Shop UK Site 
The No Tears Guide to Spelling
- Gabrielle Fischer Posted On Jan 16, 2017 | 18 mo. Reading
So try something new! Some kids simply learn better aurally, kinesthetically or visually. If you have struggling spellers, it may help to get their large muscles in on the action. Doing so uses a different part of the brain and activates kinesthetic memory.Plus, all kids learn best with a dash of fun. So step away from the desk or dining room table... clear some space... and let’s get spelling!Bounce it out
Use a basketball and bounce the ball as you say each letter in the word. You can also pass the ball back and forth with your child as you spell the word.Jump it out
Use a jump rope and spell the word by saying each letter at each rope rotation.Tap it out
Use your hand or wooden spoon to tap out each letter of the word as you spell it out loud.Stamp it out
Stomp your foot as you say each letter in the word. Or, for a quieter tabletop option, use Alphabet Stamps and a stamp pad.Roll it out
Roll out some homemade play dough to make the letters in each word, either with Letter Blocks or by making letters out of the dough. Or try Playfoam®! When your word is done, squeeze it, squash it, and spell another word!Snap it out
Finger snapping is a great way to identify each letter as you spell a word. Another take on snapping is our Letter Construction Activity Set that has curved and straight plastic pieces that snap together to form letters. Either way, you're adding finger movements to the learning.Stick it out
Use Magnetic Learning Letters on the fridge or metal cookie sheet. Using readymade letters allows you to move the letters farther apart or closer together to help with sounding out each word, or breaking it up into CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant), syllables, blends, digraphs, and more.String it out
Use our Lacing Letters to form words. Colorful, plastic molded letters can be laced together to form spelling words.Tape it out
Use masking tape, duct tape, or scotch tape to make the words with sticky strips on paper.Twist it out
Bendable pipe cleaners are fun and fuzzy, and work really well to form letters.Foam it out
Try covering a cookie sheet with shaving cream and using your index finger to write the words.Different kids learn in different ways. When you identify your kids' strength in learning, use it to further their studies.For many kids, combining different learning styles deepens their understanding. This multisensory approach helps kids make different connections and improve their spelling skills. So don't let spelling struggles put a damper on learning. There are many different ways to get it done!
Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers
Fine motor skills are critical to a preschooler’s development. Like any skill, such as playing the piano or dribbling a basketball, practice is essential to success.
When preschool teachers mention fine motor skills, they are referring to the muscles in the hand that are used to manipulate small objects. Fine motor and hand eye coordination are typically parallel skills; most fine motor tasks require refined hand eye coordination. Hand eye coordination refers to the communication that happens between the hands and the eyes in order to accomplish a task.
We use fine motor skills in our everyday lives. Examples include: tying shoes (looping shoelaces through each other), getting dressed (buttons and zippers), eating dinner (using a fork or knife), and brushing teeth (squeezing toothpaste and brushing). In addition, kids will undoubtedly use fine motor skills at school as they write, color, cut, glue, and paint.
Not only is it important to develop fine motor skills for physical growth, but also to build confidence. The more children practice these skills, the more confident they will become. Mastering the coordination of putting on a winter coat, zipping, and buttoning it will make kids excited to go outside. Delaying practicing fine motor skills may have an adverse effect - a student who hasn’t learned to hold and move a pencil properly may make them frustrated during a writing lesson, or could lead to avoiding the task altogether.
While there are plenty of ways to practice fine motor skills around the house, children can also learn through playing with any of these Learning Resources products:
Sand and Water Fine Motor Tool Set
READ MORE
Modeling Independent Reading
Fostering a love of reading from an early age certainly boosts academic development, but also offers an opportunity for parents to connect with their children.
Classroom teachers often use the term ‘modeling’ when introducing a new skill or assignment. For example, if students are tasked with reading a sentence out loud, teachers will likely read aloud a sentence first so students can hear proper fluency. If students are writing a story in class, many teachers would write alongside their kids. The demonstration and commitment to practice is valuable to the learning process.
Whether your child is listening to a sibling read a board book, performing Shel Silverstein poetry for all to hear, or cuddled up with a chapter book on the couch, parents are encouraged to participate in this activity, too.
Learning Resources’ Reading Comprehension Cubes are a useful tool to spark discussion. The kit comes with six dice-like cubes with questions on each side. The red cubes list pre-reading questions, the blue cubes are for during reading, and the green cubes have post-reading prompts.
Examples: Red- “Predict what will happen in the story.”
Blue- “Where does the story take place?”
Green- “Summarize the story.”
Parents should take one cube of each color, and children should take the rest. While your child is independently reading, grab your book, too. Set a timer for 10 minutes while you both read silently. When the timer goes off, roll a cube. If the question is about the main character, you can share who the main character in your novel is, just like your child will describe the main character in their novel. Using familiar vocabulary such as “setting” or “conflict” will teach your child that stories have general characteristics. 
There are potentially three different types of reading skills that children may be practicing when they are reading at home: reading aloud, reading silently, and listening to reading. The Reading Comprehension Cubes can help improve and test children’s understanding within the different modalities. For example, a child may be able to clearly explain the conflict while they are listening to a story, but not when they are reading aloud. This would imply that more reading aloud and checks for comprehension would help strengthen that skill.
The Reading Comprehension Cubes can also be used as writing prompts. Instead of discussing, children can roll the dice, read the prompt, write their response, and then share what they wrote.
By adopting into your routine at least 20 minutes of reading each day, children are not only becoming stronger readers, but also stronger writers and thoughtful thinkers. They are witnessing firsthand how a story begins and ends, introduces characters, and develops settings. In addition, they will begin recognizing that the beginning of each sentence starts with a capital letter. The skills of reading and writing go hand in hand. Finally, they are learning to articulate their thoughts, ask insightful questions, and have a meaningful discussion.
Modeling independent reading demonstrates a lifelong love of literature.
READ MORE
