Science of Reading Course for Busy Parents

“The Science of Reading: Phonics and More for Busy Parents” is a resource designed specifically for parents with children between the ages of 0 and 8 who want to help their children learn to read. Many parents have been advised that reading to their child every day will teach a child to read: I wish this was true!

I developed this course in response to the prevalent misconceptions about reading that I have observed among parents. As an educator, I have firsthand experience in teaching children to read in a school setting, as well as teaching my own boys to read from the very beginning. Despite attending full Japanese schools, both of my sons are now reading beyond their respective grade levels.

I’m highly confident that this course will be beneficial for you. This is because many educators, including tutors, lack the training required to address challenges that students face in areas such as blending, phonics patterns, and beyond. They may only teach letter sounds, leaving students struggling with more advanced concepts.

The course is specifically designed for parents seeking to improve their understanding of the topic.

This course is for you if:

Your child is struggling with reading and is guessing the words from pictures most of the time
Your child’s teacher has NOT given you information on the phonics pattern your child is working on at school (FYI, most teachers won’t be able to tell you)
Your child has been given spelling lists that are based on themes instead of phonics pattern
Your child can read, but cannot spell
You are panicking because most parents send their kids to phonics class, and you’d rather not

The goal of this course is to improve parents’ understanding of the reading process, and to help parents make informed decisions on the type of support your child may need AT HOME when learning to read and spell

Regardless of whether your child is already receiving tutoring, is scheduled to attend enrichment programs, or if you have a vast collection of phonics books, understanding the process of how a child learns to read can be extremely beneficial for you.

I will be sharing research backed strategies and tips to support your child at home.

The course is structured to debunk nine common misconceptions about reading that are widely held by many individuals. To aid in this effort, each myth is accompanied by a set of videos, notes, and resources that are in alignment with the Science of Reading.

Overall, the course contains a total of 24 videos, each with a runtime of five minutes or less, making it convenient to watch at any time during the day.

Myth 1: It is harmful for children to read early

An overview of balanced literacy … and more

Myth 2: My child will learn to read if you read with them every day

Explanation of phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, phonics … and more

Myth 3: I should start teaching phonics in a-z order

Demonstration of successive blending … and more

Myth 4: The only way to learn sight words is by memorizing

An explanation of Elkonin boxes… and more

Myth 5: You should teach phonics patterns in any order

A brief explanation of common spelling/phonics rules
Introduction to MY personal scope and sequence of phonics… and more

Myth 6: You need to teach and practice ALL word families

Clarifications on how Word Families can be taught

Myth 7: You need to spend lots of money to teach phonics successfully

Myth 8: The only way to learn to spell is by memorising and writing each word out many times

An explanation of word Sorts, “Words Their Way” and my personal sample schedule

Myth 9: Reading books will teach your child how to read

Explanation of the goals of reading regular books, decodable books, bridging books
I will be sharing my decodable books!

I strongly believe that when parents gain knowledge about their child’s learning style, they become more engaged in their child’s literacy development, leading to greater benefits for the child. This is exactly how I approach supporting my two youngest children at home – I have a strong motivation to keep learning because of them, and I’m happy to share everything I learn with you.

If you follow me on Instagram, I share a lot of writing tips. I am saving my reading tips for a specially created Facebook group just for this course. Feel free to ask questions, share videos, and celebrate our successes.