Phraseology! It's a Game Changer!!! Part 2

Phraseology Is a Game Changer!!! Part 2

How to Teach the Silent Elephant “e” Hands On Approach 

In my last post in this series, I shared how to begin instruction on phraseology. Phraseology is a very important reading strategy that is often overlooked. Our students need us to teach them to focus on how phrases work in our language to improve their comprehension and their fluency.  

After my students have a clear understanding of phraseology in our spoken language and how our brain is always asking questions and searching for meaning, I introduce the following simple technique in their written language.

 “Let’s look at our sentence on paper: The soft, yellow duck will swim to me to get my bread.  

“I’m going to draw curved ‘rainbow lines’ above our words to show us where our phrases begin and end.” (Although I am using the word ‘rainbow’, I just use a regular, black pencil, but I draw bow-shaped lines.)  

“Watch me draw the rainbow lines as we read our sentence. The soft yellow duck…will swim…to me…to get my bread. 

“Let’s read our sentence together as our eyes and voices follow my finger that’s shadowing the rainbow lines.” 

“Notice that at the end of each rainbow line, we naturally make a very tiny pause in our reading by taking a tiny breath. To show that we take that very tiny pause, I will lift my finger quickly. Then just as quickly, I will put my finger back down so we can read the next phrase.  

“Let’s read our sentence together again and notice our very tiny pauses. This time you trace the rainbow lines with your finger making sure you lift your finger quickly at the end of a phrase and quickly put it back on the paper so we can read the next phrase.”  

I watch my students’ happy “ah-ha” moments as they begin using this technique.  

At first, I draw the rainbow lines to ensure that my kiddos truly understand phraseology. When I feel they are ready, I encourage them to draw their own phrasing rainbow lines. (Some children like the rainbow lines under the sentence.) 

I share with them that from this point on in their Silent Elephant “e” sessions, we will be practicing phraseology in everything we read. I also share that THEY will notice their reading getting smoother and faster. Their reading will sound more like conversation and they will understand what they are reading more easily and more quickly.  

Here are a few more sentences you can use for your introduction of phraseology and for practice: 

1.       I slid down the hill on a sled. (Children will notice that the word “I” immediately has meaning and that their brain will want to know more about what “I” is doing.)

2.       A spruce tree sprouted from the rich soil on the mountainside. (They will notice that “A” doesn’t hold meaning alone.)

3.       Three frightening dragons drooled all over me during my scary dream. (They will notice that “three” has meaning but can mean three of anything at this point.)

With my 6th through 12th graders, I teach them to note prepositional phrases, adverbial phrases, phrasal verbs, expressions, conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions, which instantly improves their comprehension and fluency. 

You will notice that the more children practice phraseology, they will naturally begin to combine two or three small phrases into one before taking that tiny breath and they will rely less and less on the rainbow lines. This will automatically increase their smoothness in reading and their fluency and reading rate. Their reading will sound more like conversation. 

As we continue to focus on phraseology, we talk about how their fluency is developing because of connecting the tiny phrases. At this point I stress:

 ·       Reading as if speaking in a conversation

·       Noting end marks at the end of sentences

·       Placing stress on different words within a sentence

·       Listening to me read the sentence or passage and mimicking the way my reading sounds

·       Recording themselves reading sentences and paragraphs

·       Playing their recordings back and analyzing their reading with their parents with this question in mind, “Does this sound like me talking to you?”

·       Re-recording the same sentences and paragraphs while listening and analyzing them again

·       Noticing their improvement

·       Celebrating what an awesome reader they are! 

Teaching phraseology is the best way to increase a reader’s fluency: smoothness, accuracy, proper expression and speed. Phraseology also improves comprehension because their reading flows like conversation and their brain easily finds meaning.   

I do want to add one VERY important last thought.

EVERY child needs instruction in phraseology and EVERY child needs to practice phraseology in their reading to improve comprehension and to develop smoothness and fluency.  

That said, I NEVER recommend timed tests for struggling readers! They will not be successful (at first) with timed tests, and it only makes them question their ability to read, read smoothly and comprehend. Timed test can be a blow to their fragile self-confidence.  

My wish is for you to enjoy teaching phraseology as much as I do and for your kiddos to fluently read with comprehension: to feel THE JOY OF READING in their heart!

If you have further questions about teaching phraseology, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson 

Phraseology! It's a Game Changer!!! Part 1

Phraseology Is a Game Changer!!!  Part 1

 Here’s How I Teach It 

It is such an exciting time for me as a teacher when I know that one of my students is ready to begin learning phraseology! Understanding how phrases work in our spoken and written communication kicks their reading into a higher gear. 

Phraseology has many definitions. In general, it means the way in which language is used: especially in how words and expressions are chosen and put together to convey meaning. Simply put, phraseology is the study of word groups that have meaning and how we read them to gain greater comprehension of the text.  

When we teach phraseology, we are teaching our students to read as though they are telling a story—to read the passages as though they are sharing them in conversation. 

As we teach phraseology, we teach our children that their brain is always trying to connect words into phrases in its search for meaning and greater understanding.  

I usually begin teaching phraseology to students sometime after they have successfully learned short vowel sounds (Part 3), “h” consonant digraphs (Part 4), beginning and ending consonant blends (Part 5), and are about midway through instruction in Part 6 of Silent Elephant “e”.  

Their first lesson in phraseology might sound something like this: 

“Since you are such a strong reader, I’m going to teach you (and Mom and Dad if they are at tutoring) something new. It’s called phraseology. Phraseology is a BIG word that just means you are going to learn how to read in phrases today. 

“Phrases are two or more words that begin to form meaning in your brain. 

“If I say to you, ‘The’, and that is all I say, can you begin to make a picture in your mind about what I’m talking about? Could you draw a picture of ‘the’?” 

My confused students always answer, “No,” while wondering why I asked such a ridiculous question. 

I continue, “If I say, ‘The soft’, can you begin to make a picture in your mind about what I’m talking about? Could you draw a picture of ‘The soft’?” 

They most likely answer something like, “No, but I’m thinking of something soft like my pillow.” 

“Wonderful! 

“What happens when I say, ‘The soft, yellow’? Can you begin making a picture in your mind about what I’m talking about?” 

This is when their eyes begin to light up as they are getting a hint of what I’m teaching. “Yes!” they say with more certainty. 

“What new picture(s) do you have in your brain? Could you draw something soft and yellow?” 

We share lots of possibilities—real and nonsense. “Could a car be soft and yellow? Why or why not? Could an elephant be soft and yellow? Why or why not? Could pudding be soft and yellow? Why or why not?” 

We take plenty of time playing with the possibilities of soft and yellow before I continue the lesson. 

“Your brain is always trying to find meaning from what you’re listening to and from what you’re reading. 

“As your brain searches for meaning, it will begin asking YOU questions such as, ‘What is one thing that is soft and yellow?’ 

“If I say, ‘The soft, yellow duck’, your brain just received more information and will immediately form a picture or pictures in your mind about the meaning. Can you make a more detailed picture in your mind about what I’m talking about?” 

Now my kiddos are really catching on and enthusiastically answer, “Yes!” 

“Draw a picture(s) to show me exactly what’s in your mind.” 

As they draw, we talk about the picture(s) coming to their mind about ‘The soft, yellow duck’.  

“Your picture is awesome—such a beautiful, soft, yellow duck! Your brain really found meaning when we added that one word. 

“What are you thinking right now?” I ask them. “Does your brain want to know more about the soft, yellow duck?” 

“Yes!” exclaim my excited children. They are into finding meaning.  

“What questions is your brain asking about the soft, yellow duck?”  

Brainstorm with them things they might want to know about the duck: Is the duck somewhere? Is the duck doing something? What’s around the duck? 

Continuing to build a solid foundation in the understanding of why we learn about and use phraseology I explain further, “I just told you a phrase that was 4 words long: ‘The soft, yellow duck’. Some phrases are as short as 2 words, like ‘The cat’; some phrases are longer, like ‘on the old wooden door’. 

“A phrase is made of words that create a picture in your mind because the words make sense. 

“Let me add more words to help you answer the questions in your mind about our duck: ‘The soft, yellow duck will…’ 

“Did the addition of the word ‘will’ help you with your picture? Did adding ‘will’ help you understand where our duck is, where it’s going, or what it’s doing?” 

They may take a minute to think, but will answer, “No, not really.” 

“No, not really. You need more information—more words to finish the phrase. 

“If I say, ‘The soft, yellow duck will swim’, what instantly happens in your brain? What picture instantly begins to come into your mind that shows you know more than you did before? Are you making a more detailed picture in your mind? How will your drawing change?” 

They will be very eager to share how just adding the word “swim” to the phrase creates many pictures in their mind.  

“Draw a picture to show me exactly what you are seeing in your mind and tell me about your drawing. 

“Your picture is amazing! It’s showing me that your brain is finding meaning from phrases.

“Does your brain want to know more? 

“What questions is your brain asking now? Does it want to know even more about our soft, yellow duck? Perhaps it’s asking questions like: When is the duck swimming? Where might the duck swim? Does it have any friends?” 

After taking ample time for my kiddos to absorb how longer phrases create more meaning, I continue explaining phraseology,   

“I’ve just told you two phrases. The first phrase was 4 words long: ‘The soft, yellow duck’. The second phrase was 2 words long: ‘will swim’.  

Do you want to know more?” 

They will always answer, “Yes!”

 “Why do you want to know more?” 

We continue this lesson adding more words one at a time to make the complete sentence: ‘The soft, yellow duck will swim to me to get my bread.’ With each new word we add, we spend time talking about how the new word added meaning or not. 

When we have completed the whole sentence and have drawn a picture sharing its meaning, I have them listen to me read the sentence as they point to the parts of their drawing that indicate the phrase I’m reading.

 I have them listen carefully to how I am saying the sentence in phrases, “The soft, yellow duck…will swim . . .to me…to get my bread.” I have them say the sentence with me while paying attention to the phrasing. We talk about how natural it sounds for us to say the sentence in phrases because it sounds just like we are talking since we naturally talk in phrases.  

In the next post in this series, I will share how Silent Elephant “e” moves the study of phraseology from the spoken word into printed text with a simple tool to help develop both comprehension and fluency in reading.

If you have further questions about teaching phraseology, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson

Phraseology! Two Fledgling Readers Take Off

 Two Fledgling Readers’ Hearts Soar,

Mom’s Heart Soars and

My Heart Soars! 

I received a beautiful, heartwarming response to my two blog posts on phraseology from a parent educator who is teaching her two young daughters to read with Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”. Wendy said I could share her email and her daughters’ drawings with you. 

Hi Miss Linda, 

The girls and I enjoyed learning about phraseology. Here are their pictures as they got more words in the phrase.  

FYI the numbers on their pictures represent the number of words they used to explain their picture. For example, when given only “The soft” Zoya added “Panda” and then drew that idea (3 words). When given “the soft yellow” Audrey added “Towel” to explain her picture (4 words).

 Your steps really helped them understand why they wanted more words to give fuller meaning to the phrase given.  

Then we played around with reading the final sentence with different emphasis and different pauses. This was especially helpful for Audrey as she has more of a tendency to read with even voice and level.  

I also wanted to let you know about my oldest daughter’s progress. Last we spoke on the phone, she had just taken the reading test. She took the reading test (STAR 360) in early Jan. and then again mid Feb. (about 6 weeks apart). During those 6 weeks, we focused most of our school time on reading—especially reading a chapter book from the Box Car Children series that was on a topic she enjoys a lot, the ocean. It was around a level 3 on the library AR, which I think loosely correlates to 3rd grade level. It was challenging for her, but she enjoyed it a lot. It took her about 10 min. to read a page when she was really focused.  

After the 6 weeks, her results on the test were so improved! The results said she had improved almost 6 months in 6 weeks!!! It says in Jan. she was testing similar to a 1st grader in the 1st month of the school year. She is in 2nd grade. When she retook the test at the end of Feb., it said she was now reading similar to a 1st grader in the 5th month of the school year!!! 

 I am so thankful for your encouragement and ideas when we spoke in Jan. I continue to see her progress.

 Today she was easily able to read her math instructions without me, understand them, and complete the problems correctly without complaining that the words were too hard for her to read. 

 I’m so glad to see her confidence building--especially with her 1st grade sister testing at a level similar to a 2nd grader in the 7th month of school.

 They both really enjoy writing letters and notes to people while we drive, and they ask me how to spell words. However, they are able to get very close to the correct spelling when I challenge them to sound out words for me.

 I’m so thankful for the solid foundation your program has given them and their continued progress. 

 Thanks again for your encouragement and support. 

Wendy

You can image the joy in my heart as I read Wendy’s email. My heart sings with her daughters’ progress. 

Aren’t their drawings sweet, and very meaningful?  

When you have your children draw a picture that explains a phrase, suddenly the words in the phrase become pictures in their mind and their comprehension grows quickly.

 Add to that, practicing reading as though in a conversation, both their comprehension and fluency flourish together.  

As your children begin using phraseology in their reading, they begin to see and hear a difference, and they begin to feel more confident in their reading and their comprehension.  

They begin to see themselves as a competent reader and a competent learner.

 Watching their progress will make your heart sing.

Keep a song in your heart,

which is easy to do when your children feel so good about themselves.

If you have further questions about teaching phraseology, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson 

Developing Fluency by Catching a Wave and Spreading Peanut Butter!

Developing Fluency by Catching a Wave and Spreading Peanut Butter! 

I bet that title piqued your interest. 😊 

As you know, fluency is an important component in comprehension. If a reader can’t read words or sentences smoothly enough for their brain to pick up the concepts presented, they are left feeling frustrated and wondering what they’ve read.  

Here are a couple of fun imagery ideas I suggest to my kiddos to use to improve their fluency. These have proven to be very popular with my kids and are very successful in helping them improve fluency and, therefore, comprehension.  

After I teach phraseology (Phraseology in Categories) to my children and have given them time to practice and gain confidence in their newly learned skill, I tell them I have another fun technique to further increase their fluency.  

“Have you ever gone surfboarding or watched someone surfboard?” I inquire.  

I see their eyes spark with interest and curiosity. Playing with their curiosity, we jump on the computer and search surfing to learn about surfing and to try to imagine what surfing would feel like. We talk about how smooth the board is flowing with the wave and how surfers have to quickly gain and keep their balance, or they’ll fall right off their boards.  

“Can you imagine what it would be like to catch a wave, keep your balance while standing on that floating surfboard and ride it smoothly all the way to the shore?” 

They are alive with the fun of our exploration and are wondering what it has to do with their reading.  

“Imagine yourself surfing as you read a sentence. Feel yourself climbing on your board as you look at the capital letter and the first word. Feel how you catch the wave of the words and while keeping your balance, off you go riding it to the end.” 

We take this imagery of smoothly riding a wave a step further by having them actually feel their smoothness when reading a real sentence.  

“Let’s imagine surfing a sentence again. Feel yourself climbing on your board, gaining your balance with the first word, and then catching that wave. Feel yourself balancing tall and steady and riding the word wave right to the end mark.”  

I ask them, “How did that feel?” 

They always have many answers, but all their answers share their relief and fun. They are impressed with how easy it is to ride the word wave when they are balanced at the beginning. It’s a delight to watch them relaxing with their fluency with this fun technique.  

I tell them, “Now that you have the feeling of surfing your sentence smoothly to the end, your reading fluency will just naturally improve. That’s exciting!” 

And now for peanut butter and fluency. 😊 

I start by talking about smooth peanut butter. “Do you like peanut butter? How do you like to eat and enjoy peanut butter?  

We act out spreading peanut butter. “Let’s imagine getting a BIG GLOB of peanut butter on a knife and smoothly spreading it on a delicious slice of bread. Feel how it spreads so easily, so smoothly. 

“Now picture yourself spreading peanut butter as you read a sentence. Imagine putting your BIG GLOB of your favorite smooth peanut butter on the first word and then spreading it smoothly, without stopping, clear to the end mark. 

“Now, let’s read a sentence. Pretend you are putting that BIG GLOB down on the first word and spreading it to the end mark as you read. Feel how smooth you are.” 

This imagery always makes them giggle and say, “YUM!” 

We play with these two fluency techniques for a couple of weeks during which time I ask them if they are thinking up any other fun ways we can imagine, feel and read more smoothly. 

It’s always a pleasure to hear their new ideas.  

And it’s always a pleasure to hear your new ideas. Please pass them on and we will share them.  

My next blog post shares some research on how our brains work to develop fluency. It’s interesting! 

If you have any nagging questions about fluency and comprehension, just contact us.  

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                  Nina Henson 

An Interesting Discovery About Our Brains and Fluency

An Interesting Discovery About Our Brains and Fluency 

After we’ve spent a couple of weeks having fun imagining surfing the word wave through a sentence and/or spreading peanut butter from the capital letter to the end mark to develop fluency, I’m ready to teach them a new concept to even further improve their fluency. 

I share that I discovered something very interesting about how everyone’s brains work. 

“When we begin to read a sentence in a choppy manner, such as: ‘I saw - a big - dog - in - the park’, we send a message to our brain that we will continue to read the rest of the sentence in that same choppy manner. Since our brain received that message, we continue like this: ‘playing - with - a little boy - and girl - with - a frisbee.’ 

“The whole sentence will sound like this: ‘I saw - a big - dog - in - the park - playing - with - a little boy - and girl - with - a frisbee.’” 

I ask them how that sentence sounds when read that way. They always have answers such as, “Not good. It’s too choppy. You sound like a robot, not a real person.” 

We discuss that when we hear or read a sentence in that way, it can be difficult to stay with the meaning of the sentence. In other words, our comprehension of what we are hearing or reading is slowed way down.  

I continue sharing, “It also works the other way around. When we begin to read the first three or four words in a sentence in a smooth manner, we send a message to our brain that we are going to read the rest of the sentence in that same smooth manner. 

“The whole sentence will sound like this: ‘I saw a big dog in the park playing with a little boy and girl with a frisbee.’”

We take a moment to realize and discuss that hearing or reading that sentence in a smooth way makes it easy to understand, to comprehend.  

I continue, “The control we have over how our brain works is amazing! By just reading the first three or four words in a sentence in a smooth manner, we truly send a message to our brain that we are going to read the rest of the sentence in a smooth manner.” 

I tell them, “You are going to be amazed at how much your reading fluency will increase just by sending this message of reading smoothly to your brain every time you begin to read a sentence! 

“Now, let’s practice our newest reading fluency tool together as we read a sentence.  

After they have practiced this new tool with a few sentences I have them reflect, “Did you notice that by just realizing this science fact about how your brain helps you relax into reading the rest of the sentence smoothly, you actually did read smoothly?”  

They are always so pleased to realize how smoothly they read and how well they understood what they read.  

It’s fun to begin this lesson by recording a child who reads in a choppy manner reading a sentence. After you have taught this skill and they are feeling strong with concentrating on just reading the first three or four words smoothly, record them again. 

You and they will be amazed at the improvement! They will love how easy it is to increase their fluency and comprehension. 

You and your students will have fun using this technique on unfamiliar sentences also to prove to yourself and to them that just by initially reading the first three or four words smoothly, their brain will send a message to read the entire sentence smoothly. 

Now one more small and powerful step, as your kids develop this skill and after you have taught them what a verb is, their fluency will increase even further when they concentrate on reaching the verb smoothly, as the rest of the sentence will just flow! 

Have fun with these techniques! Watch how their fluency scores on school tests such as Dibles shoot up. 😊 And, more importantly, enjoy how they are comprehending all they are reading.  

I’d love for you to share your experience with me! 

If you have any questions about fluency and comprehension, please contact us.  

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                  Nina Henson

Buttons are Popping!

Buttons are Popping!

I’ve been walked around with a big smile for days.
As the schools have been doing their winter assessing using Dibles (a timed reading assessment), I have been receiving several emails and phone calls from parents of children I am tutoring this past week. ‘My parents’ are so proud of their kiddos and want to share the tremendous improvement their children are making.

Now, it’s my turn to share. 😊

A parent of a profoundly dyslexic daughter with ADD sent me an email to tell me that her daughter had gone from 58 to 98 wpm since this past fall. Mom was so proud!

A 4th grade parent called to tell me that her son went from 64 wpm to 111 wpm. This young man needs to gain only 14 wpm by early June. He will do it! I have no doubts!

Another parent of a 3rd grader I am presently tutoring, called me this past week to tell me that her daughter went from 46 wpm this fall to 148 wpm! She has already met her grade level goal!

More good news arrived about another 3rd grade boy I’m tutoring. He scored 57 wpm this fall and just last week scored 161 wpm surpassing the 3rd grade goal!

A 2nd grade boy went from 28 wpm this fall to 97 wpm last week!

A Kindergartener is already reading at a First Reader level!

I even received this email from the parent of one of my former students who recently graduated from Silent Elephant “e”. “Thought you would be happy to hear about ‘Elizabeth’s’ reading improvement. (She is a third grader with degenerative hearing loss.) Elizabeth scored 58 wpm during fall Dibles (was nervous), but last week for winter Dibles she read 121 wpm! The goal is 110 wpm by the end of the year. We are so excited!! She is really enjoying reading now too!

I love that “my parents” are so proud of their young ones that they eagerly contact me to share.

I am so grateful that ‘my parents’ trust me to be a part of their children’s education.

I am extremely proud of each and every one of my kiddos!
I can't quit smiling!

If you have any questions about Silent Elephant “e”, contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones Nina Henson

“Existentialism” - the Power of Dividing Words into Syllables

“Existentialism” - the Power of Dividing Words into Syllables

After one year of instruction with Silent Elephant “e”, one of my 11-year-olds bounced into tutoring excited to tell me that she had checked out a book on philosophy at the public library.

I tried not to show my surprise.

She enthusiastically shared that she had decoded the word existentialism.

I asked her, “How did you sound out the word existentialism”?

She proudly replied, “I used ALL the things you taught me about sounding out words - - dividing words into syllables with purple lines, looking for prefixes and suffixes, finding schwas - - you know!”

I was quite amazed, as a year prior, this young lady wasn’t reading at a first-grade level!

I quizzed her, “What does existentialism mean?”

She answered confidently, “It means I have free choice. Now that you have taught me to read, I can be anything I want to be!”

Tears filled my eyes as I gave her a big hug and told her how proud I was of her.

Even now, my eyes fill with tears just thinking about her pride and her feeling of freedom that she had never experienced before.

Keep a song in your heart!

If you have further questions about phonics, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                         Nina Henson

You Get Two Desserts Tonight!

You Get Two Desserts Tonight! 

Last week while tutoring on Zoom, I sat watching one of my fifth-grade boys attentively and accurately add colors to all of the words on his last worksheet in Part 13. Each of eight colors I use in Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” has a specific phonetic purpose much as diacritical markings do in the dictionary.  

“Carl” was marking prefixes, marking suffixes, marking root words, marking consonant digraphs, marking consonant blends, marking consonant twins, marking the sounds of “c’s” and “g’s”, marking all vowel diacritical markings, dividing words into syllables and putting in accent marks. I was filled with delight! 

When “Carl” first came to me for tutoring almost two years ago, he was at an instructional primer reading level. He is now at a 9th grade reading level. Besides being profoundly dyslexic, he has another learning difference and a behavioral challenge.  

As I watch him now - so calm, so in control, so meticulous – I am in awe! His reading of words flows smoothly and quickly with expression! His comprehension is outstanding for a ten-year-old! He is excelling with Silent Elephant “e”!  

With a look of pride and love on my face, I said, “You’re awesome! You’re brilliant, Carl! Tell Mom I said you get two desserts tonight!”  

We laughed! 

Presently I have 3 children completing the last lesson in Part 13! Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” is changing so many children’s lives! 

If you have further questions about phonics, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson 

A Challenging Suffix - worksheet included

A Challenging Suffix - worksheet included 

Recently, I have had three of my students advance into Silent Elephant “e”, Part 14, Level 1. It is an exciting time for my kiddos, their parents and me, as their teacher!  

When children have progressed to this level in Silent Elephant “e”, they are reading at a 6th grade reading level or above, no matter their chronological age. They are impressive, confident readers! 

They have previously mastered Syllable Rule #1, which is in Part 13: Every syllable has one vowel sound.  

Part 14 begins with Syllable Rule #5: Divide words into syllables between the root/base word and the suffix if the suffix has a vowel sound.

 Children have no difficulty understanding that the suffix -s never has its own syllable and the suffix -ed does not have its own syllable when it makes the /d/ or /t/ sound, as there is no vowel sound. 

To begin Syllable Rule #5 lesson, I teach them many new suffixes, the new suffixes’ pronunciations and the new suffixes’ definitions. Below is the suffix list included in Part 14: 

List of Suffixes, Pronunciations, and Definitions

-able, -ible /Ə bƏl/ able to, likely

-age /Əj/ action or process, collection, aggregate, state

-al /Əl/, -ial /Əl/, -ual /ū Əl/ characteristic of, referring to

-an, -ian /Ən/ and /ē Ən/ places, person

-ance. -ence /Əns/ used to form nouns, action, quality or state, end

-ant /Ənt/ forms adjectives and nouns from verbs

-ar /Ər/ characteristic of

-ary /âr ē/, /Ər ē/ back, connected with, for the purpose of

-ate /Ət/ state or quality

-ation, -ition, -sion, -tion, -ion /ā shƏn/, /i shƏn/, /shƏn/, /chƏn/, /zhƏn/, /Ən/ meaning

action, state, result, process

-ed /d/, /t/, /Əd/ past tense of verbs

-en /Ən/ cause to be, become, made of

-ence /Əns/ state or condition, action

-end /Ənd/ back, forming nouns

-er, -or /Ər/ one who does; compare 2 things

-ery, -ry /Ər-ē/ and /rē / forming nouns, indicating a place, collection, action, quality

-ess /Əs/ forms feminine nouns

-est /Əst/ comparing 3 or more things

-ful /fƏl/ full of, tending to

-fy /fī/ make, cause

-hood /h short double “oo” d/ state, condition, nature

-ic /Ək/ like, having characteristics of

-ing /Əng/ present participle of verbs

-ish /Əsh/ forms adjectives from nouns

-ism /i zƏm/ form actions nouns from verbs

-ist /Əst/doer, learner, person, noun

-ity /Ə tē/, -ty /tē/ state of

-ive /Əv/, -ative, -itive /Ə tƏv/ like

-le /Əl/ and /l/ forming nouns, forming adjectives, added to the end of verbs, repeated action, apt to

-less /lƏs/ lacking, without

-ly /lē/ like, characteristic of

-ment /mƏnt/ result, action, process

-ness /nƏs/ with, quality or state

-ous /Əs/, -ious /ē Əs/, /Əs/ full of

-s /s/, /z/, -es /Əz/ plurals, more than one

-um /Əm/, –ium / ē Əm/ suffixes that create a noun

-ure /yƏr/ action, function, result

-ward /wƏrd/ spatial or temporal direction

-wise /wīz/ direction of

-y /ē/ characterized by 

My students comfortably and confidently learn these suffixes. 

However, there is one suffix, the -ion suffix with its many variations, that seems to be a snafu to hinder their otherwise rapid learning and retention of the lengthy list of suffixes.  

-ion, -tion, -sion, -ation, and -ition make multiple sounds: 

-ion:  /Ən/

-tion: /shƏn/, /chƏn/

-sion: /shƏn/, /chƏn/, /zhƏn/

-ation: /ā shƏn/

-ition: /i shƏn/

 I thought perhaps you might have experienced this same challenge when teaching your kiddos the -ion suffix. I have an extra practice page for my students on this suffix and its multiple variances. Below you will find this worksheet. Please feel free to use it with your kiddos. 

Name _________________________                                                                 Date_____________________

                                                                                                    L1

SYLLABLE RULE #5    

DIVIDE BETWEEN A ROOT/BASE WORD AND A

SUFFIX IF THE SUFFIX HAS A VOWEL SOUND

Lesson on the suffixes -ation, -ition, -sion, -tion, -ion /ā shƏn/,

/i shƏn/, /shƏn/, /chƏn/, /zhƏn/, /Ən/ meaning action, state, result,

process

Add the suffix to the verb root word changing the word to a noun.

Directions: suffixes:                      circle with green

                  root word:                   underline with brown

                  vowels:                       mark all vowels with red.

                  syllables:                    divide with a purple, slash line

Please discuss word meanings.

                   Verb                                        Noun

  1. vacate  ______________        

  2. conclude             ______________           3. repeat   ______________

  4. reduce                 ______________           5. imagine  ______________

When my students complete Part 14, Level 1, they are at a seventh to eighth grade reading level, when my students complete Part 14, Level 2, they are at a ninth to tenth grade reading level, and when my students complete Part 14, Level 3, they are at a college reading level!

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” truly is an amazing reading program for preschoolers to adults!

If you have further questions about phonics, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson 

Learning Syllables Involves Their Whole Body 😊

Learning Syllables Involves Their Whole Body 😊 

You know those big bouncy balls with handles that are FUN for young AND old while outside on a beautiful day? 

Have you ever thought of using an amusing bouncy ball as an educational tool? 

Now I have your attention, don’t I? Sometimes the most unexpected things help children learn and process what they are learning more quickly.  

This is true of bouncing around on a big bouncy ball.  

When my students begin Part 13 of Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”, which, along with Part 14, teaches the eight rules for dividing words into syllables, I always share teaching ideas with parents to do at home that are enjoyable and educational to help children not only hear the syllables in words but also to FEEL the syllables. 

You can begin helping your children hear and feel syllables in the language they are learning when they are as young as two years old. Below are some fun activities that help them internalize feeling and hearing syllables using their whole body.  

Blow up large balloons for everyone. As you begin to play with your balloon, tapping it in the air to keep it aloft, begin saying your child’s name in syllables. Using their name attracts their attention and they begin to wonder why you are saying it the way you are. Tap their name over and over, then tap your name (yes, it can be Mom, Dad, Mommy, Daddy), tap the names of the rest of your family and everyone playing with you, returning often to their name.  

Let this game progress into words you and they enjoy and move to tapping compound words that they are familiar with like cupcake or doghouse. Progress to three syllable, fun, picturesque words they know, such as: butterfly, caterpillar, chocolate, spaghetti. You will see their eyes light up and their ears cock to listen. So COOL! 

Enjoy watching their curiosity grow as you play with words and the balloons. They will be excited to come up with words on their own to tap. They won’t even realize that they are understanding their blossoming language on a deeper level and beginning their reading skills.  

When I had my own classroom of students, I’d team up with another teacher to introduce syllables to my kiddos. We’d meet in the gym. The older children are amazing balloon blowers and excellent partners for younger children. Again, I have children begin by tapping the syllables in their name, as their name is so personal and meaningful to them. Then I’d move to compound words and then to two and three syllable words that create clear vivid pictures in their minds. 

When I brought my kiddos back to our classroom from the gym, we’d tug on rubber bands to continue exploring hearing and FEELING syllables. Rubber bands also make a great educational tool when we are teaching syllables on-line! 

Let’s get back to that big bouncy ball – after your kids are beginning to hear and feel the syllables as you and they tap balloons in the air and tug rubber bands, you can take them into experiencing syllables with their WHOLE body with the big bouncy ball.  

The experience of saying words in syllables out loud, listening to themselves saying the words in syllables while their whole body bounces with those syllables stimulates all parts of the brain.  

And though they will be having a great time, it won’t be JUST fun!

 They won’t even realize they are assimilating part of phonics at deeper and deeper levels.  

Thinking of syllables and FEELING them in the words we say, makes me realize I want to draw your attention to a more structured learning note for you and your kiddos.  

Along with all of this fun, we do need to teach our students to listen carefully and learn all the number of syllables in words, especially words that we tend to say so quickly we connect syllables, such as the word “different”. “Different” has 3 syllables (dif- er- ent). “Temperature” has 4 syllables (tem-per-a-ture). “Camera” has 3 syllables (cam-er-a). 

If you are not sure exactly how many syllables a word has, do a quick Google search or look up the word(s) in the dictionary with your child. Practice the correct number of syllables with rubber bands, balloons or that fun bouncy ball, as mispronounced words will cause confusion when learning to spell words and on standardized tests. 

Here are a few words to carefully teach by stressing the correct number of syllables: camera, different, difference, every, everything, general, interest, really, temperature, usually. 

Have FUN with this whole-body experiential learning of syllables! You will enjoy it as much as they; there will be lots of laughter.

If you have further questions about phonics, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson

Helium Filled Balloons Add Another Dimension to Syllables!

Helium Filled Balloons Add Another Dimension to Syllables! 

Remember how we taught our kiddos to actually feel syllables by tapping balloons in the air? In my blog post entitled Learning Syllables Involves Their Whole Body, I shared tapping a balloon in the air for each syllable as they say a word. As you can imagine, this is a popular whole-body activity that helps them internalize the feeling of syllables.  

Let’s take the balloon idea a step further to activate even more parts of their brains after they have achieved the initial step of actually feeling and hearing syllables. 

Let’s advance to teaching children to read multisyllabic words.  

I begin with compound words.  

Compounds words are thoroughly taught in Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”, Part 9. However, I do introduce the easiest concept of compound words – two words being pushed together with no finger space – as early as the 67th sight word (into) in the Fry List. It’s just natural to begin teaching 2 syllable words with compound words and I begin this concept with helium balloons. Again, as you can imagine, this activity is a hit. It takes their learning into different parts of their brain. 

Ideally, I would give each child two helium filled balloons, one for each hand. In a classroom, the cost is a bit prohibitive, so I have the kids team up with their reading partners. Since they understand partner work, the child without the balloons knows they are the teacher in that moment and are listening carefully to their partner. (I’ve seen helium balloons as low as $.99/ balloon at Party City.) 

Here are my lesson instructions:

1.    Provide each child a list of compound words and/or write them on the whiteboard. (See below for a beginning list.)

2.    Tell children to release one balloon right above their heads as they read the first word in the compound word.

3.    Then have them read the second word in the compound word as they release their second balloon.

4.    After they have read the compound word and the balloons are floating above their heads, have them sequentially reach up and pull the balloons back to themselves as they reread the whole word focusing on listening and saying each word within the compound word.

5.    Ask them how it felt to let the balloon go free to float above their heads when they read the first word.

6.    Guide them to understand that letting one balloon go for the first word relaxes their mind/brain so they can confidently focus on and read the second word. This helps them realize and feel that even though the whole compound word may have looked so long at first, by focusing on the first word as they release its balloon, it becomes easy for them to focus on the second word in the compound.

7.    Praise them for being awesome readers of really long words! 

You can bring back the helium balloons as you continue teaching division of multisyllabic words when you introduce

·       Prefixes, root words and suffixes (Parts 4-14) and

·       Open and closed syllables using the VCCV, VCCCV, VCV and VV rules (Part 14). 

After they have the feeling of syllables within words using the real balloons, we begin pretending we have balloons as we practice more multisyllabic words.  

I remind the children to release their real and/or imaginary balloons within arm’s reach, so when they are ready to read the entire word, they can sequentially reach up and pull each syllable balloon back down into their hands as they reread the word. Most often, once they have pulled down syllable balloon number one and number two, the rest of the word just pops into their mind! It’s exciting! 

Often times, my severely and profoundly dyslexic children are filled with fear when they have to read a long word. This balloon “work” guides them to see and feel compound words, root words, prefixes, suffixes and open and closed syllables. This whole-body activity helps them relax and gain control and confidence in their reading of multisyllabic words.  

Here are some simple compound words to begin with: into, upon, something, somewhere, someplace, backpack, homemade, paperboy, housepaint, grandmother, grandfather, eyesight, lifelike, football, cakewalk, shortcut, cookbook, without, racecar, and nightstand. 

Have fun teaching rules for syllabification as you watch smiles of success spread on your children’s faces both from the fun of the balloons and the realization that they “get it”. Reading those long words just got easier.

If you have any questions about teaching syllables or Silent Elephant “e” contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones Nina Henson

YAY for DATA!

YAY for DATA!

I am excited to share my incredible Silent Elephant “e” teaching/testing results compiled from the last eight school years. The results are simply amazing!

While tutoring my reading program, I have taught Kindergarteners through high schoolers.

Please keep in mind that I have been teaching the lowest 17-20% of the student population—children that are struggling to learn to read, write and spell and some were staffed in Special Education:

-Children with Dyslexia

-Children with ADD or ADHD

-Children with Speech and Language Disorders

-English Language Learners

-Children with Autism

-Hearing Impaired Children

-Children with Down Syndrome

-Children with Dyspraxia

-Children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)

-Other Learning Differences

Ready to be impressed by the quick, amazing progress my kiddos are making in a short amount of time?

Over the last eight years, on average, students:

·        Advanced 1 grade level for every 2 months of instruction

·        Advanced to their age-appropriate grade level in 4 months (some in as little as 2.5 months)

·        Advanced 4.5 grade levels with 6 months of instruction

·        Mastered Part 1, Phonemic Awareness within 3 months

In the last eight years, 9 of my students have successfully exited out of Special Education!

This really is special. Being staffed out of special education is pretty much unheard of. All 9 of these students are now competent, confident students, eager about learning and proud of themselves and their accomplishments.

I have been able to support parents and teachers in their decision to refrain from placing a child in special education because the student was being tutored using Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”.

I am thrilled to share this data with you!

If you are questioning whether Silent Elephant “e” is the comprehensive reading, writing and spelling program you’d like to purchase, feel free to contact us.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson

A Language Arts Program that Delivers What it Promises!

A Language Arts Program that Delivers what it Promises! 

Recently a father of one of my students I tutor from home said, “I’ve been watching you teach my son this fall. Your reading program is not just the best program for my son because he has dyslexia; it IS THE BEST READING PROGRAM FOR ALL CHILDREN! It just makes sense! 

It does make sense: it teaches them the way they learn and it works! 

His comment made me start thinking about programs I had used while teaching in public education. 

Have you ever thought about just how much money a school district, a charter school, a homeschooling parent pays for their language arts program per year? It can reach millions of dollars! 

Several times during my public school teaching career I was on textbook selection committees. Each committee was composed of dedicated, caring teachers with combined years of experience reaching in the hundreds.

All of us had hopes of finding a reading, writing and spelling program that would meet the needs of all of our students and guide each and every one of them to excel in their learning of language arts. 

We attended curriculum workshops, piloted several programs, attended grade level meetings, and wrote critiques of each program.

In the end, after choosing what we felt was the best curriculum available, we dreamed of guiding and teaching every one of our students to reach their full potential in reading, writing and spelling every school year.

When the new program arrived, we meticulously studied it and then thoughtfully and thoroughly prepared lesson plans and materials. 

We diligently used the program to teach the children in our regular education classrooms, reading specialist classrooms, ELL/ESL classrooms, Title 1 classrooms, special education classrooms, profoundly disabled classrooms, and speech and language classrooms.  

We had children with no learning differences, children learning English, children with learning differences such as ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, autism, Down syndrome, dyspraxia, central auditory processing disorder, hearing and visual differences and more. We had children needing speech and language support, children needing emotional support, children with poor attendance, children routinely missing class to receive medication, children needing help feeding and dressing themselves, children needing occupational therapy—you name it; we had it all. 

What was the cumulative result of all of our best-intentioned efforts put forth to choose the “best” curriculum for all our students?  

At the end of a school year, on average 25% of our students were above grade level, 50% of our students were at grade level, and 25% of our students were below grade level. This was basically the same results we had been having for decades with whatever language arts program we used! It was disheartening, to say the least.  

But now, we don’t have to be disheartened!  

Today educators can teach children the way they learn using Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”, A Phonetic Reading Program for ALL Learners of Any Age Particularly Dyslexic or Struggling Readers! They can relax and trust that every child will learn to read, write and spell.  

The proof is here—as I shared in the last Data - Yay For Data blog post! I’m proud of my data. It’s not disheartening.

Back to that father who observed his son beginning to learn to read. When his young 4th grade son began tutoring with me, he had completed 4 years of Montessori school. He told me, “My favorite word is the word “the” because I know I can read it right every time!”

He did not know all the names of the upper and lower case letters, and he did not know all of the sound of the letters. He was frustrated reading at a pre-primer reading level!

After 4 months, he has just finished Part 5 in Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” and is fluently reading and comprehending sentences with affixed short vowel words, consonant digraphs, and beginning and ending consonant blends. This profoundly dyslexic young boy is currently reading at a 3rd grade reading level! He jumped 4 grades levels in 4 months.

His pride and happiness radiate from every part of him as he confidently reads! He is seeing his future very differently than he was 4 months ago.

I am so proud of every one of my students. It is so rewarding to be a part of their success, to watch them begin to see themselves differently, begin to see themselves as a success.

If you are questioning whether Silent Elephant “e” is the comprehensive reading, writing and spelling program you’d like to look into, feel free to contact us. We have answers for your concerns.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson 

My Dream Come True - No Summer Loss!

My Dream Came True! 

At the conclusion of each school year during my many years in public education, I looked forward with great anticipation to returning in the fall.

I imagined what it would be like to discover that ALL of my children had returned to class reading at or above the reading level they were reading at on the last day of school. 

That’s what I strived for every day of every year of my teaching career!

My dream finally came true this fall! 

EVERY SINGLE ONE of my children returned reading at or above where they were reading last spring! 

One of my goals when I wrote Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” was to write a reading program that prevents summer loss.

Silent Elephant “e” has proven once again just how powerful a reading program it truly is!

 It teaches children and adults the way they love to learn using their whole body in multi-sensory lessons that move abstract concepts to concrete knowledge. 

THEY ALL own their phonemic awareness and phonics skills!!!! These skills are a part of them for the rest of their lives.  

EVERYONE OF THEM is now FREE to read full speed ahead. I’m so proud of each of my kiddos I could burst!

If you are questioning whether Silent Elephant “e” is the comprehensive reading, writing and spelling program that will fit your needs, feel free to contact us. We have answers for your concerns.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson

We Transitioned to Zoom Without a Hitch!

This is Something to Turn Cartwheels About! 

I was feeling so much pride in my students in February when they completed their mid-year assessments. Then in early March I suddenly had to stop tutoring in my home. The parents of my students expressed concern that their progress might falter; I was also concerned. In fact, I was filled with apprehension as I shifted to tutoring my full load of students online with Zoom.  

As the school year began to come to an end, I had questions about just how well my students had progressed because of these changes. It is difficult to maintain the same personal contact with a child through a computer screen. 

I was both nervous and eager to begin end of year assessments.  

Here’s what I found:

Even with the change of format and the stress within their young lives this last 3 months, they continued to make significant progress in reading, writing and spelling.  

With trepidation I began my assessments with two of my most profoundly dyslexic students. 

Truthfully, I was nervous. I was afraid they may have plateaued, or even worse, regressed. I didn’t think they had, but the assessments would show the truth. I was nervous. 

As my first student began to move through the assessments with clear confidence I began to relax. As he finished, my heart was singing. He had NOT plateaued, or regressed, he had made a solid gain from 6th grade level to 8th grade since the last assessment in February.  

I felt much more excited than nervous as I began the assessment with my other extremely dyslexic student. I shouldn’t have worried; she has also made solid gains since February. 

Both of these bright happy students are so confident, eager and proud of their progress. They both want to continue tutoring through the summer. They are ready for more success.   

My mind slides back to only 14 months ago to the young boy who had no clue about phonemic awareness and was struggling at a pre-primer level in reading as a third grader. Now he is reading at a beginning 8th grade level going into 5th grade! The young girl who is profoundly dyslexic also had no clue about phonemic awareness and was struggling at a pre-primer level in reading when she began tutoring with me. Now she is reading on a solid 3rd grade level going into 4th grade.  

This is something to turn cartwheels about. 

And I give the credit of their success to

Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”. 

Even with all the changes that we and our children have faced in the last few months, their progress in Silent Elephant “e” remained stable because the program is systemic, progressive, multi-sensory—it teaches the way they love learning. When they move through Silent Elephant “e”, their success is a given.  

If you are questioning whether Silent Elephant “e” is the comprehensive reading, writing and spelling program that will fit your needs, feel free to contact us. We have answers for your concerns.

Linda Katherine Smith-Jones                            Nina Henson