia as well).  He is blown away with how far she has come since last November!
He wishes he didn’t struggle as a child and had had help. We are so happy you can help her down this road! 
So much love,
Brie

In 9 months, Mckenna mastered Phonemic Awareness. She didn’t have Phonemic Awareness 9 months ago. She also improved 5 grade levels in word recognition and 3.5 grade levels in comprehension! Both word recognition and comprehension are at a 7th grade reading level now.

She is so proud of herself, and rightly so.

Within the next 3 months she will be up to grade level (8th grade) and beyond. She is ready to fly!

If you have questions about teaching reading, writing and spelling with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™, email me at silentelephante@gmail.com. You’ll love the freedom of teaching with Silent Elephant “e”™. You’ll love watching them learn to read, write and spell so quickly – all of them. You’ll love it when their eyes grow huge, and their smiles erupt. xoxo

If you'd like to be a part of changing lives with us, talk to me about becoming a Silent Elephant “e”™ tutor. You'll never regret it. 

Contact me here!

4 Factors to Consider when Teaching a Learner with Learning Differences

Sharing 4 Factors to Consider when Teaching a Learner with Learning Differences during the Top Picks Back to School Bash was a blast!

Here are some highlights we covered in the workshop:
When teaching a learner with learning differences, we want to consider these four factors and make sure that we are meeting all of them as we teach.

Factor 1 – Immersion and Engagement – Your learning difference learner needs to be totally immersed and totally engaged in whatever they are learning. Ask this question, “How many ways can we have fun using their five senses, their voice and their body to learn this concept and connect it to what they already know?” 

To internalize the new concept that you're teaching and connect it with all other concepts that they've learned previously they need to be totally engaged with the concept in ways they enjoy. This total engagement and immersion in the fun of learning will activate all parts of their brain and make it possible for them to easily internalize, learn new concepts, and connect the new with what they already know.

Factor 2 – Embedded - To engage all parts of the learning different brain in learning to read, write and spell you want to teach them together. In other words, you want to embed their writing and spelling into their learning to read.

What does that look like? When they are learning a new phonics concept such as /ea/, or even a short vowel sound, they learn to read, write and spell words with those phonics concepts at the same time they are learning to read them. Then they immediately begin using their new words in reading and writing sentences.

Learning writing and spelling at the same time they learn to read makes sense to their learning difference brain that does not separate reading, writing and spelling into 3 separate subjects. 😊

Factor 3 – How the curriculum is set up matter. Is it sequential, systemic, progressive and logical? Does it teach all skills and concepts simple to complex?

This is not only important for them, it’s important for you. If the curriculum you are using doesn’t move sequentially simple to complex as it progressives logically and systematically through the skills and concepts, it will be not only be frustrating to you but chances are high that they will not learn easily or readily, maybe not at all.

Factor 4 – Predictability – For your learning difference learner to learn easily and readily to read, write and spell, you want their program and the way you are teaching to be predictable to them. It is very important to the learning difference brain to NOT have to wonder about how you will be presenting new concepts and skills or about what their worksheets look like.

Their brain needs to relax into the predictable so it can focus on what’s important – the new concept and how that concept relates to everything they have already know.

There’s actually a Factor 5 – This one is also important, maybe the most important. Believing they are going to read, write and spell and have fun doing it! They need to KNOW that YOU KNOW they will learn and enjoy their learning process.

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ was written around these factors which is why we are watching our students with all kinds of learning differences become completely independent readers, writers and spellers enjoying their freedom to learn new concepts in every subject.

Yes! They still have learning differences, but they don’t struggle with reading, writing or spelling. There’s such freedom in that and it’s such a pleasure to watch their success!

If you have any questions about these 4 factors or Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™, call (208-859-4406) or email here silentelephante@gmail.com or nina.silentelephante@gmail.com

When Should I Begin Silent Elephant "e" With My Children - - NOW!

Don’t Wait!

“When should I begin Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ with my children?”

My answer is, “Begin teaching your children to read, write and spell with Silent Elephant “e”™ as soon as they are 4 years old or as soon as possible after you’ve learned about my awesome Silent Elephant “e”™ program. The sooner the better! They will enjoy success and fast progress at any age!” 😊

Maybe you have a preschooler just beginning to understand how our language works or maybe you have a middle schooler and/or a junior or senior high student struggling everyday with reading, writing and spelling. Wherever they are is the right place and now is the right time to begin with Silent Elephant “e”™.

It has been my experience as an educator, that once a child is feeling insecure and struggling with reading, writing and spelling, it’s going to take quite a bit of time for them to let go of their feelings of inadequacy. And it has been my experience, that Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ turns them around more quickly and successfully than any other program I have ever worked with.

This is not surprising, because Silent Elephant “e”™ is written the way all people learn. Everything your child will do, every concept he/she will process and learn and connect with all other learning, is through sensory activities. Your children will become totally involved in their learning, so it works, and it works for them quickly.Silent Elephant “e”™ was written for preschoolers through adults to be the only reading, writing and spelling program children and adults need, giving their language arts journey continuity and stability -- setting them on solid footing for the rest of their lives.

When they begin their reading, writing and spelling with Silent Elephant “e”™ as a preschooler, Kindergartener or first grader, they are fresh to their learning and they connect reading, writing and spelling together the way their brain learns. Their learning makes total sense to them as they progress through phonemic awareness and phonics. The sensory activities they use to learn every concept are fun! They retain and apply their skills to decode unknown words.

Older children who have experienced struggles and frustrations with reading, writing and spelling probably have a low self-concept about their ability to learn. It will take time for them to let go of their unsure feelings (usually only about 4 to 5 weeks).  My experience with Silent Elephant “e”™ is they readily let go of their concerns about themselves and their ability to read, write and spell and then they fly! They are thrilled with their newfound ability to read and write, their new found freedom.

If your child is dyslexic or has any other learning difference, beginning Silent Elephant “e”™ as soon as possible sets their foundation in reading, writing and spelling on strong footing and guides them to become strong, capable, confident young people with a joy of learning!

It has been my experience with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ that no matter how dyslexic a student is, or how much they have struggled, they become delightfully happy and successful students.

Several of my most profoundly dyslexic students are now enjoying college without struggle.

Rebecca is a wonderful example, even though she is profoundly dyslexic, she is no longer struggling in school. She is completely confident and happy. That alone is a good reason to start their Silent Elephant “e”™ journey as soon as possible. This post shares Rebecca's story.

Here are three more posts that share successes. Julie is severely dyslexic, whereas Rachel doesn't have learning differences. 17 Months to 6th Grade Level, Reading and Writing Go Together, "Sh" is a Digraph, Not a Blend. Enjoy.

So - what's the answer to the question, ““When should I begin Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ with my children?” 
NOW! And the sooner the better! Don’t wait! 
It doesn’t matter how old they are or what their current reading, writing and spelling skills are, they will be successful with Silent Elephant “e”™.

Contact me here!  Or here!

“My brain felt so disorganized! I felt like a railroad without tracks,”

Stephen stopped in the middle of our Zoom lesson, and looked me in the eyes, “Mrs. Jones, I’ve been thinking about something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time. Do you know how I felt all the time before I began tutoring with you?”

I looked at him thoughtfully as he was so serious. “No,” I replied, “but I’d love for you to tell me.”

“I felt like a railroad without tracks,” he said slowly and then quickly looked away. I could tell he felt uncomfortable, and this had been hard for him to say.

My brain began to whirl trying to picture what he had experienced and what he meant. “Please tell me more.”

Slowly Stephen began explaining, “For years and years, I tried so hard to make sense of what my parents, teachers and other tutors were teaching me. I felt my brain was built for learning concepts. I felt capable of learning. I really did.

“But I also felt dumb. I watched my teachers walk away from my desk – giving up on helping me. It took too much of their time to try to help me. They had so many other children to help. They began to ignore me. I felt so alone.

“My brain felt so scattered! My brain felt so disorganized! I needed railroad tracks to guide me.”

I could feel Stephen’s profound pain – it was palpable!

He continued, “I tried so hard to do what I thought was right, but I was never right!

“I could see and hear what my friends were doing, but no matter how hard I tried, I could never get it right. I thought I was the stupidest person alive! I felt like giving up!

“I’m so glad my mom didn’t give up on me. She was aware that I was developing numerous coping mechanisms – trying to cope in school with the way teachers and other kids looked at me, trying not to feel embarrassed in front of everyone, trying to learn and always failing, trying to keep on believing in myself.

“It was the best day of my life when my mom brought me to your house for tutoring. Within just a few minutes of meeting me, you told me that I was smart! You said that I would learn! You said that I just needed to be taught a in different way. You said I needed to be taught to read, write and spell the way MY brain learned!

“After just 3 weeks of tutoring with you, I suddenly could see and hear individual sounds within words (phonemic awareness). I finally got it! Before we did the caterpillar and train games, I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to do when teachers and my parents said, ‘Just sound it out.’ When I began to hear the individual sounds within words, I knew I was going to be able to learn to read!

“When we started using colors for phonics, I felt relief and joy too! The color that helps me the most is the purple lines between syllables! The purple lines break the words into smaller pieces and then I can use the other colors to help me see the small phonetic parts of words that the letters form.”

As I listened, I was doing my best not to be too emotional. “Oh, Stephen, I’m so grateful to be your tutor!

“Hearing your words, I am reminded of just how serious and important a teachers’ job is and I’m reminded of the huge responsibility that I have to all my students.

“I’m so thankful I’ve been able to help you learn to read, write and spell so quickly! Do you remember that in just 2 years you went from a primer to a 9th grade reading level between the ages of 8 and 10?”

“Yes, I do remember,” he said with a big smile, “and my reading continues to grow and become even faster and smoother.”

“You are an extremely intelligent person! You and your family would never have given up on you!

“I’m so proud of you! You’re awesome!”

I could see the relief and pride in his eyes. He had realized his own growth and could feel a bright future ahead.

With smiles on our faces, we did our computer high five and returned to our lesson. 

Phonemic awareness is the foundation of reading, writing and spelling. If a child doesn’t have phonemic awareness, they will struggle with reading, writing and spelling, it’s just that important.

Part 1 of Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”™ is 47 lessons in phonemic awareness. Part 2 has all the assessments you will need including a detailed phonemic awareness assessment.

When they finish Part 1, when they have phonemic awareness, their foundation of success is set and they will fly.

Contact me here, silentelephante@gmail.com! 😊