Neuroplasticity Principle #3 In Neuroplasticity Principle number 3, we look at how being specific with what we teach and how we teach, affects the plasticity of the brain (Centre for Independence). The type of literacy instruction experience for all learners will dictate the nature of the change in the brain (plasticity). We say all learners, […]
This time two years ago, I had a neurodiverse teenager starting College (high school in America) and a neurotypical 11yo starting Intermediate. It was a busy time and really stressful for my neurodiverse learner. So much so, that we had a period of cognitive overload which resulted in a prolonged period of restraint collapse. If […]
What is the difference between a blend, and a digraph? A good question! I like to describe blends as two or more letters that each represent their own sound, put together in words. For example, s and p are blended together in the word ‘spot’, but you can still hear their individual sounds. S, p, […]
What are vowels, and why are they important? This is a very simple overview of how I initially teach the importance of vowels to my new students. Vowels are sounds in our language that are made without closing our lips or stopping the flow of air. They differ from consonants, as with consonants, you restrict […]
I was browsing Facebook yesterday and saw Stephanie Stollar had a new post. You can view this post here. It was about Cognitive Load Theory. As Stephanie writes, “cognitive load theory explores the limits of working memory”. She listed some great articles to read. I particularly liked the NSW Government Department of Education report, “Cognitive […]
On the last Friday in October, I was out in the community as most of you know, (rather than being stowed away in my teaching space lol!) and I got to meet some really cool people. I also got to talk nonstop about the Science of Reading, how the brain is (not) wired to read, […]
Edit – yeet is now live! Visit this awesome game here. I’ve been busy with a card game, and it’s almost live! It all began with wanting to create a literacy game that would appeal to students who were struggling with learning to read, write and spell. Repetition is a key element in creating neural […]
Last night, at 11.30pm my 15yo came into our room and loudly told me he needed my help. I was a bit grumpy, having felt like I had just fallen asleep and wondering what was so urgent that I needed to be woken up, and I mean fully woken up. My grumpy feeling continued when […]
I’ve spent the week so far here reminding you that review work is important for diverse learners, but what about me? Well at the moment I’m upskilling, reading ‘The Writing Revolution’. I’ve summarized the first two chapters into a table format with the concept, what it means, and how I can teach it during my […]
