If you are the parent or guardian of a struggling reader, or a highly achieving reader you may find yourself wondering how to motivate your student. I believe that effective teachers teach skills, strategies and concepts that support student success. I believe that instruction must be differentiated; i.e. personalized to fit the needs of the student. Instruction must be explicit and systematic. Students must be a part of their education and this is done by including the student in feedback; they should be included in the learning process. In teaching reading at all levels, I incorporate what I like to call the Big Five: teaching phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency instruction, building vocabulary and improving reading comprehension. Keep in mind that the goal of reading is comprehension. Teaching the essentials ensures student success. Stay tuned for more information and small lessons in teaching early literacy concepts and reading comprehension.
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Bridget Swartzlander is a credentialed teacher in Colorado who has taught at Montessori for 21 years. Bridget holds a Master’s in Education Degree in Reading and a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education.
My fundamental premise is that we don’t need to wait for students to fail before implementing interventions that can be designed for your child’s specific needs. I work on supporting student success in phonemic awareness instruction, phonics instruction, fluency instruction, vocabulary instruction and comprehension; the ultimate goal of reading is comprehension.
The solution is not homework-focused, but rather a one-on-one instruction that is research and evidence based; a tutoring program that puts tools in your child’s toolbox for being able to decode, engage with the text and ultimately become a proficient reader and writer.
When you work with me, the program will be designed for your child and your child only. There are no “cookie cutter” solutions, but rather effective methods of phonics instruction suited to your child’s particular learning style; a tailored and outlined program for your student only.
You will receive detailed notes on the sessions and progress monitoring reports as well. Changes and alternations to their learning plan will be discussed before being implemented and will be made to ensure optimum results.
Contact Bridget to schedule a reading assessment for your child today.