Springfield Center for Dyslexia and Learning

📚 Student Book Recommendation of the Week! 📚

This week's recommendation comes from Royce! 🎉

🐱 Cat on the Run by Aaron Blabey

Why does Royce recommend it?
💬 "Because it's crazy!" 😄

If your reader loves fast-paced adventures, hilarious characters, and plenty of unexpected twists, this might be the perfect next book to check out!

What's the craziest book your child has read lately? Let us know in the comments! 👇

Tap... Then Sweep

A favorite structured literacy strategy:

✅ Tap each sound.
✅ Then sweep your finger beneath the word while blending.

The tapping isolates each phoneme.

The sweep reminds students that the sounds belong together to make one word.

It's a simple technique that helps bridge decoding and fluent reading.

Thank you, Dr. Judith Birsh, for helping educators make reading instruction both systematic and accessible.

Tap the Sounds

Sometimes our fingers help our brains organize what our ears hear.

Have students tap one finger for each sound:

ship
👆 /sh/
👆 /i/
👆 /p/

Notice we're tapping sounds, not letters.

This multisensory strategy reinforces sequencing and helps students become more accurate readers.

One of the many practical techniques championed in Dr. Judith Birsh's structured literacy instruction.

📚 Student Book Recommendations!

Our next recommendation comes from Gus! 🌟

📖 Eerie Elementary by Jack Chabert

If your child enjoys spooky adventures, mysterious schools, and exciting chapter books, Eerie Elementary is a fun series to check out! It's full of suspense, humor, and short chapters that help keep young readers engaged and turning the pages.

Every great reader starts with a book they can't wait to pick up. 💙

👇 What's your child's favorite book right now? Share it in the comments—you might help another family discover their next great read!

Playing with Sounds Builds Strong Readers

Reading isn't just about identifying sounds—it's also about manipulating them.

Try asking:

"What happens if we change the m in mat to s?"

"What word do we have if we take away the s from stop?"

These simple activities strengthen phonemic awareness, one of the strongest predictors of reading success.

Thank you, Dr. Judith Birsh, for helping educators understand the importance of explicit phonological instruction.

🍂 Partner with Purpose This Oktoberfest! 🍂

Looking for a meaningful way to give back to the community? Become an Oktoberfest Benefit Sponsor and help change the lives of local children with dyslexia and other learning differences.

Your sponsorship directly supports scholarships for specialized literacy intervention, giving more students the opportunity to become confident, successful readers. Plus, it's a great way to showcase your business's commitment to making a difference in southwest Missouri.

Whether you're a small business, a large company, or an individual who wants to make an impact, we'd love to have you join us!

💙 Ready to become a sponsor?
Visit https://dyslexiaandlearning.com/events/ to learn more, or secure your sponsorship here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-oktoberfest-benefit-sponsorship

Know a business that shares a passion for helping children succeed? Tag them in the comments or share this post!

Think in Chunks

Once students understand individual sounds, they can begin blending larger chunks.

Examples:

m + at = mat
fl + ag = flag
st + op = stop

Breaking words into meaningful parts reduces cognitive load and helps students decode more efficiently.

Dr. Judith Birsh encouraged educators to build these skills systematically, giving students another pathway to successful reading.

Close the Gaps

Many beginning readers pause between every sound:

/s/.../u/.../n/

Those pauses make blending difficult.

Instead, encourage students to make each sound closer together until they flow smoothly into a whole word.

Small adjustments often create big breakthroughs.

This structured approach is one of many teaching practices highlighted by Dr. Judith Birsh throughout her work with struggling readers.

📢 Registration is closing soon! 📢

Don't miss your chance to join our JET Virtual Training on August 14!

This virtual training is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge and strengthen your skills in supporting students with dyslexia and other learning differences.

⏰ Don't wait—registration deadline is approaching!

👉 Register today: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/jet-virtual-training-2

Tag a colleague who wouldn't want to miss this opportunity! 📚💙

From Slow to Smooth

Once students can blend sounds accurately, the next goal is automaticity.

Start slowly...
mmmmmaaaaat

Then gradually increase the pace until the word is read naturally:

mat

Reading isn't about rushing—it's about helping the brain recognize words more efficiently through repeated successful practice.

As Dr. Judith Birsh taught, fluency grows from accuracy, not speed.

💙 Honoring the legacy of Dr. Judith Birsh.