Structured Literacy is explicit, systematic teaching that focuses on phonological awareness, word recognition, phonics and decoding, spelling, and syntax at the sentence and paragraph levels.
Teaching critical thinking skills through educational games helps students learn important executive functioning skills. Working on critical thinking develops the ability to strategize, plan, and organize a task.
Movement helps students focus, recall, and manage their emotional needs. In addition, physical movement helps struggling and unmotivated students experience more success as they tackle more complex texts.
Mindfulness improves attention span, helps manage stress and emotion, improves resilience and ability to self-regulate, and encourages self-reflection.
We work together to time block a weekly schedule to prioritize homework and extracurriculars. Take the assignment, and break it into pieces that are easy to tackle. We allow the self-regulatory system to pause and refill by giving rewards and positive emotions during tasks that are stressful.
Some students can make a plan to complete work, but struggle with following through. I can act as an accountability partner to make sure work is completed AND submitted. This can be done through frequent check-ins, reminders, or keeping the student on task throughout work completion. I can help to understand assignments, get started, and stay focused.
Games like Checkers, Monopoly, and Clue use planning, sustained attention, response inhibition, working memory and metacognition. Other games help with problem solving and goal-directed persistence. We use games to develop executive skills like task initiation and time management while having fun.
We are structured and systematic by implementing checklists, planners, and timers to help kids with tasks. If needed, we may develop a reward/privilege system in the home to focus on the positives before the negatives. Consistent communication with the child's school will make sure nothing slips through the cracks.