How to Learn Reading Using Sound Reading and Phonemic Awareness

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Reading is one of the most focused-upon areas of academia. It is the key to learning most anything else. The ability to read well, understand abstract concepts and to communicate effectively is essential not only in the academic world but in the world at large, so it is no wonder why reading skills are so heavily emphasized in school. So why aren’t more teachers and schools focusing on tactics that really help kids to read well?

Numerous studies have been conducted over the years testing the effectiveness of teaching methods and angles, and now there is software available that can help children to read better much more easily than ever before, the main problem being that many educators may simply not be aware that it exists.

Sound Reading Solutions is a revolutionary piece of software that focuses on phonemic awareness, something that many studies have shown other methods are lacking in. But what is phonemic awareness? Phonemic awareness is a subset of phonological awareness in which listeners are able to hear, identify and manipulate phonemes, the smallest units of sound that can differentiate meaning. For instance, you can separate the spoken word “cat” into three distinct phonemes, /k/, /æ/, and /t/. In order to do this, you need an understanding of phonemic awareness.

This sort of skill can be especially helpful for children reading words they have never read before, and may not even know at all, allowing them to sound out the words and create a sense of meaning within their minds regardless of their knowledge or lack thereof. Vocabulary building is essential, and many children can continue to learn larger concepts on their own, including words that they may not be familiar with, by gathering and insinuating some sort of meaning from phonemic understanding.

According to studies conducted by Vickie Snider, phonemic awareness has a direct correlation with a student’s’ ability to read as they get older. Phonemic awareness builds a foundation for students to understand the rules of the English language, as well, which can be especially helpful with speaking, writing and communicating effectively. These sorts of skills also provide kids with skills that they can apply to increase their oral reading fluency and understanding of the text.

Sound Reading Solutions provides exercises and other helpful tools that allow children to build phonemic awareness at different grade levels, which can help them to become better readers overall. Sound Reading programs heighten speech and language abilities by teaching students the skills they need to read with ease and confidence.  We urge you to take a look at this software and see how it will help your child read easily and on their own.

Please be sure to check back here for reading tips and parenting resources on a weekly basis and KDNovelties.com for personalized books that promote literacy in a unique way.

Sound Reading Software from Sound Reading on Vimeo.

Navigating Childhood Stress and Anxiety

Posted on | by KD Novelties
Childhood Stress and Anxieties

Everyone has worries and fears, hopes and aspirations, and as children get older they develop in new and different ways. However most adults view a child’s life as easy compared to the lives they know in their own adult lives, but a child’s worries and fears should never be taken lightly. Some fears are irrational, as far as adults are concerned, but when it comes to issues like monsters under the bed or the ominous feeling that comes with the night, it helps for parents to be supportive as well as informative, but in a delicate and understanding manner. There are also more troublesome anxieties that plague children that are serious no matter what the context, and it is absolutely vital that parents are aware of the effects these things can have on their children in the present and what that could mean for their future as well.

Bullying
Bullying is one of the major, as well as the most common issue that children face on a fairly regular basis. Whether your child is being bullied, has witnessed bullying or perhaps they even are the bully, it is important for parents to look out for the signs that something may be wrong at school or on the playground. Communication is key, and it is important that you open a line of dialogue with your child so that they are not afraid to come to you with issues or problems that they may be dealing with on a regular basis – which can be especially tricky when it comes to bullying as many kids may feel embarrassed or hurt by the events that take place outside the home.

If your child is bullied or is affected by bullying in any way, encouraging friendships and positive activities can work wonders. Having a support system and having a passion or favorite activity can be integral to building a strong sense of self-confidence. It can also be beneficial in a number of other ways, but these are great ways to make sure that your child feels safe, supported and strong.

Divorce or Marital Problems
As a parent, if you are in the midst of getting a divorce, are separated from your spouse or are having any other kind of marital issues, you may feel self involved and swept up in a way that affects you personally. But even if it feels as though this is an issue between you and your partner or ex-partner, children notice more things than many parents realize or are willing to admit. Verbal arguments or stressors put on your relationship can be visible and audible to your child, and it can certainly affect them and how they view you, themselves, and the world at large. Kids look to their parents as an example, so you may unknowingly be leaving a bad impression.

It is also important that parents understand not to hide things from their child as if it were a secret, but to explain and help them understand in a manner that makes sense to them. Be mindful of any arguments you get into and be aware of the things that you say. Getting a divorce or going through marriage troubles can be incredibly trying, but it is vital that you are aware of how this also affects your children as well.

Guns and Violence
With guns being in the news a lot lately, kids are likely to hear the stories and are not wrong for being worried about it. Many adults are worried too, and regardless of your stance on guns it can be scary to hear about all of the shootings and other gun related violence taking the media by storm. It helps to engage kids on the subject and teach them valuable life lessons that can keep them safe, just as it is smart to discuss a fire escape plan for your home. Educate yourself about emergency situations, where the safest places to go are and what sort of behavior you should assume. Make sure that you discuss these sorts of things with your entire family so that they have some idea about where to go in the event of an emergency, whether you are together or if you find yourselves apart. Make sure that children know who to contact or who to call, that they try to remain calm, and that they understand your family plan of action. See if you can attend any community events or seminars that cover situations like these where you can learn more and even meet police officers, fire fighters, volunteers and so on. Encourage your kids to ask them questions it may help them feel better and safe in the long run.

There are many other things that can worry children such as natural disasters, domestic abuse to name a few, but the most important thing to do as a parent is to make sure that you are open, honest, and understanding so that your child knows they can come to you for help with anything.

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A Messy Responsibility: Teaching Kids to Clean Their Rooms

Posted on | by KD Novelties

Teaching children to cleanup after themselves is important in the sense that it will help them become conscious and considerate independent individuals. As children however, their mentality may be different towards completing this task.  Therefore, it is essential that parents understand these aspects of their child’s willingness and understanding of the task at hand before giving out directions, orders, or even reprimands or punishments.

First, understand who needs the room to be clean. Most of the time, it is the parent that needs the child’s room to be clean, whether it is because company is coming over or simply as a part of the routine housework. When a child is considerably small, the cleaning of the room will be the responsibility of the parents, but as soon as children become older, it’s important that they learn how to pick up after themselves. Since it is usually the parents need for the room to be clean, it is important for parents to express why the room needs to be clean and exactly in which manner they need it to be cleaned, especially since children tend to respond more positively to clear direction. If you understand that the importance of the room being clean is not necessarily at the forefront of your child’s mind, it could help you figure out a better way to engage them about completing the task itself.

It is also important for parents to understand whether or not their desires are completely age-appropriate. Depending on the exact age of your child, they may only be able to clean up the room to a certain degree or with a certain level of awareness. Smaller children, as stated above, react and respond better to clear and precise direction, whereas older children may understand what is already expected of them and may not require as much verbal assistance.

The last thing that parents should consider when it comes to telling the children to clean their room, is just how consistent of a task this is. If cleaning the room is part of the routine, children may be more likely to remember that this is something that needs to be done on a regular basis, but otherwise, since children’s minds are not necessarily thinking of tasks and other things that they need to do without being told, it may be difficult for them to remember without friendly reminders or being offered some kind of assistance or direction.

Once all these things are considered, and you have taken a little more time to think about how you approach getting your child to clean their room, you can think of the ways in which you can help to teach them this important responsibility in an effective and positive way.

• Anything that is a part of a routine, is more likely to come easier to them. As a family, consider having a cleaning day where you all take part in household chores, including cleaning of rooms and other tasks. Making these sort of responsibilities a common and every day occurrence can help instill the importance of cleaning.

• If your child is having a difficult time staying on task, then try giving them one thing to do at a time. This can be fairly simple, such as “Pick up all the toys first,” or get creative such as “Pick up all the blue things first.” Play around with some of these ideas and see which directions your child responds to you more and go from there.

• If your child is especially reluctant to clean the room, you can always turn it into a bit of a game, but it is still important that you stress the importance of tidiness and consideration when it comes to what cleaning their rooms really means.

It definitely helps to look at tips and tricks that can help you get your child to clean the room in the first place, but the main reason why you are encouraging them to do so is to help instill a meaningful sense of responsibility.

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