By Jennifer Doyle

Reading opens the world. There are, unfortunately, some students to whom the world remains largely on lockdown.

These struggling readers present unique challenges to the classroom teacher. The one-size-fits-all idea often succumbs to the one-size-fits-some reality as unique situations and struggles reveal themselves. Students are not perfect copies of one another, and neither are the challenges they face. As teachers, we know this, and yet, often, we apply and re-apply the same methods for “fixing” these problems.

Why? Because, sometimes, we’re stumped.

And sometimes, we’re not seeing the gaps that need to be filled.

I’m an early childhood educator. One of the most important early literacy components for me has always been phonological awareness. Why? Because I see the real-life connection that it presents for our youngest learners: the spoken word. Language acquisition begins here. Babies start with it. All of those cute dadadadada’s and mamamama’s are them putting words to concrete objects and, later, abstract thinking.