The Read: October 2024

Unlock Dyslexia Insights + Proven Literacy Strategies for Early Learners

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, a very personal marker for me. My journey with reading difficulties was one of silence for decades, navigating special services without truly understanding why. It wasn't until my 30s that I was finally diagnosed with dyslexia. Today, fantastic resources are being shared to support educators who dedicate themselves to transforming students' lives.

No one should have to wait for answers, and certainly not for resources we know work! It's my honor to share some of those with you in this issue of The Read. Thank you for walking with me on this path of learning, growth, and change. Together, we're making a powerful difference.

Best,

Jillian Kaster

Community and Advocacy Manager

CONNECT—Grow your learning in the community.

Dyslexia Awareness Challenge

Join the Dyslexia Awareness Challenge in the Science of Reading Collective!?Access the recording of Part 1 of our Dyslexia Awareness webinar series and connect with other motivated educators. Don’t forget to sign up for Part 2, happening live later today, Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Attend both webinars or watch the recordings later, complete the challenges, and earn your Dyslexia Awareness badge in The Collective.

SHARE—We can't keep these curated resources to ourselves.

Dyslexia Talks

Don’t miss Dyslexia Talks, a heartfelt miniseries within the Literacy Talks podcast. Host Donell Pons dives into personal stories of perseverance and advocacy around dyslexia. In this episode, Donell speaks with her husband, as he shares his journey with dyslexia. One listener said, “Two handkerchiefs, Literacy Talks friends. That’s how many I used while listening to Curtis Pons’ inspiring conversation. A sincere thank you to Mr. Pons for his candid and moving words.” Tune in for more powerful episodes of Dyslexia Talks airing throughout Season 6!

LEARN—Valuable information you may not already know.

Teaching Sounds First?

Recent insights suggest that teaching letter names and sounds together is the most effective strategy for early learners. While some argue that sounds should come first since they are used for reading, research shows that combining letter names, sounds, and letter formation builds a stronger literacy foundation, especially in preschool and kindergarten.?We can use students' letter-name knowledge as an anchor to help them learn letter sounds (particularly those connected to the letter name).

The names of these consonant sounds all start with the consonant sound they make: b, d, j, k, p, t, v, z?

These consonants have their sound in their letter name as well: f (/e/-/f/), l (/e/-/l/), m (/e/-/m/), n (/e/-/n/), r (/ar/), s (/e/-/s/), x (/e/-/x/)

Children often enter school knowing a few letter names, which can help them learn letter sounds, particularly those linked to the name (e.g., b, d, k, p). Additionally, using picture mnemonics, like the letter "O" shaped like an octopus, enhances letter-sound learning (Ehri et al., 1984).